Fuck You Bobby Petrino

Bobby fucked us over a bit for our main 2012 trip so he needs a bit of ridicule.  Have some fucking self respect.  Understand the following, no woman who looks like this:

 wants to hook up with a man who looks like this:

Bobby Petrino

It's a crime against nature. You are old and way, way, way past your prime.  It just looks stupid.  It's stupid because if you haven't gotten your rocks off by the time you are 60 years old don't use your power to manipulate a young woman into thinking your disgusting 60 year old balls are worthwhile.  What a useless piece of shit.

West Virginia (BIG 12) 2012

College:  West Virginia (BIG 12) 2012

Year:    2012

Games:   Oklahoma 50 West Virginia 49

Rating:   9 out of 10

Cost:  Low

Tickets:  Easy

Stadium:   I’ve run out of words to describe these stadiums.  I know I over use “excellent” and “top notch”, I just don’t have the VERNACULAR to diversify the descriptions.  Milan Puskar is just another top notch, excellent stadium where YOU CAN BUY BEER!

West Virginia Tailgate

Mountaineer Tailgate

Another Mountaineer Tailgate

Milan Puskar Stadium 

Milan Puskar at night

Mountaineer Field

Milan Puskar scoreboard

West Virginia fans

Milan Puskar Endzone

Coal Miner tribute

  

Even better than the stadium is the area right around it, and the campus in general.  WVU is in the mountains!  The campus is split up into a couple of different areas, downtown and up on the hill. The stadium is up on the hill.  One might ask, how do you move between different parts of campus?  They have a unique transport system called the “Personal Rapid Transit System”, I believe it’s the only one of its kind in North America.  Here is a link to learn more about it:

http://www.governing.com/topics/transportation-infrastructure/personal-rapid-transit-system-morgantown-west-virginia.html

and a vid here:

Description:   The fun started in the tail gate area which is all around the stadium.  Check that the fun started at Kegglers II a couple of hours before the game.    I’m confused about Kegglers, not sure if I went to the right one or if there is more than one or if they moved it or if this is even the bar they show on TV all the time (it only opened in 1994).  More research needs to be done.  The tail gate was very friendly, I was offered three shots of whiskey by complete strangers. People in WV love to drink!  After the third one I had to tap out and take a break lest I miss the game passed out in my truck so I just walked around for a bit.  Tail gate is similar in scope and feel to LSU.

The Game:  Out of all the games I’ve attended this was the most exciting. Both teams up and down the field all game.  West Virginia will remember this as the “Tavon Austin” game as he had 572 all purpose yars (344 rushing yards, 82 receiving, 146 return).  Oklahoma had the ball last and won.

I sat in front of a really nice guy Steve, I bought him a beer and he told me the history of WVU and showed me the tribute to the miners who were killed a few years back (a large piece of coal situated in the concourse).  He also told me after WVU wins the entire crowd hangs out and sings country road.  I’m going to go back to Morgantown every year until I get to partake in that sing along.  This years game is against Texas Tech.  Hopefully Holgorson will have them ready.  It should take Klingsbury longer than one year to develop the next Johnny Football.

Don’t Miss:  Kegglers, people mover, tribute to the coal miners who were killed in an accident a few years back.  60,000 people singing “Country Road” (but only after a win)

Avoid:   Not booking a hotel in advance and having to sleep in your car (already taken care of for 2013)

Attendees:  Bones

Game Recap  http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=323220277

West Virginia Football Ticket

Virginia (ACC) 2012

College:  Virginia (ACC) 2012

Year:    2012

Games:   North Carolina 37 Virginia 13

Rating:   7 out of 10

Cost:  Low

Tickets:  Easy

Stadium:   Scott Stadium was new and very well put together.  It was like a UVA co-ed:  beautiful on the inside and out, classy and with its own character.  Student section is a slanted grass section (The Hill) in one end zone surrounded by classic (Greek? Italian?) pillars.

Description:  This was the front end of a “Two Birds with one Stone” trip.  West Virginia was the back end.  This was actually a very good atmosphere for a game considering UVA was not very good.  I can only imagine what a big game would be like there. Unfortunately so can most of the fans as I can’t remember the last time an important game was played there.  But despite my sarcasm I bet the Virginia Tech game would be a fun take, it's early in the season and it's a big rivalry. 

The campus is pristine, it’s nice the way a lot of southern campuses are nice.  It looks like the dining room in your home that no one is allowed to actually use.  Everything is where it should be at all times.  I guess that says it’s very nice but it doesn’t look lived in.

I camped about 20 mins outside of Charlottesville at a private spot:  Misty Mountain. It did the job, had lunch at Blue Mountain Brewing on the way out of town (that REALLY did the job – good beer and a great pulled pork sandwich).  Drove Skyline drive on my way to WV.

It gets a 7 out of 10 because there wasn’t much of a tail gate and not much of anything going on after the game but I reserve the rigth to boost it to an 8 or a 9 when I go back.  It also gets downgraded slightly because I sat close to the action in a section that was clearly a bunch of rich white season ticket holders.  They didn't like a fresh face in their section, so fuck them.  

Don’t Miss:  Walking around the campus, spending a few minutes on The Hill with the students
If you want to make it part of a bigger trip:  You could merge one of their Thursday night games with West Virginia or Virginia Tech.  You can spend some time on the Blue Ridge parkway or Skyline drive.  You can visit Monticelo (Thomas Jefferson). 

Avoid:   Bar scene after the game was lame

Attendees:  Bones

Game Recap  http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=323200258

Virginia football ticket

NIU (MAC) 2012

College:  NIU (MAC) 2012

Year:    2012

Games:   NIU 63  UMass 0

Rating:   7 out of 10

Cost:  Low

Tickets:  Easy

Stadium:  Husky Stadium is what every small college program should be. Any remodeling of McGuirk should use Husky Stadium as a starting point (and will from what I've seen UMass fans!). NIU is in the middle of nowhere, about 90 minutes outside of Chicago. It doesn’t get a whole lot of press but it's actually a very good school and the people I've met from there are pretty high quality.  It's everything a state school should be.  The campus will never be called beautiful but it is functional.  

Description:   Our Alma-Mata, UMass, made the jump to the FCS in 2012 so we decided to catch a couple of games that were close by (Vanderbilt and NIU).  I’m glad we saw NIU live as they played in the Orange Bowl vs. Florida State later on in 2012.   It was a good, solid day of college football.    UMass was not really that competitive (hence the final score) but I’m glad I saw a game there and will definitely go back. The MAC loves to play Tuesday and Wednesday nights at the end of the season.. Every time they score they fire off a Howitzer Cannon (located in the south end zone)

Don’t Miss:  The firing of the Howitzer Cannon at Husky Stadium, Two Brother Brewing in Aurora
If you want to make it part of a bigger trip:  Chicago is about 90 minutes away

Avoid:   This is a day trip, no need to spend a night in DeKalb

Attendees:  Bones, Polychronopolous

Game Recap:  http://dailycollegian.com/2012/11/05/umass-football-stomped-by-northern-illinois-63-0/

http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=323082459

NIU Football Ticket

Vanderbilt (SEC) 2012

College:  Vanderbilt (SEC) 2012

Year:    2012

Games:   Vanderbilt 49 UMass 7

Rating:   5 out of 10

Cost:  Low

Tickets:  Easy

Stadium:   Vanderbilt Stadium.  It's a cookie cutter stadium, very nice but no distinguishable traits. 

Description:   The UMass road show continues on!   Let’s be honest, Vanderbilt should not be in the SEC.  They have nothing in common with the other SEC schools, they don’t give a shit about football there, it’s a private school….the list goes on.  The SEC should trade Vandy to the ACC for either Clemson or Florida State. 

Vandy is a beautiful campus in a city that is a lot of fun.  The music scene there is every bit as good as advertised.  The game and experience were fine, but it’s just not comparable to the other SEC sites I’ve been too.  If you are coming from a great distance pair Nashville with Knoxville and go to a UT game.  The two cities are not far apart.

If you get sick of Music row you can head over to 5 Points, it’s a more artsy scene.  Great breakfast place there called the Marche grill, had Drews Coffee.  It was so good we had to buy a couple of pounds.

Don’t Miss:  Music Row in Nashville, Five Points
If you want to make it part of a bigger trip:  Knoxville is only a couple of hours away.  Memphis is about 3 hours west. Louisville is 2 hours north, Chattanouga is 2 hours south. 

Avoid:   Music Row in Nashville

Attendees:  Bones

Game Recap:  http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=323010238

Vandy Football Ticket

Arkansas (SEC) 2012

College:  Arkansas (SEC) 2012

Year:    2012

Games:   Alabama 52 Arkansas 0

Rating:   8 out of 10

Cost:  Moderate

Tickets:  Moderate

Stadium:  Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium  A nice stadium but not what I would call an architectural masterpiece.   It seemed kind of smashed in, one too many renovation projects perhaps?  More of a pro stadium than a college one.  Area around the stadium was excellent for tail gating. Tail gating was very good, just under the top tier.  They had what looked to be a really good RV park on the south west side of campus, I couldn’t tell but the RV park may have had its own bar. 

Description:   You look over the schedule and try to find the best games….You settle on an early season game between a powerhouse and an up and comer….you take care of all the logistics…..and then the head coach has to go and bang a 25 year old.  Actually, it’s not even the fact that he banged her, I’m sure half the coaches are doing something similar.  HE HAD TO TAKE HER FOR A FUCKING MOTORCYCLE RIDE!  WHAT A FUCKING CLICHÉ!  COMPLETE FUCKING ASSHOLE! Ok, I’m done.  If you want to read more check the post “FUCK BOBBY PETRINO”.  We could have switched to a different game, but we kind of had our hearts set on the Ozarks.  We also thought Arkansas could win their first game and be competitive against Alabama despite Petrino.  Boy, were we wrong. 

Fayetteville is a really nice little southern college town.  A little snotty with all the frats and sororities but not too bad (that’s to say, not like Alabama).  The crowd was as good as can be expected given the circumstances (having their season ruined by the pathetic excuse for a man named Bobby Petrino, losing to Louisiana Monroe the week before).  I’m willing to bet this is an EXCELLENT spot for a big time SEC game.  Hopefully they will transition well under Belima.

The trip:  We planned a bigger trip around this game, spending a few days driving through the Ozarks.  We flew into Branson, MO because it was the closest airport with reasonable flights (around 200 round trip from Chicago).  Don’t worry too much about visiting Branson if you are under 75 years old. The natural beauty of the Ozarks is clear as you are landing at the airport though.  There is something about the mountains that can’t be replicated. 

After the game in Fayetteville we drove to Hot Springs, which was a neat spot.  We didn’t find anything ground breaking there food or drink wise but there is a lot of history there.  We did stay in Lake Ouchita (pronounced Watchitaw) State park which was a fine campground.  We passed through Little Rock on a Monday and I was pleasantly surprised by that city and want to go back there.  On advice from a local we went to “Whole Hog” and had some delicious BBQ. 

Overall this was a great trip but it could have been so much more if it weren’t for that ASSHOLE. I hope he never gets another decent job again, I would not want him coaching UMass even if it meant they were going to win there. That coward undermined his head coach Tuberville at Auburn by interviewing for his job (In fairness Tuberville is an asshole as well).  He quit on the Falcons.  And guess what?  Almost every place he’s been is better off after he left.  Expect Arkansas to improve over the next couple of years.  Fucking prick.

Don’t Miss:  The actual Razorback they have locked in a truck, Arkansas BBQ
If you want to make it part of a bigger trip:  It's in the middle of the Ozarks which is reason enough to visit.  Three hours from Little Rock, Three hours from Hot Springs.  Four hours from Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

Avoid:   Interacting too much with the locals, Arkansas is a bizarre state wtih bizarre people.

Attendees:  Bones, Polychronopolous

Game Recap:  http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=322590008

Arkansas Football Ticket

2012 College World Series

College:  CWS (NCAA)

Year:   2012 – Champion Arizona

Rating:  10 out of 10 or (AS GOOD AS IT GETS)

Cost:  We camped for 11 dollars  a night on the water at Lake Manawa State Park.   Can’t do much better than that.

Tickets:  Very easy.   We sat front row for 30 bucks for one game.  I wouldn’t bother with the GA line as it’s not that much of a savings and the seats are in the sun. 

Stadium: Brand new and first class, only drawback is that it’s completely symmetrical.

Description:  I know this is not a football trip but it was such an excellent experience it had to be included.  First, the baseball was phenomenal.  I know there is a trend in MLB that is supported by statistics:  this trend is to work pitchers for walks and be passive in every aspect of the offensive game with the exception of power hitting.  This might be more successful but it’s fucking boring.  The college game is aggressive with a lot of strategy and rewards a different kind of player that is much more fun to watch. 

Second, and more importantly, Omaha is a great Midwestern town and this is their signature event.  It's well attended but not crowded.  If you go you will be well served by The Happy Bar.  It is one of America’s best dive bars.  We also had a great meal at Upstream Brewing which is a really excellent brew pub downtown.   I will 100% go back to this event in the next few years and recommend it to anyone.  You don't have to follow college baseball to enjoy a weekend there.

Note:  We went opening weekend

Note: We also went to a regional in Gary, IN.  It was neat because Kent State muscled their way in behind a really, really good lefty pitcher.

Don’t Miss:  The Happy Bar, Rosenblatt if it’s still there
If you want to make it part of a bigger trip:  Tough one given the time of year and location. If you head out there for this trip I think the CWS will have to stand alone.

Avoid:  The casino, it is a pile of shit.  

Attendees:  Bones, Polychronopolus

Box Score of Championship Game
http://scores.espn.go.com/ncaa/baseball/cws/recap?gameId=320625293
Tourney Recap:
http://www.d1baseball.com/2012/daily/0615.htm

College World Series General Admission ticket

CWS Reserved Seating

Gary Super Regional

College World Series