Fan Violence 8/13

the cup · 08-14-2005, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scholesy

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.

I'm not sure if I would agree with you on this point.

Argentina's River Plate

I don't think people are throwing other things on the field just because streamers are thrown, I think people are smarter than that. I think people know there is a difference between a bottle full of Coke and a crepe paper streamer.

But I can see Scholesy's point about how too many on the field can cause problems. I guess RSL fans just have more moxie than other fans around the league and only here has it become a problem.

I hope they don't get banned but I can see where that is the only way to completely solve the problem. But at the same time I hope our games don't turn into Stingers games.

the cup · 08-14-2005, 06:40 PM

And the streamers certainly added to this celebration

the cup · 08-14-2005, 06:51 PM

One thing about those streamer pictures though from Europe and Argentina is that they are all being thrown before the game starts. Maybe that is the answer. Let the fans go crazy with the streamers before the game begins and then ban them durring the game. That way there would be time to get them off the pitch before play begins.

Rover · 08-14-2005, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the cup

I'm not sure if I would agree with you on this point.

Argentina's River Plate

I don't think people are throwing other things on the field just because streamers are thrown, I think people are smarter than that. I think people know there is a difference between a bottle full of Coke and a crepe paper streamer.

But I can see Scholesy's point about how too many on the field can cause problems. I guess RSL fans just have more moxie than other fans around the league and only here has it become a problem.

I hope they don't get banned but I can see where that is the only way to completely solve the problem. But at the same time I hope our games don't turn into Stingers games.

And what else do you see in those photos? Looks like twenty foot fences to me. Trust me, they go together.

That's not where I want to go. We don't want fences or moats (I kid you not) separating us from the players. We don't need to imitate South America or Europe to be fans.

We don't need streamers. We clearly want to continue the debate about their use, and that's OK. That's what a forum is for. However, the FO may very well decide the issue for us.

If we have to modify how we show our support, we'll still be better at it than anyone else in the league.

Scholesy · 08-14-2005, 07:02 PM

I stand corrected, and refer you to my other posts about some of the problems in the league. If you want to copy everything that the teams in South America do then great, let's officially add diving and dirty play as a part of MLS and hey presto we have another South American league. I personally would like to have our own league with our own traditions and styles, borrow things if we need to, to improve the quality of the game but not to copy someone else. Of course if we want to watch the games behind fences and inside cages then absolutely we should keep it up, I for one love the idea of watching my favourite sport from behind a fence so that the pitch isn't covered in crap. That's a great idea.

And seriously you're trying to tell me that Andy ran over to the corner in the hopes that "Oh my gosh I really hope they have streamers in the north East corner, I have so looked forward to scoring the 5000th goal so that I can see streamers being tossed all over the place. Trust me, he was probably thinking "the fans in the north end have been loyal all year, they deserve to be a part of this celebration".

Now please don't take offense at this, it's really mant a little tongue in cheek ... but if you need streamers to have a good time I suggest you get a job in a toy store, or maybe a party store if you really need 'it'. If your enjoyment of soccer - football as the rest of the world knows it - is based on 'Ooooo how pretty that streamer looks flying through the air...' then I would say you don't understand the game very well and if you spent less time watching the pretty streamers flying onto the pitch to annoy players, coaches and officials then you'd probably really like the game.

Streamers don't make the difference, your voices, your passion, your songs and chants, that is what every team dreads when they come here. And trust me, the players for the most part hate the streamers.
If the games turn into Stingers games it's going to be because you got off at 13th South and took a wrong turn to the wrong stadium, not because streamers dissappeared.

Scholesy · 08-14-2005, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rover

And what else do you see in those photos? Looks like twenty foot fences to me. Trust me, they go together.

That's not where I want to go. We don't want fences or moats (I kid you not) separating us from the players. We don't need to imitate South America or Europe to be fans.

We don't need streamers. We clearly want to continue the debate about their use, and that's OK. That's what a forum is for. However, the FO may very well decide the issue for us.

If we have to modify how we show our support, we'll still be better at it than anyone else in the league.

Yeah ... what he said. You put it much better than I did!

the cup · 08-14-2005, 07:27 PM

Man, is it "beat the Cup up day" or something?

I did say that I can see Scholesy's point of view and I did also suggest a solution to the problem, (although it probably would only work in a perfect world.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by the cup

One thing about those streamer pictures though from Europe and Argentina is that they are all being thrown before the game starts. Maybe that is the answer. Let the fans go crazy with the streamers before the game begins and then ban them durring the game. That way there would be time to get them off the pitch before play begins.

I'm just saying I like the look of the streamers but I can see also where others do not.

Hey, I'm easy going. If the FO comes out and bans them then it will have to be. That won't keep me from the games, I haven't missed one yet and I'm already starting to stress about the off-season and whether or not I'm going to have to check myself into hospital for treatment.

But I think a solution is out there somewhere to be found.

Scholesy · 08-14-2005, 08:17 PM

Ok, ok, ok, sorrrry. I just can't help the sarcasm thing sometimes. No intention to beat on you, one or two others around here maybe, but not you. I think Rover said it better than I did without being mean. I'll try harder to be nicer. :shakeonit

Aerick · 08-14-2005, 10:46 PM

When we get our soccer specific stadium, won't the touch lines be farther from the stands? Therefore, if we were to continue the tradition - especially in the new stadium, won't it result in a) less of the streamer making it on to the field of play, and b) make it easier for staff to clean it up without straying onto the field of play?

The Cups pictures of the Andy Williams celebration reminded me of one of the highlights of my life aside from the birth's of my children and marrying my wife. And it happened to be amplified - in my opinion - by the throwing of streamers and confetti. Does that mean I'm not a hard-core fan? I sure hope not.

Plus see my other post elsewhere dealing with how we market to casual and fringe fans.

Bottom Line: If there's a way we can show support, and make it entertaining and easy enough for casual fans to enjoy and/or participate other than streamers - please, offer it up so that we can implement it.

Stucki · 08-14-2005, 10:48 PM

I posted this on another thread, but I think confetti would do the trick.