Paul Finebaum caller

[Bama Bo 0]

If there were a large enough stadium in Alabama that would truly be a neutral site, I'd love for the Iron Bowl to go back to being a 50/50 ticket split and played at a neutral site.

I don't think it will ever happen because

A: I don't think there will ever be a facility built large enough.

B: I doubt if either AD would ever agree to it. I'm sure to much money is made for each school during the respective home game years for them to agree to give that up.

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

I agree with Bo, IF there was a facility along the lines of sayyyyy, the Gator or Cotton Bowls and there was something like oh, sayyyy the Texas State Fair or the World's Largest Cocktail Party (yeah, I know that it is only happening because of the game) happening at the same time, then I would agree that a 50-50 split every year at a neutral site would be great.

However, since the games have begun to be played at the home sites, it will never go back to this, even if a dome is built in Birmingham and they move City Stages to November.

And anyone who waxes nostalgic for Legion Field is living too far in the past to be relavent to this conversation.

[Bama Bo 0]

And anyone who waxes nostalgic for Legion Field is living too far in the past to be relavent to this conversation.

183204[/snapback]

Just to make it clear, I hate Legion Field. IMO, Alabama waited about 10 or 12 years to long to quit playing there.

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

And anyone who waxes nostalgic for Legion Field is living too far in the past to be relavent to this conversation.

183204[/snapback]

Just to make it clear, I hate Legion Field. IMO, Alabama waited about 10 or 12 years to long to quit playing there.

183206[/snapback]

It was a great place once, but not in the last 40 years.

[ltfusn 0]

so you are saying that a bammie was discussing Auburn? A little obsessed, isn't he.

Must be a mistake, because they don't care about Auburn.

Silly bammies

[DKW 86 7,440]

Legion Field was a HOLE 20+ years ago. It is in even worse shape now.

No one in Bham has the guts to build a dome and get a real bowl game there. I might go back then. We, , already own two very good stadiums and I think we should play the Iron Bowl on the two campuses.

Legion Field? Either put some real money in it, or tear it down.

1) Buy up the blocks around it for parking.

2) Tear down the upper deck(s). Whatever is left.

3) Get UAB, The local High Schools, Alabama State football tournament finals there.

4) Invest in park landscaping and business strip centers or offices for 365 use of parking lot.

5) Do something, just dont ever ask us to play there ever again. We have twom stadiums now. We dont need any more.

[Tiger in Spain 0]

Legion Field was a HOLE 20+ years ago.  It is in even worse shape now.

Legion Field? Either put some real money in it, or tear it down.

183246[/snapback]

Amen, Amen, and AMEN!

The old lady is long overdue for a good razing. Like the remainder of Birmingham proper, it's already crumbled. Too bad. Up until the late 1970's, Legion Field wasn't that bad a place to see a game. You couldn't pay me to go there now. Back a tow truck up to the statue of the Bear out in the front of the stadium, tie a rope to its neck and pull it down.

Until Birmingham rids itself of shady politicians, a dome or any other venue worth a damn within the city limits will be nothing more than a dream. If Hoover were really smart, they would snag the AHSAA business away from Birmingham for starters by building a nice open air stadium somewhere near the Met. Nothing too elaborate, 50-60,000 seats. From there, they could sign a deal with UAB and Samford to play games there. Somewhere down the line, pursue a minor bowl. It could be done rather easily, and the area could have a sports park to be proud of and one that people would feel safe visiting rather than an aging eyesore stuck out in the middle of a run down neighborhood.

[Aubie7 0]

One thing the UAT's hate is the fact that their precious winnng percentage at Denny Resturant Stadium/Tuberville Field, is going down the tubes! They can no longer get the big losses to Auburn, Tennessee, and others at Legion Field. The big games have to played at home along with the patsies.

[BamaGrad03 0]

IMO Legion Field was not a dump 20 years ago. ive been going to games there for 19 years, and have many fond memories of the place.

Id say that Bama got out at the right time. I would to see a 50-50 ticket split game in a nice new stadium somewhere.

The LAST thing Bham needs is a dome. 1st, the politicians are way too dirty to be trusted with managing and allocating funds for a project like that. Everyone on the city council in bham wants this project to line their pockets and hook up their cousins and uncles with building contracts. (please see Richard Arrington's nephew winning the contract to repave 59-20 in bham). Everyone sees that that part of bham is going downhill, so it would be best to move it to a more "outskirts" of bham type area.

No one wants to shop and go to a convention in the hood. Sorry, thats the end of story.

Build an open air stadium in Hoover that is attached to a large convention center like jacksonville.

[DKW 86 7,440]

(Waxing eloquent...)

I really would find it a loss if they tore down Legion Field. I strongly recall the 17-16 Game for the Ages there. The 86-89 winstreak, 82 and Bo over the top. 83 and Bo getting 256 yards in the tornado game. The Tide-Tiger Bar across the street. I also remember the 17-15 gut wrenching loss to the worst Bama team in 25 years.

I have some great memories of the place.

However, I also remember the incredibly bad facilities, the erector set look to the place, the faded, peeling, green paint and RUST everywhere. The bathrooms that were so bad, well, we dont need to discuss them.

It is a shame that the ole place is in such a shambles. It has a great history, but I cannot see anyone in the Bham govt ever getting the balls to rebuild it back to its former glory, or better yet, making it better and even a historic showplace.

I hear that one of the maintennance men there has a room full of almost every game day program ever played there. Some signed by Coaches etc. Imagine that as a start to a museum.

How about we:

1) Buy out 2 blocks in all four directions, using right of way laws.

2) Tear down everything, and landscape it into to a park like setting with ample parking.

3) Cover the erector set with a Brick facade more like BDS and JHS.

4) Add offices and suites to the new brick additions.

5) Add strip centers around there to pay for the parking lot on game day.

6) Tear down the upper decks, not a big enough crowd there anyway.

7) Someone throw enough money at UAB to make them truly competitive.

8) Completely update the concessions and bathroom facilities.

9) Light the place like a trip to the sun so crime will absolutely go away.

10) Schedule concert after concert there to help pay for all this. Do a Big Spring Jam in the new Parking Lot, move City Stages there, etc.

11) Get the All-American Bowl back.

12) Maybe a corporate sponsor or two would be a great way to start.

13) Move the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame there.

14) Move the SEC Offices there, in hopes of getting the SECCG back. Which would make the upper decks necessary again too.

15) Get the Conf-USA Championship Game there. Maybe a few Div II and Div III Championships there too.

All this will never happen because the bottom line...WHO is gonna play there? UAB will never draw a crowd big enough to make it worthwhile and Bama will never allow them to get good enough to draw the crowd.

Question: Even in its heyday, who actually played there? Alabama and Auburn didnt play but a few games a year there. Now, I wouldnt want to move one game from JHS. Not even one a year.

[WarTim 3,457]

bamaham is the armpit of the state. I would like to see one of the State's top cities

(Huntsville-Montgomery-Mobile) build a Dome. Those cities could do it right.

[Streyeder 0]

The last thing Mobile needs is a dome....ugh... LPS looked like it was turning into LF the last few times I've been there.

[BamaGrad03 0]

Montgomery

Wow...funniest thing I've read all day. It's one thing for you to get your weekly broken-record-like jabs at birmingham in...its another to call Montgomery one of the state's "top cities"

Ignorance must truly be bliss.

[Bama Bo 0]

Montgomery

Wow...funniest thing I've read all day. It's one thing for you to get your weekly broken-record-like jabs at birmingham in...its another to call Montgomery one of the state's "top cities"

Ignorance must truly be bliss.

183320[/snapback]

I will agree that Montgomery is the last place that needs a dome, but it is the state capital and deserves at least some minor respect. I would consider it one of the top 4 cities in the state.

[BamaGrad03 0]

Cities id rather live than montgomery:

Birmingham

Huntsville

Mobile

Tuscaloosa

Auburn/Opelika

Dothan

Fairhope

Gulf Shores/Orange Beach

[WarEagle_57 0]

I had the "pleasure" of being able to attend the last IB in legion field. It was by far the worst football experience of my life, despite being up at the half. I feared for my life to and from my car, had to pay someone to park in their yard....., couldn't believe that a college football team would actually play in such a dump. I was afraid it was going to fall in on me.

[WarTim 3,457]

Montgomery

Wow...funniest thing I've read all day. It's one thing for you to get your weekly broken-record-like jabs at birmingham in...its another to call Montgomery one of the state's "top cities"

Ignorance must truly be bliss.

183320[/snapback]

Funny, since you are a uater, it was always understood that you are an ignorance EXPERT.

bamaham is the armpit of the state. Take that anyway your little uat mind will allow.

p.s. tuscaloser is a different body part. (Hint:It is where the State's enema would be inserted.)

[crashman009 4]

My dad has a piece of the bleachers from Legion Field from the 72 'Punt Bama Punt" that they had broke off from jumping up and down so much

[freebody 0]

Even if a "dome" were built, it would not compare to the on-campus open-air stadiums. Financially, there is no realistic way either school would give up an on-campus game, with 87,451 or 91,000 tickets (BDS/JHW next year) sold, for a game in a venue with only 68,000 seats (which is the most you could expect from this proposed "dome"). Even more significant than the 20,000+ seat difference is the loss of the revenue from the premium seating (suites and clubs) - even though the "dome" would have premium areas, it would not work the same, and the city would take a cut.

[AUJarhead 70]

Cities id rather live than montgomery:

Birmingham

Huntsville

Mobile

Tuscaloosa

Auburn/Opelika

Dothan

Fairhope

Gulf Shores/Orange Beach

183330[/snapback]

No love for Opp or Valley???

[jetermary 6]

So anyway, I enjoy listening to the Finebaum program when i leave work everyday because he has great guests on there such as Stan White and Pat Dye, but yesterday I became so angry with a certain caller.  They were discussing the name change of the field to Pat Dye fiels at Jordan Hare Stadium. Some Yahoo called in and started discussing Dye's contribution to Auburn, and said that the only useful thing he ever did at Auburn was "get the Iron Bowl moved out of Birmingham." ...........What in the hell.  Then he went on to rave about how lame Auburn is during Gamedays and HOW THEIR IS NOTHING TO DO!    I almost lost it, I was thinking to myself how much fun tuscaloosa was during gameday, you know, the lovely stinch, the 9 out of 10 chance you might get robbed, and also the beautiful concrete jungle called the campus. It just made me wonder if the caller had ever been to an Auburn game, and if he had, had he just sat in his hotel room? 

183097[/snapback]

You and I must drive home about the same time because I heard the same guy. I've heard him call before. He is just an Alabama fan trying to put Auburn down. The guy is so obviously jealous of Auburn's success over Alabama. When he said there was nothing to do in Auburn, I was hoping someone would call in and straighten him out. I've got news for him. It was a big deal getting the game moved. Bryant said he'd never play Auburn at Auburn. He also told Dye that Dye would never beat him. Dye did his second year at Auburn and was beating Bryant his first year at half time. Bryant was beside himself at halftime. I don't know why Tuberville and Dye even go on that show.