Illinois

[Jockey]

It's one thing to have an opinion when you've properly done a city justice and explored most of it, example: I don't care for Phoenix/Scottsdale. I've been there more times than I can count due to my mom and sister living there and have tried doing a lot down there. But if I were to write off Minneapolis/St Paul because I went up there to visit friends three times and the nightlife was ok but I didn't see anything interesting or unique to me, that being said I was downtown or in eden prairie. Then that would be  ridiculous and I'd hope all the locals would get on my case saying I didn't explore the neighborhoods or right spots etc.

I generally agree with just about all you say Galway, but I'll argue a bit on this one even if your point is well taken.

We don't have to know everything before having an opinion. If Hards doesn't like Chicago, so be it. It has nothing to do with the fact that you love Chicago. You can both be right.

I used to bad mouth NYC, I had never been there and had no desire to ever do so. Once I had to start traveling there for work, I loved Manhattan (our apartment was in Mid-Town just a few blocks from Times Square. After the 1st couple trips, I started taking my wife with me and she would wonder around Manhattan during the day while I was working. Yet some of the people I worked with absolutely hated going there. Just different strokes, man.

So, I had an opinion even before I had ever been there. It changed once I saw the city, but that is irrelevant even though my original opinion was based on no particular knowledge.

[StillAWarrior]

I don't care for Phoenix/Scottsdale.

Finally, something we all should be able to agree on. Phoenix sucks. Unless, of course, you have a real affinity for strip malls. Then it’s totally awesome.

For the record, I used to live there, my parents live there and several siblings live there. And it sucks. Hard.

[Hards Alumni]

Finally, something we all should be able to agree on. Phoenix sucks. Unless, of course, you have a real affinity for strip malls. Then it’s totally awesome.

For the record, I used to live there, my parents live there and several siblings live there. And it sucks. Hard.

I've been once, and that was once too many.

[🏀]

The largest population of Polish people after Krakow? Chicago.

[Jockey]

The largest population of Polish people after Krakow? Chicago.

Enough to change everyone’s light bulbs?

[JWags85]

The largest population of Polish people after Krakow? Chicago.

I went to a USMNT-Poland friendly atmosphere Soldier Field a number of years ago, and it was insane. Huge flags, flares, POLSKA! POLSKA! chants that were massive. Best yet were the dudes trying to get into verbal and physical altercations with us and other vocal US fans who clearly were born and raised in Portage Park, or the like, complete with pronounced Chicago accents.

[Coleman]

The largest population of Polish people after Krakow? Chicago.

The wife’s babcia and djzadjza are off the boat

[Galway Eagle]

You've not lived polish Chicago till you've been to Bim Bom lounge at Cicero and Belmont

[🏀]

You've not lived polish Chicago till you've been to Bim Bom lounge at Cicero and Belmont

Do you know Stosh?

[Galway Eagle]

Do you know Stosh?

Only former regular I'd know is Vojtěch S.

[Galway Eagle]

I generally agree with just about all you say Galway, but I'll argue a bit on this one even if your point is well taken.

We don't have to know everything before having an opinion. If Hards doesn't like Chicago, so be it. It has nothing to do with the fact that you love Chicago. You can both be right.

I used to bad mouth NYC, I had never been there and had no desire to ever do so. Once I had to start traveling there for work, I loved Manhattan (our apartment was in Mid-Town just a few blocks from Times Square. After the 1st couple trips, I started taking my wife with me and she would wonder around Manhattan during the day while I was working. Yet some of the people I worked with absolutely hated going there. Just different strokes, man.

So, I had an opinion even before I had ever been there. It changed once I saw the city, but that is irrelevant even though my original opinion was based on no particular knowledge.

I suppose you're right. I believe the few scoopers who know me would happily call me out for my vice of pride. And part of that pride is making sure that everyone stuck on their Chicago opinion based on the "basic" neighborhoods of Chicago get their due.

Cheers jockey, I know we had our one disagreement that got edited out. But if I ever actually do the Sheridan RD brewery crawl to MKE I'd happily meet you for a beer in Racine

[Galway Eagle]

Okay, I've been to Chicago at least 40 times.  When can I make a judgement?  Do I have to explore every city block?  Every highlight and lowlight?  Plenty of people here called Madison things, but you don't see my defending it like its my child.

That's sortve my point. It depends on what you make of it right? We previously discussed the neighborhoods you knew of/visited weren't reflecting the entire city but it caused you to judge one of the 25 biggest cities in the world. In my opinion judging a city comes down to the conversations with locals at a pub. If you can go into a pub and defend your opinion of a city with legit reasons then more power to you. If you walk into a local pub say "your city sucks" and then don't have enough data, are giving out false information, and making assumptions... then well I'd consider it incomplete.

Again example: I'm sure there's some locals on here who could tell me something about PHX or Boston I've never done but if we got to chatting they'd realize I'd done many enough of the local and tourist things to form my opinions and I love Boston and again for everyone to agree on: "BOO PHX"

Edit: Local pub does not mean any place the buddies from the old frat that moved to lake view after college went to. Local pub means neighborhood dives from people who either grew there or emigrated to that city for a reason (Pulaski and addison is a great spot to start to test that for you HARDS)

[MU82]

I hate to bring up an Illinois-related COVID-19 thing in the COVID-19 Illinois thread, because I'm so enjoying the I Hate Chicago/I Love Chicago Showdown, but I did just happen to see this and it cracked me up:

https://www.kmov.com/news/wife-of-alton-mayor-caught-at-party-at-bar-violating-stay-at-home-order-police/article_6f4546a2-7876-11ea-a88d-b38b1bc93183.html

ALTON, Ill. – The wife of Alton Mayor Brant Walker is being cited for allegedly violating Illinois’ stay-at-home order.

Police say she, along with others, were at a party at a bar early Sunday morning when officers broke the event up. Everyone at the party will face a reckless conduct charge.

The best part is the mayor's statement. I'll let y'all read it.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

The wife’s babcia and djzadjza are off the boat

Warzawa is actually the largest.  Krakow is my favorite.

My wife and mother-in-law are off the boat.

Chicago has a large population but not the only place.
Greenpoint in Brooklyn.
Wallington New Jersey.
New Britain , better known locally, as New Britski, Connecticut.

[Hards Alumni]

That's sortve my point. It depends on what you make of it right? We previously discussed the neighborhoods you knew of/visited weren't reflecting the entire city but it caused you to judge one of the 25 biggest cities in the world. In my opinion judging a city comes down to the conversations with locals at a pub. If you can go into a pub and defend your opinion of a city with legit reasons then more power to you. If you walk into a local pub say "your city sucks" and then don't have enough data, are giving out false information, and making assumptions... then well I'd consider it incomplete.

Again example: I'm sure there's some locals on here who could tell me something about PHX or Boston I've never done but if we got to chatting they'd realize I'd done many enough of the local and tourist things to form my opinions and I love Boston and again for everyone to agree on: "BOO PHX"

Edit: Local pub does not mean any place the buddies from the old frat that moved to lake view after college went to. Local pub means neighborhood dives from people who either grew there or emigrated to that city for a reason (Pulaski and addison is a great spot to start to test that for you HARDS)

But then can you say you truly even know Milwaukee?  Have you spent time in a lot of the neighborhoods?

[Warriors4ever]

Agh! It’s dziadzia and Warszawa, not however they were spelled.
Sorry, it just got to me.
Happy Easter to all.
I happen to love Chicago, and yes, I live in a neighborhood, and my neighbor’s kids went to public school ( I have none)  but others don’t have to.

[Galway Eagle]

But then can you say you truly even know Milwaukee?  Have you spent time in a lot of the neighborhoods?

Yes, my longtime girlfriend living in Milwaukee since MU, my five yrs at MU, going up to UWM visiting my cousin, volunteering for political campaigns going door to door in Milwaukee area, and visiting my sister up there throughout Jr high and high school. Then there's the having played on the Milwaukee hurling team which brought us to different bars around the city every week games. Given all that I'm confident in my Milwaukee exploration and feel that I could hold my own in a "Milwaukee" conversation at a neighborhood bar.

I'd say the only US cities I could do that are PHX, Boston, Chicago, Milwaukee.

[WarriorDad]

Haircuts by officials so they look good on tv is not a good look at all.  Pritzker has it right, Lightfoot chose to be vain.

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

It's because I'm a bit of a jerk.

"Don't sell yourself short Hards, you're a tremendous jerk."

[Silent Verbal]

Haircuts by officials so they look good on tv is not a good look at all.  Pritzker has it right, Lightfoot chose to be vain.

Yeah, not a big fan of that at all, especially since she’s fully embraced the “angry auntie” meme and has gone as far as to drive around with her security detail and yell at groups of people to go inside.  Rules for thee but not for me.

[Hards Alumni]

Haircuts by officials so they look good on tv is not a good look at all.  Pritzker has it right, Lightfoot chose to be vain.

I think that is something that, "all sides" can agree on.

 

[Jockey]

It's because I'm a bit of a jerk.

At least you're man enough to admit it. We're all in the same boat here and we are all a bit of a jerk at times (except for maybe, Tower - don't know how he can keep such an even keel).

[Coleman]

Agh! It’s dziadzia and Warszawa, not however they were spelled.
Sorry, it just got to me.
Happy Easter to all.
I happen to love Chicago, and yes, I live in a neighborhood, and my neighbor’s kids went to public school ( I have none)  but others don’t have to.

My bad. I’m not polish. I knew I’d butcher it

[lawdog77]

The largest population of Polish people after Krakow? Chicago.

False:
While New York City has the largest number of Poles of any US city ( 213,447), Chicago is the city with the highest percentage (7.3%) of its population being Polish.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

The internet is full of lots of reading material.  For those with time in this COVID-19 world are a few.

Can Chicago Brag about the Size of its Polish Population?
https://www.wbez.org/stories/can-chicago-brag-about-the-size-of-its-polish-population/ef8c74cd-8835-4eb7-8e81-11203e78fc2d

List of U.S. cities with large Polish-American populations
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._cities_with_large_Polish-American_populations

Polish USA Hotspots
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Polish1346.gif

Polish American Demographics
http://www.ameredia.com/resources/demographics/polish.html

7 Most Polish Cities Outside of Poland
https://culture.pl/en/article/7-most-polish-cities-outside-of-poland

8 Things You Need to Know About Polish Americans
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/20007/8-things-you-need-know-about-polish-americans