scottcatchot
Green Belt
That's good. Well, it seems like you are still enjoying the bouncing, thats good. Stay safe.
Bouncing
- Thread starter INDYFIGHTER
- Start date
OP
OP
INDYFIGHTER
Purple Belt
scottcatchot said:
I was sweating it thinking I would be fired Saturday night but he came in sober Saturday night and apologized to me. We did a shot together and all was cool. He even complimented me on 'taking him out'.
I had another guy I threw out Thursday night come in Saturday night and shake my hand and apologize too!
Most people realize when the sober up that they were probably wrong. It's always funny to see them the next weekend. As long as you don't take it personal or make it personal they'll come back and spend more money.
OP
OP
INDYFIGHTER
Purple Belt
scottcatchot said:
Thanks, I will!
OP
OP
INDYFIGHTER
Purple Belt
Last Saturday night we were packed in the front room and dead in the back room. I had two guys working the back and three guys working the front. I was floating from front to back looking for people needing cut off. I got called to the front door because a group had just came in and were rough housing at the front end of the bar. I walked up on two guys with each other in head locks pushing everyone around them around. I stopped them and explained they weren't at the gym and to settle down a little. It was a bachalor part of about twelve, all pretty thick guys but non too tall. After I talked to them they split up and most of them headed back by the side door. I followed. Again these guys started tackleing each other onto the pool table and throwing punches at each other. It wasn't untill they almost knocked over a waitress that I said something again. This time I got heated, told them to take that **** somewhere else or settle down! They agreed. Few minutes later as I'm thinking of going to get our LEO one of the guys jumps on his buddies back at a table. That guy stands up and another guy comes over and gets him in a headlock. Now all three of these guys are locked up and pushing each other all over the floor near a waitress station. I snapped a little and with a few shoves I had pushed them to the side door before they realized I wasn't another friend just horsing around. The side door opens up into a entry way maybe five feet by five feet with another door on the left to get out on the sidewalk. As I pushed these three in there my side door bouncer slipped in there with me. I had earlier brought back another guy from the front door but he must have walked away for a minute cause he was nowhere to be found. So here I am with one other bounce no bigger than I (I'm not very big) and three corn fed boys wanting back in the bar. I'm pointing at the door telling them to leave when I realize one of their sober friends has slipped behind us blocking us in and blocking out my other bouncer I had called back. He's telling him it's alright and they don't want any trouble. Suddenly I see him get pushed aside by our 6'7'' bartender who used to be head of security at several bars. He's reaching for the neck of the guy behind us and I know he's going to bring him our way so I grap the arm of the guy closest to the door and pull him in front of me and push him out. The bouncer in the hole with me grabs the next and does the same. I get a hold of the last guy just as the bartender is pushing the guy he has by the neck through and we all go fileing out on the street. Coming out the door the first guy I had pushed was coming back at me and I gave him another good shove back. Right then I get pushed from behind hard into the street and as my head comes back down I hit the break away mirror on a parked suv and fold it flat with the top of my head. Catching my self in mid step I turn around. All I can see is the bartender going down on his knees with a guy on his back and their guys are everywhere. The guy that pushed me is closest to me standing on the edge of the sidewalk with his hands down and head out like a speedbag waiting for me to say something I guess. I took a step with me left, hinged my right leg around and at the same time caught this guy with the hardest right hook I've ever thrown without a glove on. Hit sold on the cheek bone and turned the guy all the way around. As I'm enjoying the moment I get immediately tackled from the right side at the waist and go down on my back. The guy who tackled me lands at my feet and gets three good kicks to the head and shoulders before he rolls away and I get back to my feet. By then the bartender is up and looking for more, I'm up, the rest of my crew are coming out the door and the LEO is there shoving guys in the street. I look around and find the guy I hit, red faced, being held back by friends and screaming he's going to kill me. They moved on to the next bar and we went on with the night. My hand was swollen for two days and my elbow got skinned up on the sidewalk. The rest of the night I told the guys to go in two's to take out the trash incase they came looking for revenge. The bouncer who hesitated to move the guy behind us knew he'd screwed up and felt really bad. He's a big guy but he's only 21 and still not sure of himself yet. Next time I think he'll be where I need him. I should have gotten the LEO like I was thinking at the time. I should have been looking for the next guy after I threw that punch. Actually I should have realized their friends would be coming out after them and never got pushed to begin with. It's easy to get tunnel vision when your adrinalin is pumping. It could have been alot worse too. I could have easily been stabbed. We had a meeting after work and talked about things and I think we all learned some valuable lessons.
OP
OP
INDYFIGHTER
Purple Belt
Friday night we cut this guy off and he got another drink from his buddy. We made him leave but he got back in and got another drink. As I'm walking him out the second time he goes to sit down and when I tell him to keep heading towards the door he turns around (pretty drunk mind you) and grabs my adams apple!!! I straight armed him in the solar plex which cleared his hold and then imediately returned the favor buy grabbing his right wrist (the one that he grabbed me with) and going for the choke with the other hand. I locked his arm out and dug my thumb under his ear and he turned his head and grimmised so I knew I had him. I used the leverage I had from his arm to swing him around so his back was to the door and moved him across the room. After a few failed attempts to push him out the door, each resulting in his being slammed against the door frame I got him lined up and managed to get the door push bar with my hip and out onto the side walk he went. The guy came back later and opoligized to me and said what he'd done was really stupid. I asked him what he thought the result would be of grabbing a employee by the throat and he didn't have an answer. He knows now. :burp:
OP
OP
INDYFIGHTER
Purple Belt
Been a while since I told any bouncing stories but I think this is one I should tell.
New Years Eve was not a good night for my security staff. The action started shortly after midnight. I had a patron who was wrestling with a friend attempt to push me after I asked him to stop. Quick pop to the shoulder and spin and I put the guy in a three-point head lock. Unfortunately, as I tried to walk him to the door, he managed to knock me off balance and I fell to my back with him still in the choke. Not the best place to be but I still had control. I wrapped my legs and waited for the Calvery. Seconds later help came and grabbed the guys ankles and pulled him off me allowing me to stand and get the shoulders of his shirt and we carried him out like a sack of potatoes.
Later that night with about twenty minutes to go before close, five minutes til last call, I was taking pictures of some of my security staff when some drunk dude steps in front of my camara and poses just as I was taking the picture. We laughed it off and asked the guy to step aside and let us take some 'employee pics'. The guy persisted and tried to step in my way again. I put my camera up and confronted the guy. It's obvious he's waisted and he was pretty non responsive when I started talking to him. Any other night I'd have cut him off right then and kicked him out. However, it was New Years, and we had had a long night and plenty of excitement already. Knowing last call was five minutes away I asked him to step back to the bar for last call and told him we'd be closing soon. I told the bartender not to serve him anymore (he had a beer anyway) and went back to taking pictures. Ready, set, cheese, here he comes again! So again I put my camera away and this time I ask him to leave. Another doorman steps up and gives me some support. He's not responding, trying to step back up to the bar and 'get away'. My co-worker steps up and put a hand on the guys shoulder to turn him towards the door and the guy smacks his hand away and tries to tackle me but I didn't fall so he ends up with his right arm around my waiste and starts throwing completely ineffective body shots to my right rib cage with his other hand. The moment he got a hold of me two of my co-workers had a hold of him. Pulling at his waiste band they and I start walking towards the door. The guy stops throwing the body shots and just goes to latching on to me for dear life. Having experienced this before I know that once at the door they are going to push him out and if he still has a hold on me I'm going too so I really wanted to get this guy off me first. All I can see is the top of his head barried against my chest and the door is coming fast so even though my first instinct when drawing back was to throw a fist I had sense enough to open up my hand and smack the guy four, maybe five times in the top of the head/forehead region but it had no effect on his hold. There's the door and I get pushed through with him. As we go out I'm peeled off and the guy lands face down on the sidewalk and I stumble over his feet before I hit the ground and pop back up and turn around. Turn around and I see my guys helping one of our guys off the top of the drunk dude and I go over and tell my guys to go inside. As I close the door the guy looks up at me and I see his face. There's a little blood coming from his nose but other than that he just looks drunk. I figured his nose hit the sidewalk and I went inside.
Two days later I find out the guy had the veneers knocked off his front teeth and is saying we jumped him on the sidewalk outside the bar. :shrug: Says we never asked him to leave or even escorted him out. He's sueing our bar. After going through a internal review my employeer determined we were not at fault. I've had to make statements to two insurance companies and may end up testifying in court.
Since then I've been a lot more prone to go get our LEO and have him stand by as I talk to patrons. It's funny, six guys in security shirts with mag lites doesn't scare some guys but on guy with a badge and taser goes a long ways! I've also started a policy that we will write reports anytime there is a major altercation or someone has to be physically removed from the bar, with dates, times, and witnesses. The owners also changed our policy on cutting people off. Before we could cut someone off and not kick them out. Trouble with that is now you have to watch this guy like a two year old kid and make sure no ones slipping him drinks or essentially you must baby sit the drunk. No more, now if you can't drink, you can't stay. Another good thing that came out of this is that I've noticed our bartenders stepping up and cuttting more patrons off before they get 'waisted'.
I feel sorry for this guy because I know he probably don't remember any of it. He woke up with a hang over needing dental work and can't remember why and I'm sure that really sucks. But people must maintain themselves. By alowing himself to get in that state and putting us in a position where we have to physical remove him he put himself in a dangerous position. It takes two seconds to fall and hit your head on a sharp table corner or chair leg. Could of just as easily been my teeth laying in the sidewalk and bet you my employer wouldn't be buying me a new set. These are the things that can happen when you don't play nice.
New Years Eve was not a good night for my security staff. The action started shortly after midnight. I had a patron who was wrestling with a friend attempt to push me after I asked him to stop. Quick pop to the shoulder and spin and I put the guy in a three-point head lock. Unfortunately, as I tried to walk him to the door, he managed to knock me off balance and I fell to my back with him still in the choke. Not the best place to be but I still had control. I wrapped my legs and waited for the Calvery. Seconds later help came and grabbed the guys ankles and pulled him off me allowing me to stand and get the shoulders of his shirt and we carried him out like a sack of potatoes.
Later that night with about twenty minutes to go before close, five minutes til last call, I was taking pictures of some of my security staff when some drunk dude steps in front of my camara and poses just as I was taking the picture. We laughed it off and asked the guy to step aside and let us take some 'employee pics'. The guy persisted and tried to step in my way again. I put my camera up and confronted the guy. It's obvious he's waisted and he was pretty non responsive when I started talking to him. Any other night I'd have cut him off right then and kicked him out. However, it was New Years, and we had had a long night and plenty of excitement already. Knowing last call was five minutes away I asked him to step back to the bar for last call and told him we'd be closing soon. I told the bartender not to serve him anymore (he had a beer anyway) and went back to taking pictures. Ready, set, cheese, here he comes again! So again I put my camera away and this time I ask him to leave. Another doorman steps up and gives me some support. He's not responding, trying to step back up to the bar and 'get away'. My co-worker steps up and put a hand on the guys shoulder to turn him towards the door and the guy smacks his hand away and tries to tackle me but I didn't fall so he ends up with his right arm around my waiste and starts throwing completely ineffective body shots to my right rib cage with his other hand. The moment he got a hold of me two of my co-workers had a hold of him. Pulling at his waiste band they and I start walking towards the door. The guy stops throwing the body shots and just goes to latching on to me for dear life. Having experienced this before I know that once at the door they are going to push him out and if he still has a hold on me I'm going too so I really wanted to get this guy off me first. All I can see is the top of his head barried against my chest and the door is coming fast so even though my first instinct when drawing back was to throw a fist I had sense enough to open up my hand and smack the guy four, maybe five times in the top of the head/forehead region but it had no effect on his hold. There's the door and I get pushed through with him. As we go out I'm peeled off and the guy lands face down on the sidewalk and I stumble over his feet before I hit the ground and pop back up and turn around. Turn around and I see my guys helping one of our guys off the top of the drunk dude and I go over and tell my guys to go inside. As I close the door the guy looks up at me and I see his face. There's a little blood coming from his nose but other than that he just looks drunk. I figured his nose hit the sidewalk and I went inside.
Two days later I find out the guy had the veneers knocked off his front teeth and is saying we jumped him on the sidewalk outside the bar. :shrug: Says we never asked him to leave or even escorted him out. He's sueing our bar. After going through a internal review my employeer determined we were not at fault. I've had to make statements to two insurance companies and may end up testifying in court.
Since then I've been a lot more prone to go get our LEO and have him stand by as I talk to patrons. It's funny, six guys in security shirts with mag lites doesn't scare some guys but on guy with a badge and taser goes a long ways! I've also started a policy that we will write reports anytime there is a major altercation or someone has to be physically removed from the bar, with dates, times, and witnesses. The owners also changed our policy on cutting people off. Before we could cut someone off and not kick them out. Trouble with that is now you have to watch this guy like a two year old kid and make sure no ones slipping him drinks or essentially you must baby sit the drunk. No more, now if you can't drink, you can't stay. Another good thing that came out of this is that I've noticed our bartenders stepping up and cuttting more patrons off before they get 'waisted'.
I feel sorry for this guy because I know he probably don't remember any of it. He woke up with a hang over needing dental work and can't remember why and I'm sure that really sucks. But people must maintain themselves. By alowing himself to get in that state and putting us in a position where we have to physical remove him he put himself in a dangerous position. It takes two seconds to fall and hit your head on a sharp table corner or chair leg. Could of just as easily been my teeth laying in the sidewalk and bet you my employer wouldn't be buying me a new set. These are the things that can happen when you don't play nice.
OP
OP
INDYFIGHTER
Purple Belt
It's been awhile since I talked about bouncing. I think I'm quiting soon. But I'll get to that in a minute. The guy who got his teeth messed up on New Years last year still has a law suit pending against the bar but I haven't heard anymore about it in months. Since then we've gotten very serious about security and everythings been pretty good. They've hired better quality bouncers and the new crew is a tight group who watches each others backs. We had a rash of incidents in the last few months. I had one guy arrested for assulting me (trying to anyways) outside the bar. A few weeks later I had another guy take a swing at me inside the bar. I think the problem is I'm finally starting to get noticed. I've been bouncing there for three years, head bouncer for a year and a half and up till now stayed pretty much low key but in the last six months it's like there's been a target on me that says "Screw with this guy!". Right now I still need the extra money and the deversion from spending my money somewhere else on the weekends but I think I'll be in a position to let it go after this winter.
Over the last three years I've tossed out and pissed off so many people that I could never remember them all. Every weekend I walk in there and scan to see who's looking at me wrong. When it's busy I walk through the crowd scanning ahead for people scanning ahead for me.
It's been a great experiance but I think it's time to count my blessingings and get out.
Over the last three years I've tossed out and pissed off so many people that I could never remember them all. Every weekend I walk in there and scan to see who's looking at me wrong. When it's busy I walk through the crowd scanning ahead for people scanning ahead for me.
It's been a great experiance but I think it's time to count my blessingings and get out.
OP
OP
INDYFIGHTER
Purple Belt
Lol. Yeah, that'd about do for me as well! Lucily I've never seen a piece in our bar but that sure don't mean their not there. Few weeks ago we threw a guy out and afterwards some random girl came up and told me he was packing that night, that also made me stop and think.
I was lucky, I never had a gun pulled when I was bouncing. We did have a gun pulled at one of our band practices, which made for an interesting night.
Ditto...
OP
OP
INDYFIGHTER
Purple Belt
Man what a difference it can make to have a little help. Since I decided to leave the bar the question has become who is to replace me. There are two canidates for the head bouncer position and they couldn't be more oppisite. I'm friends with them both however they don't really mix well together. They both began to hound me for a recomendation for the job as soon as I said I was leaving. My solution to this and the only way I could finish out the next cople months in relative peace was to switch things up. Up till now I've always worked the floor looking for drunks and trouble makers. The rest of the guys are stationed at doors and waitress stations at the two bars. They are spread out so that they are in each others line of site, usually propped up on a tall stool to see over the crowd.
Starting last weekend I took these two bouncers aside and told them both what a great job they'd done and that I wanted them to work together to run the floor until I leave and that all I wanted to do until then was give advise and check ID's at the door. I also stressed that this wasn't a contest to see who could eject the most patrons and that I was looking more at the little things like covering doors while guys took their trash out.
All of a sudden they're taking trash out without being asked, cutting people off and escorting them out when needed and most importantly working together. When I got to work this weekend the trash cans were all placed and the staff chairs were all set and marked. I wish I had said I was leaving months ago!
I have to give these guys credit too, I'm leaving the best crew of bouncers I've seen in the three years I've worked there. I've been left hanging out to dry by weak bouncers and there's no worse feeling than to know your on your own and there's a lot of comfort knowing that you have back up.
Starting last weekend I took these two bouncers aside and told them both what a great job they'd done and that I wanted them to work together to run the floor until I leave and that all I wanted to do until then was give advise and check ID's at the door. I also stressed that this wasn't a contest to see who could eject the most patrons and that I was looking more at the little things like covering doors while guys took their trash out.
All of a sudden they're taking trash out without being asked, cutting people off and escorting them out when needed and most importantly working together. When I got to work this weekend the trash cans were all placed and the staff chairs were all set and marked. I wish I had said I was leaving months ago!
I have to give these guys credit too, I'm leaving the best crew of bouncers I've seen in the three years I've worked there. I've been left hanging out to dry by weak bouncers and there's no worse feeling than to know your on your own and there's a lot of comfort knowing that you have back up.
How well I know THAT feeling...I bumped into the college student that replaced me a year or so after I left..He asked me " How the hell did you do it?" I worked 6 days a week and took Sundays off..He was ready to quit by the end of the 2 nd month...I told him its a calling...
OP
OP
INDYFIGHTER
Purple Belt
This is probably my last post in this thread. Put in my two weeks notice at the bar, the 12th of March will be my final night. I've had a great time and learned more then I ever thought I would bouncing. I am however extremely happy to be leaving. I'll be happy to have my weekends back and I'll be glad to slow down a little. Plan on spending my weekends riding my motorcycles instead of staring at them parked next to the door of the bar while I check ID's.
Only parting advise to those who are new to or interested in bouncing would be to watch your back, watch the other bouncers backs and make sure they are watching yours.
Oh, and try to stay more sober then the patrons! :burp:
Only parting advise to those who are new to or interested in bouncing would be to watch your back, watch the other bouncers backs and make sure they are watching yours.
Oh, and try to stay more sober then the patrons! :burp:
OP
OP
INDYFIGHTER
Purple Belt
Ok, one more. There's something I must admit and it may be controversial but I feel it neccassary to say it. I miss the job. I miss the fun and the people but there's something else I miss. I miss being put in a position on a regular basis where I COULDN'T back down. Basically I must admit that I miss having a good reason to put my hands on someone. lol On the street I avoid conflict like the plague. I'll laugh off rude comments and walk the other way. But in the bar I drew the line and when it was crossed I had a green flag to respond. I may go years now without ever having someone take another swing at me and in some way when I'm sitting at home now on a Friday night with my remote control in hand that makes me sad. lol
Before I worked at the bar I took this energy out through sparring at my school but when I worked at the bar I didn't need to spar anymore. So I'm going to get back into things again. Starting soon, training with a local instructor in Kali and Silat. I've had a little at my own school but this guy is on a different level and I'm looking forward to new challanges.
Before I worked at the bar I took this energy out through sparring at my school but when I worked at the bar I didn't need to spar anymore. So I'm going to get back into things again. Starting soon, training with a local instructor in Kali and Silat. I've had a little at my own school but this guy is on a different level and I'm looking forward to new challanges.
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