Security/Front Office presence in the Cauldron 10/17 [R]

I already emailed Sam. I was booted for throwing a streamer after a goal. I aimed for the net, wasn't trying to do anything wrong at all. Still got booted.

 

I had a really interesting conversation with the security guard after the game. The big guy with the goatee that's always at the top of the section. He said that as a result of the stuff that's been going on, plus Saturday nights game, he doesn't think he's going to come back. He knows the Cauldron and lets things go because he knows we're passionate. He dismisses most of it as passion and not as ignorance, but after what happened Saturday night, he said he wasn't sure if he wanted to do it anymore. He didn't want to kick anyone out, especially for throwing streamers that were supplied by the Wizards. He said that once they started cracking down on kicking people out, he walked off because he didnt want anything to do with it. My Mom, Sister and I asked him to bring back the other people who had been working in our section who were laid back and he said he'd try to make sure that for the last game they'd be there.

As for some of the comments made about the Yardbirds. Some things make complete sense. I've seen them yell at people for just plain being obnoxious (taking 2394327+ myspace pictures and the like). I can get behind that, because Im trying to watch a damn game, not get blinded by camera flashes every ten seconds because you like to document your drunkeness. However, I'm not saying all of them behave either. But on one occasion my Mom was trying to watch the game and one of them was waving a flag. My Mom usually grabs the flag and says please stop waving it. No one likes to get hit in the face repeatedly with anything, especially when they're trying to pay attention to something. The guy turned, and said some profanity to my Mom. My Mom was stunned, which, if you know my Mom... Thats hard to do. Thats not the only example I have, thats just the one that sticks out the most. Most of the other times the other yardbirds have been pleasant towards her/us, but there have been a couple bad times. They can be pretty okay if you can get past some of the shit they do. But I think security has been pretty tolerant of most of their antics.

Especially since a lot of times security only comes down in our section to say hey, just stop because someones gonna tell me to kick you out and I dont want to. (This Saturday was an exception. They were out for blood.) Instead of people going oh, hey I'd like to finish the game here, a lot of times they are met with aggressive behavior and taunting. That bothers me considering that after I spoke with the big security guard that he seemed upset by the fact that they were cracking down on the Cauldrons behavior.

I think its frustrating for both fans and the security that actually cares about the Cauldron.

 

i haven't posted in awhile, but after seeing the whole discussion on the security issue i feel like i should, because i was behind the whole situation.
oh and i now know what the guys that always stand in the front are called, so i can stop calling them douche bags collectively. pretty sure i got in an argument with them after they told me charlie davies deserved to be injured for breaking curfew, then dismissing my POV because apparently i haven't been standing in the cauldron long enough. i guess 5 seasons specifically in the cauldron constitutes me as a newbie. whatever. that's not the point.
but i guess what i'm saying is that i am sick and tired of all the bull that's gone on, and most of my problems in the cauldron have something to do with the people who make trouble for troubles sake, then go on bigsoccer and complain about the security. personally i am glad when someone gets kicked out after heckling a specific security guard for a good 5 minutes.
we have had a lot of trouble with the security, and having people do things to exacerbate the situation just makes it worse for everyone. most of my complaints this season about the game day hasn't been because of the wizards' suckage (which on its own is epic) but because of people that use incredibly ugly behavior and chants and make the game day experience a hassle for everyone else. no one should have to rethink sitting (standing) in the cauldron because of 10 or so people.
OKAY i'm done. feel free to disregard.

 

couldnt agree more.

 

After the first game of the season, I realized it was worth it to stand in the back of the cauldron just so I wouldn't have to constantly listen to the morons up front.

Out of hearing, out of mind. Wish there was another solution... too bad they all had to turn 21...

 

I tried standing in the first 5 rows earlier this year. It was not fun. I had a domino effect of people (drunk) fall on me and about 90 seconds later a burning flare at my feet. I sit in the top few rows.

My boys talk about the stupid drunks. (one son is 7 the other is 5) Their best friends dad is the brewmaster from Ameristar. (who comes many times but does not sit in the Caludron) We don't have a problem with beer drinking. I don't enjoy the game the same as I did in 96. I am 13 years older with kids. I enjoy it differently. I am sure people thought I was dumb in my 20s.

The stuff with the streamers was ridiculous. People should not have been kicked out.

There is a generation gap in the Cauldron though. The kids have not understood the changes that have taken place.

In the new stadium there may need to be different sections of the supporters section. How I don't know. Self regulation. or Self segregation.

Arguing with drunks is no fun for us or the lettuce people as they were once known.

What a rant!

You kids get off my lawn.

 

As someone that doesn't sit with the cauldron, I've got to say I overheard several comments at the DC game wondering why we weren't seeing any streamers.

 

In part due to the fact that I asked the FO not to bring any more streamers to the Cauldron...because the problems that come with them outweigh any benefits...IMO.

 

so was security back to normal for this game?

 

As far as I could tell, yes. I don't know of any "incidents" this week.

 

The crowd control guy standing next to me (in the first half) was new to the section. He said he wasn't there the previous game, but he was anticipating "all this trouble." He said he was surprised. My response was like, "What did you expect? It's not like you're policing a prison yard. Jeez." He did admit the there was definite lack of communication between team officials and his team the previous week.

Also, when the first smoke bomb went off after the first goal, the larger black security guy (who often stands in front of the section) came running down the stairs. The new guy calmed him down and was like, "It's cool. They have a permit, it's after goal, go back to the top of the section." The larger guy was like, "Okay, I wish someone had told me." Once again, not much communication.

 

I was told after the game there was 2 ejections. He said there was only 4 the previous week.

 

Were the ejections specific to the Cauldron, or just two ejections stadium-wide?

 

I did not ask that specifically. I gestured towards the cauldron when I asked if it was calmer than the week before but I can not say for sure how it was answered.

 

Both ejections were DC supporters. We will leave it at that other than to give the following PSA:

If security or staff is walking toward you, it doesn't mean they're coming to kick you or anyone else out. 99 times out of 100, it's because they have a question for you. Just talk to them.

I am pretty loud and obnoxious in the stands, and I have been an away supporter over 100 times between high school, college and professional sporting events on two continents. I have been in bad home security situations in The Cauldron and at USA matches. You know what? Not once have I been ejected. Warned, admittedly, but never ejected. All you have to do is dial it down when security approaches. It isn't that hard. It isn't worth fighting over, honestly. The best-case scenario is you get ejected with a smug sense of self-satisfaction.

 

Exactly!!!!

 

Oh, I knew the reason, I was just pointing out that the rest of the stadium definitely noticed and was confused about it.

 

good, I'm glad people outside the Cauldron notice the things we try to do. We will try to come up with something new/better to rplace the missing treamers.

 

We should hold up big shiny pinwheels when we are defending the goal in front of the Cauldron to make the shininess and movement distract the strikers on the away team. That would be family friendly and wouldn't put any players in danger.....

 

Another option is not to practice not dialing up the obnoxious behavior in the first place.

I try to live by these principles, and it makes all the difference:

Ephesians 4:31 - Let anger and wrath and screaming and abusive speech be taken away from you.

Proverbs 15:1 - An answer when mild turns away rage, but a word causing pain makes anger to come up.

Romans 12:18 - As far as it depends upon you be peaceable with all men.

 

Yeah - they live by those same principles at Ibrox and Parkhead, especially when they play each other - its like an afternoon out at Promise Keepers.

 

It sucks to be reading these posts where the security staff at the games totally takes away from the fan experience at Wizards Games. Seriously though, what part of the stands to players run to after scoring a goal?...the Cauldron. What part of the fanbase does the TV cameras go to after a great play is made?...the Caludron.
I was at a game earlier in the year when ESPN was there covering the match and a group of guys had their chests painted and were standing (not in the Cauldron, about 2 sections over) during beginning of the game cheering. They were asked by an usher to either sit down or move seats so the people behind them could enjoy the game. Absolutely horrible. I think the Wizards fanbase could use a bit more of the English style of fan. Unfortunately, non soccer fans think that having a Soccer Specific Stadium will only bring on unruly Soccer Hooligans...one of the reasons the Johnson County bill didn't pass back in 2006 or 2007.
Anyway...In case anyone is interested...Jimmy Conrad will be out at Nebraska Furniture Mart this weekend signing autographs from 1:00-2:30pm.

 

After Crew Stadium opened in 1999, the supporters group went through and ugly transition from the original group to a bunch of 18-24 year-old mostly drunk, mostly men, who thought good support meant repeated obscenities through a megaphone. By MLS Cup 2001 (held at Crew Stadium), the Crew's "supporter's section" had whittled away to a couple of handfuls of really annoying brats.

It would be interesting to see how they recovered and rebuilt from those ugly days. How they "took back" the supporters section. I don't mind the odd obscenity, or even off-color song now an then. But how old and tedious does it get when your entire repetoire is "f*@& You, X" and "Z is a f*&@ing pedophile". It made me change my seats.

 

No, it had more to do with a single simple phrase which you couldn't deny.

"2 million per field?"