RSL vs. Hogwarts Aug.13 Pre/PBP/Post [R]

Stucki · 08-14-2005, 01:06 AM

Wolff started waving at us in the corner after his 1st assist. You would think that sort of behavior wouldn't come so early in a place he has never visited as part of the oppostion.

Now I am even more annoyed with him for blowing that chance against Cost Rica on June 4th.

Section 37 · 08-14-2005, 02:58 AM

Honestly, I doubt anyone is confused by the streamers. Lay off the streamers. Why have the streamers become such a big topic tonight? It's popping up everywhere on this forum.

No one is confused about the rules because of them. This is clear because of how little else makes it to the field and the EXTREMELEY EMOTIONAL circumstances that push people to do it. They know it's wrong, that's why they only do it when they're too wound up.

Tonights game was hard. The best thing we can do is show up for the next one.

And stop blaming the streamers. I mean, WTF?

Aerick · 08-14-2005, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stucki

Wolff started waving at us in the corner after his 1st assist.

Yeah my wife saw that and got pissed! She wanted me to yell "Wolff Sucks" through the mini megaphone we were using. Later in the game she started screaming it herself. 😁

By the way, we got that mini megaphone from The Cup. Does anyone know if he wants it back? Gary, do you want it back?

clarette · 08-14-2005, 09:55 AM

My thoughts:

I don't know if it's a specific tactic employed by Ellinger, or if the players are too laid-back, but you cannot play that slowly at the professional level. For 70 minutes, all we did was play to feet and look for the "easy" pass. Very little vision accompanied by people wanting to take four or five touches on the ball.

You simply cannot break down a team as well-organized as KC is that way. When we finally decided to wake up and started playing diagonal balls to the corners and combining through one-touch play in the center of the field, good things started happening. We actually managed to get some width in our attack and exploit some of the spaces behind KC's midfield. Why is it that it's taken us until NOW to figure that out?

I was really pleased with the way the team came back, but the first 60 minutes were positively dreadful. Although it was probably more entertaining than the megadorky high school reunion I blew off to go to the game, come to think of it.

Both of our goals were well-taken, and I was really glad that Jason's 100th was such a beauty. I'm just really annoyed it took that long for the team to, like, wake up.

Aerick · 08-14-2005, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clarette

My thoughts:

I don't know if it's a specific tactic employed by Ellinger, or if the players are too laid-back, but you cannot play that slowly at the professional level. For 70 minutes, all we did was play to feet and look for the "easy" pass. Very little vision accompanied by people wanting to take four or five touches on the ball.

You simply cannot break down a team as well-organized as KC is that way. When we finally decided to wake up and started playing diagonal balls to the corners and combining through one-touch play in the center of the field, good things started happening. We actually managed to get some width in our attack and exploit some of the spaces behind KC's midfield. Why is it that it's taken us until NOW to figure that out?

I was really pleased with the way the team came back, but the first 60 minutes were positively dreadful. Although it was probably more entertaining than the megadorky high school reunion I blew off to go to the game, come to think of it.

Both of our goals were well-taken, and I was really glad that Jason's 100th was such a beauty. I'm just really annoyed it took that long for the team to, like, wake up.

Agreed. I wasn't very impressed by our teams efforts for the entire first half, and the start of the second. In fact, I found myself chanting rather half-heartedly - or sometimes not at all. :P

Stucki · 08-14-2005, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clarette

My thoughts:

I don't know if it's a specific tactic employed by Ellinger, or if the players are too laid-back, but you cannot play that slowly at the professional level. For 70 minutes, all we did was play to feet and look for the "easy" pass. Very little vision accompanied by people wanting to take four or five touches on the ball.

You simply cannot break down a team as well-organized as KC is that way. When we finally decided to wake up and started playing diagonal balls to the corners and combining through one-touch play in the center of the field, good things started happening. We actually managed to get some width in our attack and exploit some of the spaces behind KC's midfield. Why is it that it's taken us until NOW to figure that out?

I was really pleased with the way the team came back, but the first 60 minutes were positively dreadful. Although it was probably more entertaining than the megadorky high school reunion I blew off to go to the game, come to think of it.

Both of our goals were well-taken, and I was really glad that Jason's 100th was such a beauty. I'm just really annoyed it took that long for the team to, like, wake up.

I suppose that it may have had something to do with his decision to play Pierce at attacking mid. What is that about? Are you telling me that Rusty Pierce was our best option there? We have some serious depth issues if that is the case.

Scholesy · 08-14-2005, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Section 37

Honestly, I doubt anyone is confused by the streamers. Lay off the streamers. Why have the streamers become such a big topic tonight? It's popping up everywhere on this forum.

No one is confused about the rules because of them. This is clear because of how little else makes it to the field and the EXTREMELEY EMOTIONAL circumstances that push people to do it. They know it's wrong, that's why they only do it when they're too wound up.

Tonights game was hard. The best thing we can do is show up for the next one.

And stop blaming the streamers. I mean, WTF?

You are missing the point completely. It's really not about blaming streamers, I blame a certain person in the front office who encourages it by having staff pass them out. The bottom line is this, streamers are not a part of soccer, never have been, never should be and in the rest of the world never will be. Throwing them into the crowd, fine - if you can control everybody doing that and not throwing them on to the pitch.

The reality is this, most players hate it, coaches hate it, some fans hate it, it disrupts the game with players tripping, getting tangled and misplaying a ball because there are streamers all over the field. That's the reality, you are affecting the game negatively by throwing these stupid things on to the pitch - I have been saying that since the start of the season when some bright spark had the idea in the first place, I disagreed then and I disagree now.

When we were at New England the other night I sat in the booth and watched as DJ had to uncover his goal mouth every 3-4 minutes from streamers thrown at him directly - amongst other things I hasten to add (I kid you not). It distracted his game. Look if you want to scream, shout, sing, chant or even make faces at opposing players, feel free, it does bother them, sometimes it will distract them, sometimes it will motivate them to play better, but we'll win some and we'll lose some on that, that's fine. But distracting our own players and team? Hello how stupid and backward is that? Let me give you a clue right now how football works ... distract opposition - support your team. Nowhere is it written 'distract your team and give your home fans a bad reputation, whilst motivating the opposition and making the ref hate you even more than he does already'. (Now I do love a good song about the ref, and they expect that, they even say sometimes they like it, but throw thngs at them or distract physically from the game - they don't like it. Get as mentally involved in the game as you want, just stop with interference of any sort on the pitch, please.

Rover · 08-14-2005, 11:37 AM

I'm getting thread whiplash on this one--streamer and fan behavior discussions all over the place.

But very good discussions, by the way. Unfortunately it took what may have been our worst display of fan behavior so far to bring all this up to this level.

I wasn't at the KC game and I've only been at one home game (last week) so I don't have the complete background on where all this came from. I know that I've seen streamers thrown on the field (and particularly over the goals) from the beginning in MLS ten years ago, and it is not uncommon in Latin America. So too with the confetti thing--hard to forget WC 78 in Argentina, when you could see the field through the mass of confetti at Monumental.

I also seem to remember the "streamer throw" was a fad in college basketball for awhile. Masses of the stuff were thrown by students after the first basket, delaying the game and annoying everyone else.

Scholsey has been very direct but that is what is needed at this point. It's not just about streamers--the issue is about condoning the tossing of anything on a playing field.

As I see it, the only benefit to streamers is that they are a method for fans to clearly and enthusiastically show their interest in the game. They create a visual effect that some think is great--much like flares. Many see these as necessary components in support by true fans. My personal opinion is that although these things do draw people's attention, they are not necessary and too easily become a problem. Ask Inter about the flares.

Here's my main point. We are currently establishing traditions for our club at every game, and that is to be expected. Streamers were an attempt to get fans involved and create the passionate atmosphere we all want and have been remarkably successful in producing. The passion is good, but the streamers have proven to be more of a problem than a benefit. And the larger problem--objects of any kind thrown on the field--leads us to evaluate the costs and benefits. In the end, with streamers, the juice isn't worth the squeeze.

I'm not a leader with the Loyalists and I am in no position to dictate policy. However, I will suggest that the leadership of all RSL supporters groups get together and come to an agreement--preferably with the FO involved as well--on how to police our own and get a handle on the overall situation, which goes well beyond streamers. It may not be that bad now, but if we do nothing it may get out of hand. Then we'll have to deal with many more restrictions on our behavior and that will impact our enjoyment of the game.

We should take care of this now.

Scholesy · 08-14-2005, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rover

Here's my main point. We are currently establishing traditions for our club at every game, and that is to be expected. Streamers were an attempt to get fans involved and create the passionate atmosphere we all want and have been remarkably successful in producing. The passion is good, but the streamers have proven to be more of a problem than a benefit. And the larger problem--objects of any kind thrown on the field--leads us to evaluate the costs and benefits. In the end, with streamers, the juice isn't worth the squeeze.

I agree with you and I think you will see this practice end. The RSL staff have been told in no uncertain terms (from up on high) that it should not continue.

There are just too many issues that go along with it. It is difficult for security to see who threw what, sad as it may make some of you, to has to stop. You'll just have to shout louder.

Section 37 · 08-14-2005, 11:53 AM

Perhaps if there were some sort of policy where the front five rows threw theirs back and the rest of the rows threw them forward.

You could still get a cool effect and they wouldn't carry onto the field.

You make excellent points about tradition and fan involvement which is why I think an outright ban would be a mistake.

Fan involvement is one of the many ways soccer distinguishes itself from many other sports. If fans start giving up their role in the game everytime we have to deal with problems,

Then we'll give up not only streamers, but cowbells, then drums, then flags, all of which annoy fans, block views, annoy players, even disrupt the game (airhorns on corner kicks)

There will always be people who abuse privileges. The trick is to deal with them without punishing those who participate within the rules.