Don Garber: Unhappy with Buck Shaw Profanity

The Commissioner does not like swear words. Please discuss.

Garber: One of the key drivers of the increasing popularity of MLS is the growth of the supporters movement. It used to be that the Screaming Eagles [of D.C. United fandom] were the only supporters who created this dramatic picture of European- and South American-style environments in RFK Stadium with bouncing seats and waving flags. That's the norm in MLS today. There's a dynamic with young people, 18 to 35 years old, that now believe in their club that was connected to the game either as a fan of European soccer or as a player and now is translating all that into a very committed passion for a local MLS team.
If you were to ask me what's the big difference between MLS today and MLS five years ago, it's the supporters movement. Now with that movement come challenges. There's a lot of thinking that we need to have in partnership with our clubs and our supporters leaders to ensure that our stadium environments are appropriate for everyone, not just for several thousand [hardcore] supporters. I continue to get frustrated and disappointed with the YSA [You Suck A------] chants.
I was sitting on the sidelines at a San Jose game with [coach] Frank Yallop's wife when supporters were using profanity against the Galaxy and Josh Saunders, and she turned to me and apologized and said she and Frank were trying to work with supporters to eliminate that. I was sitting in an on-field box next to a young family, and the dad turned around to me and said, do you think Commissioner this is the right kind of language for my 8-, 12- and 15-year-old kids? And I could say nothing other than no. We've got to try to find a way to correct that. It wouldn't be tolerated in any other stadium in any other sport -- and frankly not tolerated in most European countries, either.
We've got to pick our battles, and this is something we have to find a way to solve. I hope we can do something in partnership with the supporter leaders. The times I've spent with the leaders of various groups have been some of my best times in MLS, because these are the folks that are really leading the movement and helping to paint a very different picture for our league than exists in any other sport. I hope they can understand that when broadcast partners, fans and sponsors object to foul language it's not something that we can turn a blind eye to. We have to address it.


Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/grant_wahl/11/29/don-garber/index.html#ixzz2DeQFGHc3

Here's my answer to Garber's legitimate concerns:

******** you and the ********ing horse you rode in on, you ********ing ********....

What a smug ********er...

I agree with Garber. It's embarrassing. The Casbah of 2003 was far better than the Ultras of today in this as well as many other areas.

Gee -- maybe we should be easier for him, after all he's done for us....

I'm not the biggest fan of the Ultras either, but after the b*ttfvcking Garber and the league gave us in 2005, he's got a lot of nerve to spew this BS...

It also seems so selective and prejudicial. Where is Garber's concern for the unceasing spew of filth that has issued from his best buddy Golden Balls' mouth at every meeting between the Quakes and Scum this year. Funny that he seems to be deaf when it comes to that. Garber is every kind of sanctimonious, self-serving, shlt-for-brains that love to blame everything on the masses while they amass more personal wealth and power. I think we need to stage a public execution next time he visits SJ...

BTW -- sorry for the multiple posts. Can you tell this hit a nerve???

Refs should enforce the laws about foul language on the pitch too. It's supposed to be a red card to swear especially at the ref, but it happens all the time.

This is a problem that gains momentum, too. Until about two years ago, for example (and to demonstrate that I'm not 100% biased), Wondo was very quiet and respectful of the refs. However, after long exposure to what goes on on the pitch & MLS games, he has become just as annoying towards the refs as just about anybody in the league. When refs allow the "special ones" like Golden Balls to get away with stuff, they begin to find it impossible to crack down when others do likewise, and it devolves into a real morass...

Don Garber doesn't have to like profanity.

But if he or the Quakes FO attempt to censor the 1906 Ultras, I suspect they will live to regret it. Attempting to neuter the Ultras, who are are far-and-away the league's best supporters (and someday the most numerous if left umolested), would be a decidedly stupid and self-defeating act.

I doubt the Ultras will react passively to any punishment for profanity, like Colorado fans and the Independent Supporters Council did when a Rapids fan was banned for life for swearing after a late Wondo goal defeated his club last season.

We don't give a F**k about Garber.

What a pathetic load of crap. For starters, I endorse everything that bsman has posted here, and some of Bill Ward's comments too. Let's take a good look at pathetic, weasel-breath Don Gerber's comments:

Yes, the supporters groups are driving attendance. It did not "used to be" that the Screaming Eagles were on the only supporters group. The Casbah were active from the very beginning, as were other supporter's groups. Hell, we used to chat with each other by e-mail before f#$%ing Gerber was even Commish! No disrespect to the Screaming Eagles. They are great, and they were one of the first supporters groups to get big.

Is this because you weren't paying any attention to your own league? Or because you just can't help making s$%^ up as you go?! The first Supporter's Summit was held in '98. The Supporter's Groups started the Supporter's Shield in '99. This is just crap. Even if he means the explosion of supporters groups or the huge increase in their numbers, he'd be wrong about Chitcago and DCU and probably a couple of other clubs.

Various front offices have been opposed to the Supporter's Groups from the get. Some have done their level best to suppress these groups. (Colorado comes to mind.) So working in partnership with the supporters means mostly that the teams figure out how to do it, because the supporters have wanted this from day one.

The Ultras do not use the YSA chant. The Timber's Army have eliminated the YSA chant. But the Shittle Sounders still go for it with gusto. I notice a distinct lack of mention of the Flounders Fans, whatever the hell they call themselves.

Clearly, the commish has not spent any time at a middle school lately. I could tell stories, but keeping this shortish, young kids often have very foul mouths.

What are you smoking Don?! English stadia are much worse than ours! What a tool. And how about a Raider's game?! I've been to sedate baseball games where the fans spontaneously broke out in chants that included the f-bomb.

There are a few chants that supporters groups will be willing to change, YSA among them. But I don't see the 1906 Ultras giving up on "We f#$% el-lay!" And the foul-mouthed, clueless, masses in shittle will continue to yell vulgarities at every opportunity. But sure, go ahead and work with the supporters groups to try to dial back some of this. But you shouldn't expect a sanitized group to attract new converts. Part of the fun is singing:

Portland boys we are here,
shag your women and drink your beer
wo-o-o-o-o!

I love that the Supporters' Groups bring huge numbers of new fans to our stadia, but I want them to stop swearing!! Boo hoo!! Can't have it both ways you pathetic tosser. But step one is actually trying to work with the supporters groups instead of dictating to them.

GO QUAKES!!!
FUDGerber!!!

- Mark

This pretty much encapsulates things. Garber and MLS (and the Quakes management) want things both ways. They exploit the images of supporters in their advertising, recognize that supporters are the major force in growing attendance, and yet, rather than show appreciation, they do everything in their power to disrespect such passionate support.

MLS (and the Quakes management) don't deserve the support they get, and someday if they're not careful they will lose it.

By the way, I wonder what Garber thought when he saw the Quakes players showering the Ultras with champagne right after the game.

first, he should be unhappy about the quality of the officiating, i think that affects the league even more and should be your major concern. not a few f-bombs here and there. Garber, what a loser.

I always assume everything Don Garber says is about money. I doubt he is a prude or that he gives moral considerations any weight whatsoever in his decision-making.

The conundrum Garber faces is that the TV contracts will disappear along with the large supporters groups. It's a delicate problem, and I suspect that Garber is smart enough to recognize that, which is why he's paying lip service to eradicating profanity but thus far, more than a month later, he's taken no action. (Recall, that the entire L.A. travelling contingent was removed from the stadium during the game Garber attended, and some were even arrested, but notably Garber said nothing about their behavior.)

Yeah, what a turd. There were LA fans hauled off for resisting arrest, throwing smoke bombs at the cops, etc. and all he has to comment on is that he heard the word F**k.

Yikes, an annoyingly common misconception. Swearing in and of itself is not going to be a red card in U-12 soccer, let alone professionals.

Offensive, insulting, and abusive language can be punished with a red card at the referees discretion, but you need much more than simple profanity to reach that level.

"It wouldn't be tolerated in any other stadium in any other sport -- and frankly not tolerated in most European countries, either." ......... "and frankly not tolerated in most European countries, either.".... " European countries, either."......... " European countries"."European"........


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THIS IS AMERICAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



btw, They do a lot more in European countries mr.garber. Ya know, like starting riots, throwing flairs on the fields. Oh, I do recall being in Germany a week ago, The kids there do much much more cussing than the ultras do.

And to that daddy with his little boys, He probably cusses around his kids, his KIDS probably cuss too(come on, he is 15 you ignorant fool). Plus, if you don't like it. GTFO the stadium.

You are an embarrasment !.... because of people like you Garber think is Ok to use ANY supporter group for marketing purposes only, he hates SGs.

and I ask you...what have you done to bring these golden days back to the Casbah ?
STFU !

The use of profanity is intended to push buttons. I don't give a s#*% about hearing profanity, but I can understand why many others, including ownership, league officials, and other fans, would call it out and not want to hear it. In the end, it's a private business. They don't have to bow to your demands. If they don't want you using profanity, they can rightfully kick you out of Buck Shaw/The Epicenter. It's their private event in the end. If the majority of fans (customers) don't want to hear it, they'd be crazy to not address it.

People dislike the profanity because it's deliberately used to get a response. It's like the Ultras tifo with the two girls about to go down on a guy (Charlie Sheen, supposedly). No other purpose than to piss people off by pushing the edge. It's simply childish to many adult observers.

Well, I don't think it's necessary to swear to be edgy, creative, funny, and fully supportive of the Quakes. I am a huge Ultras fan but I have three kids and I'd rather them not have to hear "********" all the time.

We can't even write "********" here without it being censored.