Soccer riots...whats wrong with people!

[taabru45]

70 dead and 1000 injured....I don't get it...Thats not what I think of when I think of the Mediterranean..... :? :? If I ever get to Egypt, some one remind me...never attend a soccer game....

 

[chazmo]

Wow. That's nuts.

Not to make light of all this nasty, awful behavior, but this reminds me of a line from Men In Black that I quote often: "A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals, and you know it."

Have any of you ever done Times Square for New Years Eve? Back in the '80s, I did it once. I was about 10 blocks back or so. Scariest experience of my life. After the ball came down, the crowd pushes out to the side streets. I was not under my own propulsion. If I'd fallen, I would've been trampled. No question about it. Not the same thing as aggressive behavior, but is cautionary about mob pressure.

 

[Ravon]

Like my dad always said "People are eat up"

 

[GAD]

I spent some time in England, where when I asked about the riots, I was told the following:

Rugby is played by animals for gentlemen.
Football (soccer in US) is played by gentlemen for animals.

 

[CajunBlues]

I spent some time in England, where when I asked about the riots, I was told the following:

Rugby is played by animals for gentlemen.
Football (soccer in US) is played by gentlemen for animals.

funny, I am ex rugby player... ( 4 years in college )

 

[Zelja]

From what I gather this was a politically motivated attack - nothing to do with soccer per se but rather the game provided the opportunity for the attack. Very much linked to the recent poltical upheavals in the country.

That quote re Rugby & soccer goes more like this I think:

"Football is a gentleman's game played by ruffians, and rugby is a ruffian's game played by gentlemen."

Comes from the class divide in England - all the posh schools played Rugby while the working class played football (soccer).

 

[markus]

From what I gather this was a politically motivated attack - nothing to do with soccer per se but rather the game provided the opportunity for the attack. Very much linked to the recent poltical upheavals in the country.

That's what Austrian journalists report from there too.
Markus

 

[chazmo]

Apparently, we in the US have no concept of what soccer houligans really are. How does starting a riot at a soccer match make a political statement? I'm sorry... speaking for my countrymen, I simply don't get it.

We love sports here in the US (even soccer to some degree), but clearly we don't see sports in the same light.

 

[GAD]

That quote re Rugby & soccer goes more like this I think:

"Football is a gentleman's game played by ruffians, and rugby is a ruffian's game played by gentlemen."

Comes from the class divide in England - all the posh schools played Rugby while the working class played football (soccer).

Thanks for the clarification - makes total sense.

 

[markus]

Chaz, it is not about sports!
(PM sent)
Markus

 

[chazmo]

Chaz, it is not about sports!
(PM to be sent!)
Markus

Thanks, Markus.

Yeah, of course it can't be. That's why I / we have such trouble looking in at this and trying to understand it. Class divides or not... Here we are in the northeast US getting fired up for Superbowl Sunday (American football) and this happens.

OK, since it's obviously political, it's probably not a valid subject here.

 

[CajunBlues]

and rugby is a ruffian's game played by gentlemen."

That's definitely no longer true... cause I ain't no gentleman :lol: :lol:

 

[Zelja]

and rugby is a ruffian's game played by gentlemen."

That's definitely no longer true... cause I ain't no gentleman :lol: :lol:

Maybe you should try your hand at "Rugby League" then... :wink:

There are actually 2 games with the word "Rugby" in them - "Rugby Union" & "Rugby League".

"Rugby Union" is often (& probably rightly) just referred to as "Rugby" as it is the original form of the game. It is a game played with 15 players & historically often nurtured in posh private schools & played by the elite. Up until a few decades ago it was strictly amateur & the Australian representative teams of those times were populated by doctors, lawyers, stockbrokers etc.

"Rugby League" was a breakaway code, played with 13 players, formed in the early 1900s so some players could actually get paid for their exertions. The breakaway started in northern England mostly amongst the mining communities & the game in England is still mainly popular in the northern counties of Lancashire & Yorkshire. In Australia up until about 35 years ago the game was professional but mostly part-time - players still had day jobs & most often game from the working or middle classes.

Even in today's fully professional climate, the 2 different codes tend to attract players from different social strata & the league players seem to get into a lot more trouble with regards to off field incidents etc.

Rugby League is better paid I think, so give it a go CP!

 

[Zelja]

Apparently, we in the US have no concept of what soccer houligans really are. How does starting a riot at a soccer match make a political statement? I'm sorry... speaking for my countrymen, I simply don't get it.

We love sports here in the US (even soccer to some degree), but clearly we don't see sports in the same light.

The game does arouse passions but in itself is not inherently evil. It is often called "Jogo Bonito" or "The Beautiful game".

What needs to be understood,I think is that In the US you have a few sports which are quite popular amongst the populace - American Football, Baseball, Basketball, Ice Hockey. In Australia we have Australian Rules Football, Cricket, Rugby League & Rugby Union. In most other countries in the world's there is soccer & daylight second. FIFA, the game's world governing body, has more member states than the UN.

Amy cracks in a particular society are often exposed at soccer games in these countries because the game provides them the venue to do so. Yes, support of soccer teams can be tribal as in any team sport, but soccer hooligans don't exist because of the game itself, they exist & are known because the game is so popular. If lacrosse was by far the major sport in these countries you would no doubt have "lacrosse hooligans".

What can exacerbate an issue is that some soccer teams were founded by or supported by segments of the population with certain political leanings. I've read that this was the situation in the tragic events in Egypt & the army which provided the security did little or nothing to prevent the pitch invasion which caused the ensuing violence & tragic loss of life.

All IMHO, of course.