[Class of 82]

Was talking to some fellows while having lunch at a local watering hole today, and I brought up the subject of the new stadium, and how excited I am about it, and the future of Akron football and athletics generally. Wow. Sometimes I wonder why I live in Akron, a city that just seems to breed negative, pessimistic, pathetic bozos like these jokers, who simply have nothing good to say about anything or anybody.

I not sure why this is bothering me so much, since the majority of people I've talked to are pretty juiced about the new stadium, or at least think it's a good idea and good for the city. But this isn't my first experience like this, and these a-holes have put me in a really crrappy mood.

GO ZIPS!

P.S. And yeah... they were Suckeyes fans. the OSU

[ZachTheZip]

Typical NE Ohio negativity: somebody makes fun of what you like and you let it get to you instead of brushing it off.

Just ignore them. Stop acting like a Clevelander.

[Class of 82]

Typical NE Ohio negativity: somebody makes fun of what you like and you let it get to you instead of brushing it off.

Well, kid, I guess I just wish people could take a little more pride in the community in which they live. I've lived in two other states, and the way so many Akronites dump on their own town is a phenomenon I've only witnessed here.

I'm not negative about NE Ohio. Not in the least. I am negative about people who seem to actually hate their own hometown. I wish they would leave and not let the door hit their a** on the way out.

[SeeTeeZip]

Class of 82, I grew up in Akron, moved away, lived on the West Coast for many years, and came back about four years ago. You are exactly right about the incredibly negative vibe that exists in NE Ohio. I don't know whether that's simply a product of 40+ years of bad economic and demographic news. It probably is.

Don't let anyone intimate that somehow you should just be more positive, however. The negativity aspect of this area is a real downer, and I say that as someone who loves it here and plans to retire in the Akron area.

STZ

Typical NE Ohio negativity: somebody makes fun of what you like and you let it get to you instead of brushing it off.

Well, kid, I guess I just wish people could take a little more pride in the community in which they live. I've lived in two other states, and the way so many Akronites dump on their own town is a phenomenon I've only witnessed here.

I'm not negative about NE Ohio. Not in the least. I am negative about people who seem to actually hate their own hometown. I wish they would leave and not let the door hit their a** on the way out.

[Class of 82]

Class of 82, I grew up in Akron, moved away, lived on the West Coast for many years, and came back about four years ago. You are exactly right about the incredibly negative vibe that exists in NE Ohio. I don't know whether that's simply a product of 40+ years of bad economic and demographic news. It probably is.

Don't let anyone intimate that somehow you should just be more positive, however. The negativity aspect of this area is a real downer, and I say that as someone who loves it here and plans to retire in the Akron area.

STZ

Similar experience here, SeeTee. I can't tell you how often people ask me why I would ever leave SoCal to return to Akron. When I tell them that the quality of life here is actually far better at about 1/2 the cost, they look at me like I'm crazy. (The only times I wonder... for a second or two... about it are in mid-winter when it's 2 degrees!)

I don't know. I guess I just have an idea that Akron... for all of its warts... has incredible potential. And a significant part of that potential is the continuing development of the university in all of its aspects, but particularly in football's and basketball's ability to involve the community in a common source of excitement and pride. Crazy me.

[Zipsrifle]

Class of 82, I grew up in Akron, moved away, lived on the West Coast for many years, and came back about four years ago. You are exactly right about the incredibly negative vibe that exists in NE Ohio. I don't know whether that's simply a product of 40+ years of bad economic and demographic news. It probably is.

Don't let anyone intimate that somehow you should just be more positive, however. The negativity aspect of this area is a real downer, and I say that as someone who loves it here and plans to retire in the Akron area.

STZ

Similar experience here, SeeTee. I can't tell you how often people ask me why I would ever leave SoCal to return to Akron. When I tell them that the quality of life here is actually far better at about 1/2 the cost, they look at me like I'm crazy. (The only times I wonder... for a second or two... about it are in mid-winter when it's 2 degrees!)

I don't know. I guess I just have an idea that Akron... for all of its warts... has incredible potential. And a significant part of that potential is the continuing development of the university in all of its aspects, but particularly in football's and basketball's ability to involve the community in a common source of excitement and pride. Crazy me.

I'm with you. People wonder why I left Detroit! I mean look at it, our unemployment rate is lower, we have fewer homes in foreclosure and hell, we don't have any huge corporations to go bankrupt! Seriously though, we were always planning on moving back to Ohio, I'm just glad I got out of Michigan when I did! I'm hoping to make a difference here and not stand on the sidelines and complain like everyone else.

[g-mann17]

I'm hoping to make a difference here and not stand on the sidelines and complain like everyone else.

I think that is the most important thing right there.

Is it an easy out to bitch about everything and not do anything? Yes. And the problem in our area (most of society) is that everyone is a "victim". I mean simply that if they have a problem it's someone else's fault. There are certain things that are uncontrollable, crime, losing a job etc. But if your neighborhood looks bad ask yourself, have you helped out the old couple across the street so they can fix things up? If there are kids constantly causing problems have you personally done anything about? Report it? Call the local police to help form a neighborhood watch?

I by no means want this country to go back to the 30's-50's but there are certain things our grandparents did that made life a lot more tolerable (and don't let anyone fool you, crime was amazing at this time you just didn't have 1000's bloggers compaining about everytime it happened). The simple fact is you have to try and accomplish things. People up here complain about crime, but how much of that crime has personally affected them. You have tons of resources here for leisure, a National Park, tons of Metro Parks, the Tow Path. Get out and enjoy what is there and tell people about it. Most of the country thinks of Akron and thinks dried up bombed out rubber factories, Youngstown would be empty steel factories, Cleveland they picture a river on fire.

If there is one thing that I am truly passion about (and yes the athletics are fun) its finding a way to get people to realize that this state is a great place. GP1, god bless him, blames the weather, if that were true Colorado, New England, Seattle, and Utah would all be a shit holes. People will put up with weather if they know they can get a job and their children can get a decent education. We have those things, unfortunately they are all shadowed by negativity, instead of praising what Western Reserve Academy, and Firestone's Baccaulaureate programs accomplish we talk about how East Cleveland can't get people who could give a crap less about school is performing.

I'm just saying it's a lot better than people think and its time some people step up to sell it that way and improve it even more.