Yes because everyone in AO is like this. Is there a frat boy element to some chapters? Sure but it comes with the territory when you have almost 7,000 active dues paying members across this great country.
And they seem to be copying your style of the bandana on the face, but obviously when you wore it at an away qualifier, you and reesh had a reason to do so. I think first and foremost, the vocal song leader types and the band should move from the front and to the center, where the sound is stronger and is capable of being audible to the back rows of US supporters (especially those who want to participate). And should you kill your voice on the march-in/parkinglot/tailgate or give it your all during the actual 90 minutes in-game. Will it happen, though? That's up to the guys who park in front to make that decision. They have to look in the mirror and ask themselves. And to those that won't, have fun and keep on funneling beers, the 11 men on the field thank you in advance. you know the workplace saying, "Perception is the reality."
So everyone in what's left of Sam's Army© doesn't answer emails and sends out cease and desist letters from their secret bunker in upstate New York? Got it.
i'm sure he's typing some up now, what you didn't ask him at the Spain game when you were talking to him? You should have asked him when you had the chance and face to face.
Stereotypes all around! Hoo-ray! Alright before this thread gets stoopid and becomes destructive...let's move on... I've compiled a list of the cities where we have played games since 1990. There are some places in here they make sense and others that boggle the mind. LA is the obvious outlier. Please note that RFK in DC has hosted the most number of games of any stadium, along with the LA Coliseum of course. I would hope that qualifiers in 2012-13 continue the shift to SSS that has been going on since 2006. I would like to see almost all our games played in SSS with the exception being RFK as I think it is our unofficial national stadium and we just do well there. Code: Los Angeles 57 2011 Carson, Pasadena, Anaheim, Fullerton, Torrance, Monterey Park, Mission Viejo, Costa Mesa Boston 22 2011 Gillette Stadium & Foxboro Stadium Washington, DC 21 2011 RFK Stadium Miami 19 2004 Fort Lauderdale Bay Area 16 2007 Palo Alto, San Fran, San Jose, Oakland New York 14 2011 East Rutherford and Piscataway Chicago 13 2010 Bridgeview Dallas 10 2007 Frisco Columbus 8 2009 Seattle 6 2009 San Diego 5 2006 Chula Vista Denver 5 2008 Commerce City Tampa 5 2011 Greensboro, NC 4 1993 High Point, NC Birmingham, AL 3 2005 Phoenix 3 2007 Glendale, Tempe Hartford 3 2010 Philadelphia 3 2010 Chester Nashville 3 2011 New Britain, CT 2 1996 St. Louis 2 1997 Fenton Portland, OR 2 1998 Richmond 2 2003 Albuquerque 2 2005 Houston 2 2008 Salt Lake City 2 2009 Sandy Kansas City 2 2011 Milwaukee 1 1990 Hershey 1 1990 Santa Barbara, 1 1993 Charlotte 1 1994 Davidson New Haven, CT 1 1994 Bethlehem, PA 1 1994 Baltimore 1 1997 Orlando 1 1998 Cleveland 1 2006 Cary, NC 1 2006 Obviously places like Cleveland and Bethlehm, PA won't have wicked awesome support like in DC or NYC or Boston but that can change. We need to have measured expectations at every venue. We can't expect an RFK style crowd at, say, the Rose Bowl or Reliant Stadium. It's just not realistic.
You are right. I love your passion. I would recommend to channel that passion at your nearest AO chapter and make it happen. AO is not exclusive. You are welcome to contribute your services at your nearest AO chapter.
I will compile a list of stadiums later on as the cities don't necessarily correspond always, for example not every game in LA was at the Rose Bowl or HDC. What we can do as the Big Soccer community is devise a plan for some of these venues collectively. Pull diagrams of sections and pull from memory what is permissible at certain stadiums. PPL for example allows flags and smoke, RFK allows human sacrifices, RBA allows capo stands...
Yep..all AO people are racist frat boys..and also AO leadership steal money from the poor..And I also heard AO people kill puppies ..Holy feck..This is the reason shite is so fecked up in this country. All these SA types hate the fact , that there are new people around. They would rather have THEIR clique of 200 people. I mean if we're going by stereotypes then all SA people are nerdy rich kids? right
I believe each big city chapter should have a person who is responsible for setting-up subchapters (10 paid members minium) in small towns of their state.
Honestly, the idea of handing out song sheets and supporters section instructions is quite [deleted]. What are we in junior high school choir class? I would guess that the Scottish Tartan Army would laugh at us like a bunch of idiots. The songs they sing are ingrained in the culture and they all grew up singing them and know them by heart. Surely there are some *American* songs that can be sung that we all know and love ("When Johnny comes marching home again, hoo rah, hoo rah" comes to mind, lol). Other chants can be made up on the fly, much like at college basketball games. Things will evolve over time, but I say get that song sheet away from me...I[deleted].
The problem isn't people don't know the words. The problem is our culture, this is the country of cool. Fonzie..James Dean etc..And people don't think singing in front of people is cool. I had a guy next to me in Philly last year, he was mouthing the words..but not singing..I was less then a foot away from him. So not only do we have to get people out to games, we have to breakdown the "coolness" barrier
I generally stay away from the US boards because there are just way too many people that have absolutely no clue on how to bring it, not just for game day, but in the prep and post-game crap that goes on. Yet they speak like they've been doing this forever. But I was asked to post here today, so I will... Was a huge issue for US/Spain. As soon as we were down a couple, the singing stopped. I was furious with that reaction. Again, I have the same problem with this that you do. Happens to us for the Revs games as well. Annoying as all hell. This. This. This... and more of this. "Well, what do you expect, we're losing?" So get the F out of the section if you're just going to give up. But those same people will be talking loudly how they never gave up if the team comes back to win. Yep... And the problem is there's just not enough of those out there. The culture is changing, and people want to do it, but just have no idea on how to. Not necessarily you ... but pot ... meet kettle. The same shots were taken for years at SA members. Look, I was in Seattle for the Revs game (booked the trip a long time ago) and got to hang out at the AO Seattle bar. I was impressed that quite a good number of people in that bar kept singing when down, even in the 85th. I love and respect that passion no matter who it comes from. I know it's tough to want to sing when you're frustrated or angry ... but it's not about you (or me). It's about supporting the team.
For years. At the very least in 1999, when I first started going to USA games. Moving on, how many vocal USA supporters encounter this in the USA section: "I don't know the words to the song?" Considering the songs normally used, at least to the meaningful games I've been able to attend, are pretty easy and straightforward. Even the super basic Spanish that have been around since the beginning of MLS? Maybe there are those types that follow country, but ain't about [MLS] club in the slightest?
I live in NYC..where we NEVER had any organized US supporters Group..EVER. Until we started one 3 years ago ...look I don't care about SA or AO..or BC..AC/DC or whatever the feck..but we've reached out to ALL the people who root for the US in NYC..and its always the same..you do your thing ..we'll do our thing. I just think its BS..we all root for the same country . But I won't sit here and be accused of being a frat boy[most kids from my area don't even go to college, never mind join a frat] or being Anti-Immigrant..both my parents own green cards. RANT OVER
In that case maybe the USSF should have a message board so everyone, even non AO and SA folks can discuss and post chants. Not everyone knows about Big Soccer, but I bet your every day USA fan hits up the US site. We shouldn't limit ourselves when it comes to chants. We had everyone in our section during the match in Houston singing... Dale Dale USA , Oh when the Yanks coming marching in, WUUSSSAAA WUUUUSSSAAA , and even our Twisted Sister one...We're not F**** fancy! ( Houston USA Original) keep it simple and with time we can get the original ones going.
I've never heard anyone say they don't know the words..I mean we're talking about 15 songs at most that get sung at games. Go to any bar and start belting out a song..watch people look at you like you're nuts. It's a cultural thing..Americans don't like to sing in public. I have friends that I grew up with in the NYHC scene..Murphy's law...Kraut..Leeway..Token Entry..and they all say the same thing..the best shows are in Europe..cause everyone sings
Hell they even look at me crazy here at the AO bar in Houston. We're too rowdy for these folks IMO. Because we bring it.
We're lucky cause the bar we use, already has a Celtic supporters club. So they knew what was coming. But you're right, and thats one of the reasons we should all be on the same page. I'll be honest , I think the MLS SG's bring too much baggage to the US games. I can't sing with them because i hate their club..Or people are wearing their club shirts..all of that stuff. We don't even have a MLS club and people round here hate us for it you can't make this stuff up