Is Northern VA really *THAT* different from Richmond? (Arlington, Alexandria: middle-class, apartment)

[cityboi757]

Yes, It was a good read. In my opinion/ observations, NoVa should succeed from the commonwealth to create their own entity. The people up there obviously don't claim VA, it feels nothing like VA (i mean they have subways!) , and they will probably never support VA in anything (sports, colleges)! The real VA metros are Roanoke, Richmond, and Norfolk/ VB.

[waltlantz]

Originally Posted by cityboi757

Yes, It was a good read. In my opinion/ observations, NoVa should succeed from the commonwealth to create their own entity. The people up there obviously don't claim VA, it feels nothing like VA (i mean they have subways!) , and they will probably never support VA in anything (sports, colleges)! The real VA metros are Roanoke, Richmond, and Norfolk/ VB.

I don't think you can claim that in terms of college sports anyways, VTech has good alumni bases in the DC Metro, dunno about UVa though.

As for other sports, well DC is a pro town so its all SKINS, nothing else really matters cept for maybe Georgetown and Terps B-Ball. I am spoiled being in SKINStown by not seeing much appeal for sports downstate, not counting the 2 colleges.

[cityboi757]

Hahaha, there is a lot more than 2 colleges with good sports followings in V.A. What about VCU? ODU? U of R? NSU? William & Mary? This is VT country here and a good Redskins following (I DONT KNOW WHY)! Bottom line is NoVa is not VA and Richmond, Roanoke, Petersburg, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Charlottesville, Blacksburg, Newport News, IS VA!

[Stephen 81]

Originally Posted by cityboi757

Yes, It was a good read. In my opinion/ observations, NoVa should succeed from the commonwealth to create their own entity. The people up there obviously don't claim VA, it feels nothing like VA (i mean they have subways!) , and they will probably never support VA in anything (sports, colleges)! The real VA metros are Roanoke, Richmond, and Norfolk/ VB.

Haha, UVA students from non-NoVA parts of the state complain all the time about how everyone there is from NoVA. Probably a third of the student body at UVA is from 703/571. We definitely support VA colleges up here, although people here are likelier to go to JMU and GMU than ODU, for example.

[lammius]

Originally Posted by cityboi757

Hahaha, there is a lot more than 2 colleges with good sports followings in V.A. What about VCU? ODU? U of R? NSU? William & Mary? This is VT country here and a good Redskins following (I DONT KNOW WHY)! Bottom line is NoVa is not VA and Richmond, Roanoke, Petersburg, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Charlottesville, Blacksburg, Newport News, IS VA!

I really don't understand this "REAL VIRGINIA" thing. I first heard it during the presidential campaign last year when a McCain staffer referred to "Real Virginia" and Joe McCain referred to Northern VA as "Communist Country." Why this intra-state animosity? I never experienced it when I lived in Virginia. It seems new and unhealthy.

[cityboi757]

Originally Posted by lammius

I really don't understand this "REAL VIRGINIA" thing. I first heard it during the presidential campaign last year when a McCain staffer referred to "Real Virginia" and Joe McCain referred to Northern VA as "Communist Country." Why this intra-state animosity? I never experienced it when I lived in Virginia. It seems new and unhealthy.

It's no animosity, NOVA is so much different from the rest of the state, and the fact that 20 years ago there was absolutely nothing in northern virginia doesn't help 90 % of the people up there are transplants anyhow, so they really have no allegience to VA.. I'm not saying one part of the state is better than the other, it's just northern va is so different it's hard to get along lol.

[lammius]

Originally Posted by cityboi757

It's no animosity, NOVA is so much different from the rest of the state, and the fact that 20 years ago there was absolutely nothing in northern virginia doesn't help 90 % of the people up there are transplants anyhow, so they really have no allegience to VA.. I'm not saying one part of the state is better than the other, it's just northern va is so different it's hard to get along lol.

^ More perception than reality, to be sure.

[Stephen 81]

Originally Posted by lammius

I really don't understand this "REAL VIRGINIA" thing. I first heard it during the presidential campaign last year when a McCain staffer referred to "Real Virginia" and Joe McCain referred to Northern VA as "Communist Country." Why this intra-state animosity? I never experienced it when I lived in Virginia. It seems new and unhealthy.

It's definitely been going on for at least a decade. I remember when I was at camp in Charlottesville in the mid-90's I met kids from elsewhere in the state who said I was a Yankee and not really from Virginia. Given that at the time I thought the South hadn't changed in decades, I was ok with the label.

The short version is that we're viewed as a bunch of interlopers hell-bent on turning Northern Virginia into New Jersey. The fact is, according to City Data, more people in Fairfax County were born in the South than the Northeast. On the other hand, people raised here often think civilization stops somewhere around the Rappahannock to the south and the Blue Ridge to the west.

[waltlantz]

well everyone knows that the whole succession talk is bullcrap so...

I am not saying the other teams aren't followed but, am I incorrect in assuming that unless youre a division 1 school, most of your college sports fanbase would come from alumni (with college sports it can go with alumni and non alumni alike)

[waltlantz]

Also, "alligence" is relative. Like people from Philly or Chicago will identify heavily with the city and probably less with the state as a whole. Does that mean that they are not Pennsylvanians or Illini, NO, but their POV is different due to being in or near heavy hitters of cities.

Perception is reality only so much as you're willing to let it be so...I say.