There are a few reasons (not well described above) that I'd rather not be on the far side. Probably the biggest reasons are ticket prices and the media. I really hate the feeling I get when someone comes over with a camera. It's like we're trained monkeys or something. Perform for the camera. It really pisses me off, probably me more than anyone else though. But ticket prices are also an issue. If section 8 moved to a higher ticket price bracket, then not everyone would go with it. We'd pretty well be forced to have season tickets (I do, but not everyone does) and I think that would cut down on people in the section. I don't really like the idea of getting free tickets from the team either, because that compromises our independence (not that it isn't compromised in certain ways already). I don't know. Honestly, this sort of thing is for the braintrust to work out, and then whenever the decision is made, everyone else will decide to go with it or not go with it. I think that the decision has already been made, and it seems fine to me.
Well, when I'm at away games that aren't "section 8 on tour" I feel very uncomfortable, because everyone near me thinks I'm nuts because I've got my fire shirt, hat and usually a scarf on in the heat, and I'm murmuring fire chants. I do the same thing when I watch the games on tv. But if I had only watched them on tv, I can't imagine that it would matter at all. In short, if I hadn't decided to go to the fort for my second match, I sincerely doubt that I would be here now, and I probably wouldn't give a crap about any pro sport, let alone soccer.
in a nut shell, they should come to us, we shouldn't go to them. we're no one's advertising campaign. if they want to show the great section 8 atmosphere-great, if not-screw them. of course, it's not to say a supporters' section can't form on the sidelines. more and more in europe, you see new groups forming in the non-traditional, roofed parts of the grounds. if there is a bunch of people who want to "transplant" the experience to the sidelines or behind the other goal-awesome! the more the merrier.
Don't get me wrong, I prefer going to see live soccer, too. I'm just saying that I still get that same knot in my gut before a big game regardless if I'm there live of I'm watching it on TV in a bar or even in my living room. I still jump up and down and scream and holler when the Fire scores in both cases. I still feel just as bad when the unworthy opponent gets a lucky goal on us. I've had to watch more games on TV than I normally would now that the Fire games are a four hour round trip away rather than a two hour round trip but I care just as much. That's all I'm saying.
Thanks to everyone for the excellent responses to my questions. Everyone's got their own take on it and they're all good. This is the type of discussion I was hoping to see.
Perhaps a shot of "heybeerman's" 3 year old? I don't know about anyone else, but this warms the cockles of my heart. http://www.cellar.org/showthread.php?threadid=1488 I'd actually had someone shoot the photo to me directly, but I couldn't figure out how to link it here. Therefore, a little searching and voila -- it's posted elsewhere. Of course the lad posting it didn't find it as heartwarming as I, but. . .
Didn't mean to impune you or your youngster. Sorry if I did -- it really wasn't intended that way. I'll go with the Liam bit though. Strangley, when it was e-mailed to me originally, the sender inquired as to whether it might have been me as a child. If only I'd been attending matches at that age. Sigh.
What about the Galaxy game in may? When it was rainy and cold. What did it look like on TV, because they closeed the endline seats because of lightning?? That was the only game i've been to yet, and i thought the stadium was, well, terrible. Oh well, just asking how it looked on TV.
Re: Re: Re: Stadium Situation for the remaining of the season. Don't be silly. That's a "finger salute." Heybeerman said an "arm salute." Therefore, I don't assume the kid's flipping anyone off. He's probably just making Die Feuhrer proud. Or did he mean some other kind of arm salute?
Re: Re: Re: Re: Stadium Situation for the remaining of the season. Tch, tch. Aren't you supposed to be the grammer Nazi?
Skinut. I would be damn proud if he flipped off the opposition!!! JK. It's fairly difficult to insult me. If you somehow manage to, I'll just make you buy me beer.
Re: Re: Stadium Situation for the remaining of the season. If I was a Dutch kid of about 6, you're damn right it'd be me.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Stadium Situation for the remaining of the season. Der? In any case, no, I'm supposed to be the Grammar Nazi... but only in English.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Stadium Situation for the remaining of the season. Man... even I decided to leave that one alone... even though, ironically (and, yes, it is ironic), it was a foreign language error that brought this all up in the first place.