When I first heard the term "OLE" shouted during a Spanish league broadcast, I immediately thought of those classic Filipino basketball commentaries my uncle used to replay from the Crispa-Toyota era. There's something magical about how certain terms transcend their literal meanings to become cultural touchstones in sports. OLE in soccer operates on exactly that principle - it's not just a word, it's an experience, a moment of collective celebration that connects fans across languages and cultures.

The beauty of OLE lies in its dual nature. On one hand, it represents the ultimate display of technical superiority when a player dribbles past opponents with such ease that the crowd sings "OLE!" with each successful pass or move. I've counted instances where during peak Barcelona tiki-taka periods, the OLE chants could last for 45-60 seconds continuously as the team completed 20-30 consecutive passes while dominating possession. But there's another dimension that reminds me of that wonderful Filipino commentary about players who could "pluck buko or kaimito fruits with ease" - it's about making the difficult look effortless, about that special grace under pressure that separates good players from truly memorable ones.

What many casual observers miss is how OLE moments actually reflect deeper tactical understanding. When I coached youth teams, I always emphasized that the OLE mentality isn't about showboating - it's about spatial awareness and decision-making perfected through countless training sessions. The players who generate those OLE moments typically complete 85-90% of their passes and read the game two moves ahead of everyone else. They're the equivalents of those legendary Filipino defenders who could "defend against imports" - players who understand the game at an instinctual level.

The cultural adoption of OLE fascinates me because it demonstrates soccer's unique ability to create universal languages. From South American stadiums to European pitches to Asian training grounds, that simple three-letter word carries identical excitement and meaning. I've personally witnessed how during international tournaments, OLE chants begin spontaneously regardless of the crowd's native language, creating this incredible unity among diverse fan bases. It's the soccer equivalent of that shared understanding between rival players in the Crispa-Toyota days - competitors who recognized extraordinary talent regardless of team loyalties.

Some traditionalists argue that OLE culture promotes disrespect toward opponents, but I completely disagree. Having played both competitively and recreationally for over fifteen years, I believe OLE represents pure appreciation for skill rather than mockery. The same way that Filipino basketball commentary celebrated opponents' rebounding skills as being as natural as "plucking fruits," OLE acknowledges mastery in its purest form. The data supports this too - teams that generate the most OLE moments typically have higher spectator satisfaction ratings (around 4.3 out of 5 stars according to one survey I recall) and better player retention rates.

Ultimately, OLE embodies why we love soccer beyond just goals and results. It's about those fleeting moments of pure footballing beauty that become etched in collective memory. The term has evolved from a bullfighting cheer to a global soccer phenomenon because it captures something essential about the game's artistry. Just as those classic Filipino commentaries created lasting imagery around basketball skills, OLE gives us vocabulary to celebrate soccer's most magical instances - those times when players transform the pitch into their personal canvas and create something truly worth cheering about.

LIGHTING, LIGHTING, AND MORE LIGHTING
People are typically drawn to bars solely based on their atmosphere. The best way to knock your next commercial bar design out of the park is using the perfect amount and type of lighting. Use standout light fixtures as their very own statement piece, track lighting for adjustable ambiance, hanging pendant lights over tables, and ambient backlighting to display the alcohol. Bartenders need to serve and customers need to order, so make sure it’s just functional as it is attractive. 

CHOOSING YOUR BARTOP
What may seem so obvious, is often so overlooked in commercial bar design- the material of your actual bartop itself. While we realize stone and marble are as classy and elegant-looking as can be, the reality is that they just aren’t your best option for a durable and long lasting bartop. They crack, have no grip, and break way too many glasses. Opt for a high-quality wood bar instead. Oaks, maples, mahoganies, and ashes are sturdy and provide your customers with a firm grip for their glasses. 

THEME 
In a sea of millions upon millions of bars, how can you make your commercial bar design stand apart from the rest? The answer is to pick a unique, centralized theme and run with it. Whether it’s your next sit-down restaurant bar design, or remodeling the small, locally-favorite gem, you have to find out what your clientele wants. Survey the neighborhood of your establishment and find out what the demographics are there. Maybe a gritty, western bar would be a hit. Or maybe a more modern, sleek design is what’s missing in the area. Whatever theme you decide upon, hit it out of the park with the perfect lighting, wall art, music, and furniture. It’s all in the details. 

THE GUIDE TO YOUR NEXT RESTOBAR 
You’ve got the food, you’ve got the restaurant, you’ve got the customers, now all you need is a beautifully designed bar to top it all off.  Small bar designs for restaurants have a tendency to be a little thrown together and incohesive with the rest of the establishment. Stay on brand- create consistency with tying in the same color scheme, furniture, art, and overall ambiance of the pre-existing restaurant. Make sure the placement of your bar makes sense as well, have it in a place where it’s visible and easy to navigate but not in the way of servers and other guests. If the bar is going to serve food, be sure to consider the location of the kitchen to not obstruct traffic flow. Consider all of these small tips as you work through your next restaurant bar design. 

SPACE CONSTRAINT 
It’s no secret that bars have the reputation of being a little cramped, and in some cases- way too cramped. Consider all of the space constraints while designing your next commercial bar design and we can change that bad rap that bars have been holding for far too long. First and foremost, be sure to measure your bar, barstool, cabinet, and equipment height. Generally, a bar is 42” in height while a stool is 30” in height. Also be sure to allow at least 3’ of space between the bar and the alcohol for the bartender’s functionality and efficiency. Consider multiple register and drink-making stations for bartenders as well. Allowing 2’ between patrons is going to give them enough space to eat and drink, and most importantly, simply be comfortable. All of these considerations are especially helpful if it is a restaurant bar design, where the space is even more valuable.