Don DeMent’s decision to franchise the gospel of Momma’s Love beyond the Plains has backfired, as Tuscaloosa — not Auburn — was recently given credit for our one local delicacy (besides God’s lemonade) of note.
In his latest “College Football Mailbag” column, Sports Illustrated football writer Stuart Mandel was asked to discuss “all the great college food opportunities” he’s encountered “from stadium to stadium or campus to campus.”
His reply:
I don’t want to tread too much on Andy Staples’ turf. He’s already established himself as college football’s leading barbecue authority. But as listeners of my podcast know, I’m far more obsessed with sandwiches than smokehouses. I’m not ashamed to admit I eat some sort of grilled-chicken sandwich for lunch roughly 250 days a year. However, during a recent trip to Tuscaloosa, someone took me to Mama Goldberg’s, where I enjoyed an outstanding $4.95 Reuben. (I’m told there’s a location at Auburn, too.)
OK, sure, it was technically the Reuben, but still, slopped and steamed, they basically all taste the same.
We can only hope Tracy Wolfson follows up her Cammy Cam Juice performance piece with a special on “Jordan-Hare’s trademark Dreamland ribs” ( … which, frankly, we still can’t believe exist).
UDPATE: Per Walt, yes, Mandel has now amended his parenthetical to “(The original location is in Auburn.).”
H/T @TheAuburner.
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That’s just horrible. Momma G’s is an AUBURN institution! I can almost guarantee that Stewart will post something about that in his next week’s mailbag. He’ll get enough responses from angry Auburn fans that he won’t be able to resist pointing out that it’s just “another example of how far the rivalry goes.” Especially in light of recent events.
Actually, he’s already updated it. It now reads “The original location is in Auburn.”
Tuscaloosa got both a Momma G’s and a Kinnucan’s while I was in school at Alabama. I felt weird going into both because they were such Auburn institutions. Neither compare to the originals, I can assure you.
I have sampled sandwiches from the 4 corners of the nation – and have never found an establishment that would be considered a serious rival to Momma G’s.
Although I agree this is an egregious error, I personally know the owners of the Tuscaloosa location and can confirm that they are great Auburn people who happen to be geographically disadvantaged at the moment…Not that this makes Mandel’s error any more forgivable.
First – thoughts and prayers for the people of Tuscaloosa.
I can understand franchising Mama Gs. It makes sense to have locations in areas where there may be alumni. But I think a little restraint was in order when someone asked to build a location in Tuscaloosa.
A damn shame.
What’s next…a Toomer’s Drugstore Lemonade Stand in T-Town?
I read the same article and fired off an immediate response to Stewart. Lo and behold, while casually reading it a week later…
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/stewart_mandel/05/04/pac-12-mailbag/1.html
For a few minutes I was a celebrity to my students and a legend in my own mind. A very brief few minutes. But at least I defended an Auburn legend.