OT - Vacationing on St. Simons Island, Georgia

Submitted by Chalky White on
With all of the discussion about Nolan Ulizio, I thought I would tell a quick story about an interraction I had with a guy at a restaurant in Georgia this week while on vacation in SEC country. I labeled it as OT even though it is about the upcoming football season. We just finished eating at Iguanas Restaurant. We were about to pack up to leave when a young guy with a southern accent came to talk to us at our table. I'm only mentioning the accent because it was obvious he wasn't a transplant from Michigan or anywhere in the North. We spoke for about ten minutes about nothing in particular. He talked about how he was a military brat but had pretty much been around the South Georgia area most of his life. We told him we were from Michigan. I wasn't wearing any Michigan gear. My kids may have been wearing a shirt. He was a greeter at the door. On the way out, he stopped me and said, "I think Michigan is going to have a great season. Michigan will be better than people think." Because I'm from the north and sceptical if this southern hospitality rhetoric, the first thing that went through my head is this must be some SEC troll fucking with me. Naturally, I threw out some trivia about how well Michigan is recruiting Georgia right now. No SEC troll would be able to withstand that. His response was "Harbaugh is a genius". That sealed the deal for me that he was obviously on our side. We talked about some other things. He knew how many players Michigan lost but that didn't matter. You never know what you'll get when you travel. I had no idea what to expect. I didn't have any issues with aanyone. This was right up there with the time I was leaving Dunn's River Falls. They send you through that area with all of the vendors before you can leave. The first guy at the top of the hill is a random Jamaican guy wearing a U of M track suit. It wasn't like a 1992 national championship reject. It was legit merchandise. Iwas already having a good time but it's funny how these interractions with people can make my vacation go so much better.

LSAClassOf2000

August 20th, 2017 at 2:16 PM ^

I spent a few minutes trying to find it but couldn't, which might just be me using shitty search terms - wouldn't be the first time that happened. Anyway, I remembered it as well and actually had to fight the urge to edit to make it more ridiculous when it was first posted. It may as well have ended with, "...and that's how the rotary engine was invented" or something like that. 

icefins26

August 20th, 2017 at 12:30 PM ^

Cool story, man.



I live in South Carolina and every "southern" football fan I have talked to down here respects Harbaugh. It's not an uncommon thing.

carolina blue

August 20th, 2017 at 12:44 PM ^

Been going there my whole life and was just there last weekend. We spend most of our time on east beach.

As for places to eat, Iguanas is good, but for me Barbara Jeans is hands down the best.

It's a beach town and I wear my Michigan gear there all the time. People are friendly there in my experience.

Jay Blue

August 20th, 2017 at 1:34 PM ^

You are not alone in Brunswick, my friend!  We moved down here (Exit 29) from Grand Rapids last Fall, just in time for Hurricane Mathew.  It's interesting hearing the Georgia and Florida fans talk down here.  I feel like they don't get too excited about things because they know Alabama going to wax the floor with them.

For those who come down to St. Simon's for vacation, that is great!  Be sure to wear your M gear so I have someone to have a reasonable conversation with, lol.  My advice though... if the beach is your thing, hope on I-95 and head south another 45 mins and go to a FL beach (Fernadina Beach on south).  The water there is much more Blue!  The water at the coastal Georgia beaches is not very appealing.  

SeattleWolverine

August 20th, 2017 at 2:05 PM ^

He was a greeter at the door.

Naturally, I threw out some trivia about how well Michigan is recruiting Georgia right now. No SEC troll would be able to withstand that. His response was "Harbaugh is a genius".

 

Soooooooooo......a guy who works at a business as a greeter who is paid to have pleasant interactions with people had very nice things to say to a customer about his favorite team?

 

This sounds like basically the platonic middle aged family friendly version of:

https://pics.me.me/why-the-female-cashier-is-being-nice-to-you-o-23098750.png

 

 

 

evenyoubrutus

August 20th, 2017 at 3:00 PM ^

On vacation in Waikiki Beach, had a server tell us he was born in Ann Arbor (after he asked us where we were from). We said "oh, awesome!" And started talking to him about the city. He then said he moved away when he was 6 months old so he didn't know much about it. It occurred to us later that he must have made the whole thing up. Ever since then I've been very dubious of anyone in the hospitality industry who feels the need to pander to me.

Mocha Cub

August 20th, 2017 at 3:26 PM ^

I'm sitting on my couch today. I had some pizza delivered with ranch sauce. The delivery guy gave me an extra ranch sauce and that was BEFORE I tipped him. I take that as a sign that he thought Michigan would have a better than expected year. 

Clarence Boddicker

August 20th, 2017 at 3:55 PM ^

I live in Burlington Vermont and I'm wearing my Michigan hat today. As I was walking down the street a person I've never met smiled at me. It was a big, broad smile too, not just a quickie, 'hey, you're in my way' type smile. I take this as a sign that New Englanders think Michigan will be better than expected this year.

BigOzzy86

August 20th, 2017 at 4:49 PM ^

after the tigers game. i was wearing all tigers gear and a guy came up to me and said Go Blue... I looked at him and said Go Blue... I was sceptical at first.. but now I am a believer.

ATLalumni

August 20th, 2017 at 7:40 PM ^

I'm going to take this moment to threadjack?  Since this has evolved into a "Wolverines in GA", i ask the question, any Atlantan's or Georgian's come to our AAUM bars/events in Atlanta?  Whitehall Tavern, Pepperoni's, etc.

Go for two

August 20th, 2017 at 7:52 PM ^

I wore a Michigan shirt with a large block M. As I was walking around and seeing the sights, I had 9 different people say Go Blue as they passed by. I only saw one OSU hat and shirt during the long weekend

ska4punkkid

August 20th, 2017 at 9:07 PM ^

I served the first few months of my Mormon mission in Brunswick, GA and part of my assigned area included St. Simons Island and Sea Island. Such beautiful places and great memories from there! I hope you enjoyed your vacation!

crg

August 21st, 2017 at 9:13 AM ^

I'm curious if you (and whatever portion of the Mormon community that is familiar to you) have any loyalty to BYU due to the faith connection. I would imagine that this would be a stronger connection than, for example, most Catholics to ND (or even Irish Catholics specifically), but I could be completely wrong. Interested in your take on it.

ska4punkkid

August 21st, 2017 at 4:12 PM ^

A little bit, yes. I root for BYU more than any other team except Michigan. However, my love for Michigan is a million times greater than it is for BYU

And yes, alot of Mormons root for BYU because it is a private, church owned school! No matter where I have lived in the US, a majority of members of the church I have been around will root for BYU as their first or 2nd fav team

drjaws

August 20th, 2017 at 10:02 PM ^

down Haight St in San Francisco with my wife. Had a block M shirt on. Some lady wearing a very nice suit with a fine leather satchel walking the other direction said "Go Blue!!" as she passed by.

I was dubious but she had all her teeth so I knew she wasn't a Sparty or Buckeye troll so I retorted with follow-up "Go Blue!"

charblue.

August 21st, 2017 at 9:00 AM ^

the dateline of the story is St. Simon's Island, just a fabulous place to visit and vacation. My experience is that while living in North Carolina, there are SEC and Big Ten fans everywhere, especially Michigan fans. People who live in  southern Florida don't tend to go to St. Simon's Island to escape the August  heat, they head to the Georgia mountains, especially Fllorida State fans.

In any case, college foothall fans know what is happening on a naional level and they know what Harbaugh is building at Michigan, and it's more than the second-coming of Bo Schembechler.