The UT game was only available on pay-per-view this weekend and while I love the Vols, the thought of paying for the cable box plus an additional thirty plus bucks to watch the game at home, alone didn't sound that exciting to me. (Though I'm sure had I purchased the game, I'd have become immediately very popular among my UT friends). And even though I had several opportunities to purchase tickets at a good price to go, I wasn't able to go due to other commitments this weekend and not wanting to call my best friend the day of the game and impose upon he and his family's hospitality.
So, instead of purchase the game at home or going to God's House (Neyland Stadium), I decided to catch the game at a sports bar.
And wouldn't you know it? One has just opened up in Smyrna!
The new sports bar is called Sullivan's and it's off Sam Ridley. I don't know the exact road name, but it's the same shopping center as the new steak-house and the Sir Pizza. (It's right behind the Bob Parks building on Sam Ridley).
I stopped in Saturday afternoon and was informed yes, the game would be on. When I first walked in, I was impressed by Sullivan's. They have a good number of HD flat-panel TVs evenly distributed throught the bar. From where I sat Saturday evening, I could have at least two in my line of sight at all times, which in a sports-bar is a good thing. They also had a couple of pool tables and some dart boards. But I wasn't there to play games, I was there to watch the UT game.
Now, when I arrived, the game was supposed to start in about two minutes, but there were some issues with the feed. At one point, the manager told me that the game wouldn't be seen due to a paperwork snaffu on DirectTV's part and gave us the opportunity to go elsewhere. At this point, a few of the UT fans left, though I stayed. Why you ask? Well, I'd already ordered by burger and had a frosty adult beverage. I stayed, figuring I'd eat my food, watch the other games and then either go home and listen to the game on the radio or find somewhere else to hang out after half-time.
But I will give the management credit--they didn't let stop them. They were able to get the game about the start of the second quarter--or as I call it, when UT stopped playing around and got serious about playing some football. As a UT fan, I appreciate the extra mile the staff and management went to to get the game as promised. Definite points in the favor of Sullivans.
That said, getting my food took forever. Which at the time it seemed like a bad thing, but in the end was good. It kept me there long enough so that I could see the game. So, a negative turned into a positive.
The bar got progressively more crowded as the night went along. It's 21 and up only, so smoking is permited. My food was good, the service was nice and the prices were very reasonable. I noticed they have a ladies' night on Tuesday, karoke at various times during the week and the NFL Sunday Ticket package on Sundays.
So, if you're looking for a place to hang out and see your favorite team out of market, this might be somewhere to consider. I know if I don't get tickets to the game in two weeks, I'll be there again to watch the Vols.
Labels: tennessee football
posted by Michael Hickerson at 9/10/2007 09:45:00 AM |
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