Anchorage/Fairbanks/Juneau rivalry (Willow, St. Paul: crime rates, college, live)

[maestro]

I've been told by a former co-worker that there is a definite rivalry between Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau. Anchorage is the big bad city, Fairbanks is a wannabe, and Juneau is only on the map because it is the capital. (DON'T KILL ME OVER THESE COMMENTS! I'M QUOTING MY CO-WORKER HERE!!)

What are your thoughts?

[Rance]

News to me. And how would your co-workers (in Ohio?) know about any city rivalry in Alaska? Any locals heard of this?

[superstition]

Nope. That is crazy talk.

[Manmountain]

All I know is when I was in Fairbanks all the folks I got to know looked at anchorage and all that down there as 'a suburb of seattle ' . And the interior was the true alaska. I guess that can qualify as a rivalry?


Ever been in Ohio on a summer day Rance? Talk about pain!!!!!!!

[Rance]

Not Ohio...but I was born and lived in southern MN for a few years. If I go back to visit...it has to be in April or October. Otherwise to hot and muggy for me.

[c.adam]

Anchorage is a big city. Fairbanks isn't a wannabe, in fact it does everything it can NOT to be a big city, and is quite proud of it. You head out into the bush, well folks out there don't feel theres anything that rivals their lifestyle.

Never heard of a Fairbanks and Juneau having a rivalry.

[KWBoyd]

Maybe he was talking about hockey? UAF and UAA have a good rivalry and as college kids will do, they talk a lot of trash. Never heard much about juneau in all that though.

[maestro]

to clarify: my co-worker lived in Anchorage for 12 years, so he was giving me his impression of things up there. Again, I'm not trying to start a fight, just asking if his comments were based in truth. Thanks for the info.

[Rance]

Maybe years ago when they were talking about relocating the capitol to Willow or something. But I've never heard of any rivalry.

[mal_flisk]

As an "Anchorite", so to speak, the only rivalries I know of are minor hockey things between UAA and UAF, and Juneau vs. Anchorage as the location of the capital city. The second isn't a rivalry so much as an ongoing debate. The best idea I heard was for Willow. Anchorage as a suburb of Seattle? Maybe Juneau, due to proximity. I admit Anchorage is the "bad city" as far as the rest of Alaska is concerned. The people who live beyond its limits only come here to shop or pass through the airport on their way somewhere else.

"Bad" is a relative term. It doesn't even hold a candle to Chicago, let alone Detroit or Atlanta as far as crime rates. Minn-St. Paul probably have higher crime rates. In bad traffic, with bad weather, it does take about 25 minutes to cross the city, due to all the long stoplights. But that generally is at 5 o'clock on a Friday with some decent snow on the ground.