Soccer Hooliganism
This morning, I was starting to read a book I borrowed from Amr called "How Soccer Explains the World", which sounds like the author's biting off a rather large chunk here, but so far has actually proved rather interesting.
It is basically broken up into little stories about various clubs and their supporters, illustrating how their little corner of the soccer world explains a certain aspect of society, and in many cases helps to explain Glabalization. It's all well and good, mostly well researched, and fairly well written.
Two stories have jumped out at me, and while they were the first two, and maybe the rest have kind of sloshed together as I read, I think it's because one is the case that I can most closely find a somewhat parallel to, and the other is, in fact, one I kinda of grew up with.
First, there's a tale about Serbian side Red Star Belgrade. It starts off telling us about how soccer hooligans from the former Yugoslavia are generally considered the most violent in the world, even going so far as to interview a dude who openly admits to gathering "their toughest guys at one end of the stadium by a small outcropping of trees. Each thug carried a metal bar or wooden bat ... and began to rampage ther way around the stadium, beating anyone in their path."
Now, think about that. All you Leaf and Sen fans think you hate each other. This is just fucking insane. I've been to Bills-Dolphins games, and the worst thing I saw was some dude flambaying a marlin while standing on top of a van. This makes anything here look like a goddamned tea party!
Best part? It gets worse!
That same guy from above goes on record for thinking that they occupy the moral high ground compared to their rivals, as there is "no use of firearms, no beating of the enemy after he loses consciousness." Gee, thanks guys... and here I thought you were mean.
Going beyond the simple hooliganism, the part that stunned me was that during that little skirmish you may have heard about when Yugoslavia was torn apart, the Serbian "Army" was actually a guerilla faction of Red Star's fans! Can you imagine Habs fans forming a guerilla army in order for Quebec to be able to fight the Canadian Armed Forces if their succession turned violent?
Okay, maybe that was a bad example.... :P
The other thing that got me was when he started in on the Old Firm, a.k.a. Glasgow Rangers vs. Glasgow Celtic. Now, I was brought up in a family where my mum's side immigrated from near Glasgow when my mum was 11. Needless to say, there are strong feelings regarding which side I am supposed to cheer for, and it really pissed me off when the author when on about all the atrocities that Rangers fans had inflicted upon Celtic fans. Like, really. I'm not suggesting that 'Gers supporters are exactly little angels (far from it), but at least tell both sides of the story here, huh?
I don't think I'm asking for much.
It is basically broken up into little stories about various clubs and their supporters, illustrating how their little corner of the soccer world explains a certain aspect of society, and in many cases helps to explain Glabalization. It's all well and good, mostly well researched, and fairly well written.
Two stories have jumped out at me, and while they were the first two, and maybe the rest have kind of sloshed together as I read, I think it's because one is the case that I can most closely find a somewhat parallel to, and the other is, in fact, one I kinda of grew up with.

Now, think about that. All you Leaf and Sen fans think you hate each other. This is just fucking insane. I've been to Bills-Dolphins games, and the worst thing I saw was some dude flambaying a marlin while standing on top of a van. This makes anything here look like a goddamned tea party!
Best part? It gets worse!
That same guy from above goes on record for thinking that they occupy the moral high ground compared to their rivals, as there is "no use of firearms, no beating of the enemy after he loses consciousness." Gee, thanks guys... and here I thought you were mean.
Going beyond the simple hooliganism, the part that stunned me was that during that little skirmish you may have heard about when Yugoslavia was torn apart, the Serbian "Army" was actually a guerilla faction of Red Star's fans! Can you imagine Habs fans forming a guerilla army in order for Quebec to be able to fight the Canadian Armed Forces if their succession turned violent?
Okay, maybe that was a bad example.... :P

I don't think I'm asking for much.
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