College: University of Alabama
Year: 2019
Game: Alabama 35 Tennessee 13
Rating: 8
Cost Index: High
Cost Index: High
Stadium: Bryant-Denny Stadium
If you want to make it part of a larger trip: Birmingham, UAB, Auburn, Atlanta, Mississippi StateDon't Miss: The City of Birmingham
Avoid: The city of tuscaloosa
Attendees: Bones, Polychronopolis
Summary: I went to Tuscaloosa for an Iron Bowl several years back and my impression of the city was that it lacked character and the people were dolts. This trip re-enforced all of those thoughts. Credit where credit is due, Alabama's campus is beautiful. Though I would say it lacking something, but that's open to interpretation. Tuscaloosa the town is one giant development money grab, the bars aren't very interesting. The people aren't very interesting. There are more man titties per capita than anywhere else I've ever been.
I can't sit here and say I'll never go back because Alabama is so central to college football and the atmosphere in Bryant-Denny is awesome.
Birmingham, on the other hand, was a lot more interesting and had a lot more going on. That is where I would recommend anyone stay if attending an Alabama game.
I can't sit here and say I'll never go back because Alabama is so central to college football and the atmosphere in Bryant-Denny is awesome.
Birmingham, on the other hand, was a lot more interesting and had a lot more going on. That is where I would recommend anyone stay if attending an Alabama game.
Pre-game: We had a great day and a half in Birmingham. We got in there on Friday early afternoon and had a few beers at Good People brewing, beers were spot on. It's right across the street from Regions field which is the new stadium they built for the Birmingham Barons.
That night we went to Post Office Pies for pizza, it was good but not great. Ended up at Avalon brewing and hung out with some of the locals. People were really friendly and we had a good time shooting the shit with them. We got a lot of great information on what to see and do while we were there.
Next day we got up and went to the "Original Pancake House" up in five points on recommendations from the concierge at our hotel. It was pretty good, one of those spots that has been around forever. If I had to do it over again I would stay in that area.
After that we made a stop at the 16th Street Baptist Church. Birmingham would be worth a trip just for the Civil Rights history that is there. We didn't have time to go through the Civil Rights museum but we did spend some time in Kelly-Ingram Park.
Before we left for Alabama we stopped by Rickwood Field, which is a historic baseball field. Really excellent, not many places like that left. We also spent an hour at Sloss Furnace historic site,which is a partially restored Steel site. Well worth the 90 minute tour.
https://www.slossfurnaces.com/
There was a haunted house set up in the Furnace. Looked funny to see in daylight hours.
That night we went to Post Office Pies for pizza, it was good but not great. Ended up at Avalon brewing and hung out with some of the locals. People were really friendly and we had a good time shooting the shit with them. We got a lot of great information on what to see and do while we were there.
Next day we got up and went to the "Original Pancake House" up in five points on recommendations from the concierge at our hotel. It was pretty good, one of those spots that has been around forever. If I had to do it over again I would stay in that area.
After that we made a stop at the 16th Street Baptist Church. Birmingham would be worth a trip just for the Civil Rights history that is there. We didn't have time to go through the Civil Rights museum but we did spend some time in Kelly-Ingram Park.
Before we left for Alabama we stopped by Rickwood Field, which is a historic baseball field. Really excellent, not many places like that left. We also spent an hour at Sloss Furnace historic site,which is a partially restored Steel site. Well worth the 90 minute tour.
https://www.slossfurnaces.com/
There was a haunted house set up in the Furnace. Looked funny to see in daylight hours.
Game Experience: Alabama is one of those places I want to hate but, like Ohio State, it's too good not to be respected. It was the first game with the LED lights, they are a huge upgrade. Every stadium will have them in three years.
I got my seats through Tennessee, they were shitty. At halftime we went down to the lower bowl looking for something. We found that Alabama is one of those places that let the fans hang around field level. That was exponentially better than sitting in the nosebleeds. We couldn't see the game but we could see what goes on in the bench area, the cheer leaders and all of the other operations.
Speaking of cheerleaders...Tennessee had the Tua Tagliavoa of cheer leaders. One of those women that is so beautiful she makes all of the other beautiful women around her seem ordinary...so they probably all hate her. I was trying not to be too creepy when I took the pics below.
Tennessee was surprising competitive, they might be turning it around down there. Both my brother and i noticed that UT could hold own on both sides of the line, which kept them in the game. Tennessee is one of my favorite teams and one of the best places to go see a game so I"m hoping they turn it around and compete in the SEC east.
I got my seats through Tennessee, they were shitty. At halftime we went down to the lower bowl looking for something. We found that Alabama is one of those places that let the fans hang around field level. That was exponentially better than sitting in the nosebleeds. We couldn't see the game but we could see what goes on in the bench area, the cheer leaders and all of the other operations.
Speaking of cheerleaders...Tennessee had the Tua Tagliavoa of cheer leaders. One of those women that is so beautiful she makes all of the other beautiful women around her seem ordinary...so they probably all hate her. I was trying not to be too creepy when I took the pics below.
Tennessee was surprising competitive, they might be turning it around down there. Both my brother and i noticed that UT could hold own on both sides of the line, which kept them in the game. Tennessee is one of my favorite teams and one of the best places to go see a game so I"m hoping they turn it around and compete in the SEC east.
Post Game: Got the hell out of Tuscaloosa. Slept in our car on the way back to Atlanta.
Stadium: Bryant-Denny. One of the best atmospheres but I will say this...there are quite a few bad seats in there. More than most stadiums.
Overall: It's too important of a place to swear off of. Hopefully, in my lifetime, Alabama will suck so I can see them lose at Bryant-Denny. For now...maybe see Tennessee there every fourth year? It's always the third Saturday in October, which is a nice time to be there. I would stay in Birmingham and dip in and out
of there for the game.
Game Summary: https://www.espn.com/college-football/game?gameId=401110824
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