You owe me $50 to replace the polyfiber thermal running shirt that was ruined by sparks that landed on my shirt. It's hard for a shirt like that to work when there are several holes in it. Also, there burn marks on my back which probably won't go away. Have you heard of something called common sense? Lighting a road flare in the middle of a crowd of people is just idiotic.
Coz has had a Fire jersey ruined by flares. The Chicago flag has a big hole in it from an orange flare. I have holes in one of my Madrid jerseys from a flare. It's not cool what happened, but there's no reason to get pissy about it.
the person who lit it was an idiot because he was waving it around which led to a couple of people's shirts burned. williamsbmwfan: You might want to start getting use flares and smokebombs or find a new section once we return to sf.
I somehow doubt that the city will be accepting of people setting off flares and smokebombs in their new $300 million stadium. I understand trying to create atmosphere, but it isn't safe to set off a road flare in the middle of a crowd of people. The core of the flare burns at an incredibly high temperature and if it is disconnected from the rest of the flare it could severly injure someone. With modern technology, I'm sure there are ways to create the smoke effect without endangering other people. If you don't want someone who yells the entire match at every game to sit in s8, then who you want there? I just want to go to the games and root my team on, I don't care about your clubs or other BS. Do you think that setting off a flare or making smoke gives the team a boost? What gives the team a boost is sustained energy, I forget what match it was.. but there was a long sustained chant for 15-20 minutes, it was obvious that s8 was willing the team on to score and the team was feeding off the energy.. which I think was the one where Perez scored.. but anyway.. that is what you need to focus on.. not setting off pointless fires.
If I was that guy above, i'd be in a bad mood too... I wouldn't doubt flairs and smoke bombs won't be allowed in the new stadium. No one care about the old one too much. It was a dump anyway...
I think I can under stand being upset but to be honest you sound like the owner of the comic book store from the Simpsons. "Thisss shirt is an original polyfiber thermal shirt that is worth a lot of monnney." I am all for doing totally stupid *#*#*#*# but do it smart.
And this is the reason MLS will never have the crazy atmosphere we see overseas. Because people like this (who know they are in Section 8)get pissy! Test: If you stand near a curb for 45 minutes when it is raining and a bus comes by and splashes your thermo-micro-filament-jacket, would you demand $50 from the transit authority?
I've been to games in England, Germany, and Mexico. There weren't flares at those games. There were loud fans. Who sang, and cheered, and threw toilet paper, and taunted the other team, their frans, and the officials. Here's another test. If you stand near a curb for 45 minutes when I come up beind you and light your shirt on fire, would you be pissed? And please, spare me the bullcrap about the level of expectation in Section 8. The expectations of Section 8 are that fans must cheer, stand, wear red, and support the Fire. Only in a few people's minds is there an expectation that you should be prepared to dodge banned incendiary devices.
Note to anyone in section 8: Standing in section 8 my subject you to obstructed views of the game, loud chants, drums, foul language, streamers, fans under the influence or alcohol, occasional hooliganism, smoke bombs, and flares. If you don't like any of the subjects on this list, to *#*#*#*#ing bad. Choose another place to sit or stand or another sport. Thanks.
Fine, when Peter Wilt, North Central College, and the Chicago Park District sign off on it, I'll take your side.
Well, I wouldn't be nearly that obstinate about it, but okay. There have been explorations for some time about how to do flares and smoke safely, without them being in the middle of a large group of people and with people with proper training handling them. There is a chance of some amount there'll be an opportunity for this at the new stadium in some capacity. There was an attempt to do such a thing for this year in Naperville but needless to say those in charge weren't very open to suggestion. And that's the end of that discussion until the proper time comes when there is a change.
So what? We don't have to do things like them. Many other countries do have flares like Italy, Poland, Spain, Hungary, Denmark, Holland, and the list goes on and on.
Let the record reflect that I have no problem with anything else in gofire2001's list. It's just things involving fire, that bothers me. Like Liam said, if you keep it out of harm's way even, I'm fine with that. For example, US Open in Milwaukee, circa 2002. That was cool. But if I was in standing in that section, watching on the game, yelling and chanting, my concentration is taken enough that I don't want to be concerned with people lighting me on fire. I don't see the gain. I'm sorry if that makes me a *#*#*#*#*#, but that's just the way I am.
Yes, I can't wait where it's like it is in Italy or Turkey where people die at our matches before they even start. You can have the passion and the excitement and the atmosphere without the stands descending into a bad 60s biker movie. There really is only one rule that people need to observe in a supporters section: don't be a jagoff. If you must set off a flare (and apparently you must), then at least have the decency to tell the people around you that you're about to do it so they can get themselves and their crap out of the way.
But then why do we have to do things like Italy, Poland, Spain, Hungary, Demark, Holland, or Etc.? Seriously, how many games in domestic or international competitions have been won because the local team's fans lit flares? It looks cool, yes. The pictures I've seen are cool.