Athens and Ohio U are both great. I have several great memories there.

(04-07-2014 05:19 AM)CougarRed Wrote:  I've never spent much time in Ohio. But I had always heard that, among MAC campuses, that Miami of Ohio was the prettiest.

Athens is a nice place, but it's not Oxford. Also have to give credit where it's due, UC has come a long way from where they were 20+ years ago.

(04-07-2014 11:11 AM)westwolf Wrote:  Ol' Gordon is still a flamer. And Ohio is still flat.

As a state Ohio is flat but Athens certainly is not flat. When I went to school there, I lived in a dorm located on a street called Jefferson Hill. I grew up in Pittsburgh, which is known for its hilly terrain, and Jeff Hill was just as rough a walk up as anything one would find here in Pittsburgh.

That said, I too suspect that the old bow tie is attracted to men, not women. Not that there's anything wrong with that...

As an aside, maybe it's just me but unless you are also wearing a tuxedo, if you walk up to me wearing a bow tie, I just automatically assume that you are a major league douche bag (regardless of your sexual orientation). Is that too judgmental? If it is, I will have to live with that shame.

I put dudes who wear visors in that same class. Also, the guys who wear the hat of their favorite golf apparel company with their alma mater's logo on the side. No sir, that simply will not do. I'm sorry if this offends people but when I see that I pretty much know from the jump that the guy is a douche and/or a clueless dork.

(04-07-2014 01:34 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  

(04-07-2014 05:19 AM)CougarRed Wrote:  I've never spent much time in Ohio. But I had always heard that, among MAC campuses, that Miami of Ohio was the prettiest.

Athens is a nice place, but it's not Oxford. Also have to give credit where it's due, UC has come a long way from where they were 20+ years ago.

I will second the Cincinnati point. I went to a concert at UC when I was in school, oh, so many years back and it was basically a dump. It was WORSE than Temple, which at that point had been the worst campus I had ever set foot on. I just remember thinking very little of the UC campus. Also, the Clifton neighborhood that surrounds the campus seemed very bad.

However, I was at UC two or three years back and it has made amazing strides and so too has Clifton. It really turned itself around to the point that I would like to go back and see it again in five years after the football stadium renovations are completed. Now, that campus is jammed pretty tight and the football stadium is kind of show horned right there in the middle of it all. However, I like that about UC. Also, on the Friday afternoon before the game there were tons of kids just hanging out at the stadium - on the field, in the bleachers, etc. It really felt like a community space. I like it a lot and would and have recommended it as a place to visit for HS kids looking to get away for college.

Also, Temple too has come a very long way. It's not yet as nice as Cincinnati and the area that surrounds Temple is still pretty rough. Don't stray too far off campus...EVER. However, the area on campus has become much nicer. It's also very well lit and pretty safe feeling at night. I would not have said that 20 years ago.

(04-07-2014 02:06 PM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  

(04-07-2014 01:34 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  

(04-07-2014 05:19 AM)CougarRed Wrote:  I've never spent much time in Ohio. But I had always heard that, among MAC campuses, that Miami of Ohio was the prettiest.

Athens is a nice place, but it's not Oxford. Also have to give credit where it's due, UC has come a long way from where they were 20+ years ago.

I will second the Cincinnati point. I went to a concert at UC when I was in school, oh, so many years back and it was basically a dump. It was WORSE than Temple, which at that point had been the worst campus I had ever set foot on. I just remember thinking very little of the UC campus. Also, the Clifton neighborhood that surrounds the campus seemed very bad.

However, I was at UC two or three years back and it has made amazing strides and so too has Clifton. It really turned itself around to the point that I would like to go back and see it again in five years after the football stadium renovations are completed. Now, that campus is jammed pretty tight and the football stadium is kind of show horned right there in the middle of it all. However, I like that about UC. Also, on the Friday afternoon before the game there were tons of kids just hanging out at the stadium - on the field, in the bleachers, etc. It really felt like a community space. I like it a lot and would and have recommended it as a place to visit for HS kids looking to get away for college.

Also, Temple too has come a very long way. It's not yet as nice as Cincinnati and the area that surrounds Temple is still pretty rough. Don't stray too far off campus...EVER. However, the area on campus has become much nicer. It's also very well lit and pretty safe feeling at night. I would not have said that 20 years ago.

Pretty good summary of what UC was and what it is now. Highly recommend a return trip after they re-open Nippert. There is even a new development on the street just to the south of campus that has a lot of great restaurants and bars. You wouldn't even recognize that part of campus from 2 years ago believe it or not.

UC will never be Miami (OH) or Ohio U (which are both stunning campuses), but the architecture, the openness of the campus, and the revitalization of the area surrounding campus make it a pretty cool place to spend your college years. It won me over.

(04-07-2014 11:03 AM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  I can't speak to that as of those three, I have only been to Vanderbilt. I would agree that Vandy does have a VERY nice campus and I'm told that Boulder and Tuscaloosa are also both nice places but I've never been to either so I can't say.

The campus/town that everyone raves about is Texas. I'm looking forward to spending some time in Austin one of these years. I have been to SMU and I liked it a lot but it was very small.

Also, in that general neck of the woods I have been to Arizona and Arizona State. I really liked that bar area in Tempe by ASU that was really nice. Also, the talent at ASU was as impressive as hell. However, between the two, if I had to choose, I think Arizona has a nicer campus of the two. Also, Tucson is a lot larger than I had guessed it would be and that was a pleasant surprise.

I also visited New Mexico and liked it but we were there for about 15 minutes so I didn't have a great amount of time to really drink it in. Albuquerque was a nice town though and I'd like to go back some day.

If you ever get a chance, check out NAU's campus in Flagstaff

Ohio U and Miami U are both beqautiful campuses in nice college towns. Ohio has several cool college campuses - Ohio State, Ohio U, Miami U, Cincinnati, Bowling Green and Case Western.

(04-07-2014 10:44 AM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  I have earned three degrees and I am proud to count Ohio as one of my alma maters. I haven't been back to Athens in a VERY long time but I keep meaning to do so.

Athens is a SPECTACULAR little college town. It is truly in the middle of nowhere in Southeastern Ohio but it is a true jewel. I suspect that it's remote location is why it has remained such a well kept secret but if you ever do find yourself in Southern Ohio for any reason, it's hard to pass up a trip to Athens.

As someone who has traveled all over the country to many different college campuses, I can tell you that without question Athens holds its own with just about any of them. The only thing it's really missing is big time college football. That's a pretty big drawback for a campus that is otherwise just about perfect.

As for Ohio and Miami, my best friend from HS went there (even though we are both from PA) and I would agree that they are the two nicest campuses in the MAC.

On sheer beauty, Oxford, OH may be nicer than Athens. That is one pretty campus at Miami University. However, the vibes of each are quite different. Miami is very preppy and a little uptight feeling whereas Athens has a little hippy to it - or at least it did when I was there. It is a much more relaxed and less buttoned up atmosphere than its Western counterpart and I always cherished that about Athens.

The scene in Athens has evolved to something that is outright bohemian with a bunch of eclectic independent restaurants that have moved into town and habitat for humanity has a big operation on W.Union St. The student scene around Mill Street they've built a bunch of big beach house type rentals for the students to party with as they've replaced the old housing stock.

The big thing that makes Athens so different than other college towns is that its scenic everywhere you go because you're taking a pretty campus and placing it on a hilly plateau in the Hocking Valley and the Wayne National Forest. There is just nothing really quite like it. Its an urban style campus in a small town setting. Then every street has its own unique beauty to it.

A lot has been done to a lot of Ohio campuses and more importantly the surrounding areas. Kent State has not just been adding things left and right to their campus but they gave the entire city of Kent a very recent makeover. It is such a big change that alumni of just a few years ago do not recognize down town. There are bunches of new shops, restaurants, things to do, and they cleared out a bunch of old buildings (or revitalized them) and the area finally feels like a college town that caters to its student population (before the city and the university seemed at odds much of the time). The new Esplanade gives students a direct path from campus to downtown and really enhances the look of the city and directs students to the down town.

(04-07-2014 03:09 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  If you ever get a chance, check out NAU's campus in Flagstaff

Believe it or not, living here in Pittsburgh, I have TWO friends - including one who is a close friend - who are NAU grads. What are the odds of that?

When I was in school, the one year we had a really bad blizzard and classes were cancelled for the entire week. We basically used that week to perfect our sled riding technique and had a series of races on this hill.



All was going swimmingly until one of the competitors failed to negotiate the pylons at the bottom of the hill and had to be taken away by ambulance to O'Bleness.

Good times.

BTW, for those following this thread, that is Jeff Hill and the building at the bottom was my dorm my freshman and sophomore years. It was called Lincoln Hall. I can assure you that area was anything but flat.

First I've ever seen of Ohio's campus. Looks stunning.

Is Bagel Street Deli still in business? EDIT: I see that it is. They had a sandwich called the Tom's Turkey that was awesome. Also, that place had all kinds of writing all over the brick walls and they would play indie music at a deafening level which actually made it into a great place to study as the music just became white noise.

I really liked studying at Bagel Street. I'd get a Tom's Turkey Bagel sandwich and a Strawberry-Kiwi Snapple and I was all set for the evening.



What about the Campus Sundry? I imagine that's long gone. It was on Union (next to the bar The Union).

Finally, there was a Pittsburgh/hockey bar on Court Street called Lucky's. It was owned by a really nice dude named Sean. It too is probably now gone but it was a beer distributor in the front and a cool little bar in the back. That was my favorite spot on campus. My buddies and I lived above it one year and I'm pretty sure we were technically functioning alcoholics that year.

Here it is...


The one year we were watching the Steelers/Bengals in Lucky's and Cincinnati won on a very late score. I don't remember the particulars, just that it was very rare in those days for the Bengals to beat Pittsburgh. We were none too pleased.

Anyway, about a minute after the game ended, four kids come running into the back room of Lucky's and all any of them are wearing is Bengals-themed make up. It was weird but whatever. We all got a laugh out of it. They were taunting us pretty good but it was all in fun.

Unfortunately, the last of the taunters slipped on his way out, banged his head off one of the tables, and was knocked completely unconscious. It was a very weird matrix of emotions. It was at once bewildering and frightening and also hilarious. They called the paramedics and by the time they got there the kid had come to and he was trying to explain to them and the cop why he was naked and covered in tiger paint in the middle of a bar on a Sunday afternoon. That was the hilarious part.

I still laugh when I think about that story.

I had three very different college experiences but I am forever grateful that I chose to earn my undergraduate degree from Ohio University. It is just a very cool and unique place.

(04-07-2014 11:12 AM)TerryD Wrote:  

(04-07-2014 10:44 AM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  BC too is very small but BC's campus is much nicer than UConn's, IMHO. Still, BC's campus feels like a monastery grounds or something. Also, to get to their football stadium and basketball arena - which are ATTACHED - you have to walk down about 10,000 steps. That was really weird but also kinda cool in its own way. That said, I must also say that walking back up those steps afterwards was not cool at all!

Kind of like the old Cardiac Hill that I recall walking to Pitt Stadium and Forbes Field as a kid.

Don't even get me started on Cardiac Hill, Terry.



Anyone who ever had to walk up it to a Pitt football game at Pitt Stadium knows that the above picture does not do it any justice whatsoever. This photo was taken from what is basically the summit of Cardiac Hill. To get to this pont you already had to walk straight up a mountain.

For others, "Cardiac Hill" is officially known as Lothrop Street. However it was derisively nicknamed "Cardiac Hill" by the locals as a play on the fact that there are several hospitals up and down that street (there are something like 14 hospitals surrounding the University of Pittsburgh) and that it was so steep that it had caused so many heart attacks over the years.

That is the best thing about Heinz Field. Along with it's next door neighbor, PNC Park, it in located on one of the few flat tracks of land in all of Pittsburgh.

(04-07-2014 01:20 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  There is not a person on this planet, alive or dead, who has done more to actively keep Ohio University (and the other FBS schools in Ohio) from ever having the opportunity to rise up through a rigged system of Haves and Have Nots that he helped engineer to protect his beloved Suckeyes. He can take his $60k bow tie collection and his condescending remarks about Athens and GTFO.

Agreed. Gee has openly admitted to playing the resource denial game against the other state universities. Even if it wouldn't affect OSU directly or take something away from them, he would keep other U's from getting anything because if he couldn't have then it no one could.

I've only been to Athens once. It's a great college town, and an even greater party town.

(04-07-2014 02:17 AM)prp Wrote:  I'm sure Athens is great place and Ohio is a great school, but Gordon Gee is one of the least credible people around. Touting anything he has to say won't score you many points.

Maybe he is just looking for another job?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._Gordon_Gee

(04-07-2014 09:36 PM)Niner National Wrote:  First I've ever seen of Ohio's campus. Looks stunning.

Its so different than any other MAC experience. Going to a game feels like a taking a weekend getaway because its connected into the Hocking Valley recreational area and people want to be in Athens just to stroll the campus.

The Ohio University Inn is one block from the football stadium and if you are fortunate to land a room its a nice experience.

Quote:If everything went according to plan, Saul Phillips anticipated he would be in Athens "sometime" on Monday.

But Ohio's newly-minted men's basketball coach wasted no time in going on the offensive. Phillips, announced as the Bobcats' new bench boss early Sunday morning, started a media blitz less than 12 hours later.

The message was simple. Phillips knows most believe his stint at Ohio will be a short one. But before he was even formally introduced, he started to combat that perception. In short, Bobcat fans better get used to him because he's not going anywhere for a while.

Speaking via telephone Sunday afternoon, Phillips' passion was clear. And nowhere was that more evident than when he was asked about the potential for some stability in the Ohio program. The Bobcats will have a third head coach in four seasons for 2014-15.

"I'm not a jumper, not a climber. I want to make it home," Phillips said. "I want to build something there."

It's a familiar sentiment for Ohio fans, who heard former Bobcat coaches John Groce (four years) and Jim Christian (two years) say similar things. But, then, Phillips took it to another level.

"I want to see my (fourth-grade) daughter graduate from Athens High School, or whichever school it is, there. I want to be here for a long, long time," he said. "That's it. Period. Seven, eight, nine, ten years, I'm not going anywhere for a long while."

http://www.athensohiotoday.com/sports/oh...05564.html

Quote:Phillips, 41, understands Taylor’s uncertainty. He plans to reassure all the players in the program and recruits when he gets to Athens today.

“I am going to tell the players to relax because this is going to be a lot of fun,” Phillips said. “I understand what they’ve been through. Here’s this guy from North Dakota coming in they know nothing about. I’m going to be positive. I’m going to be for them. They are still Bobcats, and they are going to play like Bobcats. This is a good situation for them and for me. This is a great job in a unique place.”

The nation found out about Phillips’ passion during the NCAA tournament. He wept and laughed during television interviews. He kissed the spot on the floor in Spokane, Wash., where Lawrence Alexander shot the three-pointer that forced overtime against Oklahoma on March 20.

What sold Schaus on Phillips was his “passion, energy, recruiting and ability to inspire.”

Being hired by Ohio was an out-of-the-blue thing, Phillips said.

“As of two days ago, I had not heard a peep out of Ohio,” he said. “This is a place where you can win a lot. I get excited just talking about this. I want to get started right away.”

In December 2001, Phillips was a special operations assistant under Bo Ryan at Wisconsin when the team defeated the Bobcats 77-71 at the Convocation Center.

“That visit made an impression on me,” Phillips said. “Athens, the campus, it had a hometown feel. The community just meshes with the team. I won’t be that guy who hides in his office. I want to get to know the students, the kids who are cheering in the stands. I want this to be long-term.”

http://buckeyextra.dispatch.com/content/...-ohio.html

Nice campus, looks like a great college town. I really loved the college town experience at ECU. It's always fun to a part of something that the entire region revolves around.