I've never blogged after having two beers before. But tonight I was exposed to an entirely new form of socialization, of community if you will... even a new way to meet eligible, cute, "normal" men. The two beers were at a local sports bar that specializes in simultaneously screening at least four different sports games at any given moment. I used to think that sports had seasons, but judging by the fact that we saw baseball, basketball, hockey and football all in the same night, clearly the concept of "season" is obsolete.
At first, I was concerned that I might get bored watching hockey, eating fattening food and having the suspicion that I was playing second fiddle to a bunch of large men in uniform hitting each other. However, I soon found myself embracing this new way of "going out".
The first advantage was definitely the food. For eleven dollars, we had two pulled pork sliders, four bbq wings, fried calamari, and the coup de gras, garlic tater tots. Yes, that is what I said. Garlic. Tater. Tots. This goes beyond just delicious - it is practically poetic. Bars have great tater tots. Sports games have great garlic fries. So of course a sports bar should have... garlic tater tots!
The second advantage was what I immediately texted my single friends - go to a sports bar to meet cute and normal men in their natural habitat. After eavesdropping on a few neighboring conversations, "Yeah, Jeff, why are you still single? Great play, Kings!" I realized that this is an untapped market. Men you meet in traditional bars and clubs are generally only good for up to thirty minutes of small talk and maybe a free drink. No one should go to the Bal Mar looking to meet their future husband because that will be one very disappointing night. There might be some overlap between the sports bar and Bal Mar crowds, but after looking around, there are many more, how shall I say, wholesome men at the sports bar who wouldn't normally go the Bal Mar. Hence, the untapped market of men who are still normal, social creatures but wouldn't normally go to clubs looking for women. And I have a suspicion that you don't really need to know anything about sports in order to fit in in a sports bar - there are plenty of people who would be glad to explain it to you.
The final advantage can apply to anyone who goes to a sports bar. It's a very social place. Your first impression might be that this is an anti-social activity: sitting in silence, not looking at each other, eyes glued on the game. However, the social mores are much more complex and meaningful than they first appear. Occasional comments about the game can lead to a real conversation. People share a common goal in cheering on their team, so it's community building. That couple at the neighboring table might start out as strangers, but after watching your favorite hockey team get beat (in what must surely be a fluke caused by not wearing your lucky sweater) you start to feel a definite bond. Perhaps most importantly, pressure to make small talk is non-existent. If a lull falls over the conversation, it just means you go back to the game until something else comment-worthy arises. The best part is that if you're a non-sporting person, you get to learn a lot about sports from sporting groups eager to share. You might find out that it's actually worth learning: a lot of strategy and thought has gone into things like rules, names, and scoring. If you're not buying any of this, then just remember that the beer is cheap and plentiful, no one is paying attention to how many you've had, and garlic fries are one hybrid that actually improves on its original parts.
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