I think it might be time to put some serious thought into finding a home bar almost everyone can be happy with. As many of us know, Limey's can often be inhospitable (and I'm not just refering to yesterday's attitude towards us). We pack that bar in the middle of a weekday afternoon and yet I think we are often unwelcome, by staff and regulars alike. Don't get me wrong, the owners are usually really cool but they haven't been there much. I could list the pros and cons of the bar but I think we should get some discussion going about whether we want to move locations. I heard a few people mention they don't care much for Limey's but come because thats where soccer fans show. So do we stay or go? If we go, where? Here are some other options that have been brought up (mind you only Limey's has FSC, but considering the Gold Cup isn't for 2 years, where does that fall in our priorities?): Victor's Sports Bar (Unbandale) Cooney's Pub (Beaverdale) Legend's (West Des Moines) If anyone has any more ideas, please share. As much input as possible. Talk amongst yourselves.
Some things to think about... 1. FSC shows more then just Gold Cup matches. Do we want a soccer bar, or just a US bar? FSC has Premier League, Serie A, Champions League, MLS, USL, etc. 2. Will a new bar show soccer over anything else like Limey's will? It would not be cool to round up a group of people for a match and then have the bar not show what we want... like Trophy's. 3. We started the shit that went down at Limey's. Can we really be mad at the bar when we were out of line? 4. Are we in to deep at Limey's? I know a few people who already know Limey's as the soccer bar. I am not totally against a new bar, I just think Limey's has too much to offer. Sure, the drinks are over-priced and the service is slow, but we can watch any soccer game we want any time we want at tables right in front of a big-screen. I would personally like a place where I can watch a CL, EPL, MLS, etc. match and know that other soccer lovers will be there too to watch with me whether that be at Limey's or someplace else. Thoughts? Ideas?
Personally I am not concerned with having a soccer bar, just a US bar. Not being an MLS city, we don't have one team. The US flag is the only team we really all stand behind and I don't really care to go to a bar and watch games with Wizards fans, Man U fans, Real Fans, etc. If Limey's is the AO bar, I will only be there for US games. And honestly I don't see myself giving them another dollar. Even though WDSM water tastes like shit, taste better then Limey's beer. We don't have to worry about the Home Base bar to have FSC for another two years so I we have good showings, it would be incentive for the bar to buy the FSC package. Whether or not comments were made to the dumbass Mexican supporter, gives them no excuse to generalize our group as rowdy and racist. No racist comments were made, and in fact if anyone in our group would have said anything to that extent, we would have handled the situation ourselves. Limey's was in the wrong for what they said. I don't think were in to deep and we shouldn't settle. I'd say 95% of the people that have shown up have connected with us either via telephone or the internet. it'd take a few quick texts and tweets and the group would be informed. Like I have said, I'll go where people watch the game but my vote is to move.
I'd rather move away from Limey's to Victor's. 1. While yes, they do have TVs around (and a nice big screen HD one that we have dibs on at that), it's a restaurant/pub that fashions itself as a restaurant/pub first. While the Limey's owners understand us and don't tend to have a problem with us getting excited, not everyone that goes there does too. Expectations are different at a place that fashions itself as an out-and-out sports bar, and Victor's meets that perfectly, way more so than Limey's or even Legend's (which is part Applebee's/Chili's/etc.) Patrons that go to Victor's know there will be people cheering a team on, and probably doing so very loudly. 2. Limey's is a ********in' English pub. Something about that doesn't sit well with me, considering most England fans are twats. Silly perhaps, but I don't like having that hanging over the heads of an American Outlaws chapter, since our mantra is basically "Yes, we're American soccer fans, YOUR country's team can die in a bus fire". 3. I don't need a soccer bar, I need a US bar. We used to make a point of watching big games that involved one of our teams at Limey's, but I don't even like to do that any more. Even for the big CL matches, there's never more than maybe 20 people there watching soccer, and we're usually half of them. I mean for the Chelsea/Man U final two years ago, I was spending more time hoping those Man U "fans" would break their own necks trying to suck their own dicks than I was spending watching the game. I don't need a specific soccer bar any more than I need a specific football or basketball bar. 4. They're on a busy road and have a sign out front! How sweet will it be next year to have "come watch the USMNT with the American Outlaws here!" That's mutually ********ing beneficial right there.
First of all, I want to reiterate that there was nothing racist said at the bar. If there there were, we'd have taken care of it. The accusation was it, I don't want to go back there for anything. 1. I'm also not concerned with having a soccer bar. As Buz said, I'm not interested in watch matches with other clubs' supporters unless it's just with the few of you that I know well. 2. Victor's already has FSC. I was there the other night talking to the assistant manager who brought the channel up for me. Those of you wanting to watch other matches can watch them at Victors, except for early Premier League. 3. The assistant manager was interested in the idea of hosting the Outlaws. He said if we brought the numbers we *could* see bar specials extended to us in the future. He also said if we chose Victor's and knew we'd be bringing in a sizable crowd in the afternoon (like vs Mexico or something) to let them know in advance so they could have one more person working. Better service. 4. I'm supposed to get back in touch with them in the next couple days. I will ask point blank and get a firm commitment that they will show the games on a good TV when we show up. I will also ask if we can reserve a table or two as we have at Limey's. 5. I don't think we are in too deep at Limey's. Many of us have either only started going there in the last 6 months or have been going there longer but don't want to go back there anyway. We know we don't like Limey's and so I'd rather do it now than later when more people are settled in at Limey's. Again, my concern is an Outlaws bar. And those that have started coming in because we are spreading the word... are new. 6. The food at Limey's is hit and miss, the service is slow, and the beer is crap. Victor's has good food, food and drink specials, better service and beer. 7. The point about Limey's understanding us but not being a sports bar I think is dead on. The crowd on the other side of the railing (when we fill the top half like we did vs Spain/Brazil/Mexico) at Limey's I don't think likes us or wants us there. If it were a sports bar the situation would have been handled better. Do you think a Cyclone bar would have treated it's Clone patrons like that if there were a Hawkeye in the bar? 8. The busy road and sign is a good point, but just in general... I think Victor's is in a better location. I understand the concerns of Victors and I agree with those concerns. They definitely have to be addressed before we make any moves. Again, I'm going to talk with management and see what they say and report back.
we need to figure this out before saturday's WCQ. I don't particularily care where we are so long as it'got a big screen hdtv and enough room for us all to be loud and roudy.
Wednesday will be the first match at Victor's. Where you go on Saturday is your own choice. I refuse to say go to Limeys. I'm missing the game anyway to go to the NASCAR truck race.
I'm not missing the first ever truck race in Iowa (and also doesn't have Kyle Busch!) and my first ever truck race for yet another T&T qualifier. Deal with it.
If anyone goes to Limey's tonight, spread the word that we are moving to Victor's starting on Wednesday.
Thoughts, opinions on yesterday? Couple initial comments... I thought we got taken care of pretty well. It would be nice to have a little more space so there was another booth or table closer but being over on that side put us closer to the bar and definitely gives us audio. Little clarification, I wasn't told we couldn't have audio if we were on the other side but was told there was no guarantee, depending on what else is going on at the time.