2/23 News

Section 37 · 02-24-2006, 10:54 AM

One thing I've seen from this debate is that everyone has their breaking point. Everyone has that point at which they say "I don't have enough in common with this project to hold my interest".

I think even the "forever no matter what" fans also have their point, it just isn't in the current political or cultural issues.

RSL has clearly hitched their horse to the suburban Mormon wagon and that's their right.

But it's disengenuous to criticize those who lose interest in the team because they are no longer part of the "plan to help RSL succeed".

It's a business. RSL is betting that Mormons in the suburbs will be better supporters than other people in other areas.

Burninator · 02-24-2006, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Section 37

It's a business. RSL is betting that Mormons in the suburbs will be better supporters than other people in other areas.

No, IMO, RSL is wondering if people that put Soccer and RSL over beer will be better supporters than those who put them on equal planes, or even prefer beer to soccer. There are plenty of other-than-mormons that prefer soccer to beer. Just because many mormons (not even all of them!) fall into this category means that RSL is actively courting mormons. This doesn't have to be a religious issue, y'all.

:rei: Geoff
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REGULATORS! Mount up!

Aerick · 02-24-2006, 11:03 AM

I would still go to games if they allowed alcohol. However, if that means my family and I would have to deal beligerent or excessively animated people, regardless of where we sat, it might make me pause. I would probably try to still come alone, but am not sure I'd want to subject my young family to that type of thing to that extent.

Now, I'm not saying that all people that drink beer get to that point, but without limitations, there are those who will. And if I have to deal with them more often than not, It will do anything but enhance my experience.

Burninator · 02-24-2006, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerick

I would still go to games if they allowed alcohol. However, if that means my family and I would have to deal beligerent or excessively animated people, regardless of where we sat, it might make me pause. I would probably try to still come alone, but am not sure I'd want to subject my young family to that type of thing to that extent.

Now, I'm not saying that all people that drink beer get to that point, but without limitations, there are those who will. And if I have to deal with them more often than not, It will do anything but enhance my experience.

That's exactly my feeling! If I and my family are not (really) bothered by fans that are imbibing spirits, I DON'T CARE! If/when they start treading on MY rights, however, I'm going to have a problem. If Real City can find a way to practically eradicate drunkenness and punish those who chose to cross that fine line between responsible alcohol consumption and abuse at the stadium, then I am all for charging $8.00 for 12 ounces of frothy distilled beverage 🙂

:rei: Geoff
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REGULATORS! Mount up!

Section 37 · 02-24-2006, 11:19 AM

You know what I think is amazing,

Across the world, soccer fans are known for using the sport to participate socially and politically. Soccer games would turn into anti- communist riots in East/Central Europe. Do we even need to mention Yugoslavia?

I really thought by now we'd realize what the rest of the world knows. It's never "just about the game". There are always social, cultural, and political implications that directly impact the game.

Yet somehow RSL fans are expected to sit down and shut up? We're just expected to ignore everything? Why? Why must we all be clapping in unison?

Section 37 · 02-24-2006, 11:20 AM

Hey, what happened to Deuce's post? My response was to that post.

Deuce · 02-24-2006, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Section 37

You know what I think is amazing,

Across the world, soccer fans are known for using the sport to participate socially and politically. Soccer games would turn into anti- communist riots in East/Central Europe. Do we even need to mention Yugoslavia?

I really thought by now we'd realize what the rest of the world knows. It's never "just about the game". There are always social, cultural, and political implications that directly impact the game.

Yet somehow RSL fans are expected to sit down and shut up? We're just expected to ignore everything? Why? Why must we all be clapping in unison?

I deleted my post because i didn't offer anything constructive to the argument.

I am tired of the line that if you agree with RSL you are just being a sheep... and that if you disagree you are some kind of visionary.
You are allowed to disagree with anyone you want... Just like I am disagreeing with you... I would hardly call it sitting down and shutting up. I would call it voicing my dissent at the futility of your continuous flogging of a tired mormon v. non-mormon issue.
I think that if you feel so strongly about the issue that you write to your politicians and to Dave Checketts and maybe even offer a possible alternative solution to the issue... instead of whining constantly about how you feel slighted by a business man making a decision for his business and a polititian acting like a politition...
You have a choice... you don't have to lose sleep over the issue... you can choose another option...

Aero · 02-24-2006, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Section 37

You know what I think is amazing,

Across the world, soccer fans are known for using the sport to participate socially and politically. Soccer games would turn into anti- communist riots in East/Central Europe. Do we even need to mention Yugoslavia?

I really thought by now we'd realize what the rest of the world knows. It's never "just about the game". There are always social, cultural, and political implications that directly impact the game.

Yet somehow RSL fans are expected to sit down and shut up? We're just expected to ignore everything? Why? Why must we all be clapping in unison?

Just because soccer is political in the rest of the world doesn't mean it has to be political here. A lot of the rest of the world doesn't have elections like we do here. It can be "just about the game." It doesn't have to be any more complicated than that. There are plenty of other venues to express political views. I'd rather keep them out of my soccer. Just for once I'd love to see something not turn into an us vs. them kind of thing. I was hoping for that thing to be soccer. Looks like I'm probably dreaming though.

montgjules · 02-24-2006, 11:30 AM

I remember at the stadium announcement (I think that's where it was) he said, "It just doesn't make sense to me to get people drunk and then tell them to drive home." That doesn't sound like it has anything to do with religion of any sort.

I heard a rumor that there are people other than Utah Mormons who don't drink.

When I went to a San Jose game a couple years ago, there was a guy by us who had drink after drink after drink... He was incredibly entertaining by the end of the game. He was one of the most memorable aspects of the experience. (That and watching my team get taken down by the cRapids...)

I don't care either way if they sell beer or not. I'll echo bordelais7 in wondering why people feel as strongly as they do about the issue.

Burninator · 02-24-2006, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Section 37

Hey, what happened to Deuce's post?

Maybe he retracted it...🙂

OK, do we really want our sociopolitical issues to be a part of the MLS experience? I can see Cindy Screamhan inciting an anti-Iraq war riot at a Galaxy game, only to have 50 people die in the violence. I can see the cRapids coming to play here in Salt Lake and getting flares thrown at them because they are such scum, so hated by the diehard royalists that they deserve physical harm. We could also make monkey noises and throw bananas on the field whenever a black player touched the ball, even one of our own.

We could tell them to all go back to hospital, too.

Heck, we could have panic stampedes that kill scores as well. We could have stadium atmospheres where if you don't sing along and support the home crowd, you would be threatened with physical harm (try going to a Boca game. If you don't speak spanish and don't know the songs, you better have your spanish speaking buddy tell the hinchada that you are a deaf mute).

I think that here in the USA, we have done a great job of patronizing sports, and yet at the same time realizing that sports REALLY AREN'T IMPORTANT! I don't want hooliganism, FIFA penalties (Real playing a home game with NO fans), or games that I couldn't take my 5-year-old to here in America (my dad used to take me to Mariners games all the time when I was a kid, and there was beer everywhere, so beer has nothing to do with this 😁). Do you?

MLS, if it can get it's talent level up and keep the hooliganism level down, could become the model league for the rest of the world to follow.

If I had to choose between the Buenos Aires "Sing or Die" atmosphere and the Salt Lake "Please sit down, I'm trying to watch the game" atmosphere, I'm all over the latter.

I think the new Nike soccer campaign is appropriate here: "Don't let liars and cheaters (and sociopolitics) ruin our beautiful game." www.nikesoccer.com

:rei: Geoff
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REGULATORS! Mount up!