Turkey Legs to Go is FanHouse's complete travel guide for all of the 2008-2009 college bowl games. Here, we cover the Cotton Bowl (Dallas, Texas), which pits Ole Miss against Texas Tech.Overview/Matchup: Texas Tech's 2008 season is defining of the "don't lose late" notion that pervades college football. Because the Red Raiders got blown out by Oklahoma in the second to last week of the season -- their only loss of the year -- Mike Leach's team got squeezed out of the BCS and Graham Harrell didn't even get invited to New York City for the Heisman Trophy presentation. And their final reward? They get to play an Ole Miss whose 8-4 season hinges on a crucial win over Florida. They're a talented bunch, and Houston Nutt has done a good job, but if the Raiders' offense can come to life, this should be another pirate club victory.
Hotels: Built by St. Louis beer baron Adolphus Busch in 1912, The Adolphus is the place to stay for luxury travelers in Dallas. Every inch of the baroque-style property underwent a renovation in 1999 and it's still going toe-to-toe with the more modern downtown alternatives. Don't let the 1978 exterior or cheesy spherical tower fool you, the Hyatt Regency Dallas offers a great location with easy access to West End nightlife, recently renovated guestrooms and reasonable rates. Unfortunately there isn't much in the way of cheap accommodation near the Cotton Bowl, so your best bet is near the highway or the airport. With both of those factors in mind, we recommend the Super 8 Motel on Carpenter Freeway.
Although the Super 8 has very cheap rooms and is convenient to the highway and airport, it's still quite a trek from the stadium. All told the Cotton Bowl itself is almost 24 miles from DFW airport.
Restaurants: As for dining, if you need a celebratory steak, try Al Biernat's just north of downtown. They serve juicy steaks and prepare an excellent pan-seared sea bass. For a midrange meal, visit Primo's Bar & Grill in Uptown Dallas. The patio is great for people-watching and it's a favorite hangout for local chefs. Try the huevos rancheros or the grilled tacos. If you're looking for a cheap meal, head to the South Dallas Café. Conveniently located by the fair grounds and stadium, this Dallas institution serves some of the best soul food in the U.S. Additionally, any number of downtown, upscale Latin America restaurants offer high end brisket tacos.
Nightlife: For nightlife you should head to the West End area of downtown. Try the Petrus Lounge for great bar service, comfortable couches and rooftop views of the city. For a more traditional Texas experience, try Gilley's in the south area of downtown. It's one of the nation's great honky-tonks. You'll see everyone from Django Walker to bikini-clad bull riders.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-17-2008 @ 11:56PM
Walt said...
Please do a little research about the matchup. Ole Miss has 2 first team AP All-Americans, which is more that Texas Tech. That doesn't happen by being a team which "hinges on a crucial win over Florida." Tech won't know what to do when they actually face a team that can play defense.............
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12-19-2008 @ 2:10PM
vassago77379 said...
Walt: An Offensive and Defensive tackle on the All American team hardly makes you a team of playmakers. Your entire season DID hinge on that Florida game... other than that you have no real big name wins, and some losses to some lousy teams, Your 'defense' starts and stops at your D-line, which will be negated by Tech's O-line. Even Ole Miss homers recognize that DBs are the Miss weakness.... and guess what Tech does best... Get ready to see a ton of WR jail break screens to open up the deep posts, when your 'land sharks' come charginging in trying to make a sack. Maybe YOU should do some research on the matchup before boasting about your "defense".
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12-21-2008 @ 8:49PM
T Hendrix said...
I think a lot of people either do not remember or do not want to remember (I am betting the latter) Tech's last two games. They got absolutely hammered by Oklahoma and had to score the last 21 points to barely escape with a win over Baylor. I might add that Baylor was not exactly a power this year with a 4-8 record. So I am not exactly sure why Tech Fans are so sure that they will blow out anyone, especially given the fact that they gave up 31 points a game this year.
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12-27-2008 @ 10:30AM
KidWaco said...
Go Big Red...Yea, Tech got some raw deals at the end of the season. We also got humiliated by OU. As far as party spots in Big D, look up Pete's Dueling Piano Bar (get the address and information online). I can guarantee that you will have a roudy good time.
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12-28-2008 @ 12:33PM
rebelfan38652 said...
Mr. Harrell meet Mr. Hardy again and again and again...
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12-28-2008 @ 3:45PM
Ttim Frenchko said...
"Club", "program" and "league" are terms that should never be used in defining college sports.
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1-02-2009 @ 6:11AM
Unforgivable Wetness said...
Strip Clubs: Dallas stands as one of the best cities in the nation for strip clubs. Many of the 30 or so places in town are lively places even on weeknights because many customers go there not just to look at the high concentration of strippers but to socialize. In this city, gentlemen's clubs (and Dallas clubs tend toward the higher-end "gentlemen's club" type) have the same stature as nightclubs. Bars here are also known for utilizing satellite stages; after a dancer performs a song on the main stage, she will rotate through a number of smaller stages around the club before she circulates for dances on the floor.
Hands down the most popular club in Big D, known for its combination of hot strippers and mind-blowing dances, is Baby Dolls, a grand two-stage ballroom of a club complete with a chandelier. The dancers there were known to move the chairs in the secluded upper floor around as to make a "fort" with their customer so they could do all sorts of things. But a recent raid has ended that practice, so all that's left is the low cover ($3 nighttime), a full bar (because the place is topless only), and upwards of 200 possibly frustrated dancers.
Other topless-only bars of note are the Lodge and the Men's Club of Dallas. Nude clubs, however, do allow you to bring your own beer; the Gold Club and Jaguar's Gold Club are the best of that type.
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