Is it generally accepted that the US will be cheered against no matter who they play? It seems to have been that way for quite a while, even in Australia during the last Olympics. I would imagine the anti-US sentiment to reach fever pitch in France, of course. Turkey could suit up Hitler and Attila the Hun, and the crowd would still pull for them on Thursday. The Yanks really got their work cut out for them.
But you know, the worse the jeering is in France, the better prepared Convey, Howard, and Martino will be when they head to Saprissa.
I would have thought that David Regis had won the hearts and minds of the French, and that in his honor they would cheer OUR red, white and blue... bwahahahahaahahahaahahah!
Those are some damn funny posts. I had a feeling the French would bring out the best in us. The US definitely is a unique team in that every game they play is a virtual away game. The true home game advantage only happens during the handful of WC Qualifying games. Otherwise, it's a hostile crowd.
don't worry guys. regardless of whether or not we get cheered, we always win in france. that would be funnier if we hadn't ************ed up so bad in 98.
Why does everyone think that France is going to boo the US? It is the AMERICANS who behaved irrationally, bought wine to pour it out, started boycotts, insulted people of French heritage, forced people out of business. The opposite DIDN'T happen in France. I don't know how the crowd will react, but none of you have any reason to think you know either. Because Serena got booed at Roland Garros? That crowd made Mary Pierce, a french woman cry a couple of years ago, and once booed a french guy who was on the verge of knocking Jimmy Connors out in the first round.
Okay, who took the longshot and bet that Flan would post before someone used the phrase "cheese eating surrender monkeys"? I think it was a 12-1 shot at post time. (thanks, Flan.)
I am sure Bruce thinks a nice, hostile crowd will be good for getting the boys ready for Central America.Whatever happens can't approach, even 1 %, Guatamala, Mexico or Costa Rica... or Los Angeles.
What a load. While there have been individual instances of stupidity, like spray-painting French-Americans' homes -- it is not irrational to boycott a country that has consistantly -- for decades -- worked against our interests politically and economically. France is no friend of the United States. And you are in la-la land if you think most French people buy American products when given a choice. As of a month ago, France was #10 on the list of countries we have the largest trade deficits with.
This is the stupidest post I've ever seen on BigSoccer. A trade deficit with France means that the French hate us? That they're not buying our products? Do you buy Zeniths? When a Frenchman buys a Dell, it comes from Ireland. That nice mortgage rate you were able to get - guess what? It's due in large part to the huge amount of liquidity in the MBS market provided by European - of which a huge part is French - pension funds. Which is my point: trade deficits with France (and completely rational, by the way), as long as they're matched by those French investments in our markets, are just damn fine and dandy. There's no real broad boycott of American stuff there as a result of US policy. And idiot, it was Germany that really tried to ************ us, not the French. We froze out Schroder, not Chirac. It was a cute little PR move by the right here, but hey, you won't get that from Fox News, home of Geraldo Rivera and Bill "SHUT UP" O'Reilly.
Where did I say that French people buy American products? Here's your answer, Einstein: Nowhere. my point is Americans don't seem to know how to separate POLITICS from People. BTW, the state department recently released a statement singling out FRANCE for their help in our fight against terrorism. But they're not a friend? The thing is I don't give two shits about France from a political perspective, it's just seeing all of this misinformation is hard to ignore.
France is not without it's petty actions... I beg to differ... I seem to recall the defacing of the grave sites in Normandy for one. And I'm sure some French politicians insulted Americans. Boycotts? Lots of talk by politicians trying to ride the wave of emotion for their benefit. Heard a lot of talk, but have seen nothing organized on my end. I admit, that I'm sure people are buying less French products though of their own free will. Irrational? Not in the eyes of the American public. The perception that France was working 'economically' with Iraq and seemed to be putting up obstacles in the way of resolving the 12+ year old Iraqi problem was more than enough for France to lose favor with run of the mill Americans. Reactionary, yes. Irrational, no. And as for the trade deficit. I just read that it is now in our (US) favor some 100billion EU or more. And why shouldn't the French boo us. They'll applaud good play, but we are a possible competitor. Expect a few idiots, the US doesn't have a monopoly on idiots, that will boo the US because of the war. So be it. Big deal.
Aren't China and Japan at or near the top of the list of countries that we have the largest trade deficits with? Do you think most people in these countries hate us? Should we start boycottting goods from these two countries?
Re: France is not without it's petty actions... <informed citizen> This is absolutely not true. </informed citizen>
And as we all know, the volume of booing America is inversely proportional to the percentage annual decrease in total exports. Frankly, I'm not sure there are going to be all that many "French" people at the US-Turkey, US-Cameroon and US-Brazil games. Which is not to say they won't be French citizens or residents, but it's more likely they have football loyalties that rest with one of the two countries playing. I would imagine that the Mighty Lions get a fair number of French of Cmaeroonian heritage (and perhaps some others of African heritage) and there is a very large Cameroonian (or French of Cameroonian heritage) population in France. The Turkey game will likely attract, shockingly enough, some French, perhaps even Swiss, Italian and maybe even German residents of Turkish ancestry and even, I'll go out on a limb, some genuine people from Turkey itself. Brasil is most likely to get the biggest mix of "French" French - those who support Les Bleus as their first team, "other" French - those who support other teams but live in France and "other" others - those who have travelled to France for the games, since, obviously Brasil is the marquee team. I would expect Brasil to be applauded over the US (of course, a bit depending where the Ronaldihno transfer is at kick-off) unless the US puts in a scrappy and pretty little performance and Brasil looks like they're phoning it in (lots of people likes the promise of an upset if it's well deserved and the Brasil game will likely have the most "fickle" fans.) If the US beats/takes it to Turkey, I think we'll get the most "booing" as Turkish fans take their football very seriously and can be very vocal. I've been to a couple of Cameroon games here and in Europe and the fans were wonderful, fun and generally excessively polite, but in a tourney like this, I wouldn't be surprised to see them turn on the US a bit if we are spanking them. Frankly, if we don't go out and beat anyone, or if we don't piss and whine and act like wussies on the field, I think you'll get the odd "booing" at the anthem and maybe a flag burning like there was in Athens by some old-school commies who decided to call a strike so they could catch the match, but I'm not sure that the French are going to be so concerned, especially as we are not faves. How's that for a tome to nothing? Something to make Seinfeld proud.
Re: Re: France is not without it's petty actions... You didn't answer this: If you're willing to single out certain groups of Americans for what you see as irrational anti-French behavior, it seems only fair to acknowledge the reverse.
Re: Re: Re: France is not without it's petty actions... Lumping the US congress and neo-nazi skin heads? I'll can live with that...