Thomaspro

@scdawg82 said:

Awesome! I lived in Columbia growing up while dad was at Fort Jackson. Can't say I miss it too much but that's not a bad drive to watch some Browns football. Let me know if you're interested in maybe meeting up beforehand, it's still way too early to plan anything but it sounds like people here are doing something.

@miktoxic said:

Unfortunately I am serious. It was quite funny. We were in the very last row in the upper deck. No way in hell would the camera ever catch him on TV. I looked at the "security guard" and asked him if he was serious. He said "yep", I replied with "no wonder Charlotte isn't known as a football city".

@banshe5 said:

seriously? i didn't know things have got that strict. i always see some goofballs at like a packers or a bears game with their shirts off with the group of them spelling out the team name with letters across their beer guts and it's like -10 degrees out.

@jrb12711 said:

Thank you, please do. It's fairly crowded for tailgating but it can be done. My brother in law owns his own catering business and he will be coming as well albeit he is a Panthers fan. Just be prepared my youngest son Preston is 6 years old and he's a shit talker. He likes to go round and round with me. As soon as I said they were playing this year he started talking shit. He plays PeeWee football for Boger City. The choice was the Panthers or the damn Steelers. So he's a Boger City Panther. Last year was his first year playing at 5 years old and he started on both sides of the ball. We went to the Panthers/49ers playoff game this post season and he took off his shirt so the damn "security" made him put it back on. Not quite the same as being in Cleveland.

@banshe5 said:

I'll make sure to PM you as well. I'm a similar boat, my older brother is a big Panthers fan and holds season tickets, and my oldest brother is a big fan of them as well. My Dad and I stayed loyal to the Brownies though so these games are always fun. I'd definitely be down to tailgate but space is pretty limited it seems like. I'd be fine just picking a bar to meet at although the damn blue laws mean we'd have to be chugging before the game.

@jrb12711 said:

I'll just quote this and add my own two cents.

I'm in my mid-twenties (24), so I can only give the same perspective as well.

I love Kennedy's, personally, but that's because I know a girl from my hometown who works there and I have a soft spot in my heart for places with outdoor bars. And I also got blitzed on Sam Adams Octoberfest ($5 for a 22 oz draft, hell yeah I did) and passed out upstairs by myself.

Fox and Hound seems cool, but I haven't been. I've heard good things. The Epicentre is where everybody seems to go but it is way too overpriced and most places charge a cover. My personal recommendation is Connolly's, a small Irish bar on W 5th. It's tiny inside and has a nice outdoor patio on the side and is walking distance (read: like 15 blocks) from the stadium.

The Pub at Gateway is much closer to the stadium (like 2 blocks away), is equally small, and Panthers hang out there from time to time.

As for tailgating...couldn't tell ya. I've never been. I've only been to two Panthers games in my life and one was a preseason game and both times I got to the stadium at kickoff. I don't care about paying $60 to watch a team that isn't the Browns.

I'm sure you'll find somewhere, the tailgating area isn't that big.

@thomaspro said:

Hey man, I'm in the Greensboro area now but I'll be there for sure! I was briefly talking to TCPO and I looked into it some. The Browns Backers meet up at a place called Kennedy's in uptown Charlotte. It's hit or miss for me, but my fiance loves it. It's an Irish pub with solid food but beer was a little pricey when I was there. I lived in charlotte while doing my undergrad at UNCC, so I never really met up with the Backers. It was way too expensive for a broke college kid so I usually pirated games from home. I'm sure it'll be a fun time though and I'll likely stumble in there with my dad before we go into the game. As for tailgating, I'm not too sure on that. I'd email/call the local backers place, but IMO the tailgates in front of Panthers stadium are only okay. It's very cramped space with way too many people trying to do it.

Charlotte is a cool city, but I can only give you perspective from someone in their mid 20's who did most of hispartying there. The spot with the most going on is called Epicentre. It's essentially one big somewhat enclosed areas with clubs, bars, and a few above average priced restaurants. Personal recommendation for a place to go is Fox and Hound (I believe there's one in Raleigh?) or RiRa. Both places have a good vibe and aren't gonna put you out a million bucks. Of course you also have plenty of high-end restaurants if you so choose. Anyway, I'll make sure to shoot you a PM when it gets closer. I'd love to meet up with some people and I've already requested for that Monday off.

@thomaspro said:

I think Tim Couch Pulls Out and jrb and a couple of others live in that area and may put together a tailgate. Hook up with them to see what they are up to.

http://thebrownsboard.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=29008&page=8