Some random things

[CousinRicky]

Was up in northern Georgia for a week and a half.  Seems everyone up there is from Florida. But two things stuck out. 

First, we were driving to dinner from the AirBnB we were in and walking toward us is a guy with a USF Track and Field T-shirt. Turned out he lived in the house next to the one we were renting.

The other, pull into a restaurant parking lot in a little town and a County Sheriff's car is sitting next us.  The Deputy/Sheriff is sitting there with his window down. I get out of the car and hear "Go Bulls". Looked at my shirt and it wasn't USF. Then realized he saw our front plate. Chatted with him for a few minutes and found he was a 2014 graduate. 

Unrelated, I was talking with a neighbor this morning and he said he just dropped off his daughter at FSU as a freshman.  Told me he's been a lifelong Gator fan but now will be wearing the Garnet and Gold. I asked how he could do that if we went to UF.  He said he didn't go to UF, went to USF.  Was there when football started but could never shake the Gator thing and mentioned how on a recent visit to USF campus how it still feels like a commuter school.  Said how at FSU kids can walk 1/2 mile and be at the bars and restaurants and how USF will never have that. Made me depressed and wondered how an OCS will change that.

[BDYZR]

4 minutes ago, CousinRicky said:

Said how at FSU kids can walk 1/2 mile and be at the bars

Interesting what's important to some parents.

[Triple B]

16 minutes ago, CousinRicky said:

Said how at FSU kids can walk 1/2 mile and be at the bars and restaurants and how USF will never have that. Made me depressed and wondered how an OCS will change that.

Not sure why you're depressed. The kids will find away and there are some places within walking distance .........and an OCS isn't supposed to change any of that. It's supposed to get them within walking distance of where their team is playing.

[BullyPulpit]

22 minutes ago, CousinRicky said:

Was up in northern Georgia for a week and a half.  Seems everyone up there is from Florida. But two things stuck out. 

First, we were driving to dinner from the AirBnB we were in and walking toward us is a guy with a USF Track and Field T-shirt. Turned out he lived in the house next to the one we were renting.

The other, pull into a restaurant parking lot in a little town and a County Sheriff's car is sitting next us.  The Deputy/Sheriff is sitting there with his window down. I get out of the car and hear "Go Bulls". Looked at my shirt and it wasn't USF. Then realized he saw our front plate. Chatted with him for a few minutes and found he was a 2014 graduate. 

Unrelated, I was talking with a neighbor this morning and he said he just dropped off his daughter at FSU as a freshman.  Told me he's been a lifelong Gator fan but now will be wearing the Garnet and Gold. I asked how he could do that if we went to UF.  He said he didn't go to UF, went to USF.  Was there when football started but could never shake the Gator thing and mentioned how on a recent visit to USF campus how it still feels like a commuter school.  Said how at FSU kids can walk 1/2 mile and be at the bars and restaurants and how USF will never have that. Made me depressed and wondered how an OCS will change that.

That guy is part of the problem. "Couldn't shake the Gator thing" is stupid. Be proud of where you went to college. If he can embrace his daughter's college choice, why could he never embrace his own? 

[bulloni]

17 minutes ago, CousinRicky said:

Said how at FSU kids can walk 1/2 mile and be at the bars and restaurants and how USF will never have that. Made me depressed and wondered how an OCS will change that.

The surrounding area is changing a lot in the next 10-15 years and the OCS will only help.

A remodeled Yuengling with a hotel, multiple bars, and stages 1 mile from campus. Not exactly a college bar but still some place for students 21+ to drink locally https://www.yuengling.com/news/yuengling-tampa-campus/

Here's a rendering of what the University Mall renovations should look like. Scheduled to open before the OCS. Should be another area students living nearby can go drink https://www.rdmanagement.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/rithm_web_0720.png

This developer claims to convert the 18 blocks between 275 and campus into a walkable urban neighborhood within 15 years. This is longterm but could be a gamechanger for the area as a whole https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/2022/06/14/meet-christopher-bowen-where-you-see-a-dead-mall-he-sees-tampas-future/

In regards to having 18+ bars directly off campus that students can walk to I think that would require major renovations to the Mosi site or 50th which I wouldn't count on.

 

 

[bulloni]

curious to see the stadium renders as the plan seems to be to include some bar/restaurant type things on the property directly next to the stadium

[Rocky Style]

27 minutes ago, CousinRicky said:

Unrelated, I was talking with a neighbor this morning and he said he just dropped off his daughter at FSU as a freshman.  Told me he's been a lifelong Gator fan but now will be wearing the Garnet and Gold. I asked how he could do that if we went to UF.  He said he didn't go to UF, went to USF.  Was there when football started but could never shake the Gator thing and mentioned how on a recent visit to USF campus how it still feels like a commuter school.  Said how at FSU kids can walk 1/2 mile and be at the bars and restaurants and how USF will never have that. Made me depressed and wondered how an OCS will change that.

I don't know if I buy that premise though...  It can definitely change.  I think we finally have the leaders on site that realize we can build our own brand and culture.  Maybe it's different than FSU and UF, but it would be our own.  I had a ton of fun there back when it was cinder blocks and a gross Subway.

8 minutes ago, Triple B said:

Not sure why you're depressed. The kids will find away and there are some places within walking distance .........and an OCS isn't supposed to change any of that. It's supposed to get them within walking distance of where their team is playing.

Not only that, but getting the alumni back on campus on a regular basis and build pride, tradition, culture, and yes donations over the next decades.  We have this massive alumni base that I bet have rarely gone back to see it since all the improvements.

[usf97]

There's enough room on the wagon for all the UF/FSU fans. 

 

[Outlaw]

1 hour ago, CousinRicky said:

Was up in northern Georgia for a week and a half.  Seems everyone up there is from Florida. But two things stuck out. 

First, we were driving to dinner from the AirBnB we were in and walking toward us is a guy with a USF Track and Field T-shirt. Turned out he lived in the house next to the one we were renting.

The other, pull into a restaurant parking lot in a little town and a County Sheriff's car is sitting next us.  The Deputy/Sheriff is sitting there with his window down. I get out of the car and hear "Go Bulls". Looked at my shirt and it wasn't USF. Then realized he saw our front plate. Chatted with him for a few minutes and found he was a 2014 graduate. 

Unrelated, I was talking with a neighbor this morning and he said he just dropped off his daughter at FSU as a freshman.  Told me he's been a lifelong Gator fan but now will be wearing the Garnet and Gold. I asked how he could do that if we went to UF.  He said he didn't go to UF, went to USF.  Was there when football started but could never shake the Gator thing and mentioned how on a recent visit to USF campus how it still feels like a commuter school.  Said how at FSU kids can walk 1/2 mile and be at the bars and restaurants and how USF will never have that. Made me depressed and wondered how an OCS will change that.

Whenever I go up to blue ridge property several times a year I always get go Bulls chants if I have Bulls gear on.

[Rob-Bull]

1 hour ago, CousinRicky said:

asked how he could do that if we went to UF.  He said he didn't go to UF, went to USF. 

I live outside of Augusta and I wear USF gear all of the time. I constantly get people telling me, "Go Bulls".