Random thoughts from my first foray into SEC Country...

[montinelevin]

Just remember, m2, there's this one little daunting detail...



...and we all know how Cal reacts to those scary looking things, now don't we?

Yeah, we've won the last 3 out of 5 games.(This is the second time I've mentioned it to Van)

But, much like the students...the v/fans ain't be too quick.

[Van]

Great.

Cal managed to win a bit back when USC's football program was akin to that of Arizona's. (Arizona's? Wait. Aren't those the doormats who just ended Cal's hopes of playing for a national title when Cal couldn't keep their focus long enough to win one measly little road game? Guess that's what happens when a team has ZERO championship experience...or mettle.)

How's it gone for you in the Coliseum when anything was on the line for USC? Been piling up lotsa Rose Bowl berths on the backs of all those victories in South Central, have you?

Cal Fan...forever unable to learn the definition of a "meaningful road wins". You'd think their latest gag job in Neyland Stadium would've reminded 'em of this sorry gap in their knowledge.

Really, what's it gonna take anyway for Cal to learn simple definitions???

"Meaningful road wins", m2...look it up. If you can't find it in a Cal library, that's understandable. So, here's a helpful hint: Just google up "College football history" and then click on "USC"...

[Terry in Crapchester]

the funnay

Can be found here...

viewtopic.php?t=20558&start=50

About a 1/4 of the way down, and onward.

Funnayest post in the thread.

But, you have to read the post first, then read who posted it.

[indyfrisco]

Fuck yeah, I live in Indiana.

http://indiana.smugmug.com/photos/78286323-D.jpg

I made my point. ;)

[TenTallBen]

Delete that freaking pic you m2ool wannabe.

[Van]

Jsc, yep, my LSU host lives in Baton Rouge and he assured me that it's only LSU that's nearly all white. He said the city of BR is probably 50% black, same as you said...

I certainly saw plenty of blacks once we left LSU and traveled through some of the rest of the city and the outlying areas. Port Allen, for instance, all the service industry help was black.

Even that was a bit Twilight Zone for me because in California they'd all be latino...

Guitar players wise, man, I dunno, there's gotta be more than the relatively well known guitar playing "stars" like Tab Benoit. It's freaking New Orleans, there's gotta be countless monster blues players down there. All the live music bars were standing room only full, even mid week, so there's plenty of opportunity now for them to come on back and ply their trade.

I must've just caught an unlucky streak. Still, there was one guy was excellent. He just hated what he was doing, is all. Dude simply hated playing classic rock covers, or he hated his bandmates or...something. Whatever it was, he was miserable up there on stage, but he kicked ass anyway.

Kinda like mvscal or Dins or Mgo, here, come to think of it...

[Goober McTuber]

Van,

There is a thread addressed to you in the main forum:

http://www.theoneboard.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=20597

[PSUFAN]

Indiana has a river and hills on the horizon? WTF?

[the_ouskull]

TTB: I know it's never been clean in the Quarter. I was 16 years old, drinking down there. Hanging out at Bongo, and wishing I had the money to go across the street to the Hard Rock for a burger. Voodoo's at Pat's, singing at Cat's and 3for1 at B.B.C. I know the place. I'm just asking if it's clean NOW. If it is, that would sadden me a bit.

the_ouskull

[Vito Corleone]

Shit...our "ethnic neighborhoods" are probably pushing 90% white around these parts. Then again, I'm from a state that in its original state constitution, outlawed slavery...not on moral grounds, but because it would entail having blacks in the state.

I hear ya.

Sin,
County I live in in the M&W

You guys ain't seen Pasty white til you visit Utah, I like the area a lot but it could sure use a little more diversity. You can always tell the locals cause they think they are too diversified.

[War Wagon]

Still shocked at what I saw when I visited the 9th Ward in New Orleans. Even above and beyond the still palpable devastation from Katrina, christ, how on earth did a third world slum like that ever come to exist in modern day America?? That place was fucking embarrassing. I can't believe that was America. Man...

Van, your entire post was a great read. I singled out this part because I know exactly what you're saying. Below is a post of mine from the NFL forum dated 08/08/06 just after my little experience driving thru the Gulf Coast and N'awlins.

I had left several days early for the tournament, and decided to head down to Biloxi/Gulfport first before heading over to Texas. I had been thru there in August of 2005 coming back from a tourney in Georgia, and promised myself I'd return (not knowing then of the destruction to come). someday.

11 months after Katrina, I was simply astounded by the damage still evident to those areas along U.S. 90 right on the Gulf. I mean, I had seen it on TV and shit, but nothing like seeing it in person. The bridge over Biloxi Bay is still pancaked.

But they are starting to rebuild, sortof. Rack those folks. I stayed in an Econolodge that wasn't damaged much right on the former strip that was only 1/3 full for a measly $80. I couldn't have sniffed that place a year ago w/o reservations 3 months in advance and two bills a night. Walked right across the road to the beach (still littered with debris) and soaked in the bathwater warm waters of the Gulf. Not exactly a Corona commercial, but close enough. Went to the Isle of Capri casino which has now re-opened and won $400 on a damn video poker machine. Nirvana much?

Next day, we headed west towards New Orleans, and I thought it'd be cool to check it out. Maybe get wifey a drink on Bourbon Street or some such...check out the levees that had failed, yadda, yadda...BAD IDEA!

Got stuck in traffic for 30 minutes due to road construction on I-10 over Lake Pontchartrane. Finally get up to the bottleneck, and there's like 6, count 'em SIX, fucking dudes standing out there putzing around blocking a MAJOR FUCKING INTERSTATE, whist they did whatever it was they were doing. Looked liked they were drilling holes in the bridge taking soil samples.

At this point, I need to take a piss, I want another cup of coffee, and my gas gauge is hovering around 1/4 tank. Yes, I AM a dumbfuck, I should have taken care of these things back in Slidell.

But I soldier on. Afterall, there's bound to be some gas stations and shit right up ahead once i get over this goddamned bridge, right? RIGHT?

I arrive in what I loosely term as a Third World country. Gas Stations? Coffee? Piss? YOU FUCKING IDIOT! WTH are you doing HERE?

Whilst the wife was bitching about not getting her drink on Bourbon St., I sped thru that godforsaken hellhole on my way to Baton Rouge.

[Terry in Crapchester]

Shit...our "ethnic neighborhoods" are probably pushing 90% white around these parts. Then again, I'm from a state that in its original state constitution, outlawed slavery...not on moral grounds, but because it would entail having blacks in the state.

I hear ya.

Sin,
County I live in in the M&W

You guys ain't seen Pasty white til you visit Utah, I like the area a lot but it could sure use a little more diversity. You can always tell the locals cause they think they are too diversified.

I can't in good conscience say that Western New York is the whitest area in the country. However, it just very well might be the most racially segregated, at least north of the Mason-Dixon line.

These days, the major cities in the area are majority-minority, while everything else is about 90-95% white.

[Van]

I'm thinking upstate New Hampshire or Vermont are pretty damn Mayberry White too, probably even more than Syracuse.

"Upstate" Montana, Idaho or North Dakota? Yah, you betcha!

[SoCalTrjn]

Montana, Idaho and North Dakota may tend to have some of the migrant farm workers darkening up the place. A few stops made during the USC- Arkansas game were very revealing and a town called Rogers, Arkansas looked like Santa Ana

After what I have seen in the Katrina clean up it seems the south will soon now what California and Texas have been saying for 15 years. I can't wait to see my first news channel billboard that says New Orleans, Lousiana Mexico and have a picture of the New Orleans sky line littered with monuments from Mexico City

[Van]

Dunno, SoCalTrjn, I saw practically no hispanics the entire time I was in New Orleans.

French Quarter, Garden District, Riverwalk, midtown, 9th Ward, downtown...nowhere. None.

Didn't see hardly any in or around Baton Rouge either. I'm sure they're there in some bit of numbers but from what I saw Louisiana has a LONG way to go before they're anything like Texas or California...

[SoCalTrjn]

when I was there in February they were all over the place, doing most of the clean up work, all along the Gulf Coast as well, but they werent as thick as they were in North West Arkansas

[Dinsdale]

I can't in good conscience say that Western New York is the whitest area in the country. However, it just very well might be the most racially segregated, at least north of the Mason-Dixon line.

Check out Eastern Washington sometime. Not sure if that super-technically counts as "north of the Mason-Dixon," though.

[PSUFAN]

Van, there's actually a decent-sized Cuban population in New Orleans. There is a restaurant on Canal that seems to be the epicenter.

[RadioFan]

RACK Van.

Killian and mgo, archive this, when the time is right.

Carry on ...

[Van]

Van, there's actually a decent-sized Cuban population in New Orleans. There is a restaurant on Canal that seems to be the epicenter.

What with all the constant construction and lane blockages Canal St was a total pain in the ass!! We stopped driving on Canal St after the first night. If it wasn't within walking distance we'd bypass Canal St and use Poydras instead...

[TenTallBen]

There's definitely been an increase in the taco flavored construction worker category around here but nothing nearly comparable to any of the border states. I noticed a few in New Orleans while I was there but I've been told the numbers were much greater earlier in the year.

Oh and Van, here's an article from today's local paper about LSU you might be interested in...

http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs. ... /611210314

[TenTallBen]

True dat!

[socal]

Van,

This Thursday I'll be in Sacto freezing my ass off in a 5K, bowling, and eating some turkey and all the fixings. We're all white but you're not invited.

[Van]

What sort of 5K involves nothing but white people bowling and eating??

How downright Amur'can!!

:-)