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SEC writers pick best stadium, fanbase and press box food
Posted on 8/30/17 at 10:12 am
Posted on 8/30/17 at 10:12 am
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Best of SEC survey
Which SEC school has the best football stadium? The most passionate fanbase? What about the best atmosphere for a game? AL.com surveyed 20 sportswriters to answer those questions among others. Those surveyed were a mix of team beat writers, columnists and national writers.
Check out all of their candid answers below for the inside scoop of the SEC's best.
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Which school has best game atmosphere?
1) LSU -- 12 votes
2) Alabama -- 3 votes
3) Georgia -- 2 votes
Also receiving votes: Tennessee (1), Auburn (1) and South Carolina (1)
LSU was the clear pick as the SEC's best game atmosphere. "Cajuns + night game + whiskey = electricity," is how one media member put it. Another said, "You can feel the crowd as much as you can hear it. Just another level of wild."
The most succinct reason for why LSU? "Everyone is drunk."
Of 2nd place finisher Alabama: "The students do a lot of singing."
On Auburn: "Super loud, fun, they do a good job with the scoreboard and sound effects."
On South Carolina: "I've been there when the press box literally shakes."
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Which school has worst game atmosphere?
1) Vanderbilt -- 11 votes
T2) Kentucky, Missouri -- 3 votes each
4) LSU -- 2 votes
5) Mississippi State -- 1 vote
Poor Vanderbilt was the overwhelming winner for worst game atmosphere. "It's non-existent," said one writer. "You'd find more students in the library. Downtown Nashville, on the other hand, is wonderful."
Another said: "It's basically a big high school stadium and the attendance just isn't what it is at SEC schools.'
On Mississippi State: "The cowbells are annoying and 'Don't Stop Believin' is lame."
On Kentucky: "A nice stadium and a nice campus, but lacks enthusiasm."
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Best SEC stadium
1) Tiger Stadium (LSU) -- 8 votes
2) Sanford Stadium (Georgia) -- 4 votes
3) Neyland Stadium (Tennessee) -- 3 votes
4) Bryant-Denny Stadium (Alabama) -- 2 votes
T5) Arkansas, Florida and Texas A&M -- 1 vote
On Georgia's stadium: "Maybe it's because the press box is in a good spot. But also a nice stadium."
On Florida's stadium: "It's big but feels small. Fans right on top of the action."
On Tennessee's stadium: "I'm a sucker for the coliseum effect"
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Which school has most energetic/passionate fans?
1) Alabama -- 9 votes
2) LSU -- 7 votes
T-3) South Carolina, Texas A&M -- 1 vote each
Alabama narrowly edged out LSU for the most energetic/passionate fanbase. Multiple writers cited Alabama's fans as the power behind its strong football game atmosphere. A few writers knocked LSU fans for occasional bad behavior.
Quotables:
On South Carolina fans: "Those fans support their team in good times and bad."
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Best press box food
T-1) Tennessee, LSU -- 4 votes each
3) Alabama -- 3 votes
4) Texas A&M -- 2 votes
Also receiving votes: Auburn (1), Kentucky (1), Georgia (1), South Carolina (1), Mississippi State (1)
The joke goes that sportswriters love nothing more than free food. A sportswriter can get a free meal in every SEC football stadium press box but a few stand out above the rest.
Quotables:
On Georgia: "Not only a pregame meal, but halftime hot dogs and chips and salsa, and postgame sandwiches."
On Auburn: "Good variety and like the fruit salad as a healthy choice."
On Mississippi State: "They take pizza orders from your seat at halftime which is very convenient."
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Worst press box food
1) Auburn -- 9 votes
2) Mississippi State -- 2 votes
T-3) Florida, Arkansas, Missouri, South Carolina -- 1 vote each
Auburn lands the ignominious honor of having the worst press box food out of the SEC. No other school had more than two votes compared to Auburn's nine votes from this survey.
Quotables:
On Auburn: "Even the hot dogs are disgusting. The only redeeming quality is good ice cream selection."
On Florida: "Some beat writers have been known to bring Jimmy John's to the press box rather than eat food at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium."
On bad SEC press box food: "This is why I eat before I get there."
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Best press box experience
1) Georgia -- 5 votes
2) LSU -- 4 votes
T-3) Alabama, Tennessee -- 3 votes
Also receiving votes: Texas A&M (2), Auburn (1), Kentucky (1), Florida (2)
Georgia wins best SEC press box experience. SEC writers cited its location (50-yard line), open-air and great media relations team, among others reasons, as why it is superior to the 13 other schools. "Claude Felton is the nicest SID in the SEC and really makes the experience so much easier," said one writer.
Other quotables:
On Auburn: Everybody in the SEC does a good job, but the Auburn folks are especially helpful.
On Alabama: "Because 50-yard line, open air"
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Worst press box experience
T-1) Auburn, Tennessee -- 4 votes each
T-3) South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Missouri -- 2 votes each
Also receiving votes: Mississippi State (1), Arkansas (1), Florida (1)
Auburn and Tennessee tied in a split vote for the worst press box in the SEC. Auburn also earned worst press box food honors while Tennessee tied for the best food. Interestingly, SEC writers voiced stronger opinions about schools other than the two tied at the top.
Quotables:
On South Carolina: "The shaking of the press box freaks me out."
On Missouri: "It's divided up, and you feel isolated."
On Florida: "Too far from action."
On Mississippi State: "The windows always are open no matter how cold it is outside and I really get sick of hearing those cowbells. But the people at MSU run a good overall operation and are very nice."
Posted on 8/30/17 at 10:13 am to TideSaint
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A few writers knocked LSU fans for occasional bad behavior.
Posted on 8/30/17 at 10:16 am to TideSaint
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T-1) Auburn, Tennessee -- 4 votes each
Auburns press box sucks bad, they are building a new one though
Posted on 8/30/17 at 10:16 am to TideSaint
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The most succinct reason for why LSU? "Everyone is drunk."
Seems legit
Posted on 8/30/17 at 10:17 am to TideSaint
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Worst press box food 1) Auburn -- 9 votes 2) Mississippi State -- 2 votes
Does State really play Don't Stop Believing? that seems like decades ago
Posted on 8/30/17 at 10:18 am to TideSaint
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A few writers knocked LSU fans for occasional bad behavior.
Yep, sounds like LSU
Posted on 8/30/17 at 10:20 am to TideSaint
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On South Carolina: "I've been there when the press box literally shakes."
Not sorry for partying.
There is a reason we say "If the stands ain't swaying, the Gamecocks ain't playing."
Posted on 8/30/17 at 10:21 am to NYCAuburn
Yeah, but what are you going to do about them damn hotdogs?
Posted on 8/30/17 at 10:23 am to TideSaint
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On Missouri: "It's divided up, and you feel isolated."
SJWU tried to incorporate safe spaces into the press box.
Posted on 8/30/17 at 10:23 am to TideSaint
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On Auburn: "Even the hot dogs are disgusting.
If you can't make a hot dog edible than you don't stand a chance.
Posted on 8/30/17 at 10:27 am to rockiee
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If you can't make a hot dog edible than you don't stand a chance.
I know the hot dogs they are referring to, its provided by sodexo. I swear they refreeze the unused hamburgers and hot dogs
Posted on 8/30/17 at 10:29 am to TideSaint
Comparing night games at LSU to day games in 90+ degree heat at other schools is apples to oranges.
Posted on 8/30/17 at 10:29 am to NYCAuburn
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they refreeze the unused hamburgers and hot dogs
Posted on 8/30/17 at 10:32 am to TideSaint
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Even the hot dogs are disgusting.
Damn.
Posted on 8/30/17 at 10:35 am to TideSaint
Sounds like Auburn is just trying to make these fat fricks healthy
Posted on 8/30/17 at 10:40 am to TideSaint
They lost me when they said BDS has the most passionate fans. They can't get into any game that doesn't involve LSU or Auburn
Posted on 8/30/17 at 10:51 am to DBU
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A few writers knocked LSU fans for occasional bad behavior.
Yeah. LSU has all those sexual assaults and destroying landmarks.. oh wait..
Posted on 8/30/17 at 11:00 am to Vecchio Cane
Wtf.
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Vecchio Cane
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Mississippi State Fan
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Does State really play Don't Stop Believing? that seems like decades ago
Posted on 8/30/17 at 11:02 am to TideSaint
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Which school has most energetic/passionate fans?
1) Alabama -- 9 votes
Don't they mean spoiled and arrogant?
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