Nigel Hayes Doesn't Have to Like New York City
By Kyle Koster
Wisconsin forward Nigel Hayes is in New York City, the greatest metropolis in the world. His Badgers take on Florida Friday night for a spot in the East Region final. Hayes, an outspoken and engaging veteran, does not heart NYC.
Nigel Hayes on NYC: "I don't really like New York. It's too big, it's dirty, trash everywhere, too many people. It's cold right now."
— Kevin Armstrong (@KevinGArmstrong) March 23, 2017
Hayes was born in Westerville, Ohio, near Columbus. Just over 36,000 people lived there per during the 2010 census. It is surely a nice place. He’s attended college in Madison for the last four years, one of the most beloved campuses in the Midwest.
So what if he prefers those places to New York? As someone who lived there for five years, I can attest that he makes some valid points. It is big. It can be dirty. Trash is visible on the streets. There are a lot of people.
It is, however, warmer than Wisconsin. That particular critique doesn’t really make much sense. Even the proudest New Yorker concedes that there are some inherent flies in the ointment when it comes to living there. Hayes didn’t even mention the most significant downside — the cost of living. But those who love it realize all the things he mentioned are worth putting up with in exchange for living in the city.
The perks outweigh the problems.
Anyway, Hayes isn’t living there. He’s in town for a business trip. If he doesn’t want to fold his pizza slices or fight strangers for a can in the rain, that’s his prerogative. New York’s not for everybody.