Truly Bush League

A couple of weeks back we talked about ESPN's Pardon the Interruption, and co-host Mike Wilbon's assertion that the streamer tossing common at Toronto FC games is "bush league."

In that post I argued that while TFC fans' streamers are annoying and maybe a little played out, they're an ultimately harmless expression of the fans' enthusiasm, and not among the top factors damaging soccer's credibility among mainstream sports fans stateside.

Nineteen days after I wrote that true hooliganism would drag MLS into "Bush League" territory faster than streamers alone ever could, the fans at Crew Stadium in Columbus illustrated exactly what I meant.

If you haven't already read the stories or seen the clips, understand that throughout last Saturday's home game against New England, Columbus fans showered the field not just with streamers, but with sausages (apparently it was $1 Bratwurst night), lit flares and, after Kheli Dube's game winner in the 89th minute, racial slurs.

Listen closely to that youtube clip and a little past 22 seconds in you'll hear some Columbus heckler drop an N-bomb.

Who knew Michael Richards was a Crew fan?

Anyway, the league has already responded to the incident ... sort of.

Here's all of what commissioner Don Garber had to say about it:

"We are investigating reports of incidents from the May 24 match between the Columbus Crew and New England Revolution and will take appropriate action based on our findings."

I'm not kidding when I say that's the entire statement. Enlightening, I know. They're not even investigating the incidents -- just the "reports" of them.

Way to take a stand, guys.

I put in a call to the league (waiting for a return) to find out if MLS has guidelines regarding fan behaviour or if they leave it to teams to set the rules in each stadium. When I find out I'll fill you guys in, but after Saturday it wouldn't surprise me to see the league try to legislate fan behaviour in the future. This is a very image-conscious league, one still trying to gain traction with the elusive "family" demographic in several U.S. markets. They can't risk turning off the "family" crowd with boorish fan antics.

I'm not a gambling man -- if I were I'd cover a gambling sport, like horse racing, or the NBA -- but if I were I'd bet on MLS banning any and all projectiles at games.

Three weeks ago Garber defended streamers, calling them a "unique phenomenon that happens all over the soccer world." Instead of shunning streamers, he said we should all "embrace the passion and electricity that makes soccer the world's most popular sport."

But that was then.

After reading media reports about Saturday's match there's a pretty strong perception that streamer throwing leads to more serious misbehaviour.  You don't have to believe that theory any more than you buy that marijuana is a one-way street to harder drugs. Plenty of streamer tossers would rather eat expensive stadium food than chuck it at somebody, and would never dream of levelling a personal, let alone racial, attack at an opposing player. But the perception exists that one form of heckling leads to the next, so expect the league to act on the perceptions.

Enforcing a ban on projectiles seems pretty simple. Search fans when they enter the stadium and confiscate what you find, then have security and police deal with anyone who still manages to throw something onto the field.

But what about the racial slurs. You can stop people from bringing streamers to the stadium, but how do you stop them from talking? Does a foul language ban at TFC games stop fans from swearing?

Exactly.

When it comes to racial slurs and other offensive language fans are on an honour system, but clearly folks like Mr. N-Bomb from Columbus don't care much for honour.

So with their image at stake, what's the league to do?

I'll find out as soon as they call me back.

-- Morgan Campbell

Comments

[Steve]

One would think that based on the camera angle and it's position so close to the field, that it would be quite easy to figure out just where the epithets were being sent from. The guy that posted it on YouTube was obviously the one shooting the video, and he's obviously "proud" of what was said. This is a bit more "out there" than someone throwing food on the field, or shouting from far up in the stands. This is obviously someone that wants others to HEAR and SEE what sort of idiotic things they have to say.

Find out who he is and ban him... contact YouTube and try to get info about it out of them even... it can't be that hard.

[Broadview]

If you check the profile page of the kid who posted that clip, you'll see a blatantly racist clip among the poster's "favourites". It shouldn't be too hard for the Crew FO to figure out that "David" is likely a STH as he seems to sit in the 1st or second row of the supporters section right at the goal line.

http://youtube.com/user/gman8908

I imagine he'll be banned from Crew Stadium, and rightly so.

The epithet in question didn't even happen during a streamer shower anyway, it happened after a PK was taken and a go ahead goal was scored on the follow-up.

The argument that throwing streamers was the "gateway" to hurling racial slurs is mind boggling to a TFC fan...how many streamers have been chucked at BMO and how many racial slurs have been heard?

Proof's in the pudding, I say.

[Nick]

If the MLS wants to gain any credibility, do what other the top football leagues would do: fine the team and/or have one of the CREW's future home games played at a neutral site or with no fans.

[voislav]

What they should have is better crowd control, simply have a couple of cameras monitoring the crowd so it's easy to ban any offenders. That's why you have tickets, so it's easy to match a person with their seat.

I think that the league should be carefull here, because if they take drastic measures (like banning streamers) they might alienate portions of already small group of supporters. Right now, one of their main selling points is the atmosphere created by fans, without that all that's left is mediocre product on the field. Frankly, for a fraction of the price you can have the same on-field entertainment value from the USL.

[charade]

Just a bit off topic but but I do think something is going to have to be done about the amount of stuff getting thrown on the field during games.

At the last TFC game I was in the supporters section and it was all well and good till about the 70th minute when people began to randomly throw near full cups and hot dogs etc on the field.

I do have to say I do think to an *extent* the throwing of streamers does contribute to this a little bit by *somewhat* breaking down the 'it's wrong to throw objects' wall.

To me it appears so far that security has been letting people get away with this. Perhaps because, as mentioned, they dont want to p-off fans with a league that is still trying to find it's feet in some ways.

I'm going to bring in hockey here for a moment but if anyone remembers Maple Leaf Gardens, if an usher saw you throw anything you were given the bum's rush immediately.

I do think the MLS should clearly draw the line at streamers and make it clear that any other objects will mean ejection AND ENFORCE IT.

I also dont think it would hurt to tell away teams to keep the celebrations away from the sidelines

I also think this stuff has been going on for ages and it's a sign of our cell phone camera age that it happened to be caught.

I also must say that at the last game I was at I heard a home fan yell a mild racial slur at Velez after he missed a chance. He was shouted down by another fan which was nice but I get the impression some people are leaning towards a 'it was a dumb American' position and it's not as cut-and-dry as that so don't even go there.

[Rob]

Want to bet that one of the first things on their list of banned items (if it is not already on the list at most stadiums) will be video recording devices? It's difficult for any league to police the conduct of each and every one of its fans, down to the level of what is coming out of their mouths - and truthfully, I'm not sure it's their responsibility anyway. But they can, and most certainly will, put measures in place to make it more difficult for such embarrassing videos to get out of the stadium.

And then the second restriction will likely be on the size of beer sold at games - I'll bet our days of 28oz. cups of cold frothy beer are numbered - similar to the restrictions MLSE already has in place at the ACC.

Now, when I say it's not the league's responsibility to police the speech of fans I'm certainly not suggesting that what was said was anywhere near acceptable. The league, and more so each stadium and team, is responsible for ensuring a safe and enjoyable atmosphere, as best they can. But I think we as fans also old a responsibility to say "hey, that's not cool bro."

And if this fan in Columbus really was in the supporters section, I sure hope the supporters club has a clear statement on what is and is not acceptable conduct for members. Does anyone know if the Red-Patch Boys or U-Sector have such statements?

[Michael Phillips]

Our squad, our fan base, our country is made up of people from all parts of the world.

I hope that we do not experience such an act in our stadium. While I am not black I cringe everytime I hear the "n" word so I can only imagine just how bad it must make a person who is black feel.

The last thing we want is for anything to happen that would make our squad, our fan base or the great people, people who have come from all parts of the world or whose ancestors have lived here since the dawn of recorded time, that make up our country feel bad. Life is too short for that, soccer is too wonderful a game to so dishonor and it is just not right. It is embarrassing to be part of a society where even one individual thinks superiority is a matter of skin color, or religion or whatever. WTF cares.

Re: streamers, I must admit they make me chuckle but once again if someone could get injured or if fools are going to try and disguise other more harmful objects in a streamer toss then it is time to ban them.

[Matt]

I think Morgan has hyper-analyzed this too much.

One bad fellow, or a few bad fellows yelling stupid racist taunts does not require league action whatsoever. Its up to thepeople surrounding the culprits to speak out and shun those who make such ridiculous remarks. We can't always expect authorities to bring justice to such small instances.

I really think Morgan should be asking fans to self-police themselves, like any self-respecting person should. If you see someone throw something like food or a bottle, then tell them they're being stupid. If they are being racist, call them out. You will most likely get tonnes of support from around you.

Policing the words from the crowd is the last thing MLS needs to spend time doing.

[Hal]

You are simply wrong here.

"One bad fellow, or a few bad fellows yelling stupid racist taunts does not require league action whatsoever."

No way. This cannot be tolerated in any form. A clear message must be sent fans and teams alike.

[Hal]

And now it looks like the league agrees with me.

"US soccer promises to ban racist fan - if they find him"

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5ij3nIATrPb-fJCcL9xvLVTE0lrqg

[rob enderle]

Boohoo, cry me a river.
Play hockey and you'll see the things we'll call your mom while she was pulling the train.
Sticks and stones... There are kinds of people in the world, there are perverts, addicts, lawyers, pimps, politicians, drug dealer, cops, sadists and all kinds of dregs. What are you going to do ? Change the whole world?

This has nothing to do with TFC or ever MLS, go fight those battles elsewhere,