“We were all there for the same reason.”  

At Smooth’s Sports Bar & Grille last night, I sat across the dim table from John Van Blom and wife Joan at the restaurant’s 20th birthday celebration.  Legendary local rowers both, the Van Bloms told me tales of the Olympics.  John qualified for four – count ‘em, four – of them (though he competed in three due to the American boycott of the 1980 Moscow games).

It was amazing, he said, that so many people from such diverse backgrounds found themselves in the same place with one unifying thing in common: they were the best in the world at what they did.  Politics, war, economy – these things took a backseat to competition, and the will to win.  In the end, he said, we were all the same.

“I can imagine,” I said, from the only role that I could possibly play when it comes to the Olympics – as an outsider.

This was the scene at Smooth’s, celebrating its 20th year on Pine Street by assembling an impressive cast of city figures and athletes.  The best athletes, in fact, nearly all of whom hung somewhere on the restaurant’s walls.  Owner John Morris unveiled boatloads of pictures, jerseys and other memorabilia to mark the occasion and saw to it that those honored in his restaurant/shrine were also in attendance.

The official list of athletes – nearly all of them members of a local Hall of Fame, if not several – on the laminated cheat sheets being passed around numbered over 300.  (I won’t list names because (1) name-dropping is a cheap way to increase word count, (2) I don’t want to leave anyone out and (3) there were just too many to list here – you should really go to Smooth’s and see for yourself)

Over 300 athletes.  Many of them born, raised and praised for their athletic achievements within city limits, representing every sport you can think of.  Some excelled as amateurs, many as professionals and a handful became stars – winning both championships and medals.

All there for the same reason.

The pictures were there before, adorning each wall of Smooth’s and providing a flashback to the glory days of Long Beach’s brightest stars.  But walk into the restaurant today and notice the dozens of autographed jerseys hanging from the ceiling like icicles.  A “checkered flag corner” adorned with five encased racing suits from the best of the best.  And of course there’s the Bobby Rahal Indy Car looming overhead.

You couldn’t order a draught without bumping into an Olympic medal winner, national champion or distinguished pro.  They gathered in bunches, told tales and laughed too loud – diverse athletes with a wide range of accomplishments, but a unifying connection and mutual respect as athletes.

In the end, all the same.