Check it out- a halftime brawl between more than 100 fans marred an exhibition match Sunday between West Ham United of the English Premier League club and the MLS’ Columbus Crew, says USA Today. First of all, holy shit, Columbus, Ohio has a professional sports franchise? Second of all, this is the best news for American soccer fans ever. The game is still going to be way down at the bottom of major team sports in America for at least a generation, but really, the best way to get people to change their perception of soccer as a kid’s game and to see it as the Europeans do is to export some of their violence.
This one only sorta-counts, as the Columbus team (the "Crew"? Seriously, dudes?) was actually up against authentic English hooligans, who came over to support West Ham, rather than another batch of homegrown fans. It’s good for the headlines, but doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll see something similar during the regular season matches. But it’s a start. Since hooliganism is, let’s face it, the most interesting aspect of the game for American audiences, this is probably the most promising development in Major League Soccer’s short history. If the Columbus Crew fans are able to rile up the passionate supporters of, I dunno, the Tuscaloosa Tomahawks, the game might actually start making headlines.
2 responses so far ↓
1 Jarrett // Jul 25, 2008 at 1:40 pm
MLS should name all their other teams after haircuts. You could have the Portland Pompadours, or the Baltimore Bouffants. The Pueblo Perms could tangle with the Boulder Beehives. The annual Blue-Grey game can go on as scheduled with the Montauk Mohawks battling the Montgomery Mullets. The Raleigh Rat Tails - hopelessly stuck at the bottom of their division - can struggle against the titanic Topeka Tonsure (so light, so agile). The courts will have to settle the name dispute between the Pittsburgh Pigtails and the Pierre Pony Tails (infamously nicknamed ‘The Fancy Lads’), but imagine the yanking fights in the meanwhile! Other teams: The Dayton Dreadlocks, The Columbus Cornrows, The Mason City Male-Pattern Baldnesses (ever clean-cut, like the post-Mattingly, pre-Giambi Yankees) , The Ashville Afros, and the Waco WTF?s.
I’m… sorry for all that.
2 admin // Jul 29, 2008 at 7:24 am
I think they already do that in the UK. I have no idea what else the Tottenham Hot Spurs might be named for.
–d
Leave a Comment