What's wrong with Adelaide?

[Harris Pilton]

I went to school in Adelaide, uni in Adelaide, and worked there until I moved to Melbourne for professional reasons at the age of 30. I thought it was a fine little city, with lots of decent pubs, restaurants, bistros etc, a vibrant social scene, good weather, great events and terrific surf beaches not far from town. What's more, unlike most cities in Australia, it didn't have severe traffic issues. Commuting was a breeze.

So why are our young footballers busting a gut to escape from the place? Has it changed since I left back in the 90's? Has it become such a dump that young people can't tolerate living there?

 

[King Elvis]

Not that bad; can be a bit boring though.

I think the main point is, we obviously need a Sydney style salary cap exemption to compensate for the lifestyle issues that are driving players away.

 

[pjcrows]

If you haven't experienced anything else then its fine...

 

[Cap]

you have summed it up in your opening post.

There is nothing wrong with the city of Adelaide itself, but there is a huge population contraction for those mid 20's to mid 30's (so footballers age)

professionally Adelaide is limited, how that impacts AFL footballers I'm not sure.

 

[OrdinaryJoel]

We are labelled a boring state all the time, but it still puzzles me why though...

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

Not that bad; can be a bit boring though.

This point is often brought up when this discussion occurs and I often ask myself - would my life be any different living on the Eastern seaboard compared to living in Adelaide and the answer is no.

Socially, Adelaide is no different. We have pubs, night clubs, good food restaurants (in fact Adelaide had the best food in Australia) and everything else that Melb, Sydney and Brisbane/Gold Coat have. Culturally we have differences interests but it's still not limiting to developing interest to suggest our lifestyle is boring. I can go to the casino, wineries, movies and other culturally interesting things. The difference is our demographic doesn't allow for as many things as the eastern states have.

The question would be, what can you do in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane or the Gold Coast that you can not do in Adelaide?

 

[Crow-eater]

Adelaide is really only suitable for a certain demographic. However it usually just boils down to personal choice. I hate big cities and crowded places and traffic jams that can take an hour to clear. But that's just me. I'm a 19 year old girl, and I love it here, but some of my friends hate the place.

I can see both sides of the argument.

 

[Bicks]

Give me Adelaide over Melbourne or Sydney any day of the week, the traffic gridlock in both is a bloody nightmare... Now the Gold Coast, that is an altogether different thing. Don't think I'd fancy commuting from the Gold Coast to Brisbane nearly everyday if I was $Kurt$ though.

 

[Smoooothy]

********* like brian taylor ripping on adelaide at every concievable chance doesn't help

 

[OrdinaryJoel]

********* like brian taylor ripping on adelaide at every concievable chance doesn't help

Exactly! It is stupid public perception by the other states that make us look bad, saying we're boring and only for oldies and all that jazz...

 

[Bicks]

This point is often brought up when this discussion occurs and I often ask myself - would my life be any different living on the Eastern seaboard compared to living in Adelaide and the answer is no.

Socially, Adelaide is no different. We have pubs, night clubs, good food restaurants (in fact Adelaide had the best food in Australia) and everything else that Melb, Sydney and Brisbane/Gold Coat have. Culturally we have differences interests but it's still not limiting to developing interest to suggest our lifestyle is boring. I can go to the casino, wineries, movies and other culturally interesting things. The difference is our demographic doesn't allow for as many things as the eastern states have.

The question would be, what can you do in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane or the Gold Coast that you can not do in Adelaide?

Climate is the only standout, especially the Gold Coast.

Adelaide weather shits all over Melbourne.

 

[Crow-eater]

********* like brian taylor ripping on adelaide at every concievable chance doesn't help

This! The stereotype about Adelaide, that we're all mulleted bogans who are all on the dole does nothing for the state. The notion that we're stuck in the 1870s, does nothing for the state. It's all about perception. And at the moment, Adelaide is perceived to be a hole. People will come here with those ideas and will not see it as it really is.

 

[OrdinaryJoel]

Climate is the only standout, especially the Gold Coast.

Adelaide weather shits all over Melbourne.

I also think because Melbourne and Sydney are somehow the 'Mecca' of Australia and get international recognition and Adelaide don't...

 

[SydCrow]

I left for job reasons (so did many of my friends) but the Adelaide lifestyle is very attractive. Weather and ease of access to everywhere are big pluses. Great place to raise kids.

Geelong doesn't have problems attracting players does it?

 

[Danoz]

********* like brian taylor ripping on adelaide at every concievable chance doesn't help

Jeff Kennett. Ugh

 

[Dirty Bird]

So why are our young footballers busting a gut to escape from the place? Has it changed since I left back in the 90's? Has it become such a dump that young people can't tolerate living there?

I guess this is in reply to Tippett apparently hating Adelaide?

I think it's not the city, it's the people and in particular, the media.

Anyway, all of our defections have been due to different reasons.

Bock - Money hungry - We couldn't offer what Gold Coast could.
Davis - Money hungry - We couldn't offer what GWS could.
Griffin - Not getting a chance (under the guise of wanting to be with dad) - Best for both club and player to let him go.
Maric - Not getting a chance - Best for both club and player to let him go.
Armstrong - Pissed off at club - Blame Neil Craig and the leadership group for giving him an over the top punishment.
Gunston - Homesick - He wanted home pretty desperately.
Hudson - Pissed off at club - Blame Neil Craig for giving an over the top punishment.
Tippett - Pissed off at media - Sorry, but who can blame him? If you were being heckled by the media the whole time would you want to escape? The media in SA and WA can very easily drive people away, especially during contract negotiation periods.

We've kept Sloane, we've kept Dangerfield, we've kept Otten, we've kept Mackay, we've kept van Berlo. We've kept plenty of large name (in Adelaide) non-South Australians at the club. Each have had their own reason to leave. Some have been due to us mistreating the players (Hudson and Armstrong), some have been for selfish reasons (Bock and Davis) and some have been for the best of the club and player (Maric and Griffin).

 

[Dirty Bird]

I left for job reasons (so did many of my friends) but the Adelaide lifestyle is very attractive. Weather and ease of access to everywhere are big pluses. Great place to raise kids.

Geelong doesn't have problems attracting players does it?

This is very much true!
I love Adelaide to death, but the difficulty in finding work here in the field I want is a bitch and a half and a reason why I'm contemplating leaving!
The only capital city in Australia that would be worse for me is Hobart. Even Canberra is better! Heck, I wouldn't be shocked if Darwin is better!

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

Adelaide is really only suitable for a certain demographic. However it usually just boils down to personal choice. I hate big cities and crowded places and traffic jams that can take an hour to clear. But that's just me. I'm a 19 year old girl, and I love it here, but some of my friends hate the place.

I can see both sides of the argument.

This is a good point.

I have lived in Perth (uni) and Los Angles and Seattle before and the traffic is horrendous (well in LA and Seattle) and used to shit me every day. Then I moved back to Adelaide for family and work reasons and I can not be happier. Knowing you can get from the Bay to TTP in peak hour traffic in just under an hour or from Gawler to Victor in just under 2 hours is a awesome experience.

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

Climate is the only standout, especially the Gold Coast.

Adelaide weather shits all over Melbourne.

True and to be honest, the only other place in Australia I would live now would be the Gold Coast and that's for the climate and smaller city feel to it.

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

I
Tippett - Pissed off at media - Sorry, but who can blame him? If you were being heckled by the media the whole time would you want to escape? The media in SA and WA can very easily drive people away, especially during contract negotiation periods.

Bull shit.

He will receive undue media pressure where ever he lives. The media will hound any under performing player on the sort of money he is receiving, yes...even in Sydney.

 

[The Karma Bus]

Size.. There's just less of 'stuff'.. It's still pretty well all there though..
Depends what satisfies people I guess, some like to feel like they're involved in a big hive of a city, makes them feel all important and part of something
Opportunity in work fields is the main reason, don't hear many ex-Adelaide people slag off the actual city..

And yes, idiots going on about mulletted bogans driving their Kingswood doesn't help.. Not sure where that shit even came from, take a walk around and it looks like any normal group of random people to me.. And no different to other cities.. Strange..

 

[pjcrows]

To be honest, this thread answers exactly why Adelaide is perceived the way it is.

 

[ftmch]

So why are our young footballers busting a gut to escape from the place?

Let's put some perspective on this - Tippett and Gunston are the only 2 of note who have recently left citing the city itself as the reason, and let's be honest, that probably says more about them than anything.

For every one of those, you'll find players who have come to us from other states who love it here and have adopted to and embrace the lifestyle really well. Look at big Ivan and Knighta - both players who have moved back to Melbourne, but have openly admitted to loving the Adelaide lifestyle and would gladly still be here if the opportunities at the club existed.

I spent 7 years in Sydney and chose to return home of my own volition, in spite of significantly greater career opportunities there, specifically because of the lifestyle Adelaide offers. What's more, I brought my Sydney born and bred wife back with me, who regularly says now that she could and would not go back, such is her enjoyment of the Adelaide way of life.

AIOF - you were spot on when asking the question - what can I do in Melbourne or Sydney, that I can't do in Adelaide? The reality is, apart from maybe having access to more shopping options and perhaps a broader range of nightclubs (and those days are well beyond me now) - bugger all. Smoothy was spot on when suggesting that it's the persistent slagging from genetic throwback's like Brian Taylor that cause the stereotype. It's become a sport for dick's like him, regardless of how removed from reality it really is.

 

[OrdinaryJoel]

To be honest, this thread answers exactly why Adelaide is perceived the way it is.

How so?

 

[ftmch]

To be honest, this thread answers exactly why Adelaide is perceived the way it is.

Chicken or the egg though?