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Fans taste greatness
By CHARLES GROVE
YOUNGSTOWN
While some Cavs fans in The Federal started running around, jumping up and down and hugging each other, bartender David Tabak said he still couldn’t quite believe it.
“Even though I looked at the score and saw there were nothing but zeroes on the clock, it still doesn’t feel like they won,” Tabak said in the West Federal Street sports bar. “I still don’t even believe it happened.”
For Ursuline High School sophomore Patrick Donofrio, nothing compares.
“This is the greatest feeling I’ve ever had,” Donofrio said. “Nothing is even a close second. I’m a through-and-through Cleveland sports fan and it’s always been so negative but this time it was finally positive.”
His sister Brigid, a recent Ursuline graduate, this is the cherry on top of an already memorable 2016.
“This whole year has been awesome and this top it off,” Brigid said. “I’m just so happy I got to see a Cleveland championship in my lifetime.”
As far as downtown bars were Sunday night, The Federal was the place to be. Despite the crowds not being quite as large as they were for Game 6, it was still a high-intensity atmosphere throughout the nail-biter.
“The crowd was larger Thursday,” Tabak said. “But I think that’s because the entire city went to Cleveland [tonight]. I had a group of 50-60 friends go up for the outdoor watch party.
“I don’t blame them though. If I wasn’t working I’d be right there too with them.”
So many people left or called off work, Tabak was one of just two bartenders catering to thirsty customers at The Federal.
“It was hectic, that’s for sure,” Tabak said.
Jona Ghossain, who had gone up to Cleveland for watch parties earlier in this series, decided not to for Game 7.
With the staggering amount of people it was simpler to make plans in Youngstown. “It was fun going to the watch parties for Cleveland but since it was outdoor you didn’t have any seats,” Ghossain said. “For one game, we tried to go meet a friend at a bar at halftime but when we got back they were at capacity. We couldn’t get back in. So we thought it was just easier to watch here.”
While some were watching very close to home, others Mahoning Valley locals were watching from other continents. Stephen Poullas, a student at Case Western participating in an international study tour, got with a group of friends and convinced a bar owner in Greece to remain open at 3 a.m. to show the game.
“We just went from bar to bar and eventually convinced somebody,” Poullas said. “When Kyrie [Irving] hit that shot, the place just exploded. We were going crazy then.
“And then when LeBron [James] went down on that drive, we thought he broke his wrist and were like, ‘The curse still lives.’
“But then when they finally won it, we went nuts at 5:40 in the morning,”
The victory provides a nice memory after a lifetime of heartbreak.
“I remember being 10 and seeing Michael Jordan hit The Shot,” Poullas said. “I remember the ‘97 World Series. To see this day was incredible. And it was neat seeing the sun rise right after the win.”
Back at The Federal, Patrick Donofrio was at a loss for words, but one thing is for sure.
“I’m going to parade. I don’t care how I get there,” he said.