I often hear the debate get brought up regarding what professional team the state of Idaho would prefer should sports ever transition into the highest level in the Gem State. Football might be the most popular pro game in Idaho, but would the sport make the most sense and be accepted by the majority of Idahoans if the space were created for a stadium?

The topic of professional sports in Idaho popped into my head as I sat at an Anaheim Ducks and Philadelphia Flyers game Monday night. I'm a lifelong Ducks fan, and I consider the sport to be the toughest there is. These guys earn their paychecks. There aren't any other sports in existence where busted teeth, broken jaws, bare-knuckle fist fights, and concussions are so prevalent.

Get our free mobile app

The majority of Idahoans I know are football fans. There's a state allegiance to teams like the Seahawks, Raiders, and Broncos. Salt Lake City is home to the Utah Jazz and is just a couple of hours southeast of Twin Falls, but I haven't noticed a huge basketball fan base in Idaho; the same goes for baseball.

Idaho is a tough state where the outdoors, religion, and family are the most important aspects of life. Idahoans deserve hockey; it's a match made in heaven. Some in southern Idaho are content with the Steelheads and don't want professional sports in the state.

In case you were wondering, the Ducks got worked Monday night at the Honda Center in Anaheim. A mediocre (at best) Flyers team laid a 4-1 smackdown on them. There were no fights and it was obvious the youth of Anaheim cost them the game. It'll be another two to three years before the Ducks will make for a worthy opponent.

Better luck next time.

30 famous people you might not know were college athletes

Stacker dug deep to find 30 celebrities who were previously college athletes. There are musicians, politicians, actors, writers, and reality TV stars. For some, an athletic career was a real, promising possibility that ultimately faded away due to injury or an alternate calling. Others scrapped their way onto a team and simply played for fun and the love of the sport. Read on to find out if your favorite actor, singer, or politician once sported a university jersey.

TACKLE THESE: Check Out the Best Uniforms In Each NFL Team's History

KEEP READING: Here are 50 of the most famous sports goofs

More From 98.3 The Snake