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Topic: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Topic: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

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H20moccasin
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Member Since: 8/10/2017
Post Count: 7

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Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/10/2017 3:51:17 PM

Recent history tells me better (we don't win road games and you guys took it to us last season), but I've decided Athens, OH is the spot for me to make my annual KU Football road trip. Really looking forward to the weekend and gameday atmosphere (my Royals also play in Cleveland for a four-game set).

I'd love any recommendations (sites, food, events) that you may have.
I'm a sucker for local eats (dives), and anything you suggest I need to do/see to get the full Saturday experience.

I will say, I'm one of the few KU football nuts at a school whose calendar begins in November and ends in March, so I'd be happy to answer any questions about our program that you might have!

rpbobcat
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Location: Rochelle Park, NJ
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/10/2017 3:53:33 PM

Jackie O's !

Their Own Craft Beers

Great Food

Reasonable Prices

Last Edited: 8/10/2017 3:54:42 PM by rpbobcat

Robert Fox
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Member Since: 11/16/2004
Location: Knoxville, TN
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/10/2017 4:03:55 PM

Welcome!
Ohio University begs to be walked. I recommend you take a walk around campus, especially the College Green, which is located central to about everything. You can easily walk from Peden Stadium. You might take the route through Baker Center (student center), which will take you up the hill toward College Green and Uptown. Food and nightlife are mostly centered on or near Court Street, which could be called Main Street. Runs North past campus and through the heart of town. Great local eateries and bars to be had. The street scene gives the feel for the school.

Enjoy!

OU_Country
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Member Since: 12/6/2005
Location: On the road between Athens and Madison County
Post Count: 8,351

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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/10/2017 4:51:01 PM

If time permits, I'd suggest a short drive to the Hocking Hills area for a hike, or just a drive through the countryside. If you hike, my favorite spot is Conkles Hollow. It's probably 40 minutes from campus driving.

Closer walking/hiking is found near Strouds Run State Park, Radar Hill near Campus, or the bike path that goes by campus and the town.

If you're planning to tailgate - send me a PM on here. At my tailgate for this game, there will be a fellow Jayhawk. I have a friend in Columbus who was born & raised in Lawrence, and migrated to Columbus years ago for work.

Morris Mound
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Member Since: 10/27/2016
Location: Cleveland, OH
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/10/2017 5:58:14 PM

You're going to really enjoy Athens, I think. Lovely weather, beautiful mountain scenery and toooooooooonssss of excellent restaurants and bars to visit.

As others have pointed out you're in luck because the whole campus is absurdly walkable. I almost don't want to make any food or landmark recommendations because you can just spend two hours before or after the game soaking pretty much everything in. The only must IMO is to grab a beer at Jackie-O's. It's my favorite restaurant/brewery/bar in the world. Aside from that just walk up and down Court Street and College Green. Peden Stadium is on the southern tip from campus but you can walk pretty much anywhere from there. Pop in the student center (called Baker Center) to take the escalator up four floors to Court Street after the game. It's one less hill you'll have to navigate.

Class of 2010ish
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Member Since: 1/20/2007
Location: Columbus, OH
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/11/2017 1:12:53 PM

Welcome!
Athens is gorgeous, absolutely worth the trip.

The Jackie O's recommendations are 100% on point, the beer is great. It's probably one of, if not the best Micro-brews in the state, if you ask me.

For bars, everyone has their favorites, my haunts were always Lucky's, Cat's Eye and Tony's.

For food, I am a sucker for Bagel Street Deli and Big Mama's Burritos.

Have fun on your trip!

Doc Bobcat
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/11/2017 2:23:26 PM

Class of 2010ish wrote:

After a trip a few weeks ago I'd have to add The Smiling Skull to the bar list. I always have a special place in my heart for dive bars. The old train station was my favorite place to park in the late 60s early 70s. We always frequented The Roaring Twenties but I think that may have been in the building next door.

OU_Country
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Member Since: 12/6/2005
Location: On the road between Athens and Madison County
Post Count: 8,351

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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/11/2017 3:03:25 PM

Class of 2010ish wrote:

Welcome!
The Jackie O's recommendations are 100% on point, the beer is great. It's probably one of, if not the best Micro-brews in the state, if you ask me.

Without a doubt. And, they always have different styles on tap. None of this only tapping seasonal beer (IPA's during the summer for example).

Agree with Doc as well - I love the Skull. And the bonus is that it opens before anywhere else, so if you're in the mood for an early start....

Alan Swank
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Member Since: 12/11/2004
Location: Athens, OH
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/11/2017 4:07:31 PM

If you want a real taste of local life try Casa. Consistently good food (not bar food which we have tons of in this town), live music, and a no tipping policy. Right across the street at O'Betty's you can get the best hot dog in town. The cleanest sports bar in town is Broney's and the only place with a nice outdoor patio.

Now the public service announcement. Park legally. We have several sets of vulture towing companies that would be more than happy to help you part with a cool hundred.

FormerCat-Dad
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Member Since: 10/23/2012
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/11/2017 7:17:59 PM

If you are into craft beer Athens is home to three of the finest Craft Breweries. Little Fish Brewery, Devils Kettle Brewery, and the oldest Jackie O's. They have their own unique atmospheres but most importantly they all have wonderful brews.

shabamon
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Member Since: 11/17/2006
Location: Cincinnati
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/11/2017 9:15:21 PM

Jackie O's is great, but their public house is the closest bar to the stadium and with it being parents' weekend, it is guaranteed to be slammed. If you're thinking of tailgating, I'd suggest filling up a growler. Devil's Kettle brewery seems to specialize in the easier drinking stuff.

As mentioned before, Casa is uniquely Athens and is open early for breakfast (hello Bloody Maries!).

How long will you be in town? Are you spending a night? If you have extended time, the Paw Paw Festival is that weekend about 10 miles away. Enjoy a trip back to the 60s! https://ohiopawpawfest.com/index.html

Last Edited: 8/11/2017 9:17:14 PM by shabamon

WishIWasAtLuckys
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Member Since: 7/31/2014
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/12/2017 1:36:57 PM

This thread is exactly why I love our community.

PM me if there is anything you need while here. I have a parking pass that I don't use, you are more than welcome to use it to tailgate/park.

Rock chalk.

oldkatz
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Member Since: 12/22/2004
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/12/2017 4:01:37 PM

FYI, your football ticket sales guy is an OU grad and well versed regarding Court Street. All the above suggestions are solid.

"All my inside sources tell me I have no inside sources." Salvatore "money bucks" Mafiosiano.

colobobcat66
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Member Since: 9/1/2006
Location: Watching the bobcats run outside my window., CO
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/12/2017 9:47:18 PM

I think the Lawrence experience was pretty neat last year as well. Not populated with as many bars as Athens perhaps, but a quintessential college town IMO. I liked the stadium as well although it was half empty it seemed. The highlight for the home fans was probably the info announcement before the game explaining stadium policies. Pretty funny.

I think KU will surprise some more folks this year, just hoping it's not us. They did lose their transfer receiver/ kick returner? who hurt us some last year. He also helped us with 2 critical fumbles.

Last Edited: 8/12/2017 9:50:20 PM by colobobcat66

Cats 82
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Member Since: 1/9/2005
Post Count: 25

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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/13/2017 12:22:42 PM

Cool campus/town video...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CPAGmVTjOwM&feature=youtu.be

Last Edited: 8/13/2017 12:23:42 PM by Cats 82

H20moccasin
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Member Since: 8/10/2017
Post Count: 7

Status: Offline

RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/14/2017 9:41:19 AM

Tons of great recommendations. Thank you, all!

@OU_Country - Perfect! We'll be in touch if we're able to tailgate - I'll be at my friend's disposal since he is kindly shepherding me around. But we will keep this in mind!

@Alan Swank - I didn't even mention parking policy - we'll be on the lookout, thank you

@shabamon - I'm flying in Thursday to meet up with a friend who lives in Columbus. We'll catch the Royals/Indians on Friday night, and head to Athens early Saturday morning. Time permitting we will check out Paw Paw :)

@WishIWasAtLuckys - give that to a Bobcat first!

@colobobcat66 - Yes, I agree that this KU team is trending up (though it's hard not to given how bad things got).

Some notes on KU Football that nobody asked for (but I love CFB talk and can never get my fill). Please share insights on OU's 2017 team too!

Charlie Weis eviscerated this program from a scholarship-perspective (like a juicy slab of BBQ ribs) with a heavy JUCO approach (many left the program before playing a down due to off-the field and/or conditioning issues), and David Beaty is still dealing with the remnants of that. KU is approaching full-scholarship numbers in 2017 for the first time since 2014, but due to annual scholarship limits, it may not be until 2018/2019 that KU fields a full roster of scholarship-caliber players.
KU brings back a lot of young talent, though, including the pre-season defensive POY, Dorance Armstrong, who played the first half of last year on a rehabbing ACL. Dorance may remind you of the Basham kid you guys had coming off the edge. Armstrong still finished the season with 10 sacks despite the injury in pre-season and will likely play on Sundays next fall.
As you mentioned, Quiv Gonzalez was dismissed. The consensus is that he was not a team-first guy, despite his close relationship with Beaty. Kid had a high ceiling (kick returns) but sometimes a lower floor (fumbles). KU has some solid depth at WR, so his loss is mitigated a bit.
QB is a giant question mark. So. Carter Stanley showed flashes late last year, and he competes with WASH St. transfer Peyton Bender to lead new OC Doug Meachum's air-raid offense.
I don't know which OU quarterback will start, but I anticipate him taking shots downfield against our inexperienced secondary. Are you guys high on the Maxwell kid?
But I will say, OU is catching KU at the right time of the year. And I was impressed with the team that Solich brought to Lawrence last year. Very workmanlike victory (I don't mean that as a slight at all-- you could just tell OU was familiar with winning). I would love to see KU with a team as disciplined.
I expect continued progress throughout the season, so our offense may be a bit raw in September. Also, there is nothing hyperbolic about our road woes. KU has dropped 41-straight (36-straight in conference). This will be a stiff test for KU as is, but the mental hurdle of winning away from Memorial Stadium just compounds the challenge.

Looking forward to a great game!

Last Edited: 8/14/2017 10:41:21 AM by H20moccasin

Joe McKinley
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Member Since: 11/15/2004
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/14/2017 11:17:49 AM

Thanks for the background, H20Moccasin. Good stuff.

I followed the Jayhawks a bit when our friend Bradley McDougald was in the program. I think he had three different head coaches while in Lawrence -- that's tough.

We got to see Bradley in February when our family hosted a steak dinner for the 2008-09 Dublin Scioto basketball team/coaches -- the best team I have ever witnessed in person, of which, Bradley was our best player. The core of that class never lost a league game and set a record for 35 straight conference wins, plus earned the school's first ever district championships (2). They finished the 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 ranked in the state's top 10 Division 1 poll despite having one of the smallest enrollments in the big school division.

The Scioto Irish community is proud of this young man who earned his degree in four years at KU and has gone on to build a nice career as an UFA in the NFL. He is doing his football thing now, but he is the kind of person who could be a corporate CEO if he wanted to do so. And, maybe he will. I hope to have some of his family in Athens for this game. We expect he will be in San Francisco as the Seattle Seahawks prepare to face the 49ers.

Bobcat fans are excited to host the Jayhawks, but we've got two games to think about before getting to that one.

Last Edited: 8/14/2017 11:18:50 AM by Joe McKinley

Andrew Ruck
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Location: Columbus, OH
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/14/2017 4:27:19 PM

Your MLB team in a visiting stadium and your college football team in a nearby visiting stadium is an absolute scheduling gem. Don't see breaks like that very often. Enjoy.

Andrew Ruck
B.B.A. 2003

bullpuphawk
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Member Since: 8/14/2017
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/14/2017 9:11:33 PM

H20moccasin wrote:

Also a KU fan coming to Athens for the game. And I also come in peace ( as a KU football fan, we don't have any other choice). We are looking forward to the visit. We stopped in Athens in January on our way to Morgantown for the basketball game, and we found it to be a really cool campus and city. As I was reading through the posts, I'd like a little more info on the the parking situation. Are there public lots?

bullpuphawk
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/14/2017 9:16:21 PM

I ordered our tickets through the KU ticket office and we are to pick them up at will call, so don't have the actual tickets in had. I'm curious as to what section the visitors sit in.

Ted Thompson
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/14/2017 9:52:26 PM

bullpuphawk wrote:

I ordered our tickets through the KU ticket office and we are to pick them up at will call, so don't have the actual tickets in had. I'm curious as to what section the visitors sit in.

Corner end zone. Sections 109-112

Follow Ohio Football recruiting on the BobcatAttack.com football recruiting database.

Pataskala
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/15/2017 10:28:28 AM

bullpuphawk wrote:

I ordered our tickets through the KU ticket office and we are to pick them up at will call, so don't have the actual tickets in had. I'm curious as to what section the visitors sit in.

Be sure to get to will call early. In the past the lines have been long and it can take a while to get your tickets.

Enjoy.

We will get by.
We will get by.
We will get by.
We will survive.

Alan Swank
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Location: Athens, OH
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/15/2017 10:52:11 AM

bullpuphawk wrote:

H20moccasin wrote:

There is a centrally located parking garage uptown on Washington Street. Game day pay parking is available too. Some people also snag a spot on close in residential streets for free.

OU_Country
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Location: On the road between Athens and Madison County
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/15/2017 12:44:08 PM

Pataskala wrote:

bullpuphawk wrote:

I ordered our tickets through the KU ticket office and we are to pick them up at will call, so don't have the actual tickets in had. I'm curious as to what section the visitors sit in.

Be sure to get to will call early. In the past the lines have been long and it can take a while to get your tickets.

Enjoy.

I second that. I'd suggest going to will call at the time they open, then go find that sandwich and adult soda.

LuckySparrow
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Location: Illinois
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RE: Visiting KU fan - I come in peace

Posted: 8/15/2017 12:57:04 PM

FormerCat-Dad wrote:

Since when have Little Fish and Devil's Kettle been there?

Been too long since I've been to Athens I guess.

Jayhawk fan - if you want the best view of Athens, hike up to Bong Hill.

What a day at the Convo.....Wow!

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