In “Major League,” the New York Yankees hammer a home run and assume a 2-0 lead over the Cleveland Indians in a playoff contest. Smugly, villainous owner Rachel Phelps remarks, “That ought to shut these people up.”
Upon my arrival at the Frog Bear and Wild Boar, the environment and excitement screamed playoffs. The Pepsi Power Patrol was present… Stinger was motivating fans… The voice announcing prize winners was the Nationwide Arena voice (nice touch) and as for the fans… Every eye was transfixed with the action… And the Blue Jackets were playing as those eyes expected…
The action was intense… Rick Nash had chances… Others had chances… Steve Mason played, as we now expect he will and despite skating an ice surface below thirty-four banners, the Blue Jackets played as if this was their eighteenth consecutive playoff appearance (when in actually, it was Detroit’s eighteenth consecutive and the Blue Jackets initial)… Amidst almost constant sound, the Blue Jackets and Red Wings contested a first period, which epitomized what this sport’s second season is…
Interspersed with the outstanding hockey and omnipresent crowd reaction was the adorable activity of Marchioness Stephanie… I know I’ve discussed her previously, but she honestly is atypical… Other bar bunnies have appearance… They have personality… But, Stephanie possesses an enthralling and infinite energy that simply resists explanation… She could, in five minutes, make coffee exhausted…
Speaking of exhausted, R Bar’s capacity was exactly this as I approached the venue for the start of the second twenty minutes… I don’t mean it was simply difficult to move inside the venue… I don’t mean there was standing room only in the venue… I mean there was a line out the door of people watching the contest through the glass, waiting to get into the venue… For the second consecutive week, R Bar was unmatched for atmosphere…
If only the Blue Jackets second could have matched their first… While they quickly countered the Red Wings first goal, registering a response within one minute… They were unable to counter salvos two and three… Despite continuous encouragement from fans both inside and outside R Bar, the Blue Jackets reminded everyone why this was their initial playoffs… They were sloppier… They were slower… And they concluded the second trailing 3-1…
Thankfully, as the Red Wings assumed command of the contest, I had R Bar Owner Natalie Darr to converse with… I know I’ve discussed several other owners in this city and each is passionate about their venue… But, Natalie is exemplary and unique… She is passionate about what her venue represents… Last night, three hundred plus packed themselves amongst alcohol and memorabilia and for the first moment since I started this website… the Buckeyes were on no one’s mind… This, thanks to Natalie and her patrons, was a professional sports city…
As the third period commenced, the Blue Jackets were attempting to return the Buckeyes to everyone’s foremost thoughts… Less than three minutes into the frame, the Red Wings might as well have sang good night sweet prince, as they scored a fourth goal and deadened any aspirations of a comeback… The hope that personified this night walked (metaphorically, if not literally) the bridge into the night with thoughts of game two… Game one was over…
As I split the post-game between R Bar and the Frog Bear and Wild Boar, the crowd within both venues was subdued… However, I enjoyed several random conversations, each focused on the fact that this wasn’t the Blue Jackets night, but at least there would be another night… At least there would be a game two, which until this season was a practical impossibility, as there had never been a game one…
I walked the bricks toward the conclusion of my night and one thought superceded all others… Since the Blue Jackets clinched the playoffs, they have lost three consecutive contests… Making the playoffs was an ambition and it is an admirable first step… But, the Blue Jackets must realize, what the city and their opponents clearly already know… Making it isn’t enough…
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