Okay, I've debated whether to start this thread or not, but I think it needs to be said. After the match, Adin Brown came over to section 131 to say hello to his family of which there was about 10 members. A DC fan yelled to him, "Thanks alot, you cost us three points". He said this smiling, and Adin Brown sheepishly replied "Sorry bout that". Brown then handed his gloves and signed them to a young DC fan and then handed his keepers jersey to another young DC fan. You should of see the looks on the faces of these kids. Stuff like that goes a long way in making a young kid a soccer fan. Anyway, kids are lining up to get his autograph, and he's hugging and kissing his family members when three guys come over and start yelling "Hey Brown, you suck you fu***** pus**!!" Adin's family just kind of looked at them shaking their heads, but they wouldn't let up. They just kept shouting other similar witty remarks. Adin Brown played out of his mind in that match, and he made several kids very happy by just signing a autograph and handing out his gloves and jersey. The "fans" who came over to berate him in front of his family and about a dozen young kids humiliated themselves as well as the rest of the DC fans. Maybe I'm way off with this post, but I've always thought of DC's fans as above the crap that we see other club's supporters engage in. If the guys involved are reading this, I'd like to hear what exactly they thought they accomplished acting that way.
Unfortunately, there are jerks everywhere. Brown sounds like a class guy. It would be nice if there were some way to apologize to him on behalf of DCU fans who don't act that way.
It's unfortunate people have to behave like that. Christ, the guy helped beat us. Deal with it and move on but don't harass the guy by dropping f-bombs and profanity.
I've got no time for wannabe hoolies. Game over, you give nothing but respect to a player who played well. No exceptions. Well, unless it's Petke... But then, he'd have to play well dadman
that is f-ing classless! Adin made some huge saves, and was also assisted by the ref, but, the dude is great, and apparently a very good ambassador for the game. I think the problem was too much alcohol at the game. The drummers in BB/SE obviously had some, because they drummed over 3 out of every four attempted chants, often content to drum a good rhythm.
Does it make sense to cross-post this on the Rev board? Brown played better than our forwards, for which he deserves our credit, and his post-game actions were really what soccer needs in this country (as does baseball). The game lasts 90 minutes, during which time we chant and shout for our team, boo the ref, and deride our opponants. When the game ends, it's time to cheer the sport. The sport was here before us, and for it to continue after us, we need to support it with as much passion as we do our game. As a fan of both the game, and the sport, I tip my hat to Adin Brown.
That sucks. When I've heard things like this (a la the knuckleheads giving the nazi salute to Bayer Leverkusen last year) I usually give them a quick lecture and tell them to piss off. Twats.
To be honest, the guys who did this did look a little embarrased with what they had just done, but it doesn't excuse it. And the real reason I started this thread was to get the exact responses that all of you have replied with. We still are the classiest fans in the league.
Adin Brown Does Adin Brown have family in the area, or were they just at the game? We had a chance to draft him after Miami and Tampa Bay were shut down, but we went with Rimando. What's the reasoning behind this, other than Hudson's nepotism. He went undrafted during the allocation draft before this season, and I guess NE picked him up as a free agent, as any team could have.
brown was on trial last year with Lyn in norway, who really, really liked him and wanted to sign him. another norwegian club wanted him as well, i think this is why he was off the market for a while. i am all in favor of giving opponents the business, but not like that. i'd razz any player on another team but not curse at them. i am very loud and yell alot at games, but 3 years ago i decided not to curse (and with albright here it was hard) when i shout. there are just too many children at the games (if i were in a stadium that locks all the rowdies in a section i'd go back to my old x-rated ways). i am very creative and nasty, just not dirty.
The only thing i can say in the defense of DC fans on this one is that he did pick a bad location and time to come see his family immediately following a TOUGH loss for DC United. --I and a lot of others were a little confused when we saw him walk over seconds after the game ended, because he was walking right towards the supporters sections. A lot of people took it as an insult that he would come over and sign autographs for traveling rev's fans right in front of us. A lot of boos went up, but when most people saw that it was little kids and obviously relatives they let it go. (as they should) Still had that been him signing for the Midnight Riders and such I think this might even be excuseable to a certain degree. It is OUR field and not theirs, even if the ref's do not always call it that way. --I would like to think this was a case of poor judgement on his part and bad location, apples, and timing. (by his accidently stumbling into a drunken angry section.)
I don't buy this. Soccer is a sport, after all. In all kinds of sports, including soccer, people who were on opposite sides during the game greet, shake hands, say hello. Take a look at the players on the field after a game, and sometimes even before. If they aren't insulted by an opponent's presence, why should a fan be? I don't see it as "poor judgment" when a visiting player goes to the stands to speak with friends or relatives, or to sign autographs, or to give his gloves and shirt away. I call it civilized, even classy, behavior. Too many drunken sections can ruin the experience for a lot of people.
Booing is one thing, but the verbal abuse is uncalled for when it became obvious that it was a bunch of children and relatives.
i can't remember the last couple of years ever being madder at an opponent than one of our guys after a game we lost.
EXACTLY... And thats why he did use poor judgement... To expect that their wouldn't be drunken fans or just plain A$$HOLE fans at ANY sporting event these days is worse then poor judgement. Yeah its sad that he cannot do this without being verbally assualted, but what do you would think would happen if he tried this in virtually any Major sport, short of the WUSA....? Its the sad state of a lot of places today. People yell insulting crap at bands on stage that they LIKE... People don't thank you for openingt he door for them at the mall. The world is full of pricks and to think RFK is some magic kingdom is ridiculous. He put himself in a bad situation. Unfortunate? Yes. A statement on United fans? No.
mcowen's post reminds of something i often ponder about MLS crowds and i think mls fans have different expectations for behavior at football matches than most other places. i am not saying i condone this, but personally i expect poor behavior at football matches. in europe most visiting fans have to locked into a section, even fans not in the "hooligan" sections are abusive and can turn ugly pretty damn fast. the number of coked out hooligans itself gives an atomsphere no US match has. i have been to games in latin america where fan behavior is incredible--from the merely psychotic passionate (and drunken) to the outright dangerous. i have never been to a club or national team match outside the US i thought was a very good "family" activity. i am not saying this is how it should be, it is how football is. bottomline, expect idiocy. in some cases it is a normally rational person doing something stupid, something we have all done at one time or another. others are folks who came to the stadium looking to make trouble, and those folks exist in every crowd i have every been in, sporting event, concert, whatever.
I'm totally against harassing people at the game, and that includes the other team. Dude, grow up. BUT, while on the topic of Adin Brown ... how the heck did New England get him AND salary cap relief for him without a lottery/draft/allocation/etc.? Oh yeah, and what about OUR first round SuperDraft Pick, Daouda Kante ... the Revolution signed him recently didn't they? Ummm where's our compensation? Or is each of these just another of MLS's "future considerations?" I'm cool with that, let's just figure out how to use some of those future considerations chips to acquire a discovery selection for Gazza. Ummm doesn't that sound kinda odd ... we "discovered" the 35 year old Gazza? -Tron
My feelings have been expressed above, but I will agree with this. What is truly amazing to me, is that when I went to Columbus last week it was a family oriented gathering. It was surrealistic (This coming from a DC United fan who has taken his family to practically every home game in the last 6 years). But perhaps that is the way things should be in stadiums.
I've got to think that there's some kind of happy medium between hooliganism and the kind of vanilla, pre-packaged crap that you get at Crew Stadium. Good lord, they run ads on the jumbotron DURING THE GAME! There's this stupid ice cream ad asks the crowd to stomp their feet for that kind of ice cream. AND THEY DO!!!!! It's idiotic. I think most of the time, RFK is a happy medium. Whereever you go there will be drunken idiots trying to spoil everyone's good time. But please, please, don't hold Crew Stadium up as an example of something to strive for.
Phew! I thought I was going to have to start writing chants to the high hair hits of the 80's and early 90's.
Say what you want about Columbus -- the ice cream thing is a bit much -- but when Ali Curtis came over to the stands after the game Wednesday to talk to someone, no one gave him a hard time.