Crowd Control

I'd briefly touched on the nastiness in the stands during the DC United and New York Red Bulls match, but seeing as how this is starting to pick up on some people's radars, let me revisit the topic briefly.

I agree wholeheartedly with Joe's sentiments at WCiS when he, eloquent as always, wrote the "F**K Fooliganism" article. There ain't any place for this. Security can't be everywhere, and I'm not sure I'd even trust them if they were. Accordingly, DC fans need to regulate our own. We don't tolerate this crappy behavior, and I'm pleased to see that DC fans are helping identify the perpetrators to make sure they're never allowed near our stadium again.

Part of the problem is the American inferiority complex when it comes to European football. I think this is something that Ian Penderleith is alluding to in his April 6 column. Some jerks have decided that the way to get a hardcore atmosphere is to act like a bunch of dickheads. This is a small number of fans, very small, but their existance is bothersome. They think it is more authentic to have that radical ultra persona, skin and all, and to try and start things. What they don't realize is how much it makes them look like a bunch of poseurs. It's almost admitting that "hey, our game isn't that good, but if we're violent, then we're JUST LIKE EUROPE!" It's a bullshit argument, and it cheapens it for those of us that actually do have pride in our team, and in our homegrown US game.

So yeah, I hope those DC "fans" (word used very loosly) are identified, and get what's coming to them. I want no part of them. I want my team to beat the other team, and I want my brothers and sisters in the stands to humiliate the other fans by cheering louder, and being more clever, than any other fans could possibly be. Note: There isn't any provocation, other than immediate self-defense, that calls for violence. Angry words don't rise to that level. Getting spit on doesn't rise to that level. Getting beer on you doesn't rise to that level. Unless you're in imminent danger of a serious hospital bill from someone, you got no excuse. And I'm damn sure that what happened in RFK wasn't near that level.

Now, this isn't the fault of DC United, La Norte, the Barra, the Eagles, or anyone other organized group. But I do feel ashamed by it. I can only hope it doesn't happen again, and I think that the right parties are taking the steps they can to stop it.

Remember, knowing is half the battle. And with that, the after school special is over. Jem (and the holograms) are up next.