11/22/24
September 10, 2003
Argentine League Suspended: What is it with the rest of the world? Other than the occasional nutter jumping from the stands in Chicago, fan on fan violence is extremely rare in the US. But Argentina is calling off a week's matches and UEFA has summoned the English and Turkish NT leadership ahead of next month's qualifier. What's different in ROW that so much of this happens there?
posted by billsaysthis to culture at 02:09 PM - 16 comments
bill, (can I call you bill?) did ya read theonion today? I see you as Rummy in front of the U.S. vs. THEM world map.
posted by garfield at 02:21 PM on September 10, 2003
So what is the playoff format for EURO 2004?
posted by StarFucker at 04:20 PM on September 10, 2003
very funny garfield. but still, I meant my question honestly and seriously--why do fans in other countries get so violent when we don't here in the US?
posted by billsaysthis at 04:40 PM on September 10, 2003
bill...please. I am getting embarrassed.
posted by StarFucker at 04:55 PM on September 10, 2003
It's because you're all gay bill. ;-) I don't have the faintest idea why the English FA is being called in to discuss an issue that the Turks are wholly responsible for. The English FA has refused the ticket allocation, urged England fans not to attempt to attend the game and generally been diplomatic about the whole issue. Fact is UEFA should call the Turks in on their own and tell them to shut the fuck up. Can you tell I'm angry?
posted by squealy at 06:01 PM on September 10, 2003
Perhaps the Argentine League suspension has something to do with the fact that ... the Argentinian economy has been in a shambles for the last two years! This violence is only a microcosm of the unrest that has marked the economic disaster in that country. Add alcohol and blind partisanship to widespread unemployment, frozen bank accounts, 50% of the population below the poverty line and, well, there you have it.
posted by worldcup2002 at 06:31 PM on September 10, 2003
But it's not just Argentina or England, guys, it's all over that these sports riots go on. Except in the USA.
posted by billsaysthis at 09:32 PM on September 10, 2003
Erm, what about riots after Lakers win the NBA title?
posted by worldcup2002 at 10:04 PM on September 10, 2003
I've been a couple NHL playoff games in a hostile environment and have witnessed gross acts of property destruction: slashing all four tires on an out of country van, my own car needed two new front 1/4 panels. Not to mention the drunken brawls in the stands that are quickly broken up, and are clearly the result of idiot fans who knows nothing of the game situation. I blame small penises.
posted by garfield at 07:35 AM on September 11, 2003
I answered my own question regarding the playoffs... I thought they had it all figured out already. And bill... This requires a long post, but i am going to keep it short as i have explained this before... Football is a different world in Europe and South America... The clubs actually represent the people in the neighborhoods. Fan Clubs have actual influence in the way things are run. Just for example, its the fans who elected the Barcelona president earlier this summer. Football clubs have a long history in the town they are from. Clubs stay in town, they don't go to other cities like, for example, the St. Louis Cardinals who are now the Arizona Cardinals...or whatever they are now. You can't build a loyal fan base that way. I could go on...but i AM at work you know.
posted by StarFucker at 09:06 AM on September 11, 2003
Good stuff, Fooker.
posted by worldcup2002 at 11:24 AM on September 11, 2003
Euro2004 playoffs: Did I understand that article correctly? 10 group winners plus five runners-up (after a play-in leg), but that equals 15 teams so someone must have gotten an automatic bid. Was it Portugal for hosting? And will England beat or draw Turkey to win the group?
posted by billsaysthis at 12:54 PM on September 11, 2003
Yes, Portugal for hosting... England will beat the Turkeys...
posted by StarFucker at 01:33 PM on September 11, 2003
Economics, history, etc. As SF and WC said. And a lot of other far-reaching aspects like Celtic v Rangers and whatnot. Events like this are becoming a lot fewer and farther between though, especially since drinking is not permissable in most stadiums in Europe nowadays (thankyouverymuch Scotland). And it happens here after almost every NHL, NBA, NFL, MLB, NCAA football and basketball championship. At least with the others there's a sense of pride and history (albeit bull-headed and self-serving). Much better than "we won! let's smash our own shit!"
posted by Ufez Jones at 06:25 PM on September 11, 2003
First, I think some of the nasty things that go on at some events here in the USA or afterwards, is greatly underreported. Somehow, the blurb about soccer fans in Peru gets in every sports section and gets made fun of on sportstalk radio, but the exploits of drunken Buckeye fans, or the nefarious parts of Raider Nation don't get a lot of press. It's complicated why such violence happens more often in other countries, some of which are mentioned above. But the most important thing is that most people elsewhere are steeped in tribalism of their locality, and the sporting clubs of that locality. We really don't get the same kind of thing here because people routinely move from place to place, for university or for the military.
posted by GoDizzGo at 01:25 AM on September 12, 2003
What is it with the rest of the world? ??