NCAAbbs

This is exciting, I didn't figure any Baylor fans would make the trip from Waco to Birmingham. I mean, seriously...I could understand MEMPHIS or USF...but there's like nothing to do in Birmingham! :laugh:

There is some of the best golf this side of the Mississippi......


Oh, we do have a Sammy's...

BlazerSax Wrote:This is exciting, I didn't figure any Baylor fans would make the trip from Waco to Birmingham. I mean, seriously...I could understand MEMPHIS or USF...but there's like nothing to do in Birmingham! :laugh:

There is plenty to do in Birmingham. Not a whole lot to do in Chattanooga but visit the Aquarium and do some camping. But people still visit there. It's normal for people to live in a city to say there's nothing to do but people visiting a city always find something to do.

If you've ever been to Waco, then you'll realize there's plenty to do in Birmingham. Hell, the first time I went there I was just entertained looking at mountains ... it's pretty damn flat in Waco.

doogh, double post

Sax, we will definitely have to hook you up with MCBlazer when he comes to town for the football games... it'll be like Longfellow Deeds hitting the town with John McEnroe.

Seriously though Sax, hitting the Barber Motorsports Museum, Irondale Cafe (of Fried Green Tomatoes fame), Rickwood Field, Vulcan Park, Civil Rights District, Sloss Furnace, McWane Center, B'ham Museum of Art, Reed Bookstore, The Summit or Riverchase Galleria, Oak Mountain/Ruffner Mtn., dinner at Dreamland or any of the other great restaurants downtown, with a night in the Lakeview District/5 Points/or both could fill a weekend easily.

You can't experience these things in Waco. Even Legion Field can be considered a tourist attraction... most people outside Alabama don't hear all the negatives like how old and outdated it is and instead focus on the history.

Sax, it sounds like you have been around Tompkins too long.

Schard, surely you have read enough posts by blazersax to realize that he is NOT an optimist. He probably can't find anything fun to do around town because he spends all his time inside his room posting on message board.

Puff The Magic Dragon Wrote:Schard, surely you have read enough posts by blazersax to realize that he is NOT an optimist.  He probably can't find anything fun to do around town because he spends all his time inside his room posting on message board.

Ouch :frown:

I'll have you know I do A LOT more than that, thank you...

Schard Wrote:Sax, we will definitely have to hook you up with MCBlazer when he comes to town for the football games... it'll be like Longfellow Deeds hitting the town with John McEnroe.

Seriously though Sax, hitting the Barber Motorsports Museum, Irondale Cafe (of Fried Green Tomatoes fame), Rickwood Field, Vulcan Park, Civil Rights District, Sloss Furnace, McWane Center, B'ham Museum of Art, Reed Bookstore, The Summit or Riverchase Galleria, Oak Mountain/Ruffner Mtn., dinner at Dreamland or any of the other great restaurants downtown, with a night in the Lakeview District/5 Points/or both could fill a weekend easily.

You can't experience these things in Waco. Even Legion Field can be considered a tourist attraction... most people outside Alabama don't hear all the negatives like how old and outdated it is and instead focus on the history.

Sax, it sounds like you have been around Tompkins too long.

Compare Birmingham to Memphis:

1) Memphis has an awesome public transportation system (electric trolley)............Birmingham has nothing worth your while.

2) Memphis has a cool bar/restaurant district (Beale St)............Birmingham has a few ragtag bars and clubs.

3) Memphis has a huge University with massive local fan support............Birmingham has UAB, which needs more fans (we're working on it, I know!)

4) Memphis has an NBA team, which is cool............Birmingham...haha.

5) Memphis IS a beautiful riverside city with lots to do............Birmingham is a 150-year old outdated post-industrial city with little to do due to lack of expansion and city conservation.

Anybody know how much a one way ticket to Memphis costs? Just curious.

BlazerSax Wrote:... I mean, seriously...I could understand MEMPHIS or USF...but there's like nothing to do in Birmingham!  :laugh:

You said there was nothing to do in B'ham and I refuted your statement.

Then you try to compare Memphis and Birmingham:
1) Memphis has an awesome public transportation system (electric trolley)............Birmingham has nothing worth your while.

Last time I visited Memphis I never even used the trolley. In Birmingham I use the Dart to get from campus to 5 Points for lunch and to bar hop from Lakeview to 5 Points on the weekend. That's all the public transit I need. We have taxis in Birmingham, too. Travelers who frequent B'ham use them quite regularly.

2) Memphis has a cool bar/restaurant district (Beale St)............Birmingham has a few ragtag bars and clubs.

I wouldn't consider Blue Monkey, The Juniper, Red Horse Tavern, SOBO, Dave's, The Garage, or anywhere in Lakeview (with the exception of TC's) ragtag... and TC's is all the cooler because of its ragtagginess.

3) Memphis has a huge University with massive local fan support............Birmingham has UAB, which needs more fans (we're working on it, I know!)

What does this have to do with visiting Birmingham?

4) Memphis has an NBA team, which is cool............Birmingham...haha.

Too bad the NBA doesn't play during football season. However, the NBA does have exhibition games. And guess what? The Timberwolves are playing the Hawks Oct. 14th at the BJCC.

5) Memphis IS a beautiful riverside city with lots to do............Birmingham is a 150-year old outdated post-industrial city with little to do due to lack of expansion and city conservation.

You are wrong on so many levels with this one, Sax.
You are correct about the river, though. Birmingham will never have one. However, people who never get to see mountains and rolling hills will probably appreciate Red, Ruffner and Oak Mountains more than a river. They will also appreciate a place like The Summit, which is a unique location for fairly high-end shopping.

Also, many cities are shelling out hundreds of millions of dollars to recreate buildings and districts that Birmingham has had from its inception. The Alabama Theatre, Morris Avenue, Cobb Lane, 5 Points, Lakeview, Pepper Place, Highland Ave., Forest Park, Loft District, Civil Right's District, and many other areas of the city are blessed with beautiful and historic architecture. The conservation of these buildings is what makes Birmingham so unique.

Schard Wrote:

BlazerSax Wrote:... I mean, seriously...I could understand MEMPHIS or USF...but there's like nothing to do in Birmingham!  :laugh:

Also, many cities are shelling out hundreds of millions of dollars to recreate buildings and districts that Birmingham has had from its inception. The Alabama Theatre, Morris Avenue, Cobb Lane, 5 Points, Lakeview, Pepper Place, Highland Ave., Forest Park, Loft District, Civil Right's District, and many other areas of the city are blessed with beautiful and historic architecture. The conservation of these buildings is what makes Birmingham so unique.

Right...but until that movements gets 100% on the move in Birmingham, all of your points are moot. Dart is not an electric trolley. The clubs you mentioned simply do not have the vibe of Beale St. And an exhibition game is nothing. I want an entire season in the BJCC.

I mean, trust me...I want to be as positive as the next Birmingham native about our city, but that doesn't include kidding yourself. There is a reason that Birmingham isn't listed as a "major city" on the Major City lists on websites across the Internet.

DUDE, we're talking about what someone could do while in town for a UAB football game, not transplanting from Waco to Birmingham for five years. What an electric trolley has to do with attending a football game, I'll never know.

I'm done with this thread... I should have taken your advise, Puff.

:bang:

Schard Wrote:DUDE, we're talking about what someone could do while in town for a UAB football game, not transplanting from Waco to Birmingham for five years.  What an electric trolley has to do with attending a football game, I'll never know.

I'm done with this thread... I should have taken your advise, Puff.

:bang:

Riding a trolley from Five Points to Bartow Arena would be cool...you can do that in Memphis! (Beale St. to the Pyramid)

Yeah, I'm done too. I just wish I understood why it seems like everyone is out to get me on this board. Can't anyone have an opinion? :frown:

I know I said I was gone, but I'm back...

You CAN ride the Dart from 5 Points to Bartow. Cosmo's Pizza even has a deal during basketball season where you get dinner and tickets to the game for 15 bucks. Whenever you're done eating you just catch the Dart out in front of Pickwick, which drops you off at University and 14th, one block from Bartow Arena.

Sax, it isn't that we're out to get you. Your posts are just easy to correct.

I will add my $.02 cents.

BS, nobody is out to get you. You just have an extremely bad habit of talking about things which you don't have any clue about. At first, I thought you were just young and naive. Now, I think I know the real answer. You should focus on obtaining an education and learning to be more positive. People will like hanging around you more and chicks might actually dig you.

Alright perhaps I was being a little harsh in this assessment. Please allow me to explain the method to my madness.

Almost everyone who posts on this board likes living in Birmingham otherwise, we would choose not to live in Birmingham. When you start knocking Birmingham, do you think they might not take kindly to such negative statements especially coming from what appears to be a very narrow prospective?

How do you like it when somebody makes fun of the band or says that the band sucks and the people in band are all goobers knowing that you are in the band? If I called you a goober because you are a band geek and kept justifying why I am making fun of you, do you think you would like reading about it? I mean because I was not in the band perhaps I don't really know what happens at band camp. Therefore, is it really fair for me to call you a band geek or a goober head just because you are in the band? Does that makes sense? A wise philosopher once wrote - Think, before you speak. Actually, that one is in the bible. How about this one? Dr. Hammurabi, if I eat three fish a day, will I be as smart as the Japanese? This brings up a whole different issue for another day because it is time for me to head home from a long, long, long, very long day at work.

Later,

Puff

Reason for splitting the thread.... :bang:

The purpose of that thread was to make a serious place where they could post any questions they might have about places to stay, eat, and things to see and pin it where it would not get lost in the shuffle. I may do one for each visiting football team.
First of all, I don’t like deleting posts. The purpose for the smack board is for not only smack, but a place to place threads that get out of hand but don’t warrant deleting.:cop:
Second, Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion but there is a place for everything and that thread was not it. Heck, I will make my share of idiotic statements and dumb opinions you all will not agree on….. :frown: Oh, wait, I am the Mod here…….Strike that!
I would like to avoid the name-calling (unless it’s Troy Fans) :rofl: and bickering there was on another board. Spirited discussions are healthy and taken in the right context good for us all. Next time just start another thread. Either start it on the smack board or if it gets out of hand I will move it. I want everyone (except you know who) to be welcome here and to help make this a fun place to visit, well except for Troy fans….....


There, I hope Bmtblazer likes my use of smilies. That may be the most I have ever used...... Now, time for supper...:hungry:

Puff The Magic Dragon Wrote:I will add my $.02 cents.

BS, nobody is out to get you. You just have an extremely bad habit of talking about things which you don't have any clue about. At first, I thought you were just young and naive. Now, I think I know the real answer. You should focus on obtaining an education and learning to be more positive. People will like hanging around you more and chicks might actually dig you.

Alright perhaps I was being a little harsh in this assessment. Please allow me to explain the method to my madness.

Almost everyone who posts on this board likes living in Birmingham otherwise, we would choose not to live in Birmingham. When you start knocking Birmingham, do you think they might not take kindly to such negative statements especially coming from what appears to be a very narrow prospective?

How do you like it when somebody makes fun of the band or says that the band sucks and the people in band are all goobers knowing that you are in the band? If I called you a goober because you are a band geek and kept justifying why I am making fun of you, do you think you would like reading about it? I mean because I was not in the band perhaps I don't really know what happens at band camp. Therefore, is it really fair for me to call you a band geek or a goober head just because you are in the band? Does that makes sense? A wise philosopher once wrote - Think, before you speak. Actually, that one is in the bible. How about this one? Dr. Hammurabi, if I eat three fish a day, will I be as smart as the Japanese? This brings up a whole different issue for another day because it is time for me to head home from a long, long, long, very long day at work.

Later,

Puff

I'm not saying Birmingham is a bad city...I'm just saying that it could be a lot better, and I'm pointing to examples of cities that have improved in our weak areas.

BlazerSax Wrote:I'm not saying Birmingham is a bad city...I'm just saying that it could be a lot better, and I'm pointing to examples of cities that have improved in our weak areas.

Any city could be a lot better. So posters here are asking you what is your point? If others cities are so much better than Birmingham then why do you live here?

Sax has a point.

For being a rather large city, Birmingham really doesn't have that much to do.

Sure, there are shopping centers, good restaurants, and a few historic sights but if the average person living outside of Alabama were to go down a list of the following cities they could probably name at least one major attraction. However, that's not the case with Birmingham.

Memphis-Beale St and Graceland
St. Louis-The Arch
New Orleans-Bourbon St
Dallas-self-explanatory
Atlanta-Buckhead
Nashville-Grand Ole Opry

Birmingham is really lacking in a lot of areas and is not on par with other cities of its size. It is a nice place with nice homes, people, views, etc but overall it's rather boring.

I don't think Sax is bashing Birmingham, rather just stating the facts.

The only way Birmingham will change is with forward, not stupid and unrealistic, thinking. For that to happen the current leadership will need to be replaced and businessmen/entreprenuers from other parts of the country will need to start businesses there and make it a more desireable place to visit.

HiddenDragon Wrote:

BlazerSax Wrote:I'm not saying Birmingham is a bad city...I'm just saying that it could be a lot better, and I'm pointing to examples of cities that have improved in our weak areas.

Any city could be a lot better. So posters here are asking you what is your point? If others cities are so much better than Birmingham then why do you live here?

I live here because my Mom works at UAB and I get to go for half-price. My original choice was UGA, but I couldn't get a full-ride scholarship and I can't afford Georgia's $16,000 out-of-state tuition and fees. So, I'm a Blazer fan by chance :) Trust me...I will move when I can. Probably to Memphis, actually...they have quite an excellent public education system (I'm a music education major). Or, I may not move at all...I will go where money and opportunity are, and where I can raise a family in safety and happiness.

And yes, Tony, you are right on...I'm stating the facts. Thanks for that post.

Thanks for your comments, I agree things could be better. It's not bad but could be alot better.... See Sax, we are not out to get you. This is a good topic for a thread of it's own... I think the major gripe was Sax starting this topic on the Welcome Baylor thread and not starting a new thread.

BlazerSax wrote:

Quote:I'm stating the facts.

The only fact you've revealed is how little you know about Birmingham. All the Baylor fans need is something to do for ONE DAY when they're in B'ham. This will probably be the only time they ever come to B'ham and all you can say is "there's like nothing to do in Birmingham."

Sax, I don't have a beef with you. You're a great UAB fan and you contribute to the board.

My biggest problem is with fellow UAB students who don't know crap about what there is to do in the city of B'ham.

Shopping at the Summit, lunch at the Irondale Cafe, a tour of Barber Motorsports Museum, a visit to Vulcan Park, dinner and nightlife in 5 Points or Lakeview should pack a day quite nicely and leave a good impression of the city. Or they could just spend the day playing a round of golf at Oxmoor Valley, Ballantrae, Timberline, Highland, or Bent Brook.

If I was a Baylor fan and read your posts, Sax, I'd think Birmingham must be a real crap hole. That's my only beef.

I think the big thing is that Birmingham does not have anything of real value that separates itself from other cities.

Every city has golf, nice restaurants, a few parks, etc but most big cities have something very unique to that city that is a major attraction not only for visitors but also for its residents.

I can list a million things to do in Dothan, Alabama (some things that Bham doesn't have) yet Dothan is relatively boring.

One problem with Bham is that it takes so freakin' long to get something built. 2 1/2 yrs ago I volunteered in "Hands on Birmingham" on Martin Luther King Day. I was with a group that was responsible for the cleanup of the big fields north of the traintracks over by the B&A Werehouse. They told us that Bham needed it cleaned up because they were about to build a park/leisure area on those grounds. I even saw the designs for it.

I'm willing to bet that if I went back to that same spot then there would be trash, tall grass, and other rubble...everything but what we were initially told.

The leadership is horrible and nobody is in a hurry to get things done. Until new leadership with innovative ideas with a desire to get things done in a timely manner comes into Bham things will pretty much remain the same.

However, I enjoy visiting Bham because I have many good memories there. As a matter of fact I will be there this weekend. :D

September 4 needs to get here NOW!!

Here's the latest on what you were talking about:

Zoning OK'd for midtown housing
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
BARNETT WRIGHT
News staff writer
The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday cleared the way for a $25 million, nine-story apartment and condominium complex in the 1700 block of First Avenue South.

The council voted unanimously to rezone property for the Railroad Reservation Lofts project.

The building will have up to 127 residences. About half will be for rent and half for sale as condominiums.

Chris Giattina of Giattina Fisher Aycock, which is designing the project, said the development will coincide with plans for a proposed linear park that would run from Interstate 65 to Sloss Furnaces.

"This project, together with the park, represents a colossal shift for the city," said Giattina. "This will connect the downtown financial district to the medical district and create a walkable path from the north to the south. We're trying to go from 1,000 people living in the city to 10,000, and this is step one."

Mayor Bernard Kincaid said the project is in line with a City Center Master Plan that recommends residential and small commercial spaces along the proposed park.

"That green space will become the melting pot between downtown headed south and UAB headed north," he said. "This will transform that area. It's a mayor's dream to have local developers see an opportunity and come forward. It's absolutely beautiful."

City officials were told that phase one development would consist of nine stories with a penthouse terrace, swimming pool and club room on the ninth level; up to 127 residential units on the eighth through third levels; office suites, a fitness center and a small percentage of commercial space on the second level; 15,000 square feet of commercial space on the first level; and underground and surface parking. Street parking and nearby lots are expected to cover any additional needs until a larger deck can be built as part of a second phase of construction.

A second phase has been discussed for a similar building to the west along First Avenue South, eventually taking up half of that block.

Councilman Elias Hendricks called the project extraordinary and praised the architects for work done at Jemison Flats, a $10.4 million renovation of existing buildings in the 1800 block of First Avenue North.

"This will set the standard for the rest of the development in the area," said Hendricks, of the Railroad Reservation Lofts. "This is an example of responsible urban development and design and what happens when local firms get involved."

Giattina said his team will continue development of the project and begin sales by the end of the year. "Next year this time we should be under construction," he said.

*****
And here's the link to the website for the downtown railroad reservation park: <a href='http://www.railroadpark.org' target='_blank'>www.RailroadPark.org</a>

Weird that I just mentioned it and an article was published today.

In Dallas there are areas called "Living Centers" which are very cool. They have upper-scale shopping, restaurants, movie theaters, Starbucks, etc and on top of them are lofts/condos/apts as well as around the area that it is in.

I hang out in these areas all the time because there are many places to go in one stop, there are tons of people around, and it's relaxing because it still has the neighborhood feel to it. I hope this is what they are talking about building.

That's the plan... lofts are going like crazy downtown, but there still aren't the average suburban amenities down there.

Yeah, I mean, there's plenty to do for a single day...but as for LIVING here...err...I'm with Tony.

Does anybody know how much a one way ticket to St. Louis costs? Just curious.

Puff The Magic Dragon Wrote:Does anybody know how much a one way ticket to St. Louis costs? Just curious.

A one-way Coach ticket on American Airlines to St. Louis from BHX, leaving on July 29th, would be $215.

:rofl:

Hilarious!! This is so funny I'm going to hurl