Conference Realignment

[Techster]

I would take Tulane just for the road trips to New Orleans, anything else they bring to the table is gravy

Maybe an unpopular opinion, but NO is overrated. The best part of NO for me was always the food. IMO, now the food outside NO is actually better than the food in the city of NO.

 

[RonJohn]

This is just entertainment for sports fans. I suggest you treat it that way.

That is exactly how I treat it. "Just entertainment", and no actual connection to reality.

 

[GTHomer]

Maybe an unpopular opinion, but NO is overrated. The best part of NO for me was always the food. IMO, now the food outside NO is actually better than the food in the city of NO.

I actually found the restaurants and food in Kenner (near the New Orleans airport) to be much better and about half the cost of food in the city.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Maybe an unpopular opinion, but NO is overrated. The best part of NO for me was always the food. IMO, now the food outside NO is actually better than the food in the city of NO.

Not sure what you mean by overrated but I like cities that are unique. Too much in our country is cookie cutter. New Orleans is one of the unique places. San Francisco, Savannah, Boston, NY, Charleston, Philadelphia are other places that aren’t quite like anywhere else. On the other hand I have had the experience of being in a city and momentarily forgetting whether it was Houston, St Louis, Atlanta or LA, because the highways, strip malls and chain restaurants and stores in that moment looked exactly the same. Not saying those places don’t have their own pockets of charm but they don’t have the overwhelming gestalt that a place like New Orleans has.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Lots of talk about rumors here. There's also rumors that Elvis is playing gigs at a nursing home in Vegas. Without verifiable sources, any rumor is possible.

 

[iceeater1969]

Not sure what you mean by overrated but I like cities that are unique. Too much in our country is cookie cutter. New Orleans is one of the unique places. San Francisco, Savannah, Boston, NY, Charleston, Philadelphia are other places that aren’t quite like anywhere else. On the other hand I have had the experience of being in a city and momentarily forgetting whether it was Houston, St Louis, Atlanta or LA, because the highways, strip malls and chain restaurants and stores in that moment looked exactly the same. Not saying those places don’t have their own pockets of charm but they don’t have the overwhelming gestalt that a place like New Orleans has.

Imo, NO has way more crime now and way less Gestalt.

Honeymoon in New Orleans in 67. GO ANYWHERE AND HAVE FUN W GREAT FOOD DRINK. SAME IN 76 WHEN WORKING IN BATON ROUGE.

 

[stech81]

Lots of talk about rumors here. There's also rumors that Elvis is playing gigs at a nursing home in Vegas. Without verifiable sources, any rumor is possible.

My wife will need to know which one he is at.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Well, that’s your experience so I can’t argue with that but I have to say I treat EVERY city in this country the same way when it comes to crime -know the neighborhoods, be smart, avoid certain areas, especially at certain times, don’t carry a wallet in my back pocket, don’t act like a tourist, and all the rest. Our nation’s culture is inherently violent compared to other industrialized nations and it is what it is. I was in NO a couple of years ago and it was still unique.

 

[Techster]

Not sure what you mean by overrated but I like cities that are unique. Too much in our country is cookie cutter. New Orleans is one of the unique places. San Francisco, Savannah, Boston, NY, Charleston, Philadelphia are other places that aren’t quite like anywhere else. On the other hand I have had the experience of being in a city and momentarily forgetting whether it was Houston, St Louis, Atlanta or LA, because the highways, strip malls and chain restaurants and stores in that moment looked exactly the same. Not saying those places don’t have their own pockets of charm but they don’t have the overwhelming gestalt that a place like New Orleans has.

I'm not sure when the last time you've been to the cities you've mentioned as "unique places", but they've become heavily commercialized with chain restaurants and chain stores. That's just commercialization of everything that's going on.

You say Houston and Atlanta (not metro, but Atlanta proper) look exactly the same, but that tells me you haven't been in a while. Atlanta has become an eclectic mix of different neighborhoods like Kirkwood, Old Fourth Ward, Inman Park, Grant Park, Edgewood, Virginia Highlands, Midtown, Downtown, etc. Both Atlanta and Houston have become amazing culinary cities. Atlanta is actually about to get its first Michelin rated restaurants according to the service, and is consistently ranked as one of the best places to visit for food. I haven't spent real time in St Louis, but LA also has amazing food. You know what Atlanta/Houston/LA have in common? A very diverse population that have taken traditional cuisine and turned it upside down with infusing it with the cultural influence of its immigrant settlers. Both Houston and Atlanta have vibrant art and music scenes. LA I don't care for due to traffic and outrageous prices, but they also have a vibrant art and music scene.

New Orleans does have its uniqueness (architecture, ambiance (Jazz!), traditions, etc,), but the food lacks inspiration, and the city smells like piss and human feces. I refuse to go there during the warmer months as the heat makes the city smell even worse. If that's what you consider unique, then have at it. Most of the famous restaurants take themselves too seriously and refuse to innovate...that's why I said the food outside of the city is much better than inside the city. There's a series on Netflix that's called Ugly Delicious, and they talk about how New Orleans city restaurants are too stuck on the past. Of course, there's spots here and there that are good, but for its reputation, I can leave New Orleans rather than take it. A lot of the chefs that use to work in the legendary New Orleans restaurants have left the city and opened their own places and infused their cuisine with different twists and unique flavors.

In all my traveling, I find cities in secondary and tertiary markets have actually been my favorites in terms of cuisine and culture. Places like Asheville, Savannah, Charleston, Austin, Amelia Island, Nashville, Louisville...I could go on.

So, to tie this back to Conference Realignment, it would be fun to rank the potential schools based not on sports prowess, but places that would be great to visit for the cuisine and cultural enjoyment. IMO, that's one of my favorite things about college sports...the chance to visit cities and towns you normally wouldn't to experience things you haven't before.

 

[cpf2001]

LA and Houston probably have the best food in the country (not fancy-shmancy-Manhattan-5-star-five-dining, but acroos-the-board, fight me!) so it's a shame the ACC isn't expanding to them then.

 

[UgaBlows]

LA and Houston probably have the best food in the country (not fancy-shmancy-Manhattan-5-star-five-dining, but acroos-the-board, fight me!) so it's a shame the ACC isn't expanding to them then.

Well we could add Rice U., gives SMU an instate rival

 

[awbuzz]

My wife will need to know which one he is at.

Try Harrah's, 2-6PM, 8 days a week.

 

[AUFC]

The thing that struck me about New Orleans was the sense of community. I went to a coffee shop in Bywater on a Saturday morning and literally everybody there was per chance running into neighbors and friends. It’s a product of their housing which is almost all duplexes with porches shoved up against the sidewalk. Almost impossible to not meet all your neighbors over a beer with that arrangement.

I absolutely love NOLA but its best features are outside Bourbon Street. Give me Tulane in the ACC, then split us into 2 divisions of 9 for round robin play.

 

[bucknellbison31]

Well we could add Rice U., gives SMU an instate rival

Let me preface this by saying that Rice is a fantastic school in a great part of Houston; that said, Rice has a LONG way to go before its football and basketball programs even sniff ACC caliber.

 

[UgaBlows]

Let me preface this by saying that Rice is a fantastic school in a great part of Houston; that said, Rice has a LONG way to go before its football and basketball programs even sniff ACC caliber.

And it is VERY small

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Some of what you say, I agree with and some of what you say doesn’t match my experience. I grew up in Atlanta and it has always had interesting neighborhoods. My father’s office was on Auburn Avenue before they decided to put an interstate right through the middle of it. My childhood roaming area was from Fernbank to the Druid Hills country club. Grant Park and Inman Park were places we spent Saturdays. I could go on. The problem is that Atlanta has torn down twice as much of its history as has saved. And I’m being generous. The constant “remaking” of Atlanta tends to postpone, for me, any sense of history and place. Just me.

I don’t want this to end up sounding like a rag on Atlanta rant however. Enough people do that unfairly and Atlanta will always be a fond place for me. Likewise, this is not a blanket endorsement of New Orleans. I know well the problems. I lived and worked in Savannah for years and can testify first hand to high crime, dangerous areas and bad smells. But Savannah is one of the cities I listed as having a unique sense of place. I say that even though most of the restaurants are overrated, overpriced, tourist traps. But I would argue their restaurants are better than Charleston’s, another unique place.

We will not settle this because it involves personal experience and opinion. Sounds like you don’t want Tulane in the conference which I am ambivalent about anyway but have nostalgia about it since Tulane and Tech were partners in founding the SEC.

Have a great day!

 

[bucknellbison31]

Some of what you say, I agree with and some of what you say doesn’t match my experience. I grew up in Atlanta and it has always had interesting neighborhoods. My father’s office was on Auburn Avenue before they decided to put an interstate right through the middle of it. My childhood roaming area was from Fernbank to the Druid Hills country club. Grant Park and Inman Park were places we spent Saturdays. I could go on. The problem is that Atlanta has torn down twice as much of its history as has saved. And I’m being generous. The constant “remaking” of Atlanta tends to postpone, for me, any sense of history and place. Just me.

I don’t want this to end up sounding like a rag on Atlanta rant however. Enough people do that unfairly and Atlanta will always be a fond place for me. Likewise, this is not a blanket endorsement of New Orleans. I know well the problems. I lived and worked in Savannah for years and can testify first hand to high crime, dangerous areas and bad smells. But Savannah is one of the cities I listed as having a unique sense of place. I say that even though most of the restaurants are overrated, overpriced, tourist traps. But I would argue their restaurants are better than Charleston’s, another unique place.

We will not settle this because it involves personal experience and opinion. Sounds like you don’t want Tulane in the conference which I am ambivalent about anyway but have nostalgia about it since Tulane and Tech were partners in founding the SEC.

Have a great day!

I think Atlanta's lack of charm results from its population being so transient. Pittsburgh is NOLA-esque in the sense that while the city has problems, everyone from the area is extremely proud to call themselves a Pittsburgher, and most people have roots in Western PA that stretch for generations. I remember being really surprised when I came to Atlanta originally because there just wasn't that strong of a sense of common identity. This is probably because, for every Atlanta native you meet, you'll meet several from Chicago, New York, Philly, etc. I'm not trying to pick on Atlanta; the same can be said for the other big, growing Sun Belt cities (Houston, Dallas, Tampa, Charlotte, etc.). That's why I'm partial to adding a city like New Orleans to the ACC — 1) it would be a great place to visit and 2) the people there remind me (in a way) of those that I grew up around.

Is this on topic for a "Conference Realignment" Thread? Yes because I say so.

 

[grandpa jacket]

Some of what you say, I agree with and some of what you say doesn’t match my experience. I grew up in Atlanta and it has always had interesting neighborhoods. My father’s office was on Auburn Avenue before they decided to put an interstate right through the middle of it. My childhood roaming area was from Fernbank to the Druid Hills country club. Grant Park and Inman Park were places we spent Saturdays. I could go on. The problem is that Atlanta has torn down twice as much of its history as has saved. And I’m being generous. The constant “remaking” of Atlanta tends to postpone, for me, any sense of history and place. Just me.

I don’t want this to end up sounding like a rag on Atlanta rant however. Enough people do that unfairly and Atlanta will always be a fond place for me. Likewise, this is not a blanket endorsement of New Orleans. I know well the problems. I lived and worked in Savannah for years and can testify first hand to high crime, dangerous areas and bad smells. But Savannah is one of the cities I listed as having a unique sense of place. I say that even though most of the restaurants are overrated, overpriced, tourist traps. But I would argue their restaurants are better than Charleston’s, another unique place.

We will not settle this because it involves personal experience and opinion. Sounds like you don’t want Tulane in the conference which I am ambivalent about anyway but have nostalgia about it since Tulane and Tech were partners in founding the SEC.

Have a great day!

I spent some nights parked at Ft Morgan at Grant Park, if you know what i mean. Even got caught once with pants down by the cops. Wonderful memories

 

[orientalnc]

Some of what you say, I agree with and some of what you say doesn’t match my experience. I grew up in Atlanta and it has always had interesting neighborhoods. My father’s office was on Auburn Avenue before they decided to put an interstate right through the middle of it. My childhood roaming area was from Fernbank to the Druid Hills country club. Grant Park and Inman Park were places we spent Saturdays. I could go on. The problem is that Atlanta has torn down twice as much of its history as has saved. And I’m being generous. The constant “remaking” of Atlanta tends to postpone, for me, any sense of history and place. Just me.

I don’t want this to end up sounding like a rag on Atlanta rant however. Enough people do that unfairly and Atlanta will always be a fond place for me. Likewise, this is not a blanket endorsement of New Orleans. I know well the problems. I lived and worked in Savannah for years and can testify first hand to high crime, dangerous areas and bad smells. But Savannah is one of the cities I listed as having a unique sense of place. I say that even though most of the restaurants are overrated, overpriced, tourist traps. But I would argue their restaurants are better than Charleston’s, another unique place.

We will not settle this because it involves personal experience and opinion. Sounds like you don’t want Tulane in the conference which I am ambivalent about anyway but have nostalgia about it since Tulane and Tech were partners in founding the SEC.

Have a great day!

Inman Park was my neighborhood as an adult in Atlanta. I love the history surrounding our house on Elizabeth Street. But, the neighborhood has certainly changed in the 25 years I have been gone.

 

[Techster]

Some of what you say, I agree with and some of what you say doesn’t match my experience. I grew up in Atlanta and it has always had interesting neighborhoods. My father’s office was on Auburn Avenue before they decided to put an interstate right through the middle of it. My childhood roaming area was from Fernbank to the Druid Hills country club. Grant Park and Inman Park were places we spent Saturdays. I could go on. The problem is that Atlanta has torn down twice as much of its history as has saved. And I’m being generous. The constant “remaking” of Atlanta tends to postpone, for me, any sense of history and place. Just me.

I don’t want this to end up sounding like a rag on Atlanta rant however. Enough people do that unfairly and Atlanta will always be a fond place for me. Likewise, this is not a blanket endorsement of New Orleans. I know well the problems. I lived and worked in Savannah for years and can testify first hand to high crime, dangerous areas and bad smells. But Savannah is one of the cities I listed as having a unique sense of place. I say that even though most of the restaurants are overrated, overpriced, tourist traps. But I would argue their restaurants are better than Charleston’s, another unique place.

We will not settle this because it involves personal experience and opinion. Sounds like you don’t want Tulane in the conference which I am ambivalent about anyway but have nostalgia about it since Tulane and Tech were partners in founding the SEC.

Have a great day!

I agree with you 100% that our opinions are based on preference. It's rare that everyone has the same tastes in food, culture, arts, etc. New Orleans is definitely a great city, but it's my opinion (emphasis on "my") that given NO's hype, it just doesn't deliver. That's not to say New Orleans isn't a place worth visiting, it most definitely is...and I highly recommend it to anyone that's never been. From elementary through high school I visited NO almost every summer to visit my mother's childhood friend, and I cherish the memories I made running around the city with my "cousins".

I'm in my early 40's, and the older I get, the more I value history and tradition. However, I'm also a person that believes in reinvention and progression. It's great to see a once crime ridden neighborhoods like Old 4th Ward in Atlanta (where I live) reinvent itself into a great place to visit and live as opposed place people avoided. Savannah has become one of my favorite quick getaways from the city due to its location on the water (saltwater fishing is one of my favorite pastimes) and how they've reinvented themselves but kept its old founding roots. Sure there's some commercialization going on, but the joy I get when I go to Savannah and you can visibly see how the old and new are mixing harmoniously as you walk along the river. I find that to be a great balance of how you can reinvent yourself but stick to your roots.

There's no right or wrong answer to this discussion. It's just a matter of preference.