Wonder what the issue is

During the fourth quarter of last weekend's Saints-Falcons game, I biked over to Tracey's so I could catch the end of an exciting game with some friendly company. As I've noted before, it's a great place to be during a game. Good food, good drinks, and a big big game day crowd that often spills out onto the sidewalk and into the street.

Being a Saints-Falcons crowd, the folks were particularly rowdy on this Sunday. I could hear them shouting from as far away as Prytania Street. I was in the bar by the time the Saints kicked the winning field goal, but I wouldn't be surprised if the resulting cheer was audible from further away. Whoever runs the sound there is savvy enough to play Rebirth's version of Casanova whenever the Saints win (which is what they do in the Superdome under such circumstances) and the people in the bar did that thing white people do when they hear this music which is pick up napkins and wave them about as they second line around the room. And then that quickly moved outside and into the street and probably would have gone further had the marchers not been halted by the sudden realization that they had no band with them. Somebody had fireworks for some random reason and started setting them off. It was quite the scene.

I can't help but wonder if any of this raucousness could be heard just around the corner on Jackson Avenue in front of the Finger Lick'n Wings where the neighbors are trying to deny the owner a liquor license.

Concerns about what neighbors described as repeated disruptive block parties at a Jackson Avenue chicken wings restaurant led the Coliseum Square Association to withhold its support for a liquor license at the establishment Monday night.

The owner of Finger Lick’n Wings, Marlon Horton, has said that he originally envisioned his competition for customers as small sandwich shops in the neighborhood, but discovered that many customers prefer takeout orders or delivery because he cannot sell alcohol with his food. On game days, “it’s like crickets” in his restaurant, because sports fans are all at restaurants like WOW Cafe and Wingery that can sell alcohol.

Horton extolled the good behavior of his business, noting its well-kept storefront and dedication to fighting litter, but many neighbors complain that he has frequently held large parties that consume all of Jackson Avenue. Horton replied that his local fame as bounce artist 10th Ward Buck means that any event at his store draws a large crowd, but said he was willing to sign a good-neighbor agreement to stop having any parties.

With all the commotion going on just around the way at Tracey's (where they also serve chicken wings, by the way), you'd think the folks would be welcoming of the festive atmosphere. But for some reason they're not so excited. Why is that?