Affront to the Army

Saw that too. I kept my opinion on the matter a bit muted. I think it's downright ignorant and a slap in the face to Liz, Laura and the rest of you people who go out of your way to promote the club.

 

Yes, I did take it as a slap in the face. Thanks front office, you want another group. They tried to move us this year. Guess where?!? Just f'n guess!!





Right next to Samba -****'n - BOOM!!! So we would yell louder. Oh, I'm sorry people can't hear our voices over their loudspeakers!! Let's see how they look this year if they don't get paid like last year. Or, they just lied to me and are going to pay them anyway...

Want to join an actual supporters group not paid for or set up by the team.... JOIN THE ARMY!!!

 

What happened to the conversation you had with Ken? I know it was so long ago...oh about 4 days ago....that he might not remember.

 

You can't force fans to do anything, and forcing the most die-hard of fans is even more absurd.

I hope all this crap dies a slow death.

Between Athletica pushing for a bullshit group to "compliment" The Army and ACSTL only recognizing and supporting the Bosnian United Knights just rubs me the wrong way (no offense to UK-STL, I give props, but Ead's has been there since the MLS push).

I'm hoping to avoid paranoia and hope and trust that the front office understands this will only succeed with dedicated fans, not manufactured ones.

 

When I saw that status on FB earlier I about blew my top and instantly called up roka. I am extremely happy how the rest of the army backed our concern over the teams efforts to "compliment" Laclede's Army as if we were not living up to their ideal supporters group. It feels like a personal attack on Laclede's Army. What is it that they expect from a group ran by an underpaid group of people who have done absolutely everything they can do to make the StL Athletica feel appreciated.

You know they could have promoted Laclede's Army in efforts to make it a larger group so that we could be louder, but no. They want what they want before they even use their brains to think about those things.

At the open house last Sunday, I was about ready to stab people in their eyes with the tips of my mohawk because of their ideas of moving our group and dictating where we can sit without giving a thought to what the army thought would be benefical. I see this season becoming a season of many obstacles that the army is going to need to stick together through and make it known that we won't budge on our beliefs and our reason for being Laclede's Army. In the front office's minds we are just a marketing tactic, but really without mohawks, body paint, drums, and chanting.. all that they would have to market Athletica with would be an annoying salsa drum beat and a bunch of little 9 year old girls squealing. I know for a fact that our players appreciate our efforts. Give us some flipping credit. Give some freaking thought into how much effort goes into being Lacledes Army. Give some gratitude to roka for her hard work and continued enthusiasm despite the lack of encouragement from the front office.

 

I'm not going to get bent just yet.....

I've seen alot of different FO responses to MLS SG's, different ways FO's tried to foster their ideas into them..etc.

It strikes me a bit rude in the manner they put that out there, not necessarily that they did it. I also wasn't privy to any talk of moving, etc that you guys encountered, so maybe I'm a bit relaxed because of that. BTW, where did they mention moving us?

And if another SG is created (either by other fans or the FO), it still doens't change our identity or our efforts. We are there for the players, not the FO. and IF another group comes along, let's not let any distaste for the Office cloud us working with them to boost the environment for the team.

Yes, I'm being rosy this morning.

 

I just checked fb and the responses to the FO's crappy suggestion seems to be in support of LA.

 

They wanted us to move right next to Sambaboom. I more or less was told "what if we say, if you are going to be a supporters group you have to sit there" and I said, we are a group of fans with drums, I have tickets for section 20 and I'm sitting there. maybe they are mad I stood up to them.



So rosy I want to wap you...

 

I'll let you wap me only if you buy me a beer.

In a diplomatic response...I'd point out their lack of chanting, the drowning out of chanting vs. their drums and the fact that since their drum ppl, they have fits about our err....beats or lack there of..lol.

From an FO perspective..as I mentioned in the Eads thread about seating..I see WHY they want SG's to sit in the same area's. But the basic premise of the 2 groups...I think are so different as to create a non-starter.

A 2nd group that chanted...etc I can see us "working with" to create an environment, but only a drum group...not so much.

 

Hate to go old school here--actually no, no I don't--but I'll take a collection of true supporters waving scarves and flags, pounding beers and chanting their hearts out over a bunch of god damn salsa dancers banging out "rhythm of the night" or whatever.

I've drank a bottle of rum tonight, so excuse the attitude.

Or sass, if you will. I'm sassy.

Man that's not at all masculine to say.

Oh whatever.

Up the Army. Hail Athletica. Everyone else can kick rocks, bitch.

Cheers.

 

In the course of my draft day pbp and twitter searching, I stumbled across this twitter account.

Please for the love of all that's holy in soccer tell me that the "official" STL fan club is not going to be called "The Joanies"

 

Yeah. CVille KC told me, too. As I said to him, I'm sorry but that name just does not work for me. Well, it works as comedy but that's not the same thing. I like a lot of what STL has put togteher on the field & I like what Laclede's Army has done but "Joanies" is too much. Sorry, folks.

 

Incidentally, for those that haven't seen it, Brad Cleveland of Athletica responded on facebook...

"In NO way did we have the intention of undermining what you have done for us in the past or will continue to do in the future. You are the original Supporters group and the best. The atmosphere was great last year, and with Samba Bom's future in doubt we are looking for another fan run group to take their place on t...he opposite side the stadium. This is a natural progression as the team grows and is common place in many other clubs around the world. If anyone has any questions feel free to email me at bcleveland@saintlouisathletica.com"

Brad's a pretty good guy, but geez, even if you didn't mean it to undermine, the timing was just attrocious. Right after Ken talks to us about building the group and working with us, this comes out about wanting more supporter groups.

 

Just trying to read their minds. Here are the possibilities. There are not enough of us. People are afraid to sit with us due to our boisterousness. They don't understand what we are in terms of being welcoming. Not sure what we can do to remedy this. They may view us as some sort of rowdy clique, and don't understand the concept of rowdy soccer fandom. The Atheltica may have gotten some complaints about this crazy group. I have a friend who prefers to just watch the game on the other side of the field without all the Army noise, and I suspect that some of the so called "family & their kids" types of fans feel the same way. They view us as a scary/annoying group. Because of this, the Athletica wants us to go sit with the other noisy group of Samba people, to keep the noise in one area. They want a more moderate supporters group that is more appealing. Thoughts?

 

I'll be joining you so that's at least one more.

I haven't heard anything about "AC" St.Louis so in the small chance they don't get started on time that could bump some fans over here?

Even if they get started on time hopefully the Athletica fan base will grow in the 2nd season.

 

I (and others) gave you a lot of schtick last season because you complained about attendance and yet did not go to games held in your own city. I would like to take this opportunity to give you big props for stepping up and buying tickets for 2010. I congratulate you. Well done.

 

Not JUST tickets but SEASON tickets.

Plus I'm in rokagrl's deal to buy season tickets through the Army and I'm paying extra for that.