http://cellar.org/pictures/russiansoccerhool.jpg

In this picture, a couple of Russian police are battered by Russian soccer hooligans.

I have seen soccer hooliganism first-hand and read about British and Scottish hooliganism. This absolutely brutal violence is rooted deeply in a culture. It's a systematic disrespect for humanity combined with a sort of addiction for excitement and even pain.

In Britain, I feel this culture is cultivated by a society that believes strongly in corporal punishment. Kids, hit in school for almost arbitary reasons, taking to violence backed by alcohol as a form of ritualistic weekly sport.

The British are amazed that generally nothing happens here. Here, crowds of even 100,000 come together regularly with no problems or hassles. That's unthinkable in Britain.

Well, you have to admit, the British (It pains me to say this, because it includes Scotland too, but it's right) have a lot to be pissed about. Especially the English. These people have gotten supremely trounced since the 18th century. First they lose their hold over us, and it's downhill from there. By the end of World War II, all they have are the Falkland Islands. What can you use the Falklands for? Strategic sheep purposes?

Couple that with the fact people are paying (at the last I heard) roughly $6.00 American for a gallon of gas, and you'd have a right to be pissed off. If you've ever been to Pittsburgh, you'd know that a lot of blue-collar workers only have their professional sports teams going for them. When they lose, they feel diminished to varying degrees.

Throw all the things above into the cauldron, let it simmer long enough, and you get a riot.

~Mike

Hey, if you were from West Virginia, you'd think that was enough.

"Where the men are men, and the sheep are scared,"
Z

And they fought like hell to keep Las Malvinas too.

IMO, they're only getting what they deserve. It's payback for their imperialistic ways of the past. They still have the British Virgin Islands though. ;-)

Soccer Hooligans in South Philadephia
 

You know, I really wish we would have the world cup in Philadelphia. It would be really interesting to introduce the soccer hooligans of Europe to the indigenous population of South Philadelphia and vice versa.

My Alg. II teacher told us that joke in the middle of class. The scary part is that we're close enough to the border, and a portion of the class is from "Rhetton", that he had to check to make sure he wouldn't offend anyone.

"Behold, I send you out as sheep amidst the rednecks." - friends of ours in New York to us as my mother moved us down to our suburb of Pittsburgh

And sycamore, don't knock imperialism. It's still a dream of mine to become King of America and create an old-school empire. A benevolent empire, though.

...Hey. Better me than alphageek.

~Mike

[quote]Originally posted by Chewbaccus

Quote:

And sycamore, don't knock imperialism. It's still a dream of mine to become King of America and create an old-school empire. A benevolent empire, though. ...Hey. Better me than alphageek.

We had this debate on phl.media a few months back actually...

For the record, I AM the Lord of Torresdale. Subjects may leave offerings in the form of Chicken Cordon Bleu Cheesteaks with mayo and ketchup from Pizza Fresh at my front door. ;-)

That's nothing, during the Y2K scare, my brother and I entertained ideas as to how we'd assemble our joint empire when the world collapsed into the Feudal Age. I had a multi-step plan somewhere...I think it was lost during the Great Mistletoe Crash of 2000. Basically, ir was us ruling over New York, Pittsburgh, most of the Eastern Seaboard metropolitan centers, and select areas west of the Mississippi as a collection of fiefdoms.

~mike

Rivalries
 

Here in Liverpool, Liverpool Football Club is a huge rival with Manchester United, and because they're so close to each other (45 minutes from Liverpool to Manchester), there are often supporters from both teams at the games. I know that when there's a local LFC/ManU game to not go out that night... the pubs will be filled with people, and everybody gets very rowdy. Fights break out regularly, and you can be insulted/attacked/injured just for wearing a t-shirt supporting the other team.

It's kinda scary, and took a little time to get used to. Now it seems that when people go out on a day when such a game is on, they go out for the excitement of a fight, etc.

You're in Liverpool? That's so excellent! Nip down to t'tuck shop and have a Crunchie for me.

Been here since September, but go back to Phoenixville in June. And I'll have many crunchies on your behalf. Mmmmm.