Time for another challenge from Volvo for the Biggest Fan in the Big East. Please go and vote for me. I really need it. I didn’t get to offer the usual draft post first. It was in the pipeline, but then last week happened.

This challenge takes us away from Pitt. It’s all about the roadtrip. What towns are tops in the Big East for taking the roadtrip?

Roadtrips take different meanings when you are in college versus when you are out. In college, you try to find the local connection. The high school buddy who is at the school. Maybe if you are in a frat, contacting the local chapter for a place to crash. As you get older, it’s about the hotel rooms or an old friend from Pitt now living in the area. If you have to lug the family with you, it may have to be a place where your significant other can take the kids while you hit a local watering hole and the game.

I’ve been out for nearly 20 years. The idea of crashing on a couch — while still happens on occasion — holds little allure. The college bar can feel a little strange when I visit Pitt. So, it gets even weirder at another campus.

There are a few that I didn’t put on the list, and I want to explain them.

Morgantown, West Virginia. Obviously the shortest road trip for a Pitt fan, and one I’ve made many times. But that is the extent of it. Go in. Go out. There’s little point in hanging around. The late Senator Byrd made sure plenty of federal dollars went to creating all the interstates in the state. Use them.

Tampa Bay, Florida. It’s tempting. Especially in the winter for the warmer weather. But strip malls and strip joints seem to be all you see down there. Plus, you really have to take a flight. No fun in that. I want to drive there.

 Cincinnati, Ohio. My wife is a Cinci grad. She has no urge to road trip there. That’s good enough for me.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. When I was thinking about this list, they were number 3. The cheesesteaks. The great beers made in the area. Then, as I thought about it, the game would be at the Sixers’ arena rather than on-campus. Plus, because all of Villanova’s major games away from their campus — along with their football games — the Nova people don’t actually understand the concept of fans from other schools actually being on their campus. It makes them nervous. Possibly frightens them.

Here’s the list:

No. 3: Louisville.

Driving Distance: 390 miles.

Okay, get too far from Louisville and Kentucky is essentially West Virginia only with a better official alcohol. That said, Louisville fans are some of the most passionate basketball fans out there. It would be a lot of fun just to go to the game, and hit some of the bars in Louisville to talk basketball with them.

But, there is the added appeal of going off on a Bourbon Trail tour.

That Bourbon Trail, though, is the double-edged sword to taking a roadtip to Louisville. If I went out to the distilleries, I’m not sure I’d get back for the game.

No. 2: Chicago (DePaul and Notre Dame)

Driving Distance: 475 miles, when you stop in South Bend.

I’ve been to South Bend a few times. It’s bland enough, like most of Indiana. You get a little tired of everyone trying to tell you about the mythology, the legends, the echoes. At this point are they bragging or just trying convince themselves that it is still true?

I was impressed that at Notre Dame football games the parking lot port-a-johns were huge with a foot-pump activated sink. Classy. Never felt much of an urge to hang-around. Instead, we would just drive the extra 95-100 miles to spend the night in Chicago.

DePaul, well, it’s DePaul. The Allstate Arena in Rosemont is an echo chamber. But, again, you are making this trip to be in Chicago.

I love Chicago. For a year after Pitt, I worked on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange as a phone clerk and runner in the meat pits. Living there was just fun. Plenty of fantastic food options. I really love deep-dish pizza — though I find myself vacillating between whether I prefer Chicago over NY or vice-versa. Love them both.

Just skip Navy Pier unless you have young kids. In which case, you can take them down there for the Children’s Museum.  Going to Wrigleyville is a no-brainer.

No. 1: New York City (for the Big East Tournament).

Driving Distance: 375 miles.

This is the easy and obvious pick. So? It is still the correct one, and it almost has to be during the Big East Tournament so you can spread it out over almost an entire week. This has been on my bucket-list to make it to the Big East Tournament.  Plenty of time spent in NYC, but never in March. Hopefully this is the year. (I know, as a Pitt fan I may be running out of time.)

NYC whether it is to catch a St. John’s game or to come up from New Jersey (Rutgers or Seton Hall) has to be top choice for any Big East fan when it comes to road trips. No city epitomizes the upside and excitement of a conference that stresses the urban campuses and environment.