My TaxSlayer Bowl Experience

#1
AdamT

AdamT

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#1
First and foremost,

COOL STORY BRO! (Now that this is out of the way).

Booked a room at the Hyatt Place at the airport. Tons of stuff surrounding it and at 88.00 a night, it was a steal. Took us about 15-20mins to get downtown and to the game, so it was relatively convenient.

Spent our first evening on the 1st at The Millhouse. It was ok. They had awesome drink specials (1.99 draft, wells, and wine), and the food was decent.

Got our tickets to the game in section 103 and got a parking pass in lot P. In and out of the stadium in less than 5minutes. It certainly beat our Neyland hike from Blackstock.

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Vol Walk was freakin awesome:
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Quick Smokey Selfie...failed
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I will say this. I would give anything if Neyland would do away with a few thousand seats and adopt the NFL stadium layouts of seat back chairs w. cup holders. Viewing this game was so extremely comfortable. Tons of leg room, a place for my beer, etc.

My only gripe was that the concession stand seemed constantly bogged down. Maybe they weren't expecting so many folks to turn out, but we waited 30min+ for a hot dog and hamburger. I also noticed that even though the beer was flowing around us, that nobody got REALLY drunk, and there were no arguments/issues around our section. UT is missing an insane revenue stream keeping alcohol off campus.

We ate dinner that night at the Palm Valley Fish Camp. It was insanely good. Liked it so much that we decided to make a reservation to the North Beach Fish Camp the day after.

We also did the free tour of the Budweiser facility (very cool and free), and took a look at the Bold City Brewery. The folks at Bold City were amazing.

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We talked to them about how we had their brews at dinner the night before and how we had come specifically to buy a case of their beer with a Boxer on it to take home (we've got a boxer and enjoy a brown ale...so win/win). They told us that they didn't sell cases there but to hold on a second. Dude went back into the WH and GAVE us a sixer of their Dukes Brown Ale for FREE.

All in all, amazing time. I'd go back to JAcksonville for a Bowl in a heartbeat.

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(working on getting my photos uploaded to add to this post.....stay tuned)
 
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#3
#3
Nice Pics OP! Was a fantastic time in JAX! And how BIG did we luck out on the weather!!! :dance2:

Coulda been cold and raining at the game, instead I had on on short sleeves and bermuda's for game!! :rock:

Actually considered wearing a wife beater! JK :)



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#4
#4
I sat next to Pig Howard"a family in section 216.. Granny Howard very funny.. Especially on face mask call
 
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#6
#6
Also had a great trip....Shearton Beach hotel ($139/nt for 4 nights), 9 miles from TPC Sawgrass Marriott (team hotel) where we hung out in the bar and lobby and took it all in New Years Eve. Golf at Sawgrass (free, guest). Sneakers Sports bar to watch Jan. 1st game with 100's of Vol fans (Bowl food/drink specials). Parked next to stadium parking lot C. Vol walk, tailgate, section 213 tickets, stayed till last player left the field. Jan 3rd fishing trip out of Mayport. Home Jan 4th. "Great story Bro"
 
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#8
#8
I too had a really good time in the JAX area. The JAX beaches area was really cool with the restaurants and bars.

My cool story bro: After the game we were hanging around and I stopped to help an elderly gentleman steady himself in the crowd. We were talking as we walked and it was Nate Petermans grandfather. Come to find out we were walking with his whole family, class people. Even his family said they wish it would come together for him and that he puts in the work but it never seems to pan out. They said he was always such a big time player and it frustrating watching him struggle. They are glad he is at Tennessee and in the back of my mind I felt bad for some of the things I said about him.
 
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#9
#9
I had a great time in Jacksonville...from what i can recall. We got great parking at the tailgaters bar and grill alot easier walk than parking at Neyland. I thought the City of Jacksonville was really run down but maybe we just went to the wrong places.
 
#10
#10
Had tickets in the Bud Section and had no issues with concessions, but the bathrooms were tiny. Ended up using bathrooms outside the section.

Great experience and I would pay more to have chairs in Neyland. It would be worth it.
 
#11
#11
AstonRoyal said:
Its not UTs decision for no beer, it's an SEC decision
Click to expand...

I thought that it had more to do with it being State property than an SEC rule. Irregardless, alcohol gets in, and people normally pregame extremely hard knowing that they can't get any inside. I just think it's a huge missing revenue stream that would be enjoyable to have as an option.
 
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#12
#12
ClearwaterVol said:
Had tickets in the Bud Section and had no issues with concessions, but the bathrooms were tiny. Ended up using bathrooms outside the section.

Great experience and I would pay more to have chairs in Neyland. It would be worth it.
Click to expand...

completely agreed on the chairs.
 
#14
#14
noshow said:
I had a great time in Jacksonville...from what i can recall. We got great parking at the tailgaters bar and grill alot easier walk than parking at Neyland. I thought the City of Jacksonville was really run down but maybe we just went to the wrong places.
Click to expand...


Strip Clubs, gun stores and liquor stores everywhere. My favorite sign was this one, though...

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#15
#15
Was in 105 fans next to me got kicked out for trying to start fights with 3 different families. Was interesting to say the least.
 
#16
#16
Serpent710 said:
Was in 105 fans next to me got kicked out for trying to start fights with 3 different families. Was interesting to say the least.
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I was in 109 and watched about 5 people get escorted out no more than 2-3 minutes into the game. I have no idea why.
 
#18
#18
We actually stayed in Daytona, an "in-between" spot for some other things we had planned while in the area, but the day in Jacksonville was pretty nice. traffic wasn't too bad, we actually got lost trying to follow the cones around the stadium to our parking lot and the Police Officer was very nice and helpful, finished off his directions to us with "Im a Gator but I hope you guys show these Yanks what SEC football is all about"...the stadium was nice, a lot like The Coliseum...I mean LP Field, but yea, the lines at concessions were crazy. Was really nice to sit back in the seats and have a nice cold beer or few while watching UT dominate. Getting out of the stadium and back to the Interstate was a bit of a hassle as the GPS was giving us directions but they had streets closed off every direction we tried to go, and entrances to the Interstate closed, eventually I turned it off and just went to google maps to find a different way out of town. I have no complaints, the weather was awesome, the fans amazing, and the team took care of bidness. Id definitely go back to Jacksonville for a bowl game, but I hope our next bowl trip is to Miami or New Orleans or maybe even Arizona or California.
 
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#21
#21
Chilmonty said:
Nice Pics OP! Was a fantastic time in JAX! And how BIG did we luck out on the weather!!! :dance2:

Coulda been cold and raining at the game, instead I had on on short sleeves and bermuda's for game!! :rock:

Actually considered wearing a wife beater! JK :)



.
Click to expand...

When in Rome...
 
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#23
#23
We stayed in Jax Beach, watched the play in games at "Sneakers" must have been 600 people there, 75% Big Orange. Sat in 204 no issues. Never had anymore fun at a bowl game.
 
#24
#24
Joefoxx said:
We stayed in Jax Beach, watched the play in games at "Sneakers" must have been 600 people there, 75% Big Orange. Sat in 204 no issues. Never had anymore fun at a bowl game.
Click to expand...

Probably ran into you but just didn't know it. Stayed across the street from Sneakers at Sheraton. Sneakers is a great place for sure. Sat in section 203. Had a great time as well.
 
#25
#25
As a Hawkeye fan, I just wanted to express that I ran into a ton of very cool Volunteer fans at the game. I wish Iowa would have made it a better game; but, this year's team just was no match for what TN brought into the stadium. Iowa has been getting beat on the edge all year and have not had very good linebacker play in addition to other problems. This has to be the slowest Iowa team that I have seen in 30 years and Tennessee easily exposed those weaknesses. The only thing that really surprised me during the game was the poor tackling by Iowa.
Anyway, wish you guys the best in the future and it looks like Butch has the team on the right track. Thanks to the fun Volunteer fans by our tailgate and the ones in section 127. Your great fans made the game bearable for this Hawkeye fan. I will certainly pull for you guys in the SEC. Still can't get Rocky Top out of my head !
 
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