It seems to me as I watch MLS games and read BS , that there is an element of Manufactured Enthusiaism. We have a young and growing League that is holding its own and has plenty of talent, but its still young. And we will need time before the teams build a fan base that takes winning and losing personal. It be some time before some feel deep connections. When I see fans and the drums and the Confetti and the way the sing I see some genuine but also a lot of Manufactured support. Playing Rugby and traveling with it I have seen us as players constanly want to be like the home nations of Britian. But now it is changing, we are developing our style now. I only want to se American soccer fans be themselves, do it because you want to not because it is done that way Abroad. I am from Baltimore, the Birds are my team, we have had Baseball here since the 1880's the passion we ahve for them causes us to sing and yell and lose sleep. When the Maryland Terps lose in Basketball, some of us cant read the sports pages for at least a week, really, we, I cant deal sometimes. We HATE duke I mean PUKE. This will come to MLS fans soon, we just need to be OURSELVES. If I dont want to sing I shouldnt feel less then a Soccer fan. When the US loses a Nats game I feel pretty CRAPPY For awile The Germany match still haunts me. I am hoping that we can, in any game that we play that has its origin From The world, find out how to play and support the way will always have and not try and be what we are not. I find the Euros passion great and I would love to hear songs at OUR Baseball and Football games, that would be greta BUT we are not a musical lot, and we rely on our stadiums to provide the songs. But none the less we do sing some and yell lots. So all i can say is one day MLS fans will fill stadia.s and Pubs and homes and feel love and hate and pain and joy and say "WE" when talking of the team like we have with our other sports. MLS fans are great and and without them MLS is DEAD We need us .............
I agree. People don't often sing in other sports, and I don't think there are "legions" of people from countries who do leading the songs. Confetti and streamers I've seen in other sports, but not during the game (after a big win, instead.) American soccer fans should not try to be wannabes, they should develop their own style. Great observation, lets hope this leads to real change. As a postscript, are the "soccer horns" an American invention?
Hear hear! I'm looking at the man in the mirror, and I'm asking him to change his ways. Let's all lead the charge on this together!
I'm not positive, but i really don't think so. They are ubiquitous at SA soccer games. Their army-of-bumblebees drone usually drowns out the announcer on TV. As for the topic. I disagree. Obviously its a personal thing and will differ from fan to fan but some fans are certainly as passionate about MLS as other sports. And singing does happen in other sports. I'm from alabama where football passions run wild, and plenty of times i've gotten that tingly feeling of excitement as 80,000 fellow fans sing some obscene song about the other team in the hopes that it will inspire a big defensive stop or some such thing. It seems not so different than singing during soccer.
True, but we can't do that until we go to a single-table standings. And while we're at it, I think it's important to call it Major League Football, too. Otherwise we'll never have the respect of the world. Oh, and we should type all of our bigsoccer posts with British accents, ya bleedin' wankahs.
Well I am surprised, yet excited, I thought for sure iwas going to be rebuffed. YES I am saying most of what I see is what I SEE. For the record iam a huge soccer supporter who loves a good chant in all my sports. But i still think there is still that BIG element that is FAKE. I hope to see one day, starting with me, to see 30 teams in MLS, with the passion of 'Bama-Auburn or Ohio st- Michigan, Packers -Bears or Ravens Steelers. So we will all see things a bit different, I just believe in us and cant wait to see us be us. I was at opening day The Birds and the Red Sox, here in Baltimore, Pedro was bieng beat and we were on him hard, At that moment I told my ['Bama for life} friend that I wish we had some songs to sings about those DEAD Sox. It would have been sweet
Nope, I think Satan holds the trademark on those infernal things. Thankfully Chicago is so far horn free.
That was pretty obvious when you said you where a Terp fan. Hating Duke. Some people will never learn.
That is why Chivas USA should play in L.A.. A real Derby where fans will have to face each other the next day at work or School. This doesnt happen with San Jose vs Galaxy..