CFB51 College Football Fan Community
The Power Five => Big Ten => Topic started by: MarqHusker on November 15, 2022, 12:25:38 AM
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A nod to Gatorama who brought so many great threads to the boards.
My usual crew and a new mate scouted a return to the Grove for this year. We last visited about twelve years ago, and planned to meet up with our College Station host from last year and his daughter who is an Ole Miss student. My third trip to Ole Miss and no less enjoyable.
Of course, we just don't a game anymore, always looking to parlay with Horse Racing, MLB postseason, more college football, heck even NBA (this year). I drove to Memphis this year, flight was $600+ and with a connection, I can get there just as fast from Indy in my car, plus no need to rent. Love that drive, got to head down the Redneck Autobahn (I-69) and a variety of US and State Highways to Memphis. Pretty drive, but dry dry, saw a median brush fire going through NW Tenn.
Thursday: Liberty Bowl, Tulsa at Memphis. After a stop at Rendezvous for some always tasty Q ubered over to the Liberty Bowl, which if you've been to Memphis, a few miles east/SE of downtown. 55,000 capacity or so. Great seating environment, can't really say there's a bad seat. $15 stub hub and we're in for a sparsely attended affair. Honestly, one of the most forgettable, lousy games I've ever attended. But...as we walked around the concourses, we ran into Ricky the Dragon Steamboat and other WWE types doing a signing and pictures. I posted one on the dreadful Midweek thread. Well worth the trip. Gorgeous evening. Memphis remains a gritty town.
Friday: Wedged in another tour of Sun Records (love that place) home of R&R (first recordings at least), and some work before we picked up some tickets to watch Ja Morant (certainly one of the best players on the planet right now). NBA not my thing but always cool to check it out from time to time. Griz handled the Twolves. Weather turning (cold).
Saturday: Early up and out to Oxford (80 miles) from Memphis. Highs in the 40s, mostly clouds, us Yankees dressed appropriately, can't say the same about some of the fans in Oxford. As usual, the Grove, if you haven't been, is a unfairly magical setting for a college football Saturday. The place is orderly, organized, and there are beautiful people everywhere. Like its their jobs, people come dressed (mostly) to the nines and ready to host people from far and wide. Just conceal your drink in the appropriate vessel (hide the glass, cans and bottles). I did run into former Senator Trent Lott. Kickoff was 2:30 so we strolled in around 1:15, and had terrific seats thanks to my younger brother's efforts. Vaught-Hemmingway has had grass, turf, grass, turf, now grass. Think it is in the low 60s for capacity. We had seatbacks and there probably aren't many bad seats. No comparison to a stadium like Kyle Field (the pinnacle IMO in terms of operations, space, egress, etc.) but it is a pretty solid in stadium experience. Ole Miss really had their chances to take down Bama, but alas. While we did have one overserved young woman in our row not make it to the 2nd quarter (her boyfriend and father took her out) i don't think I saw any other boorish conduct or fan behavior all day.
footnote: Max's is an elite bar to watch night games in Memphis. Fun neighborhood over near the Civil Rights Museum and the Lorraine Motel. That bartender worked the games like you haven't seen. (He could've been an alum of that sportsbar we were all at in Nashville for a Board Meeting). Why so many 'sports bars' are run w/o anybody minding the TVs properly is a mystery I'll never understand.
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Great story, I'll add mine which isn't nearly as interesting. We stayed near the SEA=TAC airport at a Hampton Inn before our flight the next morning and got in around dinner time. I asked about places to have dinner and was directed to a very small casino down the street a bit so we ate there. The UGA game was starting, my wife got one of their TVs changed to that channel, bless her, and we had a very mediocre dinner, whatever, and walked back at half time. They had maybe 20 TVs in their dining area which was over sized for such a small casino, only two tables were occupied, the bar chick was having to handle the bar and our table, she apologized for being slow. At least I got to see the first half (the ending of which was unpleasant).
I had never reentered the US by car before, it was an unpleasant experience, took an hour sitting in said car.
I agree the Grove is a special place.
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Fantastic writeup MH. Love it.
Also love...
Rendezvous
Just got a 6 pack of their sauce and a 6 pack of their rub.
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Great story, I'll add mine which isn't nearly as interesting. We stayed near the SEA=TAC airport at a Hampton Inn before our flight the next morning and got in around dinner time.
Damn had i known you were going there I would have had you say hello to D.B. for me.Always been a big fan
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I love how the southern girls dress up for games. UGA girls do it in Jax. Florida girls mostly just wear less, lol.
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nuttin wrong wit dat
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I recall out late Oklahoma State fan who went to their game at UGA and talked about how dressy the gals were, and he overheard two of them talking about how best to attack a Cover 2 defense with the TE ...
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Rendezvous still has the name recognition/reputation with the out of towner tourist types. Their branding is A+.
Us locals know better. A once glorious destination spot with superior Q, is now just a destination spot, running on the name --- with subpar food. What a shame.
Glad you enjoyed your time in Memphis. Us locals are a jaded bunch in that respect as well.
And yes, although I have no love for Ole Miss, The Grove is as advertised, and is quite the gameday experience. The scenery is second to none.
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Rendezvous still has the name recognition/reputation with the out of towner tourist types. Their branding is A+.
Us locals know better. A once glorious destination spot with superior Q, is now just a destination spot, running on the name --- with subpar food. What a shame.
Glad you enjoyed your time in Memphis. Us locals are a jaded bunch in that respect as well.
It's probably been 25 years since I was at Rendezvous. I thought the quality was very good at that time, and I loved the sauce and rub. Been having it shipped ever since.
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The famous BBQ place in Cincy is "The Rib King's" Montgomery Inn. They sell their sauce commercially, and it's OK sauce IMHO. Their ribs are OK too, but not exceptional. I prefer dry rub ribs over the tomatoey stuff usually used. The MI has a place on the river with nice views called "The Boat House", which is worth a gander if you are there.
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It's probably been 25 years since I was at Rendezvous. I thought the quality was very good at that time, and I loved the sauce and rub. Been having it shipped ever since.
25 years ago it was outstanding, like most things in Memphis. However, time hasn't been kind to the Bluff City, nor it's iconic destination spots. Crime, poverty, and unbridled corruption did her in.
If FedEx ever pulled up their stakes, well........it wouldn't be good.
Edit: The sauces and rubs are still great. The day old, cold, chewy ribs are another matter.
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The famous BBQ place in Cincy is "The Rib King's" Montgomery Inn. They sell their sauce commercially, and it's OK sauce IMHO. Their ribs are OK too, but not exceptional. I prefer dry rub ribs over the tomatoey stuff usually used. The MI has a place on the river with nice views called "The Boat House", which is worth a gander if you are there.
That what?
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I don't disagree, there are other places I prefer for Q in Memphis. The Bar B Q shop being one. Rendezvous was one block away from hotel and it is where we decided to....Rendezvous! Nothing wrong with it.
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I don't disagree, there are other places I prefer for Q in Memphis. The Bar B Q shop being one. Rendezvous was one block away from hotel and it is where we decided to....Rendezvous! Nothing wrong with it.
Is there a better setting than the Rendezvous? In the alley, down the stairs.....perfect atmosphere. Just feel like they built the reputation and something changed.
The downfall timeline suggests this was the catalyst of their demise.
https://www.actionnews5.com/story/12214709/charles-vergos-founder-of-rendezvous-dies/
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"MI" = Montgomery Inn.
Montgomery Inn (https://www.montgomeryinn.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiAjs2bBhACEiwALTBWZSImMC_RiP4IMk4eLjBo6WJpiRlEDfhPpJc17triR803EcpHiSHosRoCftMQAvD_BwE)
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However, time hasn't been kind to the Bluff City, nor it's iconic destination spots. Crime, poverty, and unbridled corruption did her in.
unfortunately you can substitute the scratched out and fill in quite a few major city/towns
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The ATL is mostly on the upswing which is a bit rare for larger urban areas.