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Grade my Pittsburgh experience

WindyCitySteel

WindyCitySteel

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Went to day 1 & 2 with a bunch of college buddies, had a great time. I personally never made it to the stage, but was down on the North Shore Thursday.

- Day 1 - Hung at North Shore Tavern and Mike's Beer Bar for round 1 after walking around to soak it in.
- Day 2 - Morning, drove up to Cranberry and checked out the Baseball Card Castle and chatted with the owners, evening watched the start of day 2 at Vinnie's in Oakmont, had a chip-chopped ham sandwich. Went to the cigar/gun store a couple doors down and chatted with those fine gentlemen, too.

No IC Light, sorry, I have standards, but enjoyed several Yuenglings. As a bonus, our AirBnB was on a street that was closed off for sinkhole repair.

The city absolutely showed out, glad we went. I need to get back for a game before I'm too old.
 
I went today, got under the tent. It was awesome. Although it may not have looked like it on TV, there were so many people around the stadium and the Point was absolutely packed. Pittsburgh did terrific and genuinely should be considered to be put into a rotation of regular host sites.
 
WindyCitySteel said:
Went to day 1 & 2 with a bunch of college buddies, had a great time. I personally never made it to the stage, but was down on the North Shore Thursday.

- Day 1 - Hung at North Shore Tavern and Mike's Beer Bar for round 1 after walking around to soak it in.
- Day 2 - Morning, drove up to Cranberry and checked out the Baseball Card Castle and chatted with the owners, evening watched the start of day 2 at Vinnie's in Oakmont, had a chip-chopped ham sandwich. Went to the cigar/gun store a couple doors down and chatted with those fine gentlemen, too.

No IC Light, sorry, I have standards, but enjoyed several Yuenglings. As a bonus, our AirBnB was on a street that was closed off for sinkhole repair.

The city absolutely showed out, glad we went. I need to get back for a game before I'm too old.
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And you made it out safely without @Superman kissing you...
 
As I make my triumphant return to the board... I spent most of Thursday and Friday with Superman... so clearly it was an F. 🤣

But seriously... it was so cool to reconnect with dudes Ive known for 25 years from this place. And the mere mention of the name Coolie, sparked a completely random meeting with Confluence. What a weekend.
 
Walked about twenty miles within two days ( my old arse is exhausted).

Enjoyed the Dan Patrick show with Bill Cowher as a guest.

Ate at Burgatory and City Works back to back days- both places bring solid food to the table.

I think there should have been seated areas within the draft site ( plenty of room for it). I saw two older people struggle which one was close enough for me to check on.

Thought they could have coordinated with some vendors similar to what takes place in the strip district.

Think they set up some nice areas and events for kids.

Liked that they had a hydration station.

Thought one entrance was silly as well as a ViP bridge exit.

Liked my experience but seen some areas that could have been preplanned much better.
 
WindyCitySteel said:
Went to day 1 & 2 with a bunch of college buddies, had a great time. I personally never made it to the stage, but was down on the North Shore Thursday.

- Day 1 - Hung at North Shore Tavern and Mike's Beer Bar for round 1 after walking around to soak it in.
- Day 2 - Morning, drove up to Cranberry and checked out the Baseball Card Castle and chatted with the owners, evening watched the start of day 2 at Vinnie's in Oakmont, had a chip-chopped ham sandwich. Went to the cigar/gun store a couple doors down and chatted with those fine gentlemen, too.

No IC Light, sorry, I have standards, but enjoyed several Yuenglings. As a bonus, our AirBnB was on a street that was closed off for sinkhole repair.

The city absolutely showed out, glad we went. I need to get back for a game before I'm too old.
Click to expand...
The crowd was massive. I’d be worried about where I can take a piss. Yeah, I’m old. I used to tailgate at TRS by the Clark Bar. When the Piss Pass lines got too long we would go across the street to Piss Mountain. Climbing up rivers of frozen piss was a workout. Fun though.
 
IndySteel said:
The crowd was massive. I’d be worried about where I can take a piss. Yeah, I’m old. I used to tailgate at TRS by the Clark Bar. When the Piss Pass lines got too long we would go across the street to Piss Mountain. Climbing up rivers of frozen piss was a workout. Fun though.
Click to expand...
They had plenty of out houses.
 
WindyCitySteel said:
Went to day 1 & 2 with a bunch of college buddies, had a great time. I personally never made it to the stage, but was down on the North Shore Thursday.

- Day 1 - Hung at North Shore Tavern and Mike's Beer Bar for round 1 after walking around to soak it in.
- Day 2 - Morning, drove up to Cranberry and checked out the Baseball Card Castle and chatted with the owners, evening watched the start of day 2 at Vinnie's in Oakmont, had a chip-chopped ham sandwich. Went to the cigar/gun store a couple doors down and chatted with those fine gentlemen, too.

No IC Light, sorry, I have standards, but enjoyed several Yuenglings. As a bonus, our AirBnB was on a street that was closed off for sinkhole repair.

The city absolutely showed out, glad we went. I need to get back for a game before I'm too old.
Click to expand...
A?
 
WindyCitySteel said:
Went to day 1 & 2 with a bunch of college buddies, had a great time. I personally never made it to the stage, but was down on the North Shore Thursday.

- Day 1 - Hung at North Shore Tavern and Mike's Beer Bar for round 1 after walking around to soak it in.
- Day 2 - Morning, drove up to Cranberry and checked out the Baseball Card Castle and chatted with the owners, evening watched the start of day 2 at Vinnie's in Oakmont, had a chip-chopped ham sandwich. Went to the cigar/gun store a couple doors down and chatted with those fine gentlemen, too.

No IC Light, sorry, I have standards, but enjoyed several Yuenglings. As a bonus, our AirBnB was on a street that was closed off for sinkhole repair.

The city absolutely showed out, glad we went. I need to get back for a game before I'm too old.
Click to expand...




Thanks for sharing your experience, I appreciate that.

Glad you got to experience the B’urgh, hope for your return as well.




Salute the nation
 
IndySteel said:
The crowd was massive. I’d be worried about where I can take a piss. Yeah, I’m old. I used to tailgate at TRS by the Clark Bar. When the Piss Pass lines got too long we would go across the street to Piss Mountain. Climbing up rivers of frozen piss was a workout. Fun though.
Click to expand...

Yeah, as me and my 60-yo crew watched the crowds, that was the first thing we brought up. Fight for a portajohn or wear a diaper.

Not into suffocating crowds.
 
Drink IRON City said:
Thanks for sharing your experience, I appreciate that.

Glad you got to experience the B’urgh, hope for your return as well.




Salute the nation
Click to expand...

Thanks, man. Been there a handful of times for games, but it's been a minute. I think the last time was Brady's double-nickel in 2011?

Not a good memory, glad I (partly) erased it.

BTW, the people everywhere were so f'ing friendly, even to my Ohio friends who were cheering on Brahns picks. I can see the attraction to living their.
 
BTW, the most memorable game I saw there was Ben's rookie year when they roasted the unbeaten Pats. Some dickwad (aka "me") brought Canadian beer to the tailgate and he "lost time" from when we packed up the tents/coolers/chairs until when I was watching the first quarter from my seat, with one eye closed so I didn't see 44 players on the field.

Great win, wicked hangover.
 
I was talked into going Thursday and regret doing so. PRT shuttle was 15 miles and inexplicably took almost 2 hours - not due to traffic. It needlessly circled back around the downtown and North shore stops when the bus was already full instead of just departing. Riders were apoplectic.

One thing I didn’t realize is that there is no draft coverage at the draft. No NFL network, No player highlights, no commentary, opinion or analysis. They announce the pick and that’s it. It’s like trying to follow the draft on your phone at a wedding reception. There’s a mediocre band playing, you’re with a bunch of people you don’t know, some are dancing and everyone is celebrating something they’re not sure is going to work out.
 
Troglodyte said:
I was talked into going Thursday and regret doing so. PRT shuttle was 15 miles and inexplicably took almost 2 hours - not due to traffic. It needlessly circled back around the downtown and North shore stops when the bus was already full instead of just departing. Riders were apoplectic.

One thing I didn’t realize is that there is no draft coverage at the draft. No NFL network, No player highlights, no commentary, opinion or analysis. They announce the pick and that’s it. It’s like trying to follow the draft on your phone at a wedding reception. There’s a mediocre band playing, you’re with a bunch of people you don’t know, some are dancing and everyone is celebrating something they’re not sure is going to work out.
Click to expand...

That's why we always watch at a nearby bar or beer tent when we go to one of these. I never cared to be in that crowd watching players walk up like they're getting their diploma.
 
Alright, here's some more detail about my day 3 experience if you plan to go to a future draft.

Travel was easy. The thought Pittsburgh could not handle that crowd was insane from the start. Also, props to upping public transit (something they should continue to invest and expand).

Navigation was easy, particularly with the signage around the area and if you prepped at all ahead of time. Event workers were very helpful as well. The sheer size of the draft perimeter was impressive. I knew the footprint was huge, but walking around made you realize how big it was--from the parking lots to the Science Center.

Mostly local fans, but you could find about any jersey and international fans who made the visit. An overall chill vibe, especially with a smaller--yet still very big--crowd.

I had tickets in the pit, just outside of the draft theater. It was cool being that close. Got there about an hour before the draft started and managed to get access to the backfill section under the tent. We went in after the draft started. Completely transformed the experience being that close. It probably would've been incredible to be in that section for night 1.

The draft hosts + Scott Hanson did a pretty good job to fill dead time, along with the house band (really good on Saturday), and other guests such as Pitt's marching band, etc. I actually only stayed until the Steelers pick in the 4th. Sure I missed Michael Keaton (how was he out there so late?!) and Eli getting announced late, but I felt I got the gist of the experience and didn't need to stand around much longer. The highlight for me was bringing out the day 2 draft picks on the stage. Very cool moment.

Elsewhere in the stage area, there were plenty of food vendors (though some local options would've been sweet) and outhouses. There was some VIP seating outside of the theater, which I'm sure was great on night 1. However, didn't really get the point of it on Saturday. I mean, good for anyone who went and sat there, but honestly there isn't much of a perk other than to say you had VIP seats.

The stadium access was awesome. It was a chill place to sit and watch the draft and the access to the field was very cool. If you liked collecting cards, the TOPS tent was a good spot. There were other tents outside the stadium for sponsors and a few local businesses selling things like cookies and popcorn. By the Science Center there was a huge NFL shop, food and drink, and an NFL museum. A lot of generic displays, but did have SWPA Hall of Fame busts, Super Bowl rings, and several trophies on display as well. A lot of photo ops as well, including giant helmets and team uniforms elsewhere outside of the stadium.

The Point had a couple of things like FG kick and 40-yard dash, Super Bowl trophies, fan cave, and a bunch of other photo ops and food vendors. It was definitely the busiest spot on Saturday with huge lines. Market Square had a few vendor tents, but was more of just a hang out not much different than a normal day.

Only one free giveaway and that was Gatorade water (not particularly good, IMO, but maybe it's because it was lukewarm.

Overall, grand slam effort and execution by Pittsburgh and the NFL. The only misses, IMO, were the misinformation about the city not being able to handle the crowds, and the Super Bowl pricing. I also really wish the NFL would have some merch and food prices that are reasonable and do not require you to take out a loan. I also think free parking and shuttle to and from the Strip District could've promoted local businesses and added another location for this event.
 
Was security huge? Did they have a lot of the streets blocked off and made into no cars zones? Did they allow more beer vendors everywhere and like outdoor beer gardens so you could enjoy a cold one walking around? Hopefully the bars and restaurants were packed solid at night and lots of small businesses made some $$$$$. Events like this can happen quite rarely in your home city…….good on you guys for experiencing it.
 
Steelmann said:
Was security huge? Did they have a lot of the streets blocked off and made into no cars zones? Did they allow more beer vendors everywhere and like outdoor beer gardens so you could enjoy a cold one walking around? Hopefully the bars and restaurants were packed solid at night and lots of small businesses made some $$$$$. Events like this can happen quite rarely in your home city…….good on you guys for experiencing it.
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There was a security presence. Not really noticeable once you were inside the draft area around the stadium. Huge presence in the downtown area. You could also see security on rooftops and highways.

There were blocked streets and it was incredible. One of the best parts of getting around was turning roads into areas for people. There were beer gardens and stands. I don't think the local businesses outside of the draft footprint did very well, but part of that was because it was mostly locals attending--plus they shut down schools and apparently local workers didn't have to go in. That seemed unnecessary. I have a feeling the ridiculous hotel and airbnb pricing discouraged some travelers and thus hurt other local businesses.
 
SteelerFan448 said:
Alright, here's some more detail about my day 3 experience if you plan to go to a future draft.

Travel was easy. The thought Pittsburgh could not handle that crowd was insane from the start. Also, props to upping public transit (something they should continue to invest and expand).

Navigation was easy, particularly with the signage around the area and if you prepped at all ahead of time. Event workers were very helpful as well. The sheer size of the draft perimeter was impressive. I knew the footprint was huge, but walking around made you realize how big it was--from the parking lots to the Science Center.

Mostly local fans, but you could find about any jersey and international fans who made the visit. An overall chill vibe, especially with a smaller--yet still very big--crowd.

I had tickets in the pit, just outside of the draft theater. It was cool being that close. Got there about an hour before the draft started and managed to get access to the backfill section under the tent. We went in after the draft started. Completely transformed the experience being that close. It probably would've been incredible to be in that section for night 1.

The draft hosts + Scott Hanson did a pretty good job to fill dead time, along with the house band (really good on Saturday), and other guests such as Pitt's marching band, etc. I actually only stayed until the Steelers pick in the 4th. Sure I missed Michael Keaton (how was he out there so late?!) and Eli getting announced late, but I felt I got the gist of the experience and didn't need to stand around much longer. The highlight for me was bringing out the day 2 draft picks on the stage. Very cool moment.

Elsewhere in the stage area, there were plenty of food vendors (though some local options would've been sweet) and outhouses. There was some VIP seating outside of the theater, which I'm sure was great on night 1. However, didn't really get the point of it on Saturday. I mean, good for anyone who went and sat there, but honestly there isn't much of a perk other than to say you had VIP seats.

The stadium access was awesome. It was a chill place to sit and watch the draft and the access to the field was very cool. If you liked collecting cards, the TOPS tent was a good spot. There were other tents outside the stadium for sponsors and a few local businesses selling things like cookies and popcorn. By the Science Center there was a huge NFL shop, food and drink, and an NFL museum. A lot of generic displays, but did have SWPA Hall of Fame busts, Super Bowl rings, and several trophies on display as well. A lot of photo ops as well, including giant helmets and team uniforms elsewhere outside of the stadium.

The Point had a couple of things like FG kick and 40-yard dash, Super Bowl trophies, fan cave, and a bunch of other photo ops and food vendors. It was definitely the busiest spot on Saturday with huge lines. Market Square had a few vendor tents, but was more of just a hang out not much different than a normal day.

Only one free giveaway and that was Gatorade water (not particularly good, IMO, but maybe it's because it was lukewarm.

Overall, grand slam effort and execution by Pittsburgh and the NFL. The only misses, IMO, were the misinformation about the city not being able to handle the crowds, and the Super Bowl pricing. I also really wish the NFL would have some merch and food prices that are reasonable and do not require you to take out a loan. I also think free parking and shuttle to and from the Strip District could've promoted local businesses and added another location for this event.
Click to expand...
What did the tickets cost you?
 
I was also there, for all 3 days. I took my two sons with me. We stayed at the Springhill Suites on Federal Street, right in the middle of the draft mix (the hotel is right next to PNC Park). We arrived Thursday at about 2:45PM. I was stunned, as there was literally no traffic getting into the city, except for the last 2-3 blocks. Parked my truck and we were on foot until we left yesterday.

Thursday:
As soon as we got there, we went to Justin's Terrible Tailgate. My oldest and I met Jack Sawyer and got photos with him. Then I had the most miserable luck and met @Superman. The upside was he was hanging out with @ColdGinAgain lol. Great hanging with you for 2 days sir! I also got to meet @Sluzilla while there.

Next, we waited in line and got pictures with Maurkice Pouncey.

After the tailgate, we headed over to the Draft Stage area with Supe and ColdGin. First we went to all the broadcast booths, and saw Pat Mcafee, Nick Saban, Rich Eisen, Kirk Herbstreit, etc. Then we decided to do the watch party inside the stadium and stayed there for the first round. While there, I met @Southern Steeler (who Supe was traveling with). My sons and I went down and sat on the field to watch the first round, which was awesome. Beers were $19.95 for 25oz cans. Holy...lol. Stadium food prices were also off the charts.

My sons kept me out until 3AM that night going from bar to bar, playing games...what a night. Walked over 6.5 miles on Thursday.

Friday:
We got up and ate brunch at Soho in the hotel, then did some shopping (each of us purchased ball caps). PNC Park was open, so we walked through, took in River Walk, etc. Next we headed on foot over to Fort Pitt park for the NFL Fan Experience. Lines were wicked long for everything, so we didn't do anything but walk around and take it all in. Headed back to the hotel at 2:30 to rest our paws for a bit, then left again at 4. Went to Tom's Watch Bar (or whatever it is called) and ate early food, then went to McFadden's for round 2 on Friday. My sons ran into some OSU buddies, so I left them after our 2nd round pick and headed back to Accrisure to hang with Supe and Southern Steeler. Also there was @SteelerInLebanon, who we had been coordinating with. Great meeting you finally!

Then the most random thing happened (someone above mentioned it). A guy sitting literally in the row in front of us stood up and said "Hey are you SN guys, I heard the name Coolie so..." We said yes, and @Confluence introduced himself to all of us. He and sons had driven 6 hours from Toronto to be there. Just a wild coincidence given there were 300-400K people there for him to have sat down right next to us.

We stayed through the end of Round 3 then walked out of the stadium together. Supe and Southern left to go their hotel outside the city, so I met up with my sons at Tequila Cowboy. As soon as I walked in, they met me at the front door and told me they just got their picture taken with Jaylen Warren. They said they were at the bar, when someone asked them if they could move so "Jaylen Warren could get some shots." LOL. He graciously agreed to take a photo. I asked where he was, we found him, then Jaylen agreed to take a selfie with me. So cool.

I only hung until 2AM Friday night before calling it a night. Put in nearly 8 miles on foot Friday.

Saturday:
We checked out of the hotel, stowed our bags, and walked dahn town. Found a waffle place and had brunch. When done, we headed back across the river, walked along the river back to the Draft. Didn't do much but watch picks, went and looked at the dogs the SPCA brought to the stadium and wached Rich Eisen and Charles Davis broadcast in their booth a bit. Then it started to rain a bit and decided to leave. I said goodbye to my sons and hit the road at about 3PM to make the 3.5 hr drive back to MD.

It was absolutely a great trip, and I'd do it 100 times again.
 
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