Deuce has the moral advantage here since he has to work down there with expensive camera equipment and doesn't want a bunch of crap raining down on him. But there's a different perspective if you aren't working down on the pitch. It's not all that easy to get up, bump your way through 15 people to get to the isle, walk up to the stadium entrance area and wander around until you find a security guard. Then you get back there and the guy says it was someone else, and you must have bad eyes. Meanwhile, the team finally scored their first goal in 400 minutes and you missed it. All because some dude threw a styrofoam ball on the field. If you're down on the pitch, you have good reason to be pissed and the wherewithal to report it, if you're in the crowd, it'll probably take more than a paper cup of Coke to inspire you to action.
I probably am more tolerant of violent fandom being a Raider fan and having grown up around Philly where things can get of hand, so when I see a rain of Coke or a few of those mini balls coming out, I'm not really upset about it as long as it isn't batteries or coins are some other crap that could so real damage to a player and as long as its a once in a blue moon thing. But, this is quickly becoming part of RSL fan culture and we are seeing it at nearly every game we lose lately. That isn't good and the FO will probably have to have more security on hand to handle these situations. I didn't notice 1 security dude go into that section of the stadium after the cokes were flying.
I'm not inclined to leave the match to go find security. If a fan that throws something on the pitch is close by, I'll politely but firmly tell them not to do it again. At one match last year a couple of fans I hadn't seen in the Loyalists section before came down to join our chanting and were right next to me. The opponent scored and few fans in the north end starting throwing a few things. One of the guys near me held up his hand with a cup and looked about to throw it and I simply turned to him, smiled and shook my head, and he smiled back and resorted to yelling at the player instead. But if security comes down in response to a lot of things thrown all at the same time (like they did Monday) I'll point out the culprits if one of the guys in orange is close by. I don't feel like I'm being a narc. I'm protecting my image as if this sort of thing keeps going, RSL fans are going to get a very bad reputation. (Anyone else notice the beer cans and seat cushions thrown onto the track at Talladega Sunday?)
Flares too. The scooter incident happened in 2001. It was throw down from the upper deck. Forza Milan!
I'm not condoning such activity. I'm just saying styrofoam balls and paper coke cups pale in comparison to what happens in Europe. Forza Milan!
Have you ever tried to clean a $6,000 camera and lens after it has been drenched in coke thrown by some asshole in the stands?
I take pictures of people in the stands all the time. If I happen to get one of a person throwing things onto the field I have and will again give the pictures to the police and district attorney's office. Interesting article about interfering with a sports game. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=2855998&type=story
The part where you said styrofoam balls and paper coke cups pale in comparison to Europe... Obviously... If you injure some one on the field with a coin or bottle of coke thrown on the field in America... is it any less serious than injuring them with a scooter or a flare in Europe? they are injured either way right...? And i guarantee the person injured does not care what injured them... only that they are injured!
OK, I can see where this is going. You're logic is infallible. You're correct an 800 lb scooter could not do the same kind of damage a styrofoam ball could. Thank you for correcting that slight error on my part. I've said all along that throwing crap on the field is unacceptable so I'm not sure where the static is coming from. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=11417189&postcount=230
"Narc" is a term criminals use to make people feel bad about doing the right thing. Stupid. Good for those who still have the courage to do the right thing. Don't throw crap on the field! You wanna throw something? Stay home, watch the game on TV and throw crap at your TV!
Obviously we all agree that a whiskey bottle or scooter (have to admit I would have been curious to see footage of the scooter!) is not appropriate, but even throwing papers cups and liquids is at the very least bad manners. And as Deuce noted, I'd hate to be the guy on the pitch, or maybe in the front of the stands whose camera, cellphone, or ipod is damaged or ruined by an errantly thrown cup of cola which drenches their item.
i posted the video from you tube earlier on this thread... although from the footage it does not appear that the scooter actually made it all the way to the pitch
Yes, there are a lot of people on the sidelines with jobs to do, and it's definitely not cool to damage their equipment with the sticky mess. If you're gonna throw something, throw small, lightweight styrofoam balls! Or, you could do one better and not throw anything at all.
If you throw crap on the field you're a muppet numpty wanking McTool. Voodo and gypsy curses are a grey area.
Amazing what some people will do at a match. Wonder how they got they got the thing in the stands, and if they tracked it to the owner with the license?
I went to a match at Estadio Jalisco a few years ago; cameras were welcome, batteries were not - too easy to throw. But we alll had our cameras!