Can MLS escape the violent side of soccer's globalization?

[Oldtimer]

With FC Dallas' George John hit by a bottle and a Portland fan reportedly attacked by a group of San Jose supporters, MLS once again has to confront an ugly side of the culture of the game

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/b...as-bottle-head

[TFC07]

If TFC will ever becomes a winning team, I wonder if our rep will turn bad again like early TFC days. Just imagine TFC-Montreal games and how crazy it can get.

[Abou Sky]

I get violence in northern england during the coal miners strike.

I understand violence erupting outside of soccer games in the mid-east/north africa during the Arab Spring.

I can even understand violence in Paris perpetrated by 'social outcasts'

What I DON'T get, is people fighting in the streets for no fucking reason.

Some of you may know I box, I LOVE it. I love getting in a ring and standing toe to toe and trying to take the other guys head off. But there is consent in a boxing ring, in fact, I don't even consider it violence as there is no act of violation happening. It is sport. It is pure and beautiful.

You want to fight, get in a ring/octagon etc. there are PLENTY of places to fight, I know people who Box, Do Jiu Jitsu as well as MMA, they spar HARD 6-7 days a week. Same guys will NOT get in a bar fight, they have nothing to prove, they know they can tear your arms out of the sockets.

Anyway, I have diffused at least 100 more street fights that I have been in. It is usually pretty easy because it is rare that either party REALLY wants to fight.

Guys, I implore all of you, if you see people starting up, just go stand in the middle and separate them. People do not want to fight, they also don't want to back down. You breaking up a fight lets both parties keep their pride in tact and nobody gets hurt.

[OgtheDim]

It can escape the violence if people talk about it. The SJ thing is just whacked.

[Richard]

Can MLS escape the violent side of soccer's globalization?

No, idiots exist throughout the world.

[MarkEightThree]

They're really stretching to make a story out of nothing here. Can you imagine the headlines if it had been 'Caps fans rioting instead of Canuck fans in 2011? "HOOLIGANISM HAS ARRIVED IN CANADA!"

[Mark in Ottawa]

The image of David Beckham picking up a hurled object (beer can was it?) during that Nutralite Champions League game at the dome in Toronto comes to mind. These sort of happenings are rare but not unheard of in North America across all sports.
Major league baseball and the NFL have had incidents of fan violence and fan on fan muggings in the recent past as well but football (soccer), because of its past history, is an easy target for sensationalization.

The solution is simple. Incidents of vandalism and assault are just that and should be treated as such.
Supporters should assist the authorities in organizing exuberant but safe venues and trouble makers should be quickly identified and dealt with.

[[NBF]]

Beer Nation, its all it is..... its that beer courage that makes everyone feel overtly confident.

[Redcoe15]

Beer Nation, its all it is..... its that beer courage that makes everyone feel overtly confident.

[prizby]

if we are equating one beer as 'violence', we have a long way to go

[Whoop]

1906 Ultras put on probation.

[Cashcleaner]

^ Just saw that myself. Apparently, it was over some shit they started in Portland. Here are some of the details:

• The 1906 Ultras have been placed on indefinite probation
• The 1906 Ultras’ travel privileges have been indefinitely suspended until further notice
• The 1906 Ultras will not be allowed to utilize controlled smoke at any match
• Due to the probation, language within the group on matchdays will be strictly monitored

http://www.sjearthquakes.com/news/20...ng-1906-ultras

[[NBF]]

If I were them I wouldnt throw away this fan base. Look at what TFC has done. I dont know what the attendance was vs. the Dynamo, but it nothing like it use to be when they were half the team last season.

[Abou Sky]

If I were them I wouldnt throw away this fan base. Look at what TFC has done. I dont know what the attendance was vs. the Dynamo, but it nothing like it use to be when they were half the team last season.

Other than the language thing, I don't think that is unreasonable.

It makes them clean house internally.

[JayMolly]

Can MLS escape the violent side of soccer's globalization?

No, idiots exist throughout the world.

Unfortunately, there is no way one could legislate "common sense"!

[OgtheDim]

FWIW, http://www.thestar.com/sports/blueja..._baseball.html

Worst I saw on Sunday was a paper airplane.

[Oldtimer]

1906 Ultras put on probation.

No way will MLS allow wannabe hooligans to exist in MLS stadiums.

Besides, it makes no sense. North America does not have the social conditions that led to hooliganism in England or in Eastern Europe.

That won't stop the UK media from playing it up, as in the article that started this thread.

[Richard]

Talk about an intense Rangers vs Celtic under-17s clash.

[ag futbol]

No way will MLS allow wannabe hooligans to exist in MLS stadiums.

Besides, it makes no sense. North America does not have the social conditions that led to hooliganism in England or in Eastern Europe.

That won't stop the UK media from playing it up, as in the article that started this thread.

Agreed, there are always a few losers out there who take things a little too seriously, but otherwise the social conditions out there indicate there's no impetus to have a reason for violence (I hope). That's what's funny about characterizing it as "football violence", is really nothing to do with the games usually and more so the larger problems of a city/region/country spilling into a sports.

If we were to put a magnifine glass on other sports in general... Multiple NFL team statiums have court houses/judges on-site to deal with minor misconducts. We've seen hockey riots and those sorts of things. Te main issue with soccer is that you have supporters groups that are an easy target for everyone's behaviour regardless of whether they did anything wrong or not.

[cmonyoureds]

San Jose should just have asked TFC for their blueprint on how to run your most passionate fans out of the stadium.

[Yagbod]

San Jose should just have asked TFC for their blueprint on how to run your most passionate fans out of the stadium.

Awesome post.

[habstfc]

Are they really passionate then?

[cmonyoureds]

Are they really passionate then?

Dunno, would you say any Leafs fans not inside the ACC this week aren't passionate?

Your question is ridiculous.