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Taunting opposing countries fans?


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I feel that the only way to intemidate is to lose all respectablity during the 90+. Say whatever, do whatever you feel in order to scare the visiting fans/players. Of course you'll cross lines but that's what needs to be done if you want anyone to fear coming to an away match in Canada. If we're there to make it hell then we must be devils. If you have lines you wont cross then you wont make much of an impression.

That said, I'm more for possitive support of our own team. Look at the impression Portsmouth fans made v. Arsenal in their FA Cup match last year. It's all up to how we want to be seen and heard. If we play the States are we going to pretend to be Airplanes crashing(9/11)? That'd totally effect any US player and really piss of their fans. It could take players and fans out of a game,and destroy their consentration. But in Scotland in 2001 a guy was accused by C Reyna of doing that and it was a big fuss in the UK media. The media types were horrified at the cruelty and Renya was totally offened.

Another point might be would we want to lower ourselves to the level of piss bag chuckers? Are we somehow better then that type of intemidation, easy targets, racist chants/names, or talk of social status? I've spoken of my preference but just cheering and supporting the MNT will never accomplish what Andy sharpe (see winnepeg fury) thinks should happen.

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Yeah I think it's probably too much as well. The 9/11 stuff is a bridge too far for me definitely. I'm not sure we have to lower ourselves to the basest level to make it a difficult away game.

Where do you draw the line? I don't know.

cheers,

matthew

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One thing we may not want to do is provoke the other side's fans on the return leg to Central America, in the case of Honduras and Guatemala. Maybe save our real bad stuff in reserve for October 13 against Costa Rica, who have been the worst to our teams in the past, especially after we see how our players (and any Voyaguers who go there, like Sigma) are treated there on Septemebr 8.

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quote:Originally posted by Winnipeg Fury

I think it's safe to assume they speak english, as they will all be NA residents.

I would also add that whether they have seen the show doesn't really matter to me, as the words speak for themselves and I know where the quote comes from.

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It's just so 'un-Canadian' to taunt other fans. I vote for treating visiting fans nice, until they piss you off (booing anthem &c) then you sort them out.

I remember when Trinidad was stomping us and eliminating us from the world cup, I really wanted to tell those Steel Drum playing guys to knock it off. I sang a couple nasty ditties, and became pretty unpopular.

But on the other side, I was in sold-out Amsterdam Arena to watch a Celtic-Ajax Champions League game, and I had been given a Celtic scarf earlier in the day (Celtic fans are the best). Celtic won 1-3. I was pretty god damned intimidated, and I have never seen so many riot cops in my whole life, but I was treated really nice and I will always remember that

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quote:Originally posted by Current Champ

It's just so 'un-Canadian' to taunt other fans. I vote for treating visiting fans nice, until they piss you off (booing anthem &c) then you sort them out.

You see, I don't think taunting the opposing fans even qualifies as not treating them nicely. People have to realize that what happens during the game and what's said in the spirit of verbal exchange is not indicative of the relationship between those two groups of supporters. What it is idicative of, however, is each group's will to win.

If every group of supporters took what was said on the terraces (in our case, wooden benches) seriously, then the reputation our game has for fan violence would be ten times what it is now. Luckily, they don't take it seriously. They realize that, much like the players on the field, what happens in the stadium stays in the stadium.

When the Voyageurs entered Gillette Stadium in Boston for the Gold Cup, we were met by a large group of Costa Ricans who insisted on ushering us in under a wave of appplause. The fans' gesture remains one of my fondest memories from all my time frequenting soccer games - A-league, national team, or otherwise. But the generosity that those Costa Ricans afforded us ws not, in any way, a sign that we were to be treated with kid gloves for the next 90 minutes in which our respective teams were on the pitch. Both sets of fans gave as good as they got that day, and when all was said and done, both left with a heightened sense of respect for the other (at least I know I did).

The point is this. As Canadians we do not automatically forfeit our reputations as a gracious and polite people simply because we are vocally involved - whether that be in support of our team, or as directed at the opposing fans. We only forfeit that reputation when we fail to welcome visiting fans with a handshake, a friendly word, or any other sign of hospitality.

What happens in the stadium, stays in the stadium (to an extent, at least).

Now, having said that, if our option is between a) supporting our team and B) working to intimidate the opposition, then in my eyes, the choice is an easy one: 'a' in a landslide.

While it's nice that Kevan Pipe would like to see us scare the collective **** out of anyone who dares step on our turf, that setiment, and anyone who shares it, is, sorry to say, naive. The fact is, in our current state, and even in any forseeable improved state, we don't have the power in numbers to have any kind of significant impact on the opposition. Even with double, or even triple, our numbers, any type of effort to be mean and scary would merely come off as timid and tame. Compare the idea of 60+ middle-class Voyageurs screaming "Who's your father?" to a dead-panned 10 count to the collective vitriol of 100,000 manic Mexicans as found as Azteca. We just don't match up. After visiting such locales as Azteca, does anyone really think opposing players are going to be nervously chatting amongst themselves, fretting the daunting task ahead of them that is entering the cauldron of hate known as Commonwealth Stadium?

The thought is laughable.

My thinking is that any effort we commit to intimidating our opponents would be much better spent trying to encourage our boys. The Costa Ricas and Guatamalas of the world are used to hostile environments. As far as playing in a supportive, encouraging environment, Canada isn't.

That's how I see it.

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Coming from "The hardest" supporters group across Canada, i would like to add my two sense in on this topic.

Out of the 4 years I have been doing this, i have heckled many of fans in my day and i have never been into a fight nor been in any altercation where i could of been in one. Actually most of them end up in having a beer (or coke a few years back) with me at the end of it all. So i dont see what is so wrong with taunting the other teams fans. Aslong as its in good fun.

Give em $hit! until they wanna **** on your head i say ;)

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quote:Now, having said that, if our option is between a) supporting our team and B) working to intimidate the opposition, then in my eyes, the choice is an easy one: 'a' in a landslide.

I don't see those options as the only ones. For the upcoming game at Swangard, I don't think any of the southside regulars (can't speak for anybody else) has any intent on trying to intimidate the opposition. We'll do what we do. Insult the opposition, get pissed off at them trying that cheap crap such as diving, etc, and yes, insult the opposition supporters if it is neccessary. We don't care if we don't match up to the supporters at Azteca, we don't care what the opposition fans or players think of us. We just don't care. I will guarantee though, that anybody who shows up as Swangard in our section will find it a little more hardcore than the Voyageurs crowd in Kingston. Thats not an insult to the Voyageurs who were at Kingston just a comment on what happens when you throw Southsiders into the mix.

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My perspective on this is very much coloured by the fact that I am most often in attendance at sporting events with all or parts of my family. My youngest son is no longer willing to attend CFL games thanks to some large, blue painted bomber fans who felt the desire to shout a variety of taunts at us, and others, at Tayor Field. Now, for me, I knew it was in good fun, and tried to assure my son that we were at no risk, but, he was 7, and it was a new experience for him, and one he did not respond well too. My spouse, no shrinking violet, did not want to sit with the southsiders, and has ruled out going to away games in Mexico, Central America and even the US, because of the stories she has heard.

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quote:Originally posted by Krammerhead

Anyone who isn't scared of the southsiders should take a look at this picture of us!

sesame.jpg

Fixed your url.

tunick3_400.jpg

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Of fans going to the Guatemala game, who else besides me and the two Venezuelans I am bringing along can speak some Spanish? I really think we can have some impact on the game, especially in such a small stadium, and on a pitch that notoriously has long quiet spells. They'll hear us, that's for sure. I personally think, like KHead said, that we should set up some specific heckles for Guatemalan dives and for other things that we can presume will happen over 90 minutes.

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quote:Originally posted by Current Champ

I remember when Trinidad was stomping us and eliminating us from the world cup, I really wanted to tell those Steel Drum playing guys to knock it off. I sang a couple nasty ditties, and became pretty unpopular.

I hope to God this T&T style reception doesn't ever happen again !!!!

Fancy having the OPPOSITION show off in front of your countrymen.

What a bonehead move by the CSA at that time! I remember then

we all vowed never to let this happen. The other team doesn't need

encouragement.

Current Champ, hang out amongst the Voyageurs and your nasty ditties

would not be unpopular but welcomed. [}:)]

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quote:Originally posted by redhat

I hope to God this T&T style reception doesn't ever happen again !!!!

Fancy having the OPPOSITION show off in front of your countrymen.

How the hell did they get a set of steel drums in the stadium, when in Kingston they were confiscation flag poles?

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