It was Friday, March 20th and there were 16 games on the NCAA tourney schedule. The weather forecast called for snow in NYC. Light flurries had already begun to come down as we set off for our day. The plan was to arrive between 11:30 am and 12:00 pm, as seating is first come first serve. Luckily, we pulled in around 11:40 and found a spot just across from the bar. Now all we had to do was wait for it to open at noon.
Once the doors were unlocked, we headed inside, setting up shop at a corner table next to the windows. After looking over some stats so both Mike's could bet on the upcoming games, we ordered a pitcher while waiting for the start of the New Mexico St. vs Kansas tip at 12:15 pm est. The bar seats were already full by tip off, with groups slowly making their way in over the next half hour. By game time, the tables would all be taken.
When it comes to venturing out, I can be rather particular. Nights of partying require a club with an advantageous male to female ratio, and a DJ who is able to properly read the crowd and keep everyone engaged for the length of the evening. Lounges are perfect for a relaxing evening catching up with friends. An outdoor bar area is a must for summer evenings. Sporting events I truly care about, such as the NCAA tournament, I prefer to watch alone or with a few other knowledgeable fans. A lot gets missed when trying to watch a game you care about in a social setting.
As a Patriots fan, I watched the Super Bowl alone, liquor free.
It's difficult to create the ideal sports bar- trends have to be ignored, alienating certain clientele. Most will show various games on their countless flat-screen's, with music playing over their speakers. A select few will play the audio for important games while playing music during commercial breaks. It is rare you find an establishment willing to play game audio and leaving the feed on during commercial breaks.
While the idea of commercials and pre-game shows blasting over the speakers at a bar may be a detriment to some, for a true sports fan it is heaven. When music is played rather than game audio your experience turns into a social event; dancing occurs, the drinking is heavier, and chances are you're distracted when the game resumes. This scenario could be ideal for a pre-season football game; however it is not for any sporting event you're truly interested in.
As our day drew to a close, we spent a couple of minutes trying to determine if we'd ever spent 10 1/2 hours in a bar before. We had been bar hopping in Boston on St. Patty's day, and we attended multiple concerts, shows, and festivals (including all three days of Ultra in Miami a couple of years back). Not once had we spent this amount of time in one establishment.
Throughout our marathon of madness no one got antsy; impressive considering the most college basketball Mikey G has ever watched has been when I force him to. We would eat pizza for lunch which Standings provided, and we ordered BBQ to be delivered for dinner. Watching the place fill up to where the standing room only space was limited was a sight to behold. Some groups would come just to watch their respective team in action while others would hang around longer.
Space is limited. And I mean, limited.
With team paraphernalia covering the walls and hanging from the ceilings, you feel right at home, as if you've invited the neighborhood over to watch a game. Even as the bar would fill to capacity you could still hear the game audio over the various conversations around you; perfect for those invested in the current matchup. With seating at a premium, I recommend arriving well ahead of the game you intend to watch; even then you may still have to luck out in finding a table or spot at the bar.
Standings is without a doubt worth a visit if you're within driving distance. Pick a day and a game you're invested in, grab some buddies or head in solo. Either way you're sure to have an experience few, if any, sports bars in the area can offer. For those living in the city, chances are your space is limited and your man-cave non existent; so finding a good sports bar to get together for games imperative.
The UAlbany vs Oklahoma game would finish. We closed out our tabs, said our goodbyes, and headed to the car deciding it was time to make our way home. As the three of us left, the bar was still packed, there was a game or two left to be played and multiple groups would ask us about the table we were leaving unoccupied: one group exiting, another getting ready for an experience of a lifetime.
We'd brush the snow that had accumulated on our car off with a sandal I found in my trunk, we had put in our 10 1/2 hours. The night was still relatively young...even if we no longer are.
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