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re: Advice needed for a Dutch College Football fan
Posted on 6/9/14 at 2:25 pm to DutchCFBfan
Posted on 6/9/14 at 2:25 pm to DutchCFBfan
quote:
@ BigOrangeBri - Nashville will be on our bucketlist, but after looking into the Smoky mountains and Gatlinburg I think we prefer being a couple of days in a Lodge there.
You can't go wrong either way. The mountains are beautiful that time of year. It will be very peaceful and romantic for a newlywed couple.
If you want to get a little rowdy you can go whitewater rafting, hiking/climbing.
You'll also find good BBQ if you stay in the Gatlinburg area. There is a Calhouns, they have great ribs. There's also a Calhouns on the river next to Neyland stadium. It is very popular for partying pre and post game.
1
Posted on 6/9/14 at 2:42 pm to BigOrangeBri
I imagine there are lots of places in Gatlinburg and certainly Knoxville where I can buy Tennessee Vols gear, but do you know some stores who sell Memorabilia and art/prints/paintings from the Vols?
Posted on 6/9/14 at 3:03 pm to DutchCFBfan
Sorry to ask, probably been asked a few times but I don't feel like reading it all, when will you be here?
Posted on 6/9/14 at 3:03 pm to Damn Good Dawg
end of sept, his second post in thread or all of WG's 
Posted on 6/9/14 at 3:10 pm to DutchCFBfan
Cool post.
Of course, take what I say and everyone else says with a grain of salt! If you go to any games, I STRONGLY recommend going no earlier than late October or maybe November. It is humid and hot around most of these SEC stadiums you're talking about.
As far as who to pick, good luck! There are -absurdly- deep traditions among the SEC schools in football. MY BEST ADVICE is to allow yourself to be swept into some of each school's lore and coaches and history. Try your best not to pay attention to fan bases only or team's color schemes, honestly. One experience at a game is not the same as the next.
In all reality you probably have a favorite or two already picked in your own mind. Try to release everything and just do some Youtubing and watching some footage on all of them. And then do some website research where each fanbase has created the perfect site for their teams and learn as much as you can about them.
Aside from all that, to give my own team (Alabama) a vote... I do -truly- believe, by the numbers, we love football as a sport more than any of the other fanbases you mention. As much as it sickens me to say this I also think Tennessee and Auburn are CLOSE. I think winning means a very similar thing to all 3 of those schools. But for the love of God, just know that Auburn is evil.
That is all.
Of course, take what I say and everyone else says with a grain of salt! If you go to any games, I STRONGLY recommend going no earlier than late October or maybe November. It is humid and hot around most of these SEC stadiums you're talking about.
As far as who to pick, good luck! There are -absurdly- deep traditions among the SEC schools in football. MY BEST ADVICE is to allow yourself to be swept into some of each school's lore and coaches and history. Try your best not to pay attention to fan bases only or team's color schemes, honestly. One experience at a game is not the same as the next.
In all reality you probably have a favorite or two already picked in your own mind. Try to release everything and just do some Youtubing and watching some footage on all of them. And then do some website research where each fanbase has created the perfect site for their teams and learn as much as you can about them.
Aside from all that, to give my own team (Alabama) a vote... I do -truly- believe, by the numbers, we love football as a sport more than any of the other fanbases you mention. As much as it sickens me to say this I also think Tennessee and Auburn are CLOSE. I think winning means a very similar thing to all 3 of those schools. But for the love of God, just know that Auburn is evil.
That is all.
This post was edited on 6/9/14 at 3:13 pm
Posted on 6/9/14 at 3:13 pm to NYCAuburn
Oh, that was REALLY lazy of me
Posted on 6/9/14 at 3:24 pm to DutchCFBfan
If you're visiting Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg and the Smokies make sure you don't miss Cade's Cove you will see all kinds of wild life just by driving/walking or bicycling through there.
There's lot's of other stuff to do in Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg as well cheesy touristy but fun things plus there are a load of outlet malls where the Missus can have a blast shopping. The name escapes me right now but it's the first one as you head into PF (has great designer name/brand name clothes). Of course, you'll also have plenty of opportunity to buy tourist junk, ride go carts, play putt putt those sort of goofy fun things Of course, you can even go water tubing at certain spots if it's not too cold.
There is a lot of stuff to do there but the Park and Cade's Cove are musts!
There's lot's of other stuff to do in Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg as well cheesy touristy but fun things plus there are a load of outlet malls where the Missus can have a blast shopping. The name escapes me right now but it's the first one as you head into PF (has great designer name/brand name clothes). Of course, you'll also have plenty of opportunity to buy tourist junk, ride go carts, play putt putt those sort of goofy fun things
Of course, you can even go water tubing at certain spots if it's not too cold. There is a lot of stuff to do there but the Park and Cade's Cove are musts!
This post was edited on 6/9/14 at 3:28 pm
Posted on 6/9/14 at 3:26 pm to Damn Good Dawg
The Tennessee - Georgia game is always either the last saturday in Sept or the first few days of October and a great game. It will be in Neyland in 2015.
I would go to the TN-UGA game spending time in the Smokey Mountains, then head down to Charleston for a few nights then head back up and catch a game in Columbia or Clemson (ND-Clemson will likely be the weekend after the TN-UGA game).
I would go to the TN-UGA game spending time in the Smokey Mountains, then head down to Charleston for a few nights then head back up and catch a game in Columbia or Clemson (ND-Clemson will likely be the weekend after the TN-UGA game).
Posted on 6/9/14 at 4:08 pm to DutchCFBfan
quote:
DutchCFBfan Advice needed for a Dutch College Football fan I imagine there are lots of places in Gatlinburg and certainly Knoxville where I can buy Tennessee Vols gear, but do you know some stores who sell Memorabilia and art/prints/paintings from the Vols?
Most places that sell Vols gear will probably have art prints as well. You can probably find the most selection online
Posted on 6/10/14 at 7:11 am to BigOrangeBri
@ m2pro – Thanks for everything you said. I will marry mid-september and right after that we will go on vacation to the united states. So I can’t go to the games late October or November. Fortunately I like hot and humid!
I know about all the traditions and sure have some favorite teams especially in the SEC. As I have visited Florida and came away not so impressed by the whole gameday atmosphere, I am looking for other teams right now. While LSU and Texas A&M seem too far away for this trip(I’ll probably be going on a 2/3 weeks trip to Texas in 2016, so will be going to A&M and LSU then), I;m focusing on Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina or Tennessee for this trip.
Like I said earlier from my 150+ game dvd’s collection and watching College Football every Saturday in the fall I surely have some favorite teams, but I also want to see as many teams, stadiums and enjoy gameday atmospheres as I can.
I know College Football in the state of Alabama is the most important thing. That’s something I really like about both Alabama and Auburn. For me to see pure passion about College Football, that’s the kind of thing I want to see and experience. Talk to people who love the game even more then I do. Tailgate with them, party with them and enjoy good company!
@prof – Thanks for the suggestion of Cade’s cove! I will surely look into it! I already started looking at Hotels, lodges and cabins around Gatlinburg. I have to admit it looks breathtaking and we can’t wait to be there. When the sec schedule comes out and me and my girlfriend has a better idea how many days we can go on honeymoon, I’ll be sure to make an account on volnation(probably gonna do that a lot earlier) to talk to people and maybe ask some more questions.
@ ericvol2096 – Georgia @ Tennessee seems like a good game, if the Alabama@Georgia game is the week after that, It looks like a good road trip for a 10 days(in the Gatlinburg area) 1 day in knoxville for the game, 7 days in Gatlinburg(in a cabin) and then 2 days in Athens . The day after the Georgia game we could ride to Atlanta and fly back home.
I know about all the traditions and sure have some favorite teams especially in the SEC. As I have visited Florida and came away not so impressed by the whole gameday atmosphere, I am looking for other teams right now. While LSU and Texas A&M seem too far away for this trip(I’ll probably be going on a 2/3 weeks trip to Texas in 2016, so will be going to A&M and LSU then), I;m focusing on Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina or Tennessee for this trip.
Like I said earlier from my 150+ game dvd’s collection and watching College Football every Saturday in the fall I surely have some favorite teams, but I also want to see as many teams, stadiums and enjoy gameday atmospheres as I can.
I know College Football in the state of Alabama is the most important thing. That’s something I really like about both Alabama and Auburn. For me to see pure passion about College Football, that’s the kind of thing I want to see and experience. Talk to people who love the game even more then I do. Tailgate with them, party with them and enjoy good company!
@prof – Thanks for the suggestion of Cade’s cove! I will surely look into it! I already started looking at Hotels, lodges and cabins around Gatlinburg. I have to admit it looks breathtaking and we can’t wait to be there. When the sec schedule comes out and me and my girlfriend has a better idea how many days we can go on honeymoon, I’ll be sure to make an account on volnation(probably gonna do that a lot earlier) to talk to people and maybe ask some more questions.
@ ericvol2096 – Georgia @ Tennessee seems like a good game, if the Alabama@Georgia game is the week after that, It looks like a good road trip for a 10 days(in the Gatlinburg area) 1 day in knoxville for the game, 7 days in Gatlinburg(in a cabin) and then 2 days in Athens . The day after the Georgia game we could ride to Atlanta and fly back home.
Posted on 6/11/14 at 7:45 am to DutchCFBfan
Thanks to everyone who put in some good information! When the sec schedules come out I will bump this thread! 
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