Bashing Jacksonville gets a little old

[simms3]

^^^I hear people bash Dallas and Houston all the time.  Denver I can't speak for, but Denver is also pretty socially liberal and Boulder is right there.  I personally wish Jax was a little more like Denver politically (a little less morally strict in the Southern Baptist sense, but still economically and fiscally conservative, but also not quite as loonie socially as San Fran).

Virtually all media (sports included) except for the FTU, Fox News, and talk radio are left leaning, if not very left leaning.  To me it's a good thing in one respect that Jacksonville is continuously bashed, because if politically we turned into San Francisco, whoa (at least we wouldn't be bashed by the media as much, but regular folks might be turned off).  Also, a place like Birmingham is even more southern and red than Jacksonville, but the media never mentions it because it has fallen completely off the map.  At least Jax is partially in the national spotlight.  We'll never be a media darling and that's ok by me, as long as we improve the city for young educated professionals to move here and keep the city classy so they stay here when they have made money and decide to start a family.

[duvaldude08]

Bashing  Jacksonville gets really old. But there are a few reasons that this happens. The number one reason is that most people judge a city by its downtown. If your downtown is not booming, then they pretty much consider you "the country". Jacksonville has sprawled so much no one will ever get the true side of Jacksonville.

Another reason people think jacksonville is "country" is because our interstate is lined with trees. When you get further down south, you dont see tree off the interstate. For some reason we build BEHIND the trees, therefore people never really see the city. But as the saying goes you cant judge a book by its cover.

[simms3]

Good point about the trees, but I think the people on the sides of the interstate and throughout the city actually like having trees, unlike most of S FL (I have heard more compliments about the number of trees than criticisms, though it can give the appearance of being underdeveloped).  Also, everyone's downtown gets bashed except for the really big cities.  Charlotte is miles ahead of us, but I hear people all the time complain that there isn't really much to do in Uptown Charlotte.  I think whether a downtown has construction cranes dotting the landscape and urban/lively bar districts is irrelevant to why sports writers/casters and other media bash the city as a whole.  Atlanta's downtown/midtown is like South Beach compared to downtown Jax and it still gets bashed constantly.  People like to compare downtowns to the very best, and it's almost impossible for any city to hold a candle to DC, NYC, Boston, Chicago, or Seattle.

[CS Foltz]

Gentlemen.........the tree's are a noise barrier plus they help cool off those hot winds! I wish we had more but that would probably break the bank even more than we already are!

[Wacca Pilatka]

I can't disagree with any of the points in this thread, but I really don't think any sportswriter is putting that much thought or effort into it.  Their commentaries about Jacksonville invariably reflect virtually no effort and even less originality (if that's possible).  The only effort they might reflect is an effort to try to redeem themselves for getting egg on their faces from the 1993 expansion race.

[duvaldude08]

And I think Jacksonville does have any identity. Unlike the other major cities in Florida, we dont depend on Tourism to survive.  Heck, if disney world and islands of adventure shut down today, Orlando would die. If the oil had reached south florida beaches, they would have been ruined. I pride Jacksonville in being a business-oriented city, and I believe that is why weve weathered the recession pretty well. Thats why we need should strive to keep young professionals here. We attract them, but we need to keep them. I truly feel that Jacksonville just needs some young blood.

[JC]

Jacksonville has real potential, there are some really good people here and there is a community attempting to improve things.  I spent this past Saturday at RAM for the break dance contest and was surprised by how great RAM really is.  There are surprises under every stone however there is nothing tying them all together. 

[uptowngirl]

What is the identity of Jacksonville? I often have people visit, and rack my brain on where to take them to "show off Jacksonville", eventually I give up and realize it really is the gateway to Florida and that is about it- a stop on the way to everywhere else in Florida. Can anyone name one place/thing to go/do that someone would actually fly to Jacksonville for (other than work)?

An easy Saturday starts with brunch at biscotti's, a stroll from Stinson park across the Ortega bridge then around El Dorado Ct and over to Stockton Park,  spend an hour or so downtown, grab a beer at bold city, look at the quirky five points shops, go to Mossfire or O'brothers,  walk around memorial park, then finish the night at either the Loft/Kickback's, or Dos Gatos/Lit.  Then wake up the next morning and hit up Metro Diner or Orsay for breakfast/hangover cure.

This is what happens when you let 90% of the city turn into sprawl that no one cares about. That is all a visitor will see if they don't take it upon themselves to find the urban core neighborhoods (which they have most likely been warned against doing).

When I mention to people that I mostly go to places in Riverside/Springfield, you'd think I had just told them I was nursing a slight crack addiction.  Almost the first thing they say is "Is it safe over there?" or "Have you ever gotten jumped?"  The only place I've ever gotten jumped was in Gainesville, hahaha.  

Agree! It could be said that this could be had in just about any city, inlcuding my lest favorite Columbia. We do have some great attractions, expecially in places like Riverside and Springfield-but none of them are really "special" meaning you can find this in about any city. Which makes for great neighborhoods, but still not sure about the "Identity" for the city overall.  Where is China Town, or the WestEnd for Jacksonville?

[simms3]

^^^Places that have Chinatowns, Little Havanas, West End, Little Italy, etc are all places that received heavy immigration in times when nobody knew English and people didn't mix and mingle.  All of those ethnic neighborhoods are so diluted now from what they were and in 20 or so years there may not be any more "ethnic" neighborhoods.

Also, do we need an identity that you are seeking?  We are known as a great place to raise a family and as a major port for both the navy and shipping lines.  Just about everyone in the country knows these two things about Jacksonville (or at least those looking to move, which is a lot of people).  We are also known for our high level of quality healthcare.  It seems to me that there is better/more quality healthcare in tiny Jax than 6 million person Atlanta (which has Emory, Northside/St. Joe, and Piedmont, that's about it).

What identity does Tampa have?  Atlanta?  Raleigh?  San Antonio?  There are so many cities that don't have this "Identity" that are still doing fine.  The day we get the same reputation/identity as Orlando, Miami, New Orleans, Phoenix, Las Vegas, or even Charlotte, we have lost what we do actually have, and that is a quiet, nice place to do business.  We just need to bulk our finance/insurance sector back up and keep on keeping on with our ports and hospitals and we will have 4 things that other cities in FL or most of the country don't have!

[KenFSU]

I would argue that all four cities you mentioned have reasonably strong identities. Tampa has Ybor City, The Buccaneers, its cigar history, and is almost has a twin cities vibe with neighboring St. Pete. ATL has the Braves (once America's baseball team), Ted Turner, CNN, Olympic Park, the best aquarium in the country, and a very distinct, legendary grit. Raleigh is in the center of some of the best universities in the country, is a hotbed for college basketball, and is known to be very progressive. San Antonio has the Alamo, the riverwalk, the Spurs, etc.

We're not even in the same league as these cities when it comes to national recognition and image.

I'm no proponent of turning Jacksonville into Disneyland, but it would be great if the city had something that really made it stand out. Some kind of iconic landmark or destination. Like St. Louis with the Arch, for example. Or San Antonio with the river walk. Or Cleveland with the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame. I'm not even sure what it could be, but even with all the great neighborhoods and lost history, we still need that one crown jewel to put on the front of our city brochures.

[hanjin1]

this guy looks like Tim Tebow's retarded brother

[uptowngirl]

I had never even heard of jacksonville FL (other than some obscure cousin being arrested here for making crack) until my job sent me here on a business trip about 12 years ago. When I came back six years ago, 95 was still under construction, and downtown was still dead. The one thing I rembered (other than 95 being a nightmare) was Riverside. I really do not understand the "quiet nice place to do business" what does that mean? It is so nice and quiet we do not have one big corporation headquarted here that could help push the city, such as so many other cities do. Our Stadium is named after some bank that even the residents of the city don't understand (see them tryign to open bank accounts!) It is sad, because Jacksonville has ALL the components to be grand, but is held back by its sprawl and small townishness and attitude. More roads, bus routes, and parking garages is not the answer and believe it or not, NYC is a freat place to bring up kids and enjoy an adult life once in awhile also.

[simms3]

There is a difference between being known as a bar/tourist/nightclub town and one that has great nightlife for its own citizens.  We don't need to be the party animal city that certain other cities are known for (i.e. Miami, Orlando, NOLA, and Las Vegas).  Aside from Miami holding Latin American HQs for virtually every company given its populace and stature as a gateway to the U.S. for almost every Hispanic country, none of these cities are business powerhouses.

Also, I live in Atlanta, and every few days there is some AJC article about how Atlanta doesn't really have an identity.  It has things which attract tourists, sure, and it has several major Fortune 500 companies and several excellent universities, but there is no "culture" unique to Atlanta or food unique to Atlanta, etc.

Regarding Tampa, in no way do the Bucs give Tampa way more identity than the Jags give Jax.  Have you seen the list compiled by Portfolio on teams' worths?  The Bucs were only two spots ahead of the Jags near the bottom of the list.

http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/08/09/daily38.html

Sure there is Busch Gardens, St. Pete, Ybor City, and Gasparilla.  We have St. Augustine, PVB/TPC, and other solitary things that add up that are unique to Jax.  Raleigh has no history and is more sprawled than Jacksonville will probably ever be.  I'll concede on San Antonio, it does have identity, but is not really in the national spotlight nearly as much as it used to be.

And Uptowngirl: I think Everbank Field is fitting, any other suggestions?  It's one of the fastest growing banks in the country and has a large mortgage servicing unit, as well.  It is the largest bank in the state outside of the National Association for Northern Trust (which is actually based in Chicago).  Also many people are stuck in NYC, which is undoubtedly a great place to be when you are young and single, but so many millions with families who can leave the City for the suburbs do or they come down to a place like Jacksonville or Atlanta (a big city that is also considered family friendly).

[Wacca Pilatka]

I'd agree that Jacksonville lacks a national identity.  Its national claim to fame is the Jaguars.  Of course, some know about the St. John's, some know about the beaches, some know it as the entryway to Florida, some know about the former predominance of the insurance industry, some know the old paper mill smell problem (which Kornheiser perpetuated as though it still existed in his Super Bowl writings).  Quite a few people do not know where in Florida Jacksonville is located, or that it has beaches.

To say Jacksonville lacks the components for an identity, or lacks an identity to those who know it well, is not accurate.  I think everyone I've ever taken to Jacksonville or shared my love of the city with knows it as an exceptionally friendly place, as maintaining southern character (in the best sense) in a transient state, and for its distinctive architecture and neighborhoods.  They also know it as a city defined by the river.

All of that said, once again, I guarantee you the author was not making an enlightened and considered commentary on Jacksonville's identity or lack thereof with this piece.  He was taking an easy shot at a place that a slew of sportswriters are taking shots at without really knowing anything about it.  Because doing that is trendy and expected in the sports commentary community.

[simms3]

^^^2nd.  Who is going to bash a city like Miami, Orlando, Las Vegas, or NOLA where people's memories of the place include theme parks, trendy fashionable beaches, and/or getting drunk at the Hustler bar and then getting laid.  It's sooo easy to target a city that has none of these things, and where people go to raise families (an entity arguably constantly under attack in this country nowadays).  The other things come into play, too.