And Europeans say Americans are unruly, bad sports....

by CaptainSchmideo 17 Replies latest social current

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  Abaddon

  They say that football (soccer) is a sport played by gentlemen and watched by barbarians, and rugby is a sport played by barbarians and watched by gentlemen.

  Maybe it used to be true; now it seems that football is all barbarians and rugby is all gentlemen, although some are less gentle than others.

  Football hooliganism is a blight, and it is as much 30 year-old life-long gang members as younger people. A bunch of fucking morons.

  Normally they give their attention to other hooligans. Somehow two idiots hitting each other is strangely karmic.

  When it effects the game or other fans or bystanders, it's inexusable and very un-karmic.
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  jeanniebeanz

  As one who "gets worked up" every Saturday I have to comment. 1] Few of us are morons , like those Italians who threw things on the pitch. I bet there is an Italian teenager petrified now at the outcome of his stupidity.

  BB,

  Getting worked up does not make one a moron and that was in no way my point.. Getting worked up to the point of throwing a lighted flare into the field and striking a player does make one a moron and a criminal to boot.

  I was not talking about fans who paint themselves colors or wear costumes, or in the case of Steeler Fans wave the 'terrible towel' in support of their team. As wonderfully nutty as this is, it's all good fun and ads to the spirit of the games. It's wonderful and quite entertaining.

  However, once violence is involved it's not a game anymore for whatever reason. It is assault, a crime, and should be treated as such.

  J
• 

  New Worldly Translation

  The throwing of fireworks and flares at a football match in Italy is nothing new. I've seen them hit or nearly hit players quite a few times over the years. It does seem to be a particular problem in Italy with regard to flares. I think I'm right in saying that fireworks and flares are actually banned from the grounds but short of frisking everyone as they enter there's no way to enforce it.

  A big deal has been made of the flare hitting the AC keeper but I think it was just an idiot in the crowd doing a stupid thing and not organised hooliganism which is a much worse problem in Italy at the moment.
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  avishai

  short of frisking everyone as they enter there's no way to enforce it

  They do that with rock concerts in the USA. So yeah, they can enforce it. .
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  jeanniebeanz

  They do that with rock concerts in the USA. So yeah, they can enforce it. .

  Yes! And I quite enjoy it!

  J
• 

  Pleasuredome

  if this had been caused by fans of an english club, we would have seen english clubs banned again for another 6 years. it seems that if you're anyone else you just get a slap on the wrist and a fine.
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  LittleToe

  England have a pretty bad reputation for after-match violence (according to our media) but I didn't realise that it was quite so bad in other parts of Europe. For many years the Englad vs Scotland game was banned, due to rivalries with "the auld enemy".

  Flares?
  What will they think of next?

  Years ago there was a spate of sharpened 50p pieces being thrown (the largest coin in the British monetary system), but this was cracked down on using laws about treason, I believe (since the Queen's portrait is on our coinage).
• 

  Sirona

  You're right Ross,

  But living with a Scotsman I've seen some patriotic "downing" of the English too. He lives here, works here and talks like us, but the Scots are great and the English are not!

  Sirona