I agree, I always see the flags up and people behind them from where i sit. Thats one reason I choose not to sit there.
While I agree with what you're saying, (we actually try to curb flag waving during play in DC), you might want to back up "whole rest of the world" somehow, cos it's a bogus claim Personally I go to games to support team not watch match (I do that from comfort of my couch afterwards), but I realize I'm a minority here. Definitelly not a minority in world supporters tho Unless I missed the point and you're talking about overheads that cover whole section not waving flags. In that case, sorry
this couldn't be less true if you added a short statement about how the moon landings were faked. i don't even stand in section 8 and i know it's not true. ultras groups aren't for everyone but you don't have to go be john q passive-aggressive. no one is making you stand there. i don't even know that there are many 'debates' on flags or swearing other than the occasional few that make a ruckus on the internet. it never seems to be a problem at matches themselves.
During our exile in Naperville, and in 90% of the games since the suburban fiasco that drove away our committed fanbase, we haven't drawn enough fans that anyone has had to watch from behind section 8. Back when we were drawing 20,000 to Soldier Field pretty regularly, and Section 8 was in a corner where a poorly timed flag wave could obscure the view from other sections, there was A LOT of complaining. I saw arguments several times, participating once, then deciding to move aside. I've seen Roma and Barcelona at home in packed stadiums, and no one was asinine enough to wave a giant flag during play except as the game was starting and briefly after goals before they got them back down. Ditto for Pumas. Perhaps there are a few other soccer stadiums with a small number of idiots who think it's all about themselves and not the game. But I still think the Fire's in-game flag-waving idiots are a pretty special breed.
don't you think if it was such a huge problem the Fire would discourage it? the sections are marked, they support the team the way they choose and people participate in large numbers. if you don't like it then the area is not for you, big deal. that doesn't mean the ultras groups are some kind of egomaniacs. they are waving flags. what is the problem? i've never seen Dinamo VIPs piss and moan about the actions of those in the curvas. they each do their own thing. i pity us Fire fans for making such spectacle of ourselves on public forum in front of other far lesser teams. it's completely unbecoming and unrepresentative of who fire fans really are. complaints about swearing and flag waving. maybe we should now bitch about the jerseys we wear!
In my experience, flags obscuring the view have led to more people that I know avoiding section 8 then some stupid swear word. Still means next to nothing, much like the rest of this thread.
OK, my post has disappeared... all I said was I have to disagree. I've seen many games outside the country on TV where there are flags as the game is going on. All depends on the location and that country's type of fans and customs really.
Hey, speaking of obscuring the view, that reminds me of a practical question I've had for a while... I've seen people talking about taking their kids to section 8. How do they see when everybody's standing? We usually end up asking for tickets close to, but not in, section 8 so the kids can see the game. Lex is still pretty short.
My kids either move toward the front, stand on the chairs (until security yells at them) or move to the top of the section where there are inevitably spaces.
This thread gets dumber and dumber every day. Can we please close it and save us from these idiotic arguments?
I am SO damn jealous. You have the great privledge of making fun of Preston Burpo. Just chanting his first name and then belching seems ridicule enough. I hope to hell we play the sounders in the Open Cup.