Best/Worst Big12 college towns?

[CORNholio]

What are the best/worst college towns in the big12?

My list goes something like this:

1.Boulder
2.Norman
3.Lawrence
4.Austin
5.College Station
6.Manhattan
7.Lincoln
8.Columbia
9.Waco
10.Ames
11.Stoolwater
12.Lubbock

[KantoSooner]

Austin, Boulder, Norman
After that, frankly, who cares?

[SteelClip49]

1. Norman
2. College Station
3. Lincoln
4. Austin
5. Lawrence

[NYC Poke]

Austin and Boulder are pretty hard to top.

[Boomer_Sooner_sax]

1. Austin
2. Norman
3. Boulder
4. Lubbock
5. Ames
6. Lawrence
7. Columbia
8. College Station
9. Lincoln
10. Manhattan
11. Stillwater
12. Waco

[sooner518]

I think Boulder is overrated. Its expensive. It's hella crowded. The traffic is ALWAYS bad. Pearl St. is kinda cool, but I swear, every time my friends I and go to Boulder, we end up walking up and down Pearl St looking for a cool place to eat or something and it's all just kinda bleh. I feel like we walk around for an hour and the whole time Im just thinking to myself "why did we come here?". every time I come back from Boulder, I'm in a bad mood. I think the town just has bad mojo

[SicEmBaylor]

Stillwater is a much better college town than Waco.
College Station shoudl also be much higher on that list. God knows I cringe to say anything good about Aggie, but CS is hard to beat as far as a college town. EVERYTHING in that damned town caters to and is centered around A&M.

[Crimsontothecore]

Stillwater is a much better college town than Waco.
College Station shoudl also be much higher on that list. God knows I cringe to say anything good about Aggie, but CS is hard to beat as far as a college town. EVERYTHING in that damned town caters to and is centered around A&M.
Wow, only a Baylor fan could concede greatness to stoolwater and actually be serious. Even if you can get past the smell of stoolwater (and the fact that all the women there have Skoal rings on their back pockets) The place still has no atmosphere at all.

Waco must be a real hell hole.

[BIG_IKE]

Baylor has nice chicks though...not those Stoolwater chicks that get a 5' o'clock shadow..

[King Crimson]

I think Boulder is overrated. Its expensive. It's hella crowded. The traffic is ALWAYS bad. Pearl St. is kinda cool, but I swear, every time my friends I and go to Boulder, we end up walking up and down Pearl St looking for a cool place to eat or something and it's all just kinda bleh. I feel like we walk around for an hour and the whole time Im just thinking to myself "why did we come here?". every time I come back from Boulder, I'm in a bad mood. I think the town just has bad mojo

Pearl Street started to suck when the rents went through the roof in the early/mid 90's. now it's all the Gap, Banana Republic, Cheesecake Factory, overpriced, very average brewpubs, goofball "upscale" restaurants, moronic boutiques etc. there's a gawdammed oxygen bar up on the west end now. !

most of the interesting stuff in town has moved away from downtown. it's too expensive.

i like Lawrence and Columbia pretty well. Austin is cool, but to me it's more a mid-sized city than a college town. i don't like College Station much; but, i don't like the Aggies either. where other people see tradition and charm, i see knuckleheads and stripmalls. so, i'm biased.

[TexasEx4OU]

Are we talking "best town for things to do because you're there for a weekend or go to school there"? Or simply best game day experience? My list would be very different based on which "best" we're looking for here.

[batonrougesooner]

I went to College Station year before last when we played there and had a great time. I got my drunk on and the locals were pretty cool. Except that one guy. He knows who he is.

I know no one here wants to hear it but...it's hard to beat Baton Rouge on game day. They take it to a totally different level beyond anything I've seen in the Big 12. They're not all rabid spitters like the swamp trash we all saw in NOLA.

[bluedogok]

Austin is not a "college town" anymore, I feel that Norman really isn't one anymore as it has just become a suburb of OKC, the same for Boulder or Lincoln, they are just too close to the bigger cities as they have sprawled out to meet them. Waco really isn't a college town either, I don't really know what it is. To me Stillwater, CS, Columbia and Lawrence are the prototypical college towns. I haven't been to Manhattan, Ames and haven't been to Lubbock since I was about 8 years old (my grandparents used to live in Slaton before they moved to OKC).

[BillyBall]

1. Austin
2. Norman
3. Boulder
4. Lubbock
5. Ames
6. Lawrence
7. Columbia
8. College Station
9. Lincoln
10. Manhattan
11. Stillwater
12. Waco

Lubbock at 4? You've got to be ****ing kidding me. That place is the arm pit of the earth, makes Stillwater look like Interlaken.

[OKC-SLC]

Nompton > Lawrence > Columbia > vomit > stool in water >
Stoolwater > anything in TX

[Sabanball]

Best--
Austin

Worst--
Lubbock/Stillwater (tie)

[MamaMia]

I don't mean to be rude but Stillwater is just plain smelly and ugly. Both Stillwater and Lubbock have the stench of cow manure, and other really bad odors I've yet to identify, but that constant blowing sand in face Lubbock has, you really cant get any worse than that.

[PrideTrombone]

Yes, I've been to all of these places.

1. Austin
2. Norman (has moved up a lot now that Campus Corner has so much stuff)
3. Boulder
4. Columbia
5. Lawrence
6. Lincoln
7. Stillwater
8. College Station
9. Lubbock
10. Ames
11. Waco
12. Manhattan

Other places I've been outside the Big XII:

SEC
1. Tuscaloosa (way up there in comparison to the Big XII)
2. Fayetteville (very pleasantly surprised)
3. Gainesville (pretty nice, but seemed a bit spread out around campus)
4. Baton Rouge (****hole. Even around campus.)
5. Nashville (Not a college town, just a city that happens to have an SEC school in it.)

[Sco]

I've only been to a few, but my list is...

1. Norman
2. Boulder
3. Austin
4. Lubbock
5. Waco

[setem]

aTm was voted one of the ugliest campuses in America!

http://www.thinkfinancial.com/blog/college-admissions/the-20-ugliest-college-campuses-in-the-usa-a-list-of-all-ugly-colleges/

[silverwheels]

Yeah, not only does Stillwater stink, but it just feels like 1986 there to me. Don't know how to describe it, but it's like going back in time 20 years when I go to Stillwater, which is part of the reason why I try my hardest not to go there.

[OUMonster]

Agree with those that say Austin is not a college town. It's a city that UT happens to be located in just like Rice is to Houston.

Without including Norman for the sake of bias, my rankings would be (for those I have been to):

Boulder
Lawrence
College Station
Columbia
Ames
Stillwater
Lubbock
Waco

The difference between Lawrence through Stillwater, however, isn't very much.

[NASASooner]

Had to spend 2 months is Boulder. Way overrated. Got tired of the hippie vibe very quickly and the HIGH prices of everything. Plus the women weren't all that hot.

[OUMonster]

I've always thought that if you like traveling to away games and visiting other cities, being in the Pac-10 would be hard to beat.

Ranking Seattle, Eugene, Corvalis, Pullman, Palo Alto, Berkely, Westwood (LA), LA, Tucson, and Tempe would be interesting. The small town feel that you find throughout the Big12 is nice though.

[soonerboomer93]

Boulder is a hole

[GottaHavePride]

I've always thought that if you like traveling to away games and visiting other cities, being in the Pac-10 would be hard to beat.

Ranking Seattle, Eugene, Corvalis, Pullman, Palo Alto, Berkely, Westwood (LA), LA, Tucson, and Tempe would be interesting. The small town feel that you find throughout the Big12 is nice though.

I can't speak for the others, but Eugene was awesome.

[illinisooner]

I've only been to Norman, College Station, and Stillwater in the Big 12...but I can't imagine Stillwater being any higher than 11th on this list. College Station was fun, and it's got alot of Aggie stuff, but the people were just a little too weird for me. Norman is in the top 3 or 4, but I couldn't objectively place it #1 behind someplace like Austin.

[BoulderSooner79]

Had to spend 2 months is Boulder. Way overrated. Got tired of the hippie vibe very quickly and the HIGH prices of everything. Plus the women weren't all that hot.

The hippie vibe is fake - just read your high price comment as the 2 don't mix. I've lived here in Boulder for many years and it takes more than 2 months to figure it out. I loved Norman while I was there, but my passion is cycling and Norman is just too eff'in windy for that. I have to agree about the women, so I just brought a hot one with me from Norman ;)

Boulder
Austin
Norman
the rest of the big 12 (only visited Stillwater and saw no reason to stay)

[OUsooner1]

Let's see, the places I've witnessed first hand have been Norman (of course, go to OU), Stillwater, Waco, Austin, and Lawrence. This is how I would rate the towns based on my drinking habits and overall Coed atmosphere:

1. Austin (All I have to say is 6th St. and I love the whole music scene.)

2. Lawrence (Sorry Nompton. After visiting for the OU bball game it seems that Lawrence has so much more to offer than Norman. There are more places to go and things to do. Plus it's not a far drive to KC. When I went I started on Mass. St. and ended up passing out at The Hawk.)

3. Norman (It's nice having everything close at Campus Corner, but it's usually the same old, same old. I kinda wore it out. Just sort of bland, it needs something to liven it up a little more.)

4. Stillwater (There's not much I can say about Stilly, it sucks :D)

5. Waco (How did you make it through school there Sic'em or if you're in school there now, how do you do it? Wow, just Wow)

[King Crimson]

The hippie vibe is fake - just read your high price comment as the 2 don't mix. I've lived here in Boulder for many years and it takes more than 2 months to figure it out.

i've been trying to explain that for years on this board. oh well. far more annoying than "the hippies" (whatever the hell that means)....are the pompous transplants from New York and New England who spend most of their time complaining that Colorado isn't NY or Boston. if that's yer deal, go the F back.

[bluedogok]

i've been trying to explain that for years on this board. oh well. far more annoying than "the hippies" (whatever the hell that means)....are the pompous transplants from New York and New England who spend most of their time complaining that Colorado isn't NY or Boston. if that's yer deal, go the F back.
We have the same issue down here with the Californians.....

I figure Boulder and Austin are about the same, both are inflicted with the "fake hippie vibe". The only "hippies" here are the ones who went to UT in the 60-70's and stayed here and now lament the changes the cities are going through and how much the cost of living in both have gone up. Now the only "hippies" that come to either place are "trust fund hippies" who can afford to live in Boulder or Austin. Like most of the "hippies" the students who proclaim to be will grow out of it when they get older. Remember that the majority of the "hippies" of the 60's became the greedy Baby Boomers of the 80-90's and the soon to be retirees.

[jkjsooner]

Now the only "hippies" that come to either place are "trust fund hippies" who can afford to live in Boulder or Austin.

I agree. It's funny how you see the rich suburbian children running around spreading their anti-establishment beliefs meanwhile cashing dady's check every week. It would be hypocritical if they actually had enough perspective to realize how advantaged they are and how they benefit every day from all the things they're against.

It also helps that they have the ability to devote a lot of effort in their causes without being burdened by normal daily problems.

That's not to say they all fit this criteria nor is it to say that they will drop their beliefs (pro-environment, etc.) but most will become more occupied with normal adult worries in a few years.

[Mixer!]

I blame the monied set living here for making Stilly into stripmalls full of pretentiousness and fail. They fancy themselves as having successfully creating a cultural oasis amidst the yokel backwaters between the OKC, Tulsa, and Wichita metro areas. Rent is exhorbitant, which impacts the chance a DIY business has of being successful. The "local flavor" has a corporate underlayment feel, which is why there's such a sterile and blah quality to it all. Throw in Boone State eminent domaining half the town, and you find it's getting so that you can't afford to live here unless you make good bank.

[SicEmBaylor]

5. Waco (How did you make it through school there Sic'em or if you're in school there now, how do you do it? Wow, just Wow)

I'm still here.

Waco is NOT a college town. It's as far from that definition as you can possibly get. Most of the city itself is extremely impoverished and HATES Baylor students/student. There is virtually no city support for the university except for the local business class, many of whom are Baylor graduates themselves.

The only way that Austin could be considered a college town is if you JUST include the immediate downtown area centered on 6th street.

I agree both Lubbock and Stillwater are **** holes. My only point is that Stillwater is more of a college town than Waco is.



As far as "college towns" in the Big 12 South go, my list would be:

College Station
Norman
Stillwater
Lubbock
Austin
Waco

[bluedogok]

I agree. It's funny how you see the rich suburbian children running around spreading their anti-establishment beliefs meanwhile cashing dady's check every week. It would be hypocritical if they actually had enough perspective to realize how advantaged they are and how they benefit every day from all the things they're against.

It also helps that they have the ability to devote a lot of effort in their causes without being burdened by normal daily problems.

That's not to say they all fit this criteria nor is it to say that they will drop their beliefs (pro-environment, etc.) but most will become more occupied with normal adult worries in a few years.
Don't kid yourself, I think the majority of the hippies in the 60's were well taken care of children from well-to-do families (at least the self-professed hippies of that era that I know). Having family money to fall back on makes it a lot easier to live a life like that. Most will say now that with age, comes perspective.

[dog-knee]

Comparing the ones I've actually visited, versus just driving through:

1. Austin
2. Norman
3. Columbia
4. Lawrence
5. Boulder
6. Manhattan
7. Ames/Stillwater (you can only tell which one is which in winter -- Ames is colder)
8. Lubbock

Haven't spent any time in Waco, College Station, or Lincoln.

[effay]

12. Lubbock

[yermom]

i think this is how i'd rank them. i've never been to Austin for a game, just to UT to tour the campus. similar with Lawrence

1) Boulder - other than the altitude, and the douchbag CU fans, this place was lots of fun
2) Austin - makes me feel dirty, but it's a pretty cool place.
3) Norman - this could be #1, but **** i live here, what's the fun in that?
4) College Station - i've had fun every time i've been here
5) Lawrence - i liked the campus, at this point in the list, it's mostly just not negative
6) Columbia - same as above
7) Lincoln - i didn't really see much special, but i guess i didn't really spend a lot of time there other than walking to and from the car before and after the game
8) Manhattan - all i really remember was crappy traffic and Village Inn
9) Waco - meh
10) Ames - well, it's close to Des Moines
11) Stillwater - North until you smell it, East until you step in it
12) Lubbock - probably unfairly biased on this one as we have crashed and burned the only two times i've been there. thusly, i've high-tailed it out of there as fast as possible both times. it didn't seem like i was missing much though

[Vegas Sooner]

Best-
1)Norman
2)Lawrence
3)Austin

Worst-
1)Manhattan
2)Lubbock

[cheezyq]

8) Manhattan - all i really remember was crappy traffic and Village Inn

LOL. I laughed hard when I saw this, as it sums up virtually every place I've been that holds a large amount of KSU fans. A bunch of fat-***es that can't drive.

[LiL10(s)ArEaJoKe]

Stillwater is a much better college town than Waco.
College Station shoudl also be much higher on that list. God knows I cringe to say anything good about Aggie, but CS is hard to beat as far as a college town. EVERYTHING in that damned town caters to and is centered around A&M.


I would have to agree, us Sooners are football crazy but those TX aggies take crazy to a whole nother(lol) level!!! Was raised in TX and have been to CS several times and it is just insane. That area of TX is also very pretty as most of east TX is, lots of forest. You been to the Flying Tomato Sickem?????

[Sco]

I would have to agree, us Sooners are football crazy but those TX aggies take crazy to a whole nother(lol) level!!! Was raised in TX and have been to CS several times and it is just insane. That area of TX is also very pretty as most of east TX is, lots of forest. You been to the Flying Tomato Sickem?????

Flying Tomato is in Denton, fyi.

And it burned down. Reopening this summer.

[TexasLidig8r]

The only way that Austin could be considered a college town is if you JUST include the immediate downtown area centered on 6th street.


As far as "college towns" in the Big 12 South go, my list would be:

College Station
Norman
Stillwater
Lubbock
Austin
Waco

Oh my Gawd! Sic.. Sic.. Sic.. where have we gone wrong with you?

Let's look at Austin from a "college town" perspective... yes, the obvious 6th Street.. then there's the Warehouse district and 4th Street clubs you see a ton of college kids at. There's the West U and Clarksville area.. also with high concentrations of college kids... numerous bars, clubs and live music venues that cater to the college age crowd. Some of the most beautiful college coeds in the United States... rolling hills for hiking, lakes for boating again.. for college aged kids... all types of restaurants, many of which cater to the college aged kids, including giving price breaks... university owned public education (free for students) to get to campus from area apartment complexes.

And you put Lubbock, Stillwater and Norman ABOVE Austin???

Then.. there's aggy... let's see.. there's the.. Dixie Chicken.. and.... uh.. well.. the Dixie Chicken... oh and don't forget... there's the Dixie Chicken.. oh.. and don't forget, the CS is incredibly parochial.. they roll the streets up at 11 on the weekends... live music scene is.. well... to call it non-existent would be charitable... Whataburger is considered haute cuisine... buzz headed military wanna bes circulating around.. and finally... when the local sheep compete with aggy coeds in local "beauty pageants"... you know there are HUGE issues!

DON'T let this happen again!

p.s... how was the Partagas?

[sooner518]

as much as it pains me, I've gotta hand it to Lid here. total Pwnage.

Big 12 South Rankings
Austin
Norman
CS (sad really, but the competition for the #3 spot is that low)
Stillwater
Lubbock
Waco

I've never been to Waco personally, but it sounds like garbage

I'd rank the Big 12 North, but Ive really only been to Boulder. I've heard Colombia and Lawrence are really good college towns. I've heard Lawrence's music scene is not as big as Austin's, but they seem to have a great rep for live music. I've heard the campus is beautiful too, which is probably the biggest downfall for Austin.

[SicEmBaylor]

I've never been to Waco personally, but it sounds like garbage


We call it, "The Mogue."

[Fraggle145]

Yes, I've been to all of these places.

1. Austin
2. Norman (has moved up a lot now that Campus Corner has so much stuff)
3. Boulder
4. Columbia
5. Lawrence
6. Lincoln
7. Stillwater
8. College Station
9. Lubbock
10. Ames
11. Waco
12. Manhattan

Other places I've been outside the Big XII:

SEC
1. Tuscaloosa (way up there in comparison to the Big XII)
2. Fayetteville (very pleasantly surprised)
3. Gainesville (pretty nice, but seemed a bit spread out around campus)
4. Baton Rouge (****hole. Even around campus.)
5. Nashville (Not a college town, just a city that happens to have an SEC school in it.)

You all really need to go to Athens, GA if you want to see a real college town. 60 bars/clubs/restaurants in the downtown area. not to mention the tree that owns itself, the double barreled cannon... it is just awesome.

The local magazine's Guide to Athens:
http://flagpole.com/Guide/

[yermom]

We call it, "The Morgue."

sounds about right

[RiddlerOK]

i think this is how i'd rank them. i've never been to Austin for a game, just to UT to tour the campus. similar with Lawrence

1) Boulder - other than the altitude, and the douchbag CU fans, this place was lots of fun
2) Austin - makes me feel dirty, but it's a pretty cool place.
3) Norman - this could be #1, but **** i live here, what's the fun in that?
4) College Station - i've had fun every time i've been here
5) Lawrence - i liked the campus, at this point in the list, it's mostly just not negative
6) Columbia - same as above
7) Lincoln - i didn't really see much special, but i guess i didn't really spend a lot of time there other than walking to and from the car before and after the game
8) Manhattan - all i really remember was crappy traffic and Village Inn
9) Waco - meh
10) Ames - well, it's close to Des Moines
11) Stillwater - North until you smell it, East until you step in it
12) Lubbock - probably unfairly biased on this one as we have crashed and burned the only two times i've been there. thusly, i've high-tailed it out of there as fast as possible both times. it didn't seem like i was missing much though

yermom, I'd have to say you hit it spot on. my list would be identical. :)

[LiL10(s)ArEaJoKe]

Flying Tomato is in Denton, fyi.

And it burned down. Reopening this summer.

There are also a couple in Austin, fyi.

But I know for a fact that there used to be one in CS as I have been there numerous times, of course this was back in the late '80s when i was there and it was crazy then so I can just imagine how it is now.......

[47straight]

LID!

Austin might have been a college town when you and Joe Jamail were in law school. I have to say it is definitely not anymore. When Liberty Lunch gets razed for a downtown plan that includes million dollar condos in skyscrapers...


A lot of the things you mentioned are just nice things about Austin, but not necessarily 'college town' things.

[MamaMia]

Oh my Gawd! Sic.. Sic.. Sic.. where have we gone wrong with you?

Let's look at Austin from a "college town" perspective... yes, the obvious 6th Street.. then there's the Warehouse district and 4th Street clubs you see a ton of college kids at. There's the West U and Clarksville area.. also with high concentrations of college kids... numerous bars, clubs and live music venues that cater to the college age crowd. Some of the most beautiful college coeds in the United States... rolling hills for hiking, lakes for boating again.. for college aged kids... all types of restaurants, many of which cater to the college aged kids, including giving price breaks... university owned public education (free for students) to get to campus from area apartment complexes.
And you put Lubbock, Stillwater and Norman ABOVE Austin???

Then.. there's aggy... let's see.. there's the.. Dixie Chicken.. and.... uh.. well.. the Dixie Chicken... oh and don't forget... there's the Dixie Chicken.. oh.. and don't forget, the CS is incredibly parochial.. they roll the streets up at 11 on the weekends... live music scene is.. well... to call it non-existent would be charitable... Whataburger is considered haute cuisine... buzz headed military wanna bes circulating around.. and finally... when the local sheep compete with aggy coeds in local "beauty pageants"... you know there are HUGE issues!

DON'T let this happen again!

p.s... how was the Partagas?The college students have to be "educated" in how to get to campus, and you call that a college town? :confused:

[UTgolfer]

LID!

Austin might have been a college town when you and Joe Jamail were in law school. I have to say it is definitely not anymore. When Liberty Lunch gets razed for a downtown plan that includes million dollar condos in skyscrapers...


A lot of the things you mentioned are just nice things about Austin, but not necessarily 'college town' things.


And exactly how many college students frequented Liberty Lunch? Exactly!

[MRNOTDUCKS]

LID!

Austin might have been a college town when you and Joe Jamail were in law school. I have to say it is definitely not anymore. When Liberty Lunch gets razed for a downtown plan that includes million dollar condos in skyscrapers...


A lot of the things you mentioned are just nice things about Austin, but not necessarily 'college town' things.

RIP
Liberty Lunch

wow, I saw a lot of good shows there...

[cb4ou]

lived in Norman and Lubbock and it is not even close.

Lubbock does not even feel like a college town. It is an overgrown cowtown.

[Straz1999]

1. Austin
2. Norman
3. Boulder
4. Lubbock
5. Ames
6. Lawrence
7. Columbia
8. College Station
9. Lincoln
10. Manhattan
11. Stillwater
12. Waco



To say that Ames is #5 is completely ridiculous. I went to Ames in October and had an atrocious time while I was there. The hotel workers treated us like garbage, my friends bed was wet when we checked in (Yes, WET!!!!) and the stadium is in the middle of nowhere. Not only that, but the local media even trashes on its own school. Every columnist wrote that they expected a 50+ point blow out and to not even bother showing up.

They also charged us double for one night because we werent staying two nights. They said it was hotel policy for home games. Do not ever stay at the MicroTel Inn over there.


Also, as much as I hate to admit it, Austin is one of the best overall cities I have ever been to. Just watch out for the bats.

[Soonersince57]

Also, as much as I hate to admit it, Austin is one of the best overall cities I have ever been to. Just watch out for the bats.

I dated an old bat from Austin once. :eek:


Seriously, it's hard to compare Austin as a college town without throwing in OKC with Norman, Denver with Boulder, and maybe KC with Lawrence.

Waco, Stillwater, Lubbock, and Lincoln are at the bottom for me with Ames and Manhattan just a bit ahead. I haven't been to Columbia or College Station.

[Jimminy Crimson]

They also charged us double for one night because we werent staying two nights. They said it was hotel policy for home games.

That's usually the standard policy. Hate to say it.

[WestAustinSooner]

Here's the way I see it:

1. Austin
2. Boulder
3. Norman
4. Columbia
5. Lawrence

There's such a significant drop-off from there, that it doesn't matter. Norman is getting better and better. It'll probably never pass Austin, but hopefully Austin will continue to serve as a distraction to the ut football team.

[sooneron]

I would have to agree, us Sooners are football crazy but those TX aggies take crazy to a whole nother(lol) level!!! Was raised in TX and have been to CS several times and it is just insane. That area of TX is also very pretty as most of east TX is, lots of forest. You been to the Flying Tomato Sickem?????
Pretty? I must have missed the pretty parts of CS when I was there.

[OklaPony]

RIP
Liberty Lunch

wow, I saw a lot of good shows there...

Heh. I played a show there once, I think. Is that the joint that had stages both upstairs and downstairs?

And to point of the thread topic... I spent several months in Columbia, MO back in the 99 - 01 era. That's a very cool place, one of the very few in which I'd actually consider living besides Norman.

[pweitkem]

Best towns to live in:
1 - Austin - I live there... life is good except for all the damn UT fans.
2 - Boulder - if you've got enough coin... the outdoor lifestyle is quite nice
3 - Lawrence - close enough to KC, and the entire town has a good college feel

Best football stadiums to watch a game:
1 - ATM - if you haven't been to a game there, please make it a point to go to this year's OU/A&M game. dude in the long underwear leading cheers is a little weird (a lot weird), but the stadium rocks all game long
2 - Norman - Memorial Stadium rocks (the way to get away from Gaylord Memorial is just to deny the renaming of the stadium). I lived in Norman for 14 years and would still be there if Oklahoma had the infrastructure/lucritive jobs/and outdoor lifestyle the above cities offer
3 - Lincoln - rabid fans, a lot like going to Kyle Field

[ric311]

Best towns to live in:
1 - Austin - I live there... life is good except for all the damn UT fans.
2 - Boulder - if you've got enough coin... the outdoor lifestyle is quite nice
3 - Lawrence - close enough to KC, and the entire town has a good college feel



Boulder is NOT a good place to live. The trick is to live close enough to Boulder to be able to enjoy what it offers without subjecting yourself to the pretentious, pompous, holier-than-thou, tree-hugging enviro fascists that infest the city. You can still enjoy the outdoor lifestyle without actually having to deal with all the rest of their garbage.

[pweitkem]

Boulder is NOT a good place to live. The trick is to live close enough to Boulder to be able to enjoy what it offers without subjecting yourself to the pretentious, pompous, holier-than-thou, tree-hugging enviro fascists that infest the city. You can still enjoy the outdoor lifestyle without actually having to deal with all the rest of their garbage.

Point well taken. Boulder is full of those hairy armpit / patchoiuli oil smellin' / smock wearin' girls that shot me down in college.... constantly tellin' me that I just don't get it. No, I get it, you're lazy, don't want a job and are looking for a way to justify yourself... Why did my generation get so screwed? In the '90s girls were covered head to toe and didn't take care of themselves. Now they're half naked crazy partiers... just not fair.

[snp]

Pretty? I must have missed the pretty parts of CS when I was there.

Nah, you didn't miss anything.The op just has no idea what he's talking about. The only thing pretty about CS is their beer prices - $8.99 for a 30-pack.

[SoonerBorn88]

I've been to all of the Big XII South towns, but none of the north so I'll just rank the ones I've been to.

1. Austin. It doesn't have the small town feel that I like, but the city is great and there is a lot to do.
2. Norman. Small town, very beautiful, and close to Oklahoma City.
3. College Station. I live here now. It's decently close to 3 major metropolitan areas, small town that caters to the local school. The surrounding area is beautiful, but CS itself is not.
4. Stillwater. Smells funny, but the town is ok.
5. Waco. Dirty.
6. Lubbock and it ain't even close. It's a thousand miles from civilization, it smells like cow ****, its cold, hot, windy and sandy at the same time. I went to visit my best friend there and we went to the football game. The buildings were nice, but it was ugly, the fans were bad, and it smelled.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

SicEm, I would like a rational 'splainin' why you think Waco is something other than the worst city in Texas.

[bluedogok]

SicEm, I would like a rational 'splainin' why you think Waco is something other than the worst city in Texas.
West Texas (the area, not the town of West) it's much worse. My wife moved from there 15 years ago and has absolutely no desire to live there again. When she went to Tech, Lubbock was a step up for her, once she went to grad school in San Marcos she never moved back. The only reason why we go out there is the rest of her family still lives there.

[SicEmBaylor]

SicEm, I would like a rational 'splainin' why you think Waco is something other than the worst city in Texas.

I never claimed it wasn't the worst city in Texas. It damned well probably is.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

I never claimed it wasn't the worst city in Texas. It damned well probably is.Have you always been such a masochist?

[SicEmBaylor]

Have you always been such a masochist?
Actually, no. I used to be the complete opposite with a spine and everything. This is a development since about 2003.

[OklaPony]

I never claimed it wasn't the worst city in Texas. It damned well probably is.
Odessa is easily worse than Waco.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Odessa is easily worse than Waco.Is Permian Basin CC in the Big 12, now?...sorry, couldn't resist!

[Big Red Ron]

College Station is like a third world country with some nice buildings. Worst. Town. Ever.

[OklaPony]

Is Permian Basin CC in the Big 12, now?...sorry, couldn't resist!
I was responding to this:

I never claimed it wasn't the worst city in Texas. It damned well probably is.
...but you already knew that, I'm sure.

I never thought I'd actually be defending Waco, there's just not much there that's attractive to me, but Odessa is in an entirely different league of God-forsaken Texas towns.

[Boomer_Sooner_sax]

Lubbock at 4? You've got to be ****ing kidding me. That place is the arm pit of the earth, makes Stillwater look like Interlaken.

You are truly missing the charm of Lubbock. It is small town, truly the definition of a college town because there would be nothing out there without Tech, and has some great places to eat and go out. I have spent a lot of time there and most OU fans never make it away from the stadium or the Depot District, but there are some very cool little niche places in town. The arm pit of the earth is Waco IMO.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

The arm pit of the earth is Waco IMO.I have heard from world travelers that Karachi, Pakistan, is worse than Waco! (Fuquene, Colombia isn't so great, either)

[snp]

You are truly missing the charm of Lubbock. It is small town, truly the definition of a college town because there would be nothing out there without Tech, and has some great places to eat and go out. I have spent a lot of time there and most OU fans never make it away from the stadium or the Depot District, but there are some very cool little niche places in town. The arm pit of the earth is Waco IMO.

I too have spent a lot of time out there since I was originally going to go to Tech and go up there about 3 times a year to visit my friends who are still there.

And it's definitely not a true college town. There is over 200,000 people in that city alone and about 25,000 are college kids - that town would survive without the university. Norman, Stillwater, Lawrence, etc are true college towns.

Making a 30 minute round trip drive to get beer isn't charming. Nor is the flatness, lack of trees, dilapidated houses, very shady townies, awful weather, and their campus was designed by a bunch of drunks.

I will concede they have hotter babes and a great nightlife. But that's about all I will say positive for Lubbock.

[CORNholio]

I was responding to this:

...but you already knew that, I'm sure.

I never thought I'd actually be defending Waco, there's just not much there that's attractive to me, but Odessa is in an entirely different league of God-forsaken Texas towns.

Amarillo is even worse than Odessa. The entire town should be uprooted and moved to central Kansas where it belongs.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Amarillo is even worse than Odessa. The entire town should be uprooted and moved to Kansas where it belongs.Amarillo isn't much to look at, but daggone, the people sure are friendly there.(not so much in Waco)

[yermom]

i'd wager Odessa smells better

still, i've had about the best burger anywhere in Amarillo

[CORNholio]

i'd wager Odessa smells better

still, i've had about the best burger anywhere in Amarillo


No doubt they have the best/freshest beef products known to the human race, yet I don't judge a town on beef products normally. So they are eternal fail in my book.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

No doubt they have the best/freshest beef products known to the human race, yet I don't judge a town on beef products normally. So they are eternal fail in my book.What is it to you about Amarillo that rates it so low, esp. compared to Odessa and Waco?

[CORNholio]

What is it to you about Amarillo that rates it so low, esp. compared to Odessa and Waco?


Nothing really, except for the overwhelming feeling of desolation, stinch only outmatched by stoolwater, the illusion that you might sail off the edge of the earth if you keep driving, other than that it rocks.

[CORNholio]

Waco atleast has DFW-Asstin/SanAntonio within reasonable driving distance. Amarillo is an outpost in a sea of nothingness. Midland/Odessa ranks somewhere in between.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Waco atleast has DFW-Asstin/SanAntonio within reasonable driving distance. Amarillo is an outpost in a sea of nothingness. Midland/Odessa ranks somewhere in between.IMO Waco is in a class by itself. (people there are SOUR) Wacoites have chosen to live in Waco and be grumpy, rather than join the happy whorns and Riverwalkers. I agree that Amarillo has a feeling that your body is exposed to the elements, but, I spent a few weeks there, long ago, and had a very positive impression of the friendliness and warmth of the people. I guess they had to be friendly, to make up for their forlorn location.

[SicEmBaylor]

IMO Waco is in a class by itself. (people there are SOUR) Wacoites have chosen to live in Waco and be grumpy, rather than join the happy whorns and Riverwalkers. I agree that Amarillo has a feeling that your body is exposed to the elements, but, I spent a few weeks there, long ago, and had a very positive impression of the friendliness and warmth of the people. I guess they had to be friendly, to make up for their forlorn location.

Wacoans are that way though because they're impoverished. They quite literally can't afford to go anywhere else. I mean if they could afford to live somewhere else, don't you think they'd do so?

It's a dirty and VERY VERY poor city. Now, if you get out into the south Waco suburbs it's a different story and really pretty nice. Hewitt and Woodway for example.

[King Crimson]

IMO Waco is in a class by itself. (people there are SOUR) Wacoites have chosen to live in Waco and be grumpy, rather than join the happy whorns and Riverwalkers. I agree that Amarillo has a feeling that your body is exposed to the elements, but, I spent a few weeks there, long ago, and had a very positive impression of the friendliness and warmth of the people. I guess they had to be friendly, to make up for their forlorn location.

my uncle coached HS football in Amarillo for a few years and, after some adjustment, really sort of liked it.

[bluedogok]

i'd wager Odessa smells better
If you think crude oil smells better........

We get half way to Monahans from Fort Stockton and that is all you can smell. It stinks out there as well.....

[Animal Mother]

My buddy Walter is from Odessa. He always said "If you stand on a 12 pack in Odessa, you can see all the way to Dallas." I don't believe he misses the area.

[OklaPony]

Amarillo does, however, have one of the best radio stations on the planet, KACV-FM.

[dolemitesooner]

1) Boulder - Awesome place I could live in Boulder
2) Norman- Home, and I feel safe here
3) Columbia - reminds me of nomran
4) Austin - Nice town, but I ****ing hate texas fans. I would kill someone in this town.
5) Lawrence - never been but everywhere else is a **** hole
6) College Station- Nice, but small, but I dont trust all the smiling faces and the aggie pride. Something is scary about that place being in the middle of nowhere kinda like delverince.
7) Lincoln - BLAH
8 tie) Manhattan - **** hole
8 tie) Waco -**** hole
8 tie) Ames - **** hole
11) Stillwater - "North until you smell it, East until you step in it" Yermom said it I agree
12) Lubbock - Nucluer Fall out zone. HELL

[goingoneight]

Wow, doelmite... you ranked Stoolwater below "****-hole" status. :eek: :D