Question to Austinians? Are the Rox, Mavs or Spurs more popular there? It seems to me that since San Antonio and Austin have grown to be almost one contiguous metropolitan area that the Spurs would be more popular.
I believe the Spurs were always the most popular in Austin. At least that was the case when I lived there.
Well, among the weed smoking employee's at DaDakota's company, the Rockets are DEFINITELY the most popular team...
Notes here... Yes, but do you have Indians, Pakistanis, Italians, Greeks, Mexicans, Brazilians, Africans, Jamaicans, Koreans, Vietnamese, gays, lesbians, rich and poor and on and on all living within a 20 mile radius? We do! Houston is considered by many to be one of the 3 or 4 most diverse cities in America and it has nothing to do with ghettos or the barrio. It is always ranked among the top 3 or 4 cities to live in America for minorities. As for culture, sorry, but Austin isn't even close. Symphony, ballet, opera, Da Camera, MFA, Menil, Orange Show, Art Car, Alley, Jones Hall, Wortham, Hobby Center, Stages...the list goes on and on and on and on. Houston has more theater seats than any city in Amercia sans NYC. No question there is more live POP music in Austin than Houston, but as far as art, it isn't even in the same ballpark. It's not even a fair comparison. I have never known anyone who has been jacked and I've lived here for 36 years. I'll let Clutch answer for himself, but he's not an Austinite even though he did live in Austin for a time. I cannot ever recall Richmond being a cool place to hang out unless you enjoy bad cover bands, crappy food at high prices and completely fake people. Richmond is the cultural armpit of Houston. Hell, it is outside of the loop and that may as well be another city when it comes to culture and diversity. --- Like I said, just two totally different places.
Oh, so that was you! j/k, mine is still attached.....at least it better be. About that, I think it has more to do with the "metropolitinization" and commercialization of the city. The catch is that Austin needs it, especially the infrastructure. Many of you have mentioned the highway system, which I agree leaves alot to be desired in certain areas, but a few of those areas are currently receiving subtantial upgrades and in a few months will greatly reduce some of the bottlenecks. The biggest problem is the 35 stretch past downtown which, IMO, is going to need a complete overhaul in the next 5-10 years if not sooner. Maybe a doubledecker highway?
I've never lived in Austin but I've wanted to for the past few years. Everytime I've vistited I loved it. I'm going back later this month for the first time in a few years. If I could find a job opportunity or some good reason to move there, I would jump on it.
When I went to college, they only broadcasted Spurs games so there are probably more Spurs fans because of the exposure. But in the dorms, there was such a mix of Dallas, Houston and SA people that you really couldn't say one or the other. Also, it's Austinites, not Austinians.
It was actually in Austin that I learned to root for the Rockets. They're pretty popular, at least around UT. There are some Spurs fans too. No support for the Mavs at all, thank goodness... Out here, on the other hand, is Spurs territory. We're an hour away from San Antonio, not in the general direction of civilization, so they're still considered the home team.
Maybe he was taking about Richmond... as in Richmond/West Alabama?? I used to live around there. I remember seeing Jerry Jeff Walker, wearing a beret, at a coffee house on Richmond, back before he came out with Mr. Bojangles. He was hilarious. Told stories between songs (he sang Mr. Bojangles, btw), and I would never have guessed that he'd become a Cosmic Cowboy, etc. Go figure.
If you're saying that getting drunk, listening to a cover of AC/DC, while staring at a stripper who just got off work down the street is wrong..then I don't want to be right! Richmond may not be what it used to, but its a great place to look at naked women and try to pick a few up at a bar next door.
The Richmond Strip had its heyday from 1985-95. It was "the" place to go around that time. Yucatan Liquor Stand 6400 Club Hippo Sam's Boat Network Detour Club Xcess Club Avalon All of these were huge in the late 80's-early 90's. By 1995, the crowd was slowly moving over to Shepherd Square, then Downtown, and now Midtown.
2 Questions 1) Who was born in Houston, but moved to Austin 'cause it was better? 2) Who was born in Austin, but moved to Houston 'cause it was better?
Ummmm....yes. C'mon Jeff, 20 mile radius? Most of Austin is within a 20 mile radius! Again, "Diversity does not equal ghetto/poorer neighborhoods." Why rephrase exactly what I said? Houston is a city with large, global corporations. It's only logical that it has a large immigrant population much like other cities of it's size such as New York, Chicaco, LA and Dallas. If it didn't it would be.......UTAH! I will admit that Houston's museums and performance halls blow away what Austin has to offer. I'd hope the 4th largest city in the US has more culture in this area than a city less than 1/4 it's size, but, no disrespect to a lifelong musician such as you, don't fool yourself when it comes to the music scene Jeff. While the Austin scene isn't what it was in it's heyday, it's still going strong. Houston's music scene is severely lacking for a city of it's size and has been for a long time. That is where there is no comparison. You or anyone you know, must not have gotten out of the inner loop much during those 36 years. I've known a few people that have gotten jacked or even killed. None of them lived in the inner loop. See, this is the attitude I can't stand about Houston or anyone really. It's Drewdog's "South Austin" argument reversed but much more evident. Inner loop residents tend to view themselves as something special while downplaying their own pretentiousness by elevating the fakeness and pretentiousness of others. And now it's gotten worse with the "revitalization of the inner city" movement in Houston which has mixed the former locals with the new mid-town residents. The attitude there is really giving the average Dallas resident a run for the stuck up money. Richmond in the late 80's to mid 90's was just another part of what made Houston great back then. People could go clubbing and bar hopping within a 5-6 block walk in more than one part of Richmond. There was the "fake" part of Richmond where a mix of young and old went without the regular confrontations that happen there now. Then there is the inner-loop area which had some really good bars and original bands all around the Richmond, West Alabama, Shepherd and Montrose areas. Then there is downtown, which had some great clubs back in the day. Now it's all just a bunch of people trying to out-do each other. I still go back to Houston to visit and enjoy going out, but give me 6th street, the Warehouse District, the hole-in-the-wall bars scattered around town with unknown or locally known musicians over that anyday. We can at least agree that they are two totally different places. Another thing, few people have detailed, but greatly weighs on my own personal opinion is the outdoors factor. There are so many more activities to do outdoors in Austin on a daily basis than in Houston. There are free outdoor concerts, the Greenbelt and Barton Springs, Lake Travis, Lake Austin, Mt. Bonnell, the Congress Bats, more than once a year downtown festivals, etc.
Austinites who like the spurs would only do so for 2 reasons: 1 ) their hometown is SA. 2) they know nothing of basketball and like the spurs for the same reasons that texans who know nothing of baseball like the Rangers because they're a "texas team" 1a) I was born in Houston and moved to Austin for school, but I chose to stay here afterwards because I like it better
Nice post, RocketsPimp. You should have warned people about the bats, however. They will poop on you if you're under their exit path.
LOL! It's always hilarious watching from the Congress bridge and seeing the people on the hill below run for cover!
My bad. "Austinites" Sounds too Biblical for my image of Austin. And Jeff did call forth his mighty wrath upon the Austinites..
