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Dear Daily Princetonian: Newsflash: The U.S. cares about soccer
Published: Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Wearing the white jersey of the American national soccer team while surrounded by a crush of green, the color of the Mexican squad — I felt particularly alone. I had certainly been yelled at before, but I did not expect to ...
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My suggestion when it comes to soccer anywhere you go is don't show your passion in situations where you might be at risk.
I've never had a similar situation at a US game. Often outnumbered, still, the vast majority of away team fans are just there to have a good time - even the Mexican fans.
I read your article with great interest, as I was at the very same matches as you... Chelsea v. AC Milan and USA v. Mexico. I too, came away with the conclusion that it is not impossible to fill a US stadium (60k+)with Americans (including Mexican-Americans). I was profoundly disappointed to be watching the US game, at home, in hostile conditions. It 'almost' may have been Azteca. The USA U14 National Boys Team were at Giants Stadium watching the match, and were under constant verbal attack by the Mexican fans around them. Nonetheless, I remain hopeful that there is a change in the air, and while it will be a slow and painful process - the sport will grow, and I hope in my lifetime to see a US match on home soil with a max. capacity stadium filled with US fans - for the US team.
The reason you're subjected to such hostility by the Mexicans is that this is the last thing that they have over us. We are the superior nation in terms of everything else; jobs, living conditions, health care, etc. Which, is why most of them end up living within our borders. I was at the USA Mexico match in Columbus back in 2005 and there were hostilities, but the crowd size was much smaller (between 17 and 20,000 fit in Crew stadium) which evened up the numbers a little. Since we won the game there wasn't much they could say. I do hope that in the future the fans' rivalry has some of the vitriol taken out of it. I am all for passionate fandom and even some good natured insults being hurled back and forth, but to stand there and attempt to intimidate you is taking it a bit far.
Onto the point I really want to make: it's fans like you that we as Soccer nuts really need to begin incorporating into the sport. Hopefully you will become a passionate supporter like the rest of us nutters, but if not at least you don't despise it. Hopefully this will create a "Reganomics" style trickle-down effect as more fans like you introduce other fans to the beautiful game. A great way to do so would be the Free Beer Movement (http://freebeermovement.blogspot.com). Join the Movement!
this is fairly common, it just sucks that its happening on American soil. As an MLS supporter who has traveled to support my team in other states, I just love the reactions of the general public. Many didn't even know there was a game that day. When I went to San Francisco for the San Jose game, it was remarkable how much of a disconnect there was in a region only 20 miles away. Many didn't even know there was a team.
As a Mexican and a Mexican National Team supporter I just want to say that people like that do not represent all of us. Believe it or not some of us are there to watch the beautiful game and to cheer our team on, not to harass the other teams supporters. It's a shame but Nick is completely right in his comments and I agree. Personally I don't bring social political views to the games and like he said there is nothing wrong with good natured rivalry but some people don't know how to control themselves. I also want to see the sport grow here in the States. Having said that, I will never support the U.S. National Team but I'm all about MLS.