ThomasDenton 79 Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 At least YOU are considering to "let us join." Thanks! I really like Roanoke. It's just weird having lived in far SWVA all my life among all these really small towns and cities and then consider a place as huge as Roanoke part of the region. But hey, whether everyone considers Roanoke a part of SWVA or not, at least it's comforting having such a big place at our border. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwood78 161 Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 stopped in abingdon saturday, at one of those little specialty cookin spots, placed order, lady asked where i was from,,clintwood ,i replied,(had a clintwood cap on) she said she liked the way i talked...i asked the same of her...abingdon, she replied, we spoke a little more,she said, the group i was with , talked different ,ate my meal..and didn't leave tip.............lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starcityfootballfan 517 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 (edited) I really like Roanoke. It's just weird having lived in far SWVA all my life among all these really small towns and cities and then consider a place as huge as Roanoke part of the region. But hey, whether everyone considers Roanoke a part of SWVA or not, at least it's comforting having such a big place at our border. I was just kidding with you. Glad to see that you like Roanoke ... I love it here! Great place to call home and this is coming from someone that travels weekly for a living. Nothing like flying into here and viewing the Mill Mountain star as we approach the airport. I know that I am home when I see that star. I grew up in Bluefiled, VA and know what it is like being from a small town ... it is GREAT! However, I did not realize how good it was until I left. Although I could not go back there to live, growing up there was fun. Small town with small town values make for great, caring people! Thus my great loyalty to the Graham G-Men! And remember, if the folks from Eastern Virginia ever want to attack the "good ol' folks" from SW Virginia, they will have to go through Roanoke to get to you! No worries though, we are on your side!! Edited September 25, 2012 by starcityfootballfan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrangeStreak 45 Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 I have no problem including Roanoke/Salem as part of SWVA, always thought of it that way. My problem lies with the fact that alot of people in the Roanoke area and eastward think the state ends in Roanoke and goes no farther west. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futbolking 766 Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 I've always drawn the line at Roanoke....but then it's kind of a gray area. Do you consider the Roanoke area schools part of SWVA or the start of the rest of the Commonwealth? I've never been able to make up my mind. I used to live in the NRV and it depended on who you talked to...some of them considered themselves Southwest...some did not... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futbolking 766 Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 The Wikipedia article on Roanoke actually lists it as "the largest municipality in Southwest Virginia." As of 2010, the city's population was just over 97,000. This is the main reason that I have some trouble including Roanoke in SWVA; because they're so huge compared to the rest of the towns/cities in SWVA. I think Salem is a bit over 20,000 (if you include them too) and Bristol is the next largest by population at just under 18,000. I also tend to not include them because of the geography as shown in your map. But there's always a part of me that wants to let them join in for some reason...maybe it's because I have family living there or something, I don't know. Wikipedia, huh?.... I'll have to change that information.... (jk) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starcityfootballfan 517 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 I have no problem including Roanoke/Salem as part of SWVA, always thought of it that way. My problem lies with the fact that alot of people in the Roanoke area and eastward think the state ends in Roanoke and goes no farther west. lol Fortunately, I am not one of those folks but I will not deny that your assumption is sometimes correct. I just wish that some of the schools in the Roanoke area had the fan base that many SWVA schools have. There are exceptions ... with Salem being the most obvious one. Like Salem or not, no one can deny the continuous success of their football program. The home side is always packed for the Spartans. This goes along with having a traditionally strong program year after year. Richlands is also evidence to that fact as well. It is quite simple ... when you win the fans will follow. The solid foundation that Richlands has built is witnessed every week; although, I do know that the recent game at Patrick County (very small Tornado crowd) was not the usual norm for Richlands. Beginning in 1989, Graham also had the fan base year in and year out. That year, nearly 4,000 fans representing Graham made the trip down to Salem for a regular season showdown. That game marked the first time that Graham had been scored on and also marked Graham's one and only defeat. To this day, that game still marks the largest crowd in Salem Stadium history. The stadium holds around 7, 250 and there were people standing all over the place that particular night. I will never forget meeting some guys from Pulaski in attendance. They were on the Graham side and if I did not know better I would have sworn that they were from Bluefiled, VA. Yelling and cheering for the "little guys from Bluefield" to whip the Spartans. By the way, we did get them back the following year! I am glad to see that Patrick Henry-Roanoke is experiencing larger crowds this year. Currently PH is 5-0 and the fans have come to appreciate this. The Patriot program has made many strides the past few years and continues to improve. Two years ago, Richlands had nearly the same amount of fans that Cave Spring had even though the game was played here in Roanoke. I have also been told that this happened several years ago as Richlands packed the house at Brookville during a state semi-final game. In both cases, I was very proud to see the large following that defines SWVA football. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbgfan 856 Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 As you enter the Roanoke Regional Airport the City has an electric billboard that proudly proclaims "Southwest Virginia Starts Here!" Its gotta be true then! LOL! I have lived here for more than thirty years but have not forgotten my Tazewell County roots. Can I still play here? What part of Roanoke do you live in? I have family on the southwest side. Life has many choices---eternity two Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasDenton 79 Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 I was just kidding with you. Glad to see that you like Roanoke ... I love it here! Great place to call home and this is coming from someone that travels weekly for a living. Nothing like flying into here and viewing the Mill Mountain star as we approach the airport. I know that I am home when I see that star. I grew up in Bluefiled, VA and know what it is like being from a small town ... it is GREAT! However, I did not realize how good it was until I left. Although I could not go back there to live, growing up there was fun. Small town with small town values make for great, caring people! Thus my great loyalty to the Graham G-Men! And remember, if the folks from Eastern Virginia ever want to attack the "good ol' folks" from SW Virginia, they will have to go through Roanoke to get to you! No worries though, we are on your side!! I remember going on a field trip once (I think I was in middle school) to Richmond. We went to our area representative's office and you could tell he was different from everyone else. All the other offices were pretty plain looking and his had Andy Griffith stuff everywhere. Then our tour guide showed us a giant map of VA and actually (I promise I'm not making this up) pointed to Roanoke and said that this is where pretty much everyone in the building, except our representatives of course, says VA ends and that the rest of the area (SWVA) was just hill country full of hillbillies and wilderness. There was also a marker they showed us that apparently marked the "center of VA" (which if you cut SWVA out of the map, Richmond is pretty close to the center of the rest of the state). I just thought it was hilarious that they would tell us this stuff. Must not have known where we were from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starcityfootballfan 517 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 What part of Roanoke do you live in? I have family on the southwest side. Life has many choices---eternity two Downtown condo! Roanoke's downtown is great and many $$$$ have been spent to revitalize this area including the City market. Go G-Men! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMan 3,569 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 Downtown condo! Roanoke's downtown is great and many $$$$ have been spent to revitalize this area including the City market. Go G-Men! Really? You ever go to Flanary's Pub??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starcityfootballfan 517 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 (edited) Really? You ever go to Flanary's Pub??? Been there ... done that! Actually, I was there week before last. Its nice to be able to have a "few" brews and then WALK home. I am also a huge Notre Dame fan; therefore, anything Irish works for me. Go Irish! Go G-Men! Edited September 26, 2012 by starcityfootballfan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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