Heard Van Lith committed to Purcell today.

[NCMSTFAN]

That's because these kids want to be wined and dined on recruiting visits. Not taken to a softball game to stand around. Unfortunately, you can't really take them anywhere in Starkville because there's nothing to do. I mean you can take them to one of the 19 Mexican restaurants or the 17 fast food restaurants or maybe they want to go walk around at one of the two Walmarts! I mean even the Cotton District is what two bars you can kind of comfortably walk in and the rest you're packed in like a bunch of sardines.

Starkville needs to shed the blue collar mentality and embrace being cool. Embrace the Starkvegas crap or Swag Is State. Hell yea it's corny but Ole Miss fans have one magazine saying Oxford was a cool place 20+ years ago and they've embraced it and spewed it enough times that people believe it. It's nothing more than buy in

This is true, alot of older fans and alumni don't want to admit it but there are some upgrades and updates that the community needs. Times are changing in sports with the transfer portal and NIL. We will have to adapt with them. I like the Starkvegas name and using that and expanding on that around the city with new attractions for younger people, bright lights etc. Some will disagree and that's ok, but I do think the community and surrounding areas need more

[TheLostDawg]

That's because these kids want to be wined and dined on recruiting visits. Not taken to a softball game to stand around. Unfortunately, you can't really take them anywhere in Starkville because there's nothing to do. I mean you can take them to one of the 19 Mexican restaurants or the 17 fast food restaurants or maybe they want to go walk around at one of the two Walmarts! I mean even the Cotton District is what two bars you can kind of comfortably walk in and the rest you're packed in like a bunch of sardines.

Starkville needs to shed the blue collar mentality and embrace being cool. Embrace the Starkvegas crap or Swag Is State. Hell yea it's corny but Ole Miss fans have one magazine saying Oxford was a cool place 20+ years ago and they've embraced it and spewed it enough times that people believe it. It's nothing more than buy in

Agreed

[TheLostDawg]

This is true, alot of older fans and alumni don't want to admit it but there are some upgrades and updates that the community needs. Times are changing in sports with the transfer portal and NIL. We will have to adapt with them. I like the Starkvegas name and using that and expanding on that around the city with new attractions for younger people, bright lights etc. Some will disagree and that's ok, but I do think the community and surrounding areas need more

Well a lot of it is politics. All these ole miss alumni bring state and federal buildings, etc to Oxford which brings jobs etc. Look at the public schools there compared with Starkville. Heck was a daycare that was receiving state funds somehow. The Golden triangle is building on with business so that will help. Also if OCH gets bought out that might help too. Seems that it has a bad reputation. I'm not sure if it's justified. That is just what I heard.

[MaroonFlounder]

lol and my fantasies of van lith just ended!

Your post didn't age well.

Get new sources

[Goldendawg]

Yup. Oh well.

WBB was 5 mil in the red last year, men's was 500k in the red. Thank goodness for ESPN football welfare money.

Wow, so now football only sport in the black?

[Goldendawg]

You could Baton Rouge in there too. That place is awful.

Haven't been to Baton Rouge since John Bond led us to his third or fourth of four straight victories over them. Tiger stadium half empty by halftime. A great sight to see!

[StarkVegasSteve]

Wow, so now football only sport in the black?

MBB will be in the black this year. Baseball will be in the red til we pay off the stadium. So another probably 5-6 years.

[Skydawg1]

I mean you go from Louisville, KY to Baton Rouge, LA and then you are choosing between Starkville, MS or Ft. Worth, TX. Starkville was probably a bit of a culture shock to her.

She grew up in Wenatchee, WA. A town of 31K.

[Todd4State]

That's because these kids want to be wined and dined on recruiting visits. Not taken to a softball game to stand around. Unfortunately, you can't really take them anywhere in Starkville because there's nothing to do. I mean you can take them to one of the 19 Mexican restaurants or the 17 fast food restaurants or maybe they want to go walk around at one of the two Walmarts! I mean even the Cotton District is what two bars you can kind of comfortably walk in and the rest you're packed in like a bunch of sardines.

Starkville needs to shed the blue collar mentality and embrace being cool. Embrace the Starkvegas crap or Swag Is State. Hell yea it's corny but Ole Miss fans have one magazine saying Oxford was a cool place 20+ years ago and they've embraced it and spewed it enough times that people believe it. It's nothing more than buy in

I agree 100%. That's why I liked that Starkville was named the number one town in the South. That in and of itself won't attract athletes but it's a start.

There hasn't been much pride in Starkville and that's a huge issue.

[Commercecomet24]

Baton Rouge was never great and went downhill after Katrina, but it's gone from being bad to very unsafe in the last 10 years.

100%. I've been there quite a few times and since katrina it's turned into a war zone.

[basedog]

100%. I've been there quite a few times and since katrina it's turned into a war zone.

Big Time!

[Pancho]

very near the memphis and jackson feel to it after dark

[R2Dawg]

I agree 100%. That's why I liked that Starkville was named the number one town in the South. That in and of itself won't attract athletes but it's a start.

There hasn't been much pride in Starkville and that's a huge issue.

Agree but i think a lot of the issue is with some MS people, some alumni, etc. I know a lot of people that choose State from out of state and they love it in Starkville. Also know tons that go to Bama but hate Tuscaloosa. Starkville is a great small town. My wife is from AL and we live in AL and we love coming to Starkville. Some may not appreciate the small town America but as you get older it becomes more of a gem. I do agree there are things Starkville can do to improve but Starkvegas is a great college small town.

[RockyDog]

Agree but i think a lot of the issue is with some MS people, some alumni, etc. I know a lot of people that choose State from out of state and they love it in Starkville. Also know tons that go to Bama but hate Tuscaloosa. Starkville is a great small town. My wife is from AL and we live in AL and we love coming to Starkville. Some may not appreciate the small town America but as you get older it becomes more of a gem. I do agree there are things Starkville can do to improve but Starkvegas is a great college small town.

Tuscaloosa’s downtown is pretty dang good. Not sure why one would hate it but love Starkville. There is much more to do in T-town.

[NWADAWG]

Tuscaloosa?s downtown is pretty dang good. Not sure why one would hate it but love Starkville. There is much more to do in T-town.

As an out of stater that really enjoyed Starkvegas, the city council and chamber need to get together and target an area and zone it differently- college crowd focused businesses

It's the only way I know to preserve the great small town for everyday and have a hopping area that gives potential visitors one more reason/one less excuse to come to all State events.

Some local businesses would give pushback because they are scared they'll lose money but it would help the city financially in the long run.

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Oxford-Lafayette County-Ole Miss Leadership > Starkville-Oktibbeha County-MSU Leadership

[RockyDog]

As an out of stater that really enjoyed Starkvegas, the city council and chamber need to get together and target an area and zone it differently- college crowd focused businesses

It's the only way I know to preserve the great small town for everyday and have a hopping area that gives potential visitors one more reason/one less excuse to come to all State events.

Some local businesses would give pushback because they are scared they'll lose money but it would help the city financially in the long run.

The city and university should work to connect the Cotton District and campus as much as possible with infrastructure. Shops, eateries, bars, maybe entertainment venues.

Alabama has done that right. Once you go past Bryant Denny on University Drive, they’ve got a great entertainment area that extends right into downtown Tuscaloosa. It’s a very lively area that stays packed with students. I’m sure on game days it is swarming with bandwagoners. But you gotta give it to em. They have really improved that area.

[NCMSTFAN]

The city and university should work to connect the Cotton District and campus as much as possible with infrastructure. Shops, eateries, bars, maybe entertainment venues.

Alabama has done that right. Once you go past Bryant Denny on University Drive, they’ve got a great entertainment area that extends right into downtown Tuscaloosa. It’s a very lively area that stays packed with students. I’m sure on game days it is swarming with bandwagoners. But you gotta give it to em. They have really improved that area.

I love this idea. Something like this is long overdue and needed

[Leeshouldveflanked]

The city and university should work to connect the Cotton District and campus as much as possible with infrastructure. Shops, eateries, bars, maybe entertainment venues.

Alabama has done that right. Once you go past Bryant Denny on University Drive, they’ve got a great entertainment area that extends right into downtown Tuscaloosa. It’s a very lively area that stays packed with students. I’m sure on game days it is swarming with bandwagoners. But you gotta give it to em. They have really improved that area.

Spruill and Keenum have other priorities

[RockyDog]

Spruill and Keenum have other priorities

If their plan is boring people and giving them no incentive to visit when sports aren’t happening, they are doing a bang up job