Where do you pregame?

[By George.]

Sounds terrible.... too bad you guys didn't have an alternate option. All in all, yesterday was one of my lowest mason moments as a fan.

 

[gmutom]

I was surrounded by red all night long. Bus loads of Dayton fans were at Brion's. He killed it tonight, 3 -4 deep everywhere.

Brion has always been beyond loyal to our program, so I don't begrudge him at all for making some money. It just made it tough to be there yesterday as a Mason fan when most of the bar was supporting the other team.

 

[JimP]

Brion has always been beyond loyal to our program, so I don't begrudge him at all for making some money. It just made it tough to be there yesterday as a Mason fan when most of the bar was supporting the other team.

I remember going to Brion's prior to a game with Dayton years ago and there was a crowd of Flyers fans. 2007 maybe. A fan was talking about how they didn't have an answer for Will Thomas. (They didn't) Not a surprise they came out in droves for their 19-3 squad.

 

[gmu05]

Brion's is a joke, I remember in prior years that place being packed with Creighton fans on more than one occasion when they came to town. Oh George's is a good spot.

 

[GMU92]

Only been to Brion's once this year prior to the St. Bonaventure game. It was pregame central for them too, they actually had a registration table at the front door for their alums with a big St. B banner. Ughhh, that sucked a little. Still pretty fun though, Brion's staff sat us away from all that, and their alums were pretty friendly overall. I guess it just makes sense as the easiest option for the road schools - Brion's is a pretty good bar/restaurant option LITERALLY right across the street from Eagle Bank, with enough parking.

 

[GMUgemini]

Brion's is a joke, I remember in prior years that place being packed with Creighton fans on more than one occasion when they came to town. Oh George's is a good spot.

I don't know if a Manchester United-style supporters Pub would be allowed in Fairfax.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN239G6aJZo

 

[TweederGMU]

We pregammed at Oh George yesterday. We sat at the bar, only drank beer but the food looked pretty solid. Good beer selection with a lot of VA beers to choose from. The bar is U shaped and the thing that sucked about the bar is the TV's were mounted to the beams up top to the person's left or right depending where you sit and not in front of people at the bar. You have to turn your head to view the TV's which make absolutely no sense. Not a great place to watch sports. They seriously need to look at moving the TV's, could be a deal breaker for many people looking to grab a beer and burger and catch a game.

 

[GMUSig03]

Brions has been doing this for years (having organized pre-games for opposing team's fans), nothing new and I hate it. Only reason I ever go there is because people I know are there.

 

[GMU92]

Brions has been doing this for years (having organized pre-games for opposing team's fans), nothing new and I hate it. Only reason I ever go there is because people I know are there.

The thing that hit me was the big St. B banner-clad alumni registration table first thing inside the front door. I almost thought I was in Allegany, NY. I thought that might have been arranged a bit more discreetly.

 

[GSII]

Brion is basically saying, since mason fans don't support me, maybe the opposing fans will. can't blame him for being a businessman and trying to survive. then again, he shouldn't kick frequent customers out b.c they booed TOC.

 

[GMU92]

We pregammed at Oh George yesterday. We sat at the bar, only drank beer but the food looked pretty solid. Good beer selection with a lot of VA beers to choose from. The bar is U shaped and the thing that sucked about the bar is the TV's were mounted to the beams up top to the person's left or right depending where you sit and not in front of people at the bar. You have to turn your head to view the TV's which make absolutely no sense. Not a great place to watch sports. They seriously need to look at moving the TV's, could be a deal breaker for many people looking to grab a beer and burger and catch a game.

This is one thing Tom Sietsema (he's the restaurant critic for the Post) stresses all the time...restaurant and bar owners need to not only design and build their places, they need to test drive every aspect of them before they open. What looked good on paper doesn't always function well in a practical sense.

 

[sleeperpick]

Brion is basically saying, since mason fans don't support me, maybe the opposing fans will. can't blame him for being a businessman and trying to survive. then again, he shouldn't kick frequent customers out b.c they booed TOC.

Out with the old in with the new. Oh George has way better food than Brion's Grille, way better beer selection but at a steeper price. I was there before the Dayton game and there were 3 tables of Dayton families tucked away in a corner. They were welcomed but certainly not catered to like Brion does (good business and I don't blame him but still).

I will definitely be going back to Oh George before games from now on.

 

[sleeperpick]

TV's did hurt my neck though so that comment is spot on. Not a place to watch away games but certainly the best option IMO to pregame home games.

 

[GMU92]

Brion is basically saying, since mason fans don't support me, maybe the opposing fans will. can't blame him for being a businessman and trying to survive. then again, he shouldn't kick frequent customers out b.c they booed TOC.

Because Brion's hasn't gotten any traffic from the Mason community for the past 25 years.

 

[By George.]

After reading all this, I am curious as to why you won't go to Red Hot & Blue? You guys really think we are that lame? You can get to know us better by listening to our podcasts - www.bygeorge.giantkiller.co I am only curious why not Red Hot & Blue because it's cheap, close and it's real fans talking Mason bball.

We tried to get Oh George to allow us to host our pregame but they said, "We are not a sports bar," and "We are close to Mason, and decorated in Mason stuff but we are looking to cater to a richer crowd," and "Our food quality does not warrant a discount." Coming from DC, I refuse to pay DC prices at 5 o'clock on Braddock Rd.

Brions Grille, read above... enough said.

 

[Patriotsince81]

After reading all this, I am curious as to why you won't go to Red Hot & Blue? You guys really think we are that lame? .

Can you walk to the Patriot Center (EBA) in two minutes from Red, Hot, & Blue? Convenience & location are difference makers as well.

 

[GSII]

Because Brion's hasn't gotten any traffic from the Mason community for the past 25 years.

He definetly has, but its about the current, not the past. His expenses are fresh so whats 25 years ago got to do with today? Everyone went to Brions when I was there including the OCM. Wonder what changed that.

 

[wijg]

Can't really blame Brion for accepting paying customers from the other team. If Mason fans were filling the place up, then he could tell them that he doesn't have the space to support them. Unfortunately, Mason fans aren't currently filling up his restaurant on game day.

 

[99 Patriot]

I have to think that Mason themselves feeds Brion a lot of that business. Years of catering the green room and sponsoring nearly every Mason event I'm sure guarantees that anytime the athletic department is contacted by the alumni association of another school they recommend Brion get their business. Well, except JMU, pretty sure those drunk rednecks always hit Fat Tuesdays.

Love Red Hot & Blue, but agree that it's far less convenient than walking across the street.

 

[GMU92]

I have to think that Mason themselves feeds Brion a lot of that business. Years of catering the green room and sponsoring nearly every Mason event I'm sure guarantees that anytime the athletic department is contacted by the alumni association of another school they recommend Brion get their business. Well, except JMU, pretty sure those drunk rednecks always hit Fat Tuesdays.

Love Red Hot & Blue, but agree that it's far less convenient than walking across the street.

Exactly, and a lot of business comes from individual folks from Mason still, even if it might not always be in the form of wearing green/gold jerseys 2 hours prior to game time. The doors stay open with a steady stream of business day in and day out, not just a few days during the basketball season. Really, I don't have a problem with hosting the opposing team, it was actually kinda fun to talk to some of their fans. Just got a little bugged by them taking over the front door.