So ...

[monster]

Are we going to pretend smoke bombs and/or flares weren't thrown in the direction of the police and/or onto the field while the game was taking place?

Are we going to ignore the constant barrage of streamers which were intended to hit the AR?

Are we going to convince ourselves that Steve Zack and extra MPD officers came over to the mid 130s to enjoy the sight of the flags and bouncing stands?

[Publius]

You may get flamed for pointing out that the emperor wasn't wearing any clothes, but you're right.

[MikeLastort2]

I assume this all took place after Gomez was sent off, since Jan and I left the stadium about five minutes after that (once we found it he was ejected for spitting at an opponent).

[liverbird]

I think the flares and/or smoke bombs are completely without any connection to the game. It is emulation of the worst about world football. As someone said to me, all we need is a 40 foot chain link fence and we have degenerated to Italy or Argentina.

Now the streamers I thought were funny. No one could be hurt by a streamer.
I'm sure you'll point out it was a matter of degree, but I still thought that was funny.

Also, the Gomez incident shows a problem with no replay of controversial plays. I didn't know until I got home that he spat at Brown. I doubt that there would have been "F the ref" and the "yellow team sucks" chants if the nature of his offense was clear to everyone in RFK.

[Sundevil9]

I assume this all took place after Gomez was sent off, since Jan and I left the stadium about five minutes after that (once we found it he was ejected for spitting at an opponent).

Yeah, the last 25 minutes or so was a mixed bag of folks having fun - singing, bouncing the stands, etc- and throwing crap.

Monster forgot to mention the water bottle that narrowly missed a police officer that was traveling at at pretty good clip when it nailed the signs.

[AMERICANS SC]

Sad.

[Red&Black]

we also shouldn't pretend we didn't hear the screaming eagles sing AGAINST the team --"you're not fit to wear the shirt" or something like that. talk about sad.

[liverbird]

we also shouldn't pretend we didn't hear the screaming eagles sing AGAINST the team --"you're not fit to wear the shirt" or something like that. talk about sad.

I didn't hear that. I'd be pissed about that as well, if I heard it.

And I don't think this is a supporters group against supporters group thing. The water bottle came from the SE section. Bad behavior is bad behavior.

The vast majority of our supporters in both groups sang and supported the team to the bitter end and beyond. Let's cherish that, and mutually comdemn the miscreants.

[MikeLastort2]

I'm really glad Jan and I left now.

Wow, throwing sh!t at refs or security is pretty stupid.

It's the fan equivalent of spitting at your opponent.

[Barbara]

we also shouldn't pretend we didn't hear the screaming eagles sing AGAINST the team --"you're not fit to wear the shirt" or something like that. talk about sad.

Right. Because that's the same as throwing things at police officers.

[soccershaggy]

we also shouldn't pretend we didn't hear the screaming eagles sing AGAINST the team --"you're not fit to wear the shirt" or something like that. talk about sad.

There's a big difference between a few people singing something you don't like and dangerous things being thrown onto the field. God forbid a cop, spectator, or ballboy/girl gets hit by one of the flares/smoke bombs, and gets seriously hurt. Keep it in the stands.

I was hoping after the first one went onto the field that the section might have policed itself. I was wrong.

cheers,
jeff

[Red&Black]

Right. Because that's the same as throwing things at police officers.
the only thing i saw being throw at a police officer was the water bottle that came out of the nest.

[GoDC]

I'm really glad Jan and I left now.

Wow, throwing sh!t at refs or security is pretty stupid.

It's the fan equivalent of spitting at your opponent.

No, it is atmosphere. :rolleyes:

[Hunter R]

The water bottle (which Im surprised the cops didnt go into the stands) came from 133/134 (or someone standing in the aisle between those sections). I thought the water bottle (which banged against the barrier between field and the lawn chairs) was being tossed at the ref. But it was the cops? Bad move.

We ended up having to leave once the smoke got bad around 75 just because my wife is pregnant and couldnt halfway breathe.

There were some folks behind us (we were in aisle 6 of 133) that were booing the boys at the half. Horrible.

[BigKris]

OK, so I think we're in violent agreement that throwing anything with intent to injure, or throwing anything burning, is a bad idea. Now, what do we do about it?

the concept of the section "Policing itself" sounds good, but I'm not sure what that means in practice. I was standing in 135 last night, and I'm not sure what I could have done to prevent the incidents that happened.

[NattyBo]

The water bottl diddnt come from the Barra, it clearly came from the nest. Besides that, you know no one in the Barra was drinking water last night :p

[spidergoose]

I don't think it really matters where the bottle was thrown from.

[monster]

we also shouldn't pretend we didn't hear the screaming eagles sing AGAINST the team --"you're not fit to wear the shirt" or something like that. talk about sad.

I was right in the middle of 134 and never heard it. But I was so pissed off, I could do nothing more than stand there and decide how early I should leave to beat traffic.

Now the streamers I thought were funny. No one could be hurt by a streamer.
I'm sure you'll point out it was a matter of degree, but I still thought that was funny.

Once or twice, it was funny. When it happened over and over, I worried someone else might think that streamers weren't enough. And when the flares started hitting the field, I wondered when something real would be thrown at the AR. Thank God it didn't come to that.

I don't think it really matters where the bottle was thrown from.

Exactly. I purposely didn't mention either supporter's group because this was about individuals who may have undone goodwill that the groups have worked hard to achieve.

[Hunter R]

again, I think is was someone in the aisle between sections (like someone who walked in from another section)

[JayRockers!]

I don't think it really matters where the bottle was thrown from.
No, but some people like to accuse. And I'm sure every single person who sat in the Barra Brava sections yesterday has internet access, reads Big Soccer, has been to every game, knows all the problems we have had with security, knows who Steven Zack is, etc. etc.

Sad that it happened, yes. Did the police come into the section and arrest the throwers? I didn't see that happen. But I'll bet we just lost any kind of "juice" we had with the FO in terms of preferential treatment.

Thx,

Jay!