Marcos Breton: Mexican soccer chant poses a Sacramento problem - Sacramento Bee Breton has a nice nuanced take here. He's against the chant, and thinks it should certainly be replaced. But he's sensitive to the tradition that brought the chant here. Worth reading.
Real quick question - during an opposition goal kick, if the TBB or any other group of fans shouted out "Ahhhhhhhhh, fa--ot" to the opposing goalkeeper, how would the local PC police react? If it's incorrect in English, then it's incorrect in Spanish as well. Much as some people may want to believe otherwise, this ain't Mexico. I grew up in East San Jose as a gringo, and I knew that anybody (gringo or otherwise) who used or called anybody of Hispanic heritage "********" had better be prepared to go to fist city. The TBB doesn't have to kowtow to the local LGBT organizations or perform any other PC penance - they just have to police their own, and let the folks know that the use of that word during a match is wrong, it's insulting, and it demeans the organization for which they root, not to mention the community as a whole. Long and short, just don't.
I was thinking about it earlier on the MLSN&A thread where I also posted this article, and suggested "pisher" as an alternative. It's a Yiddish insult, literally pisser, but really "bed wetter," and it's used pretty much exactly the way that Americans use "little shit." You're a pisher, a little shit, a little nothing of a nobody. TBB is having a discussion on Facebook about an alternative, and since I'm not on Facebook, I sent TBB an email suggesting it. It's grown on me as the day's gone on. Pisher is insulting just like the "p" word, and it can be said in the say way as a chant, but it doesn't have any of the offensive associations. It's sort of an innocuous, almost kind of fun, insult. Plus, it's Yiddish!
I'd prefer something more supportive of the team than an insult to the other team, but that's just me. Or nothing be said.. But alas, there are "must do" things in many supporters eyes. Is there a Yiddish connection to Sacramento? What else is being thrown out there?
You might want that, but unless the chant serves the same purpose as p--o and YSA, I don't think it'll ever catch on. People want to insult the keeper. That's why these chants exist. I don't think you can change that. You can only guide that impulse to something less offensive. There's certainly a connection to Petaluma. That's close enough!
And what will be done when visiting-team fans loudly chant the insult? Nothing. Don't get me wrong - I don't like it, and will not chant it. Miguel Herrera had a golden opportunity to speak out against this during a post-game WC interview, and he deflected the question. Unfortunately, I just don't see it changing anytime soon.
They will be drowned out or kicked out of the event by Republic. We're not going to get large numbers coming here anyways. There should be a no tolerance policy just as there is for racism for homophobia, and that includes the ******** chant.
I was in the GA end line and I heard just a few people do it for the first couple of GKs, no booing or them or people trying to tell them to stop, but it either stopped or I didn't notice it again for the rest of the game. When the GK moved to the opposite side that may have stopped it completely. Good. And different than previously where it was like tons of people doing it. Still heard "bastard" and f-bombs from the Battalion, but oh well..