Local Bar has plenty to brag about
Steve Rom
05/21/04
Our little gem of a town may be losing some of its shine. The secret is out, or at least it soon will be.
What's this all about?
Two words: "Cold Pizza."
That's ESPN2's seven-month-old answer to the "Today Show", or the "Early Show," or that morning show on the Los Angeles station with Carlos Amezcua, Sam Ruben and Jennifer York (my favorite).
This one has Kit "Wild and Unpredictable" Hoover, Thea "Gene Simmons Hit On Me During a Show" Andrews, Jay "Pretty Boy" Crawford, and Leslie "Former Olympian" Maxie.
As you can see from the nicknames -- only the first of which ESPN2 came up with -- the show is unique. It's also very popular.
Wednesday, it came to Flagstaff; Granny's Closet, specifically.
"Cold Pizza," which airs live from New York 7-9 a.m. Eastern and offers a "unique blend of sports, pop culture, lifestyles and entertainment features," according to its Web site, will feature a series in about a month called "Best Sports Bars!"
A film crew and one of the show's producers is currently hopscotching the country, tasting the fruits of our nation's finest watering holes -- slash -- sports asylums.
Wednesday, with Granny's packed to the gills, a Game 7 NBA playoff contest between Sacramento and Minnesota and a thrilling Diamondbacks game on the big screens, "Cold Pizza" may have found itself a winner.
Patrons, most with mouths full of 20-cent chicken wings, were in rare form. Even with the pressure of the camera's heavy lights and the hard-ball questions of producer Britt Kahn.
The random interviews featured Jim Carrey-like banter at times, sophisticated discussion at others. One guy even felt like screaming. Or at least that's what he said on camera.
"I'm in heaven!" gushed 41-year-old Steve Easley, one of the first bargoers interviewed. "I love the TVs, the wonderful people, the locals, the visitors, everyone!"
The cold beer in Easley's hand and his buddies surrounding him may have had something to do with his gleefulness. Then again, maybe it was something else.
"I think it's the cameras," said the lively Kahn, who brought a list of questions to be asked, all of which will come into play during judging. "Everyone has their dreams of fame."
"Cold Pizza" has already made five stops along its journey to find the best sports bar in the country. Kahn said the segments will probably start airing without a final list.
The show's charismatic hosts, who disappointingly were absent Wednesday, will urge other sports bars to contact "Cold Pizza" for a possible visit from Kahn and Co.
Granny's, with its rich history and picturesque location, was a sure sell for the show. (It was discovered on the Internet by one of the show's producers.)
Cameraman Jim Farrell took great shots of Granny herself, the late Ermalinda Zanzucchi, from her adorable painting that hangs amidst the 30-year-old establishment's throng of decorations, from sports and historical pieces to precious Zanzucchi family heirlooms.
"We called it Granny's Closet because we found most of the pieces in her closet," said grandson and co-owner Jim Zanzucchi.
Jim said a representative of "Cold Pizza" called Granny's only on Monday. There was no panic, however, as the place is already a local landmark of sorts.
Some of its celebrity frequenters-- Mike Tyson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tommy Lasorda -- have autographed pictures on the wall. Also, Phoenix and local radio stations, as well as Fox Sports Arizona, have broadcast from Granny's during past Cardinals' training camps in town.
Nonetheless, balloons were immediately put up as they always are during "special occasions," according to one waitress. (Even the waitresses and bartenders were filmed, giving the event a Reality TV feel). Also, a trip for two to Las Vegas was handed out. Best of all, the price of wings was reduced by 10 cents.
And so, the secret will soon be out. "The best sports bar in Flagstaff," according to longtime patron Tricia Moore, a professor in NAU's dental program, will likely become a national phenomenon.
That could translate to bigger crowds and less parking spaces. I suppose I could live with that, as long as those wings stay dirt cheap.
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