US vs Denmark 1/20/07 @Home Depot Center, CA

I Was at the game on the quiet side of the stadium, section 132. I thought the crowd behind the endline was fantastic. You guys were rocking and singing the whole game. It was an impressive performance.

 

I wish I had known that was you Galaxian. Great job and I was standing above your So Cal Brigade poster. I don't think that USSF made a mistake in making 102 the Sam's Army section. We are traditionally behind the goal. The front row has something like 50 seats whereas LARS has only 7. Love the photos. I was upset my camera battery died and I didn't have my replacement. I missed some awesome photos in front of us.

Just got my tickets last night to the Mexico game. I'm set. Its a wonder I got my tixs because they had the tickets with 1 zip code, the envelope with another and neither were right. See you guys on the 7th.

 

agreed. When the new stadium in Harrison opens, all metro supporters clubs will be together.

Work it out folks!

 

If LARS really wanted to promote themselves, they would have been better off sitting in the SA section. The media know to cover that section and mic it. And Palermo is right when he says that in all other cities, the local supporters groups sit with Sam's Army and take the lead as far as organization and song/chant starting - regardless of their normal section. Hopefully, this was all miscommunication. The HDC has only hosted a handful of national team matches, and the LARS people who've posted here seem unaware of the previous tradition.
The potential problem, as I see it, is that LARS seem tied to their section. The USSF always puts us behind the goal, a section or two to the right as you look at it. And it has never been a problem. I'm sure part of it is because that is the cheapest section. I came from St. Louis, one girl came from New England. I'm far from rich. I don't think it's unreasonable that the SA section be in the cheapest seats. And I don't think it's unreasonable that the Riot Squad leave their corner for one game to make sure that the US is well-supported. Like I said, hopefully this was just miscommunication.
Remember, the USSF pays attention to how well each city supports the national teams. I don't know if LARS cares how many times they host the MNT, if they don't, that's fine. But the support would have been a lot better if the US had a single supporters section. I will personally do everything I can, next time the MNT plays at the HDC, to ensure that the Riot Squad are fully informed and in communication with Sam's Army. I'll make it my mission. That way there can't be any miscommunication.

 

I don't think this is the right forum to discuss this, but I'll let the mods sort it out.

A couple of things to note from a rank & file LARS member...
*LARS is married to section 138, ball & chain style. It would take a monumental effort by parties a lot more influential than a BigSoccer messageboard to get LARS members out of 138 for a game at Victoria Street. I'm not saying it can't or won't happen, but I am saying it would be hard to convince people and would probably be rejected initially by most who were asked.

*LARS isn't interested in promoting itself to US supporters in St Louis or Boston. [I'm curious why you think they should be, while US Soccer will scarcely advertise a game in the city it is played in..?]

*Among the two hundred or so LARS rank & file I am aware of, about 10-12 post at BigSoccer including myself. Along with most Chicago Fire Supporters (Section 8) and the , we almost exclusively use the old Metrofanatics board, now on soccerpubs.com.

* Galaxians were first to establish themselves for the Galaxy, but range between 7-25 at any given game. I have a lot of respect for those guys, sticking together like they have and being die hard supporters: I'd say almost half of them made the road trip to Chicago last year for the US Open cup, while LARS sent maybe 5% of it's crew. Maybe LARS is poorer? I don't know. Nevertheless, LARS, at this point, is the biggest supporters group for the Galaxy, and we outnumber the other guys by a factor of 10+ at any given game.

*In trying to contact LARS, it is difficult to ascertain exactly WHO the right person is talk to. There has been no LARS website for more than a year, and until about 2 weeks ago, there was no such thing as LARS management structure. In fact, I would characterize the group as "pointedly and specifically without hierarchy". A steering group of folks called "The First XI" was just revealed to the great unwashed masses such as myself just after the holidays, but there still is no website up.

Hopefully with the creation of LARS "First XI" management and the website going up, there will be a destination for such requests, and people to take them.

I hope someone from US Soccer is reading this...and not just random Chivas fans out for a little fun painting LARS as an insurrection against all that's holy in US Soccer.

 

Thanks for kind words everyone.

Here's one for the Section 138 crew.
I didn't post this earlier as I wasn't as thrilled with how it came out.



I wish that I had gotten one of Cooper's goal celebration but I was too busy jumping up and down myself.

 

This is so true because a lot of LARS hate you Bigsoccer fumbnucks but I'm sure the feelings the mutual.

C'mon! You guys are elitist! The cream of the crop! The best of the best! Prove it then! Market yourselves you media whores and let the whole world know who you are! I mean, you sing that damn song to let everyone know you're here!

Again, because these guys hate you Bigsoccer fumbnucks so they want to form their own circle jerk which is fine because it's specific to a group.

So? This was a US game, not a Galaxy game. People bitch and moan how there seems to be poor support for the US especially in SoCal and here was an opportunity for you guys to invite Sam's Army and whoever else into your section but I guess you guys didn't want to do that because you're better than everyone else.

I'm sure the folks here at Bigsoccer are aware of soccerpubs.com. They could've simply gone over there and ask somewhere but my guess it that they figured they'd be shot down.

Yeah, hopefully.

Ha! USSF is such a clusterf*ck you think they have time to read these boards, let alone organization for supporter clubs?

 

I wasn't saying LARS are or should be interested in promoting themselves to fans in St. Louis or New England. I was saying that LARS should be interested in having the best possible support for games at their home field. I can't, for the life of me, believe that they can't make a small concession for people who have come a lot farther and paid a lot more money to be there.

Maybe it's because I live in a city without an MLS club or SSS. The day the USMNT plays a match in St. Louis, I will sit on a diving board extending from the roof if it means the US will be better supported in my town. So it baffles me that LARS wouldn't move a few sections over. Maybe you coul try to explain it, though I still probably wouldn't understand.

 

LARS = 138. That's the bottom line.
I won't try to explain it, mostly because I don't get it myself.
Personally, I prefer the 2nd deck, as it is much cheaper and has a far better view, and the aluminum benches make a raucous sound when pounded on.

It will have to suffice to say that there have been many voices within and without LARS who for various reasons in the past have asked for relocation for various reasons and 100% have been rebuffed. If LARS moves, it won't be considered LARS anymore.

 

I think that's the point being made here. It wasn't a Galaxy game, so why should anyone care who "LARS" is when the US plays?

 

Obviously the members of LARS care who we are. You might find this hard to believe given what a-holes we are, but most of us are friends and enjoy one anothers company. We like our home, and prefer it over other places in the stadium.

 

Funny you should mention that given the raging debate currently going on at the LARS boards over what color we should wear to games. It's exactly like the "we should sit somewhere else" debate. The more people get in line with something, the more people want to deviate from it in LARS. It's the organization's personality: contrarian.

Look, maybe "First XI" will have a positive effect and motivate LARS for things like this and maybe it won't. Only time will tell. My money is on status quo and yours should be, too. No matter what you'd prefer...

 

same here.

The main reason I wanted the supporters groups to be together is so that we have a better atmosphere and USSF will look towards the west coast for more games.

 

Herrow.

There was no grand conspiracy to shine on Sam's Army against Denmark. There didn't have to be.

Let me tell you my thinking. Previous US games in SoCal, specifically at the Home Depot Center, have been garbage friendlies against Scandinavian vacationers which draw about as well as Bil Keane on meth. There has not been an important game for the US in LA, or west of Salt Lake City, since the Home Depot Center opened. So there simply wasn't a motivation among longtime Galaxy fans to do anything more for US games than change clothes. Move sections? For the five people who don't go to Galaxy games but LOVE LOVE LOVE the US? When all my friends are staying in 138? When Landon and Chris Albright are DEPENDING on the support we provide? And not jeer on corner kicks?

The Denmark game was the best SA performance in LA since that one Gold Cup, or maybe that one Brazil game. It was by far the best performance in SoCal since the HDC opened. Had we known that would have been the case, I would have...felt bad about staying in 138. Okay, I would have pitched moving over to SA, or better still dragged SA over to 138, but we were anticipating the kind of Sam's Army Southern California performance that we were used to. (Which we blame on the USSF, not on We, National Team Fans, but that's a boring tangent. And on Bruce Arena, which is a boring and irrelevant tangent.)

Besides, garbage friendly. We'd have understood the importance if it was a qualifier. Even one of those early stage qualifiers against Grenada. Even a friendly against Mexico, or a big-time team like Brazil. But Denmark? Who the hell gets keyed up about that? So we did the stuff we always do, that we enjoy doing.

Anyway, since both Galaxy supporters groups are now going to be placed in 137 and 138, in the future Sam's Army should plan to be in the corner anyway. For the next BS garbage who cares friendly against Finland or Iceland. Unless Sam's Army chooses to work with Legion 1908 to organize support. They've got the right colors, after all.

Seriously, no offense meant - we didn't lift a finger to support a Sam's Army section that ended up being something like seven times the size that has shown up to the HDC before now. Shamey finger on us, turn the page.

 

Very well said.

I think there is a lot of potential for supporters sections in SoCal , and with the help of the LARS and everyone else involved in southern california , and a lot of the west coast , we could push for a WCQ in LA , which would be awesome.

next year we will probably have another january game at the HDC , and well have to work together to make sure we have a loud supporters section.

 

Hey now, that's the version of the strip with the hypno-hair and "Uncle" Roy and the psychic fern and sperm-burping gutter mom and oh man I wonder if anyone's gonna get this

 

No offense, but this is exactly the type of attitude that the USMNT & Sam's Army do not need. There is no need for hostility towards the other team & there certainly is no need for terrace culture in the USA. Perhaps it was best that you & your ilk stood elsewhere.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denmark_national_football_team#Supporters

 

O really? And why is that? Teams aren't intimidated coming here. They don't receive hostile welcomes from the crowd and really most of the time feel comfortable. The fans should try and make the other team uncomfortable in my opinion, because we need al the help we can get. Now, I'm not saying throw batteries and small livestock but why not boo and chant things at the other team?

 

No need for hostility to the other team? Are you serious?

I'm not advocating any sort of violence or hooliganism, but I do want to create a hostile environment for opponents. That's called a home-field advantage, and IMO, it's part of the fans' job to make the opponents feel uncomfortable.

I've had enough with the PG chants and cheers and overall atmosphere of U.S Soccer games. I want a rowdier crowd that's not afraid to be edgy. I do realize that lots of families go to the games, but lots of families also go see the Yankees play, and their fans aren't afraid to yell at the opposing teams.

More fans yelling at the other team will help buoy overall support for our team.

 

Nailed it and repped.

I guess you and I will be in the "ilk" section together.

 

Yes.

One easily leads to the other. I doubt the USMNT needs or desires hateful towards its opponents.

& when something like this happens, you'll be saying, "We never meant for something like this to happen."
http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=ap-italy-violence&prov=ap&type=lgns
"Police officer dies after fans riots in Sicily; all Serie A and B matches suspended"
"another police officer was in critical condition, and police said dozens of people with lesser injuries had been taken to local hospitals."
Coverage on BBC & RAI right now. This is not what we need, nor do we need your type of hostility, which leads to it.

 

Yes, because US fans are known for their riots and hurling of tear gas during club matches.

 

Hooligans or Roligans

It all starts with attitudes like yours, then grows.
Here's the SI headline we don't need:
"Violence erupts in Italy
All matches suspended after officer killed in fan riot"
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/soccer/02/02/bc.eu.spt.soc.italianro.ap/index.html?cnn=yes