I spent the day of NFL week 1 at my local watering hole watching the NFL games with MightyBUCKS and another non-posting friend. The setting is called the Wedgewood and is at the corner of Powell and Sawmill on the Northwest side of Columbus. It is synonmous for being a Browns bar and it was a nice quiet place with a limited crowd (15-20 people) to watch the NFL games.
During the first games, we sat beside a table of Steeler fans. Mostly filled with women who all wore their Steeler jerseys. It was very apparent, they wanted to spent most of the time talking about their Gucci bags and irrelevant MTV shows than watching the game itself. I am not sure, if I saw them cheer once, I guess it is "hot" (as Paris Hilton would say) to wear Steeler clothing in the female community. Regardless, they were passive and they day was enjoyed by all so far. By the end of the first games, many people filtered out and mostly the Browns fans stayed to enjoy the 4:15 Browns/Cowboys game.
A little after 4:15 game start, an excessively loud and short man (about 5"6' at best) in a Black shirt entered with his extra extra large female significant other folowing. He walked beside our table mumbling some irrelevant snide Anti-Brown comments just to provoke. We looked at each other but ignored and watched the game. He continued on to walk to a small group of remaining Steeler fans and picked up their terrible towel. He directed some very loud rude comments and waved the towel in our table's general direction. Since we were wearing Browns wear, we were singled out. We didn't state any response and hoped that was the end of the comments and attitude.
The game progressed and when Dallas would perform a good play, his lone clapping was loud and abrasive comments would continuously repeat. "The Browns suck" he stated among other irrelvant antagonistic remarks. We sat quietly but we obviously were upset by the unnecessary arrogance. Knowing that any action wouldn't be the right thing thing to do, we did our best to ignore the comments and continue to enjoy the day as much as we could.
The comments kept escalating through the game as his confidence rose when the Browns continued to fall apart. At one point, he walked by our table and made some direct hooting and hollering almost forcing action between he and myself. But I decided to be the better person and keep things amicable and let him continue to push my buttons.
His return to his table at the front of the bar with his beer and extra extra large significant other. He then proudly proclamed some loud verbal conversation with us directly. We made some return harsh but comedic remarks in the line of "didn't we see you on To Catch a Predator" and "beating up hapless Houston doesn't get you in the Super bowl." Unbeknown to us, there were some other Browns fans sitting quietly around the bar that were more frustrated than we were at our table.
One man sat alone on the other side of the bar, he didn't wear Browns apparel and didn't make a sound the entire day. But he appeared to be a little frustrated by the brash fan as viewed by MightyBUCKS. He was in his 40's and dressed as business casual in shorts like a respectable family man.
As the game concluded, MightBUCKS, our friend and I sat waiting for some final comments as he paid up and proceeded to exit the bar. We were mentally preparing ourselves in case he wanted to escalate the ordeal the next level. But he walked out with little to say.
We joked about how we should get his license plate number and call 1-800-GRAB-DUI to get the best of him. So, as he and his extra extra large significant other exited, we noticed the quiet Browns fan already out in the parking lot walking beside him. We immediately assumed they knew each other and was confiding in some sort rivalry conversation.
I turned away but MightBUCKS suddenly adamantly stated "Their goin' at it!!". I looked out in the parking lot and they were taking swings and rolling in agression in the parking lot. MightyBUCKS and I rushed out the door to where the quiet Browns fan was taking out his frustrations on the little Steeler fan. The quiet Browns fan antagonizingly commented "I know now how NOT to raise my children." MightyBUCKS and I got in between to separate the two but the quiet Browns fan was highly interested in making him pay for his remarks almost giving MightyBUCKS and I much resistance.
The two circled the parked cars as the Browns fan persued the mouthy Steeler fan. The Steeler fan continued to keep talking and talking angering the Browns fan more. As we tried to separate the two, the extra extra large significant other was yelling at her short Steelers fanatic in what we would call "Jerry Springer" moment. She wasn't participating directly in the altercation but was tring to get him into the car so the madness would end.
As we separated the two assailants, an off-duty police officer came out and quieted the moment. He instructed me contact 911 and the police arrived in force (I equate this to a slow Sunday). Both waited for the police, gave their respective sides. MightyBUCKS and i gave our verbal assessment to the police officer. The police delivered both involved tickets (I forget those specifics) but ended up being a excting day for us.
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