Home of the Appalachian State Mountaineers

A quick review of my columns this year reveals a recurring theme, and that is how fast it’s passing. As I type I can hardly believe Labor Day is here. But, it is, and it can only mean one thing: the return of college football.

That said, it’s time to reveal team affiliations of local bars and pubs. Inquiring minds want to know. As a Gamecock fan, I consider this important because, since 2002, it has been hard to find a dedicated spot to watch games. The last official Gamecock bar was Lake Norman Sports Grille, at Shops on the Green in Cornelius, and, as many of us know, it shut its doors and now is Cafe Confidential.

Given the proliferation of change in this area, particularly among restaurants, it can be tough to know where to go to support your team. The University of South Carolina is an hour and a half away, which means many fans here consider themselves local enough to travel to home games (for the best tailgating in all of college football, I might add). However, that still leaves away games, and those of us who gave up season tickets after the fourth corporate relocation. Calling all Gamecock fans: This needs to change. We need our own local spot. Better yet, if you know the spot, tell us where it is.

The same need not be said for alumni of other schools, most notably Ohio State, which, as evidenced by the number of Ohio license plates I see daily probably wins the award for the state with the most people here. A Buckeye need only travel down Catawba Avenue on any given Saturday during football season to know that Tropicana is home, with the giant Brutus towering over the parking lot.

Another well-known team affiliation is Harvey’s, on Liverpool Parkway in Cornelius, whose love affair with Appalachian State is hardly a secret among Mountaineers. The owners, proud graduates of the school, thrive on a loyal fan base each fall for televised App State games.

So, I ask all of you, who do you root for and where do you go to congregate with fellow fans? The first Saturday of college football looms large and I can’t think of a timelier question. Transplants from all over the country relocate to our Inland Sea every day. Nothing cures a case of homesick blues quite like a sea of similar jerseys.

Pick your team and pick your bar. Then share it with us so we know where to go. Or not to go, as the case may be.

Happy Labor Day, everyone. Stay safe, and Go Gamecocks!

Robin Gibson is a writer living in Cornelius. You can find her blog at http://www.robingibsonart.com/blog.html. See her previous columns under the “Robin Gibson” category.

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