Andy Staples speculates on what schools could bring to the training table now that the NCAA isn’t holding anyone back on what they can fill the feeding troughs with.
He’s sure got Athens nailed.
Georgia: While Latin food isn’t the first thing that comes to mind in Athens, the crew at Cali N Tito’s could walk ample quantities of skirt steak and fried plantains to the nearby Butts-Mehre football complex. Also, with service inside the building, Mark Richt wouldn’t have to worry about his players getting tempted by the beer from the gas station next door, or distracted by the sundresses on the premises of Cali N Titos…
Sounds like a man who’s been to the Classic City more than a few times.
I’ll know who to blame if the line at Cali’s is longer the next time I’m there.
Get The Picture 
Staples seems like a nice guy, but every time I read something he writes my first thought is always, “would SI have let him be an intern during its heyday?” He seems like a SB Nation writer who somehow works for SI.
And the absence of a Hugh Acheson mention is egregious.
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No beer served at the Kangaroo. Too close to Barrow Elem.
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Beat me to it.
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Haha – the important things you learn after 7 years in Athens.
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God I miss Athens.
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Me too.
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The line is always long there. But so worth the wait. Athens sure has changed since I was there. This makes me sad:
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Heck, don’t get me started with what’s gone from downtown when I was in law school in the late 70’s.
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Effie’s?
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LOL. Nah, that was already gone by the time I arrived.
At least that’s what people told me. 😉
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I don’t even recognize downtown anymore. It’s only been 6 years for me but damn it feels so much longer.
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Go ahead Senator, Let it out.
A few near-downtown late 70’s goners to get you started…
TK’s Somebody’s The Other Place / Mad Hatter B&L O’Malley’s Bubbers Bluebird Odyssey Blanche’s Bixby’s Speakeasy / Friend’s Bourbon Street Frog Pond Acropolis Your Mothers Mustache Sparky’s Palace Theatre Paris Adult Barnett’s Davison’s Belk’s Penney’s Kress Maxwell’s Dick Ferguson’s Russo’s Wilson’s Strickland’s Helen’s Peddler Odyssey Uptown Tyrone’s Crazy Zack’s Abbott’s Spaghetti Store and many more I am sure I am leaving out.
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Was there some other “Bourbon Street” establishment downtown in the 70s besides the current one?
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Strip joint downstairs in the Georgian Hotel. The original Speakeasy was upstairs in those days.
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I still can’t cope with the downtown varsity’s demisel.
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Caliente Cab was better. So much better.
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true, but Senor Rubio let the lease expire by mistake.
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Agreed.
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Who let the gator (Staples) into Athens?
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I miss Bubbers.
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Farmers Hardware where you bought stuff to fix up up you apartment is now a condo. B&F Associates was across the street-gone. Cofers Feed and Seed was next to a place called the Chameleon that showed foreign films and sold sub sandwiches. I saw 7 Samurai there. ACE- Athenians for Clean Energy held meetings there. The Flea market had it going on and had a nice seafood place. When my future wife could get away from Augusta we ate there. Parked my Kawaski 500 on the sidewalk. Who remembers the original home of the Grill and the man who brought NY style pizza to Athens. He would later take his entrapreneurial skill set to Buckhead only to crash and burn and die there. Shame. 5 Star Day would try and make a go of a cafe at the ole Grill location.
Both sons were born in Athens. Athens Regional. I cut the cord. My bride did the heavy lifting. Do they still let you do that—cut the cord? Both sons UGa students. One has graduated and is now a future MD and the other about to become a future LawDawg class of 2017.
When one was asked in class why he attended UGA after living in Athens all his life he responded with: And why are you here? And without waiting for a response. Stated: Exactly.
Athens Georgia. The Classic City.
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Bob Russo – got the city to change its ordinances to allow bars and restaurants to expand to the sidewalks. Helped to transform downtown after half the merchants left for Georgia Square Mall and he never got the credit for it. The remaining merchants were against it.
Sad the way his life ended.
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I enjoyed my first ever Gyro and Yuengling at his place. Good guy. RIP
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George was none too happy about the expansion to sidewalks. Good stuff Joe.
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Gyland’s, Gus Garcia’s and Harry Bissett’s were all regular haunts of mine that are gone now. The deepest cut was when I came back from the Army and that sandwich shop downtown was replaced by a damn Starbucks.
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Some of them closed for self-inflicted wounds, like Bissett’s, Son’s of Italy, 5 Star Day, among others mentioned or not mentioned here.
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I worked at Son’s of Italy after it moved to Milledge. Lost their liquor license after getting caught serving on Christmas Day. Apparently that’s a no-no. Fun place, but very poorly run.
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Sons couldn’t survive without Steve’s. The Yin and the Yang.
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The sandwich place was Yudy’s.
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The Fifth Quarter. Papa Joes…. ( Sounds of Spike crying uncontrollably..)
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Surprised this hasn’t come up… my boys ate many a hot dog and played many a game of space invaders and pool on a summer Saturday afternoon.
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Remember when Rocky’s was Chow Goldstein’s? And when Schlotzsky’s and The Grill swapped places? Also, Takee Outee!
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How many people have had lunch at both Varsity’s?
The Varsity has been serving our world famous chilidogs in Athens for 74 years. First at 101 College Avenue in downtown Athens and later at the Varsity located at Milledge and Broad Street. The downtown location, opened in 1932, was across from the University of Georgia. For 40 years The Varsity at 101 College Avenue in downtown Athens was a vital part of the Athens scene, until Mr. Gordy made the decision to close the location and concentrate on his new Athens location which he opened in 1963.
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If you know a coed from the 40’s they’ll tell you the standing rule was “no girls allowed in the Varsity” back in that day.
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I’ll always remember the Varsity (College Ave.) chili dog as a prereq for a UGA football game.
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I miss Wilson’s Soul Food Kitchen Inc.
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I really wish I knew how to do pie crust like she did. Wilson’s was so much better than Weaver’s (though Chonnell’s is best of the bunch).
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Crisco. Guy that ran the Biscuit Barn “Home of the Cat Head Biscuit” said so.
“If your attitude is not right, no matter how good you cook, it’s still not going to be right. It has to be homey-based, and that’s the way we’re trying to keep it. If you’ve got a problem and you come in here, I want you happy by the time you leave here—forget all about your problems and cares.” ~ Angelish Wilson
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Thrasher’s at Boulevard and Hiawasssee had Cat Head Biscuit’s and is now home to White Tiger. Great BBQ.
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Don’t forget Steverinos and Coopers. Nice fish bowls of beer at Coopers.
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Walter & Ralph’s fresh fried hawg skin with hot sauce. Little Bob’s Cheesesteaks at 5 Pts. Blanch’s midnight omelettes. Big Sky and his magic bus at the 5th Quarter. Allen’s greaseburgers with a cold PBR. Man, oh, man.
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Cal n Tito’s is good but when they moved from Pollo Loco on Prince they didn’t keep the chicken rotisserie or the little roasted corn appetizer with the green sauce!
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I ate at the Taste of Home Cafe in the Tate Center addition (you know, where we played hoops in funky Stegman) and it was great. Mac n Cheese, Pecan Sweet Potatoes, Mustard Greens and a Cornbread muffin for $6! Also Snelling is open 24 hrs.
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Anybody ever eat at the Swamp Guinea? I guess it must be long gone, too.
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Sadly, it is.
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Not downtown, but I miss DaVinci’s stuffed pizza … my wasteline doesn’t miss it though.
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No one has mentioned Herbie’s yet, so I’ll show my old late night eatery owning neighbor some love. That man could cook.
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