Sixth At Sonny’s: So Sad And So Bad

For the first time during the 2010 NBA Finals I went to Sonny McLean’s to watch a series game between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics were leading the series three games to two and I was looking forward to celebrating an eighteenth Celtics championship with others at the New England bar, or at least watching a high caliber professional basketball game from the team I support. Neither happened.

My arrival at Sonny’s was three hours before the start of the basketball game. I knew the place would become crowded and I wanted to get a seat in a booth. Plus I could watch some of the Red Sox game against the Diamondbacks. Saw Wayne while waiting for the Red Sox game to begin, and I tried reading The Duel by Anton Chekhov, but the rock music that was playing and Sharon’s (only one working the bar at that time) constant checking to see if I needed anything made that rather difficult. Eventually I ordered the Shrimp Avocado salad, sans olives and with ranch on the side, and began watching the Red Sox. By that time a dozen more people had arrived, including the former owner, Jim, and he joined Wayne in the small area at the top of the staircase. I was joined at my table by several nurses who were relative newcomers to Sonny’s (first and second timers). The number of people entering Sonny’s had increased, as well as the corresponding noise level, which made conversation a futile endeavor. So just ate and watched the Red Sox take the lead against the Diamondbacks before all the televisions were switched to the NBA Finals pregame show.

Most of the faces in the bar were unfamiliar to me, though over the course of the evening I did see some familiar ones (the working - Jen, Lauren, Scooter, Mike and the watching – Tom, Hammy, Dave. Unfortunately, the same could not be said of the Boston Celtics. The way they played basketball tonight was unfamiliar and nothing familiar showed up during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Where were the Boston Celtics tonight? Definitely not in the Staples Center - perhaps still in transit from Boston? They had better arrive on Thursday night! I was expecting a great basketball game tonight – one where the score was close and the lead would go back and forth throughout. And of course, the eventual win for Boston. Instead, I and others, were subjected to a subpar performance that set a NBA postseason record – not the type of record the Celtics should be setting. The shooting was terrible, rebounding was intermittent, and free throwing was more miss than hit – those points should be automatic. There was cheering and clapping in Sonny’s during the first half of the game, but less so in the second half as the point differential became greater. First quarter – Boston 18, Los Angeles 28; second quarter – Boston 31, Los Angeles, 51; third quarter – Boston 51, Los Angeles 76; fourth quarter – Boston 67, Los Angeles 89.

Earlier, when I first arrived at Sonny’s, I heard a woman exclaim that “This feels like being back home!” She was commenting on the physical sports ambience of the bar, but I’m sure the result of this game did not give her the positive sports emotion of back home in New England. The series is tied at three games apiece and the seventh and deciding game will be played on Thursday. I won’t be back at Sonny’s for that game, as I’m going to a movie preview of “Anton Chekhov's The Duel” that night. But I will immediately use one of the current technological instruments, i.e. cell phone, to check the score at the end of the screening. I’ll be hoping to see a Boston Celtics championship! The one positive sports outcome of the night was the Boston Red Sox winning the first game of their three game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks, by a score of 6 to 3. New Englanders still have something about which to cheer. On Thursday they will want another.



Images:
Left: Boston Celtics logo (facebook.com)
Center: Sonny McLean’s logo (sonnymcleans.com)

Right: Los Angeles Lakers logo (facebook.com)

Ravenous Ravens Devour Pathetic Patriots

A nightmare of a morning at Sonny McLean's as a packed house witnessed the New England Patriots completely fall apart at the sure-football hands of the Baltimore Ravens. Unbelievably, for Pats fans, the game was decidedly over halfway through the first quarter. And the Pats continued to reinforce that fact throughout the remainder of the game. Excuse me - not game, rout. New England suffered its first home playoff loss since 1978 and it was a horrible way to end the streak with a score of 33 to 14.

All was not sadness at Sonny's on this last Sunday football game for the season. The former owner of Sonny McLean's, Jim, had returned to California after spending six weeks in Massachusetts. It was good to see his familiar face around the bar. Jim is not sure what he will do next, but he will be around here for awhile. Also returning from back East was Lisa who experienced the new high tables and chairs for the first time, which she liked. Additional rare faces in attendance were Caroline and another Lisa, who raffled off a signed Tom Brady jersey with the proceeds going to Hollywood HEART. After today's rout, the jersey is sure to have decreased in value! And speaking of raffle, I won a blue Patriots adjustable cap at halftime - my second (and last) raffle win of the season. A few weeks ago I won a throwback red T-shirt which had the name Boston Patriots on it. Guess there is some good fortune in my life.

There was lots of commiserating (among the less than packed crowd that remained until the last play) after the game. Now will have to put this horror of a season-ending game behind all of us. The Celtics and Bruins are still playing, but I am looking forward to when the Red Sox begin their season. Gave out a few Red Sox Box cards before leaving Sonny's. Not sure if I'll be back before baseball season begins, but I will be back to my favorite New England sports living bar!

Baltimore Ravens logo from team website.