Fontana Is Going Academic Route

[White Helmet]

There is simply no comparison beween NO and Dallas. NO crime rate has gone off the chart. For those of you going to the Tulane game be carefull...seriously. By all reports, it is about as safe as a Mexican border town.

So are Baltimore and DC oh well.

[expony18]

"Sometimes I think I want to stay close to home and that I should go to Tulane or SMU and sometimes I think I'd like to experience something new and get out of Louisiana."

Does he know that SMU is not in Louisiana?

[PonyTales]

For anyone a little late on learning about Fontana recruiting info...

#2 Center in the nation per Scout
#12 Center in the nation per Rivals
3 star by both services


http://smu.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp? ... 63&sport=1

That story said he's now the No. 8 center in the country, according to scout.com ... still a great rating, regardless of how silly you might think the rating services are.

[EastStang]

Having lived in the DC area most of my live and made many trips to Charm City (Baltimore), there are places that are dangerous and places that are not. If you go to one of the known crack areas of town, yes you will likely not enjoy the experience. If you stay out of those areas, you have little chance of problems. Capitol Hill, Chinatown, the Monument areas in DC are very safe. My last visit to Dallas, I went to the Jack in the Box (those greasy tacos are a fast food delicacy) across Central Express Way from Northpark Mall, and there was a guy shooting up something (probably heroin) in the parking lot. And that's not a really bad part of town. You just have to know where to go. In Baltimore, there are rough parts of town, but around Camden Yards and around the Inner Harbor, you're fine. The Block might be a bit dicey, because all the NFL players go there to the Nudie Bars.

[White Helmet]

Just stay east of MLK and Charm City is fine.

[NickSMU17]

Dallas is not that safe either...All big cities have their problems, the concern arrises when they mix areas...i.e. 75 and hall ave. luxury townhome on one side, sub. housing on the other...this is a recipe for major problems.

[Mexmustang]

The crime in NO is dramatically out of proportion to the population and is now a routine risk even in the best parts of the quarter...This is the situation described to me by old time New Orleans residents and a direct result of the hurricane and poor city government.

[BenW]

The crime in NO is dramatically out of proportion to the population and is now a routine risk even in the best parts of the quarter...This is the situation described to me by old time New Orleans residents and a direct result of the hurricane and poor city government.

That's a bunch of BS....it's primarily drug-deal related. You have no idea what you are talking about.
I think this player, who actually lives in the city, can be a good judge of that, compared to BS spread by recruiters. He may very well may go to SMU (he probably will) - it's a good school and lots of kids want to leave home. If you don't buy or sell crack you will have no problem with crime in N.O.

[mustangbill67]

I have to agree with BenW. I have spent a lot of time in NO since Katrina. Crime there is no worse than any other large urban metropolitan area.

[San Antonio Mustang]

I also agree with BenW. Fontana is from NO, so he knows what it will be like to play there better than any of us. On the other hand, we know that he will receive and excellent education in the classroom and on the football field at SMU. I also know the value of leaving home and still being only an hour away. I hope he chooses SMU as he will not be sorry.