GETTING SMASHED

San Francisco to Bars: Less Alcohol, Please, Come Super Bowl

The city is desperate to keep a lid on drunken game day shenanigans

Jan 27, 2013 by Dain Fitzgerald

Staff Writer t

San Francisco's powers that be are telling the city's bars that they oughta, ya know, maybe tamp down on the Super Bowl revelry by ditching hard alcohol and keeping tabs, so to speak, on their drunken patrons.

With the city's own 49ers slated to play in just over a week, it's an obvious concern, especially given last year's mayhem following the Giants' World Series win that saw 23 felony arrests and a city bus torched.

"I suggest they serve something (other) than heavy alcohol during the times of celebration [assuming there is one]," said SF mayor Ed Lee. "We want the city to be both celebratory and safe for everyone."

As CBS reports, San Francisco wants to make an especially good impression this year, because it's in the running to host the 2016 Super Bowl.

"We want to show the nation that our fans are high class and that we won't tear down the city," said one police spokesman.

Via CBS.

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Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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Make the bars sell medical marijuana instead...
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Jan '13

Real4WheelDrv

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That might backfire, they'd get the munchies and start ordering even more pretzels and hot wings, and drink even more beer to wash it down :)
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Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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@Real4WheelDrv You protest too much. I'm begining to sense a theme in your last three vote ups. :)_~~
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Jan '13

Real4WheelDrv

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@PoliticalSpice Meh you and I might disagree more often than not, but I appreciate your lighthearted side. :)
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Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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@Real4WheelDrv When we, as a soceity, lose the ability to laugh about our differences, the shooting won't be far behind...
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Jan '13

Real4WheelDrv

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@PoliticalSpice Unfortunately with every day that goes by it becomes more and more likely, and not just here but everywhere. Humans as a whole seem to be getting meaner etc. I'm not one that believes the Earth has a consciousness but I don't think it's a stretch to say that it's a living thing capable of defending itself...maybe it's triggering something in us so that we wipe each other out and stop hurting it.
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Jan '13

Real4WheelDrv

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lol right, I constantly hear sports analyst say that every city is a "great sports town" until something bad happens Somewhere along the line there was a disconnect between a fan cheering for a team and getting caught up in mob mentality. Much as I would love to see my Tigers or Lions win it all...you wouldn't ever see me actually AT the events, especially if they were hosted in Detroit...and I honestly feel bad for feeling that way.
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Jan '13

Rocker

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In my younger days I've been in various states of inebriated and high. But I don't recall maliciously engaging in deliberate law breaking, riots, vandalism, or destructive nature. I mean, that is what it is, breaking the law with an intent.
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Jan '13

stepped_in_it

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For San Fran.....serve fruit smoothies and (legalized) marijuana. I have seen many "beercules" and violent alcohol related fights in my lifetime to realize that excessive drinking, no matter what type alcohol, leads to some sort of violence 50% of the time (or so). Has anyone, EVER, seen a (purely nature) pot smoker ever....ever get violent? How about one that OD'd?
And, by the way, what stops the purchase of excessive alcohol at the local grocery/liquor store? Not a darn thing!
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Jan '13

Real4WheelDrv

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I have, twice, but I tend to believe that the guys involved were just more aggresive than most.
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Jan '13

stepped_in_it

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@Real4WheelDrv They were on (pure) MJ? Or was there a little alcohol involved or something "laced" in the pot? I haven't smoked pot in a long time (and sometimes do miss it), but, back in "the" day when smoking just weed we were more hungry and social than when other things were involved...
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Post @stepped_in_it
Jan '13

Real4WheelDrv

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@stepped_in_it knowing how they used to be there was more than likely beer too, but I know of at least once when there was no beer around.
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Jan '13

woodtick57

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@Real4WheelDrv

yeah, me too..but those guys would have fought an oak tree sober of they thought one of its leaves fell the wrong way...
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Jan '13

Thunderchicken

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http://www.youtube.com/watch...
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Jan '13

jessejaymes

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When the Los Angeles Lakers won a title there were riots. Not by any fans in Staples. They were afraid to go outside and holed up for a few hours. It was Mexican gangs that all live nearby the Arena and like idiots Staples had put monster big screen TV's outside the arena. Great plan there. Staples is right off the freeway and 300 yards away starts a massive barrio of mostly illegals and their gang banging kids. Security tended to keep them away from Staples until of course about a thousand of them all came "to watch the clinching game on the big screens". What happened next was predictable. Invite gangstas to your party and they will ruin it. Every damn time.
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Jan '13

stepped_in_it

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Yeah, Staples was a bad area.....don't ever make a wrong turn, unlock your doors or stop for anything! Last time I went there it was The Fabulous Forum.....during the "showtime" era......now that was fun!
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Post @stepped_in_it
Jan '13

jessejaymes

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@stepped_in_it The forum was in Inglewood, again, right off a freeway. There was some bad boys in that area as well but they weren't as violence prone back then as they are now. They tended to prey on each other more than anyone else. I love the Forum. A couple of years the wife and i had "Senate Seats". 21st row, slightly off center. Got those seats for 11,000.00 a year each and they were for every single event in the year. More than 220 events. We would go the Laker games we wanted to see, go the concerts we wanted to see and sell off the seats through broker scalpers (which was totally legal) for everything else including the Ice Hockey Kings and it never cost us a dime for those seats. Once we got a call from a broker who offered us 2,000 a seat for a NBA finals game. We said no,went to the game. We'd already made our money back the previous year so no way was I worried. Then staples opened. Same exact seats would be 23,000.00 each per year and ONLY for Laker games. Right. See ya.
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Jan '13

woodtick57

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Well, let me just tell what has happenend all the time the MN Vikings have won the Superbowl....
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Jan '13

jessejaymes

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All 4 times huh?
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Jan '13

woodtick57

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@jessejaymes

Not so much...

But when the Twins won the series, well boy, there were some pretty fiesty tuna-noodle hotdish suppers in the basements of some of the more progressive Lutheran churches, donchya know.....yah.
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Post @woodtick57
Jan '13

texas_cutie75

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I don't about y'all, but we have game parties/bbq's. For what we spend in bar tabs and appetizers, I'd rather hang at home, in a super comfortable home in front of a huge TV with my friends. No DWI, no ginormous bar tab, drinks made to my standard (bartender in college).

If San Franscisco is worried about rioting... bars arent the only place to get hard liqour.
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Jan '13

jessejaymes

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You have to understand the layout, the people and the mood of San Francisco. They are a drinking city. They do some serious bar action. I bet I have never been anywhere in this world that has more readily available places within such a small area to drink. SF really isn't all that big in territory. They build UP but not out so much. Limited space. Tons of people in a small area. And they drink.
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Jan '13

texas_cutie75

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@jessejaymes

I live in San Antonio, huge drinking city. Close to Austin (need I say it). Bars should always keep an eye on their patrons, but limiting hard liqour?? Hmmm
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Post @texas_cutie75
Jan '13

jessejaymes

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@texas_cutie75 The bars are not going to limit people during the super bowl. That's a rare bonus sales day. Won't happen. The City is blowing smoke. Just CYA.
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Jan '13

texas_cutie75

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@jessejaymes
Aaahhh
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Jan '13

TheJimmy

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When I think of football towns San Francisco never comes to mind so I really don't see partying and general fan craziness being much of an issue in the City by the Bay. A real football town doesn't even bother to issue warnings like this because it would get laughed at.
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Jan '13

Chromalord

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If its really THAT serious of a problem, then close the bars down on Sunday from 6-10. What's four hours in the grand scheme of things?
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Jan '13

jessejaymes

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Millions of dollars.
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Jan '13

woodtick57

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@jessejaymes

Just in the tax revenue...
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Jan '13

jessejaymes

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@woodtick57 Follow the money, always follow the money
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Jan '13

Chromalord

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@jessejaymes Yeah, but so what? Millions of $ in San Fran is nothing. 4 hours is just 4 hours. They'd do that much damage if they rioted again, and driving drunk could kill someone. It would cost the city tons of money to put extra cops all around, money for road checks, money for arrests, processing and court costs. So is shutting the bars down a few hours such a big deal?
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Jan '13

jessejaymes

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@Chromalord You're talking logic and I'm talking reality. What are you going to do? Put a breathalyzer in every bar in SF? Have to blow before served another drink? Those bar owners are going to pour another drink is exactly what they are going to do. It means the difference in a good quarter and a bad quarter, a bad quarter and a great quarter. You have to be old enough to acknowledge American greed and excess. This knows no politial party. it is what it is. You should know that.
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Jan '13

RobertJHarsh

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Watching drunk fans trash the city is way more fun that the rigged game where the winner is determined in advance. In fact, if there were a PPV for the drunk fans trashing the place, I'd pay.
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Jan '13

woodtick57

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so wouldn't the MSM then rig it so the Niners win? no one is gonna riot in New England.
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Jan '13

woodtick57

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@woodtick57

Which brings up the question of why some cities lose it when their teams win, and others have a nice parade or something....What's up with that? and the Frisco (yeah, i know that hate that name..) city people think it is the bars and the alcohol? they seem to be missing the bigger picture...
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Jan '13

RobertJHarsh

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@woodtick57 Yeah...New England are a pack of spineless libs. That would be a waste to even watch....except for the commercials. What I need to invent is a receiver that just records the game's commercials, instead of the game itself.
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Jan '13

woodtick57

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@RobertJHarsh

and San Fran is a hotbed for conservatism? I think there might be a hole in your logic, but with all the semi's pouring through it, I can't really see....
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Jan '13

RobertJHarsh

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@woodtick57 I never said that. But I do like watching idiot sports fans rioting and trashing the city...as long as it ain't the city I am in. :)
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Jan '13

culinary

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Ummmm....a bar that doesn't serve liquor? On super bowl Sunday????
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Jan '13

Kellso

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What the HELL is wrong with a bunch of idiots that want to tear up and destroy property just because they saw a SPORTS EVENT??????
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Jan '13

stepped_in_it

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Because FAN is short for FANatic (and I know you already know that). And it's the fanatic that straps bombs to their butts and blow up things....so basically, fans are sports terrorists.....with beerbombs strapped to their butts.....lol
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Post @stepped_in_it
Jan '13

Buzzfriendly

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Make keeping score illegal. After all we are winners if we play fair.
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Jan '13

stepped_in_it

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and do away with the timer......let 'em play till they drop.....lmao
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Jan '13

Jack-Black

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@stepped_in_it At halftime they can hand out juice boxes.
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Jan '13

Libertyiskey

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I don't understand rioting after your team wins. When the Saints won the Super Bowl for the first an most likely only time my city of New Orleans didn't riot, we partied. Sure maybe 3 people died but that's an average night down there unfortunately..
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Jan '13

harold_lloyd

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It's not so much about alcohol as it is about hooliganism.

Lots of police presence to quickly arrest and remove from the streets those who breach the peace might be the answer.

Then charge them with felonies, like inciting a riot.

Even if they don't get convictions, having to hire a lawyer, post bail, and go through a trial will serve as a lesson that the next bunch of idiots may understand.
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Jan '13

Sabio

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ban thugs from entering area, national guard on site with "shoot on site" orders, make it the real America like obama wants.
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Jan '13

NormalFlora

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Get the water cannons, tear gas, vomiting agent, rubber bullets etc ready and let these vandals know there will be zero tolerance for rioting and arson, WHATEVER the reason!!
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Jan '13

Sabio

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as you can see from the picture, we ALL know who causes the chaos and violence, yet the liberal lovey dovey crowd has made it impossible to narrow down on these criminals without fear of prosecution from "racial discrimination" lawsuits!
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Jan '13

John_Matrix

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Football fans high class.... Thanks for the laugh.
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Jan '13

Denizen_Kate

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That's expectng too much of bar owners and bartenders. They aren't the police. Grown adults should be responsible for themselves.
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What should cities do to better prepare for possible riots?