This past weekend there was a football championship playoff in a nearby large city. Most locals are fans of this team who overcame some big setbacks to get there. They were considered underdogs for the last several games, winning them all. With good humor they donned underdog outfits and embraced it.
As a fan I know firsthand how exciting it is to see a team who you thought had no chance of getting to the playoffs, go all the way to participating in the Superbowl. However, I did not do anything crazy. Nope. Nada. Didn’t break anything or hurt anyone.
Perhaps it’s mixing in alcohol that makes all logic go away. I read several articles on what the police and other security teams were doing to make the celebration safe for everyone.
First on the list was to grease the utility poles. They didn’t want anyone climbing them and getting hurt. Seriously? The maintenance crew was called the Crisco unit.
They did what is now standard procedure of using large garbage trucks to block cars from driving into the crowds that would congregate downtown to celebrate.
All local bars were advised to use plastic cups. No glass at all. Is this kindergarten? Perhaps sippy cups were in order.
There were other equally inane measures they had to take so that adults would not get hurt. Again seriously? Adults?
The only incident that got any publicity was a drunk guy who hit a police horse. *bangs head on desk* What was he thinking? If I had been that horse I would have at least peed on him and at most reared at him. (I know, horses are nicer than me.)
After an hour or so of jubilation in the streets the police did a sweep to get everyone to go home. There were no serious incidents although a few fans of the other team were bullied. (Come on, your team won! Be gracious! Did you flunk kindergarten?)
Sports, men (mostly), testosterone…what is it that make people act stupid? Someone will have to explain to me how winning equals out of control drunkenness, pole climbing, crudeness and all out bad behavior that most moms wouldn’t tolerate.
Kudos to all the police and other crews who kept the fans safe. They are the unsung heroes. Congrats to a football team who beat all the odds to get to where they are today. Boos to the idiots who were out of control and reflected poorly on a great city.
Short, sweet and totally on point… Kudos Kate!
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Thanks!
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Well, as a Los Angeles native I’ve seen it all. Every time a major team is poised to either win OR lose, the city mobilizes. There have been some devastatingly violent actions, although I don’t think I’ve ever before heard of someone hitting a police horse! PLEEEZE! When I’m not appalled at a crowd’s behavior I’m surprised! LOL!
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I don’t know why people act stupid. The Minneapolis security have said they will grease the poles so the Philly people feel at home. 🙂
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Not being a sports fan of any magnitude (maybe a soccer game once in a while or a skating championship) I really don’t understand this behavior. It has to be people who have no real lives of their own. I mean, they had nothing to do with the win or loss of their team, did they? Or am I missing something? Sorry the poor horse had to be the brunt of some idiot’s anger.
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I don’t understand it either so I can’t explain it. Perhaps they need more exercise to focus their energy.
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Exercise is always good!
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There were several horrible fan interactions at this game – it was a lot more than the idiot hitting the horse. Personal property thrown into urinals, toddlers being screamed at by adults because the child was wearing the ‘wrong’ logo.
Certain cities have well-earned reputations for having fans who take their sports love to a level where fans of the opposing team have learned to stay away. There would be no game without 2 teams, and your great winner today may just as well be the Browns next year. The players all seem to get along, why must the fans behave like imbeciles? SMH.
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That is the question! I was taught that winners must always be gracious. Today’s environment does not encourage that.
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That’s Philly! Remember, this is the city (and the fandom, come to think of it) that once threw D-cell batteries at Santa at a game. I do hope they throw the book at the horse-hitter, though. 🙂
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He was arrested and charged. Even if he doesn’t get life, he had to stay in jail until someone bailed him out and it’s all a hassle for him now. I wish they’d clunk those knuckleheads when they do it. I do…litigation.
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LOL!
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This is all news to me–greasing utility poles? paper cups in the bars? What?
I was a cheerleader in high school, which is only explained by the times I grew up in, when girls didn’t participate in sports much, so cheer leading was the next best thing. And I liked to dance. Since high school, I’ve only been to one or two sports events. If I’m going to contend with crowds, I’d rather see a play or a ballet.
It’s fun to feel you’re part of a crowd but so easy for some crowds to become mobs and for the participants to stop thinking for themselves. I suppose this has been true throughout history.
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Yes, when there are more than one person, it can all go haywire! I’d rather see a concert but there have been some “incidents” at those too.
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We’ve had 2 killed (shot) in the last 3 years at “Football Parties”. Someone above said it, the social norms have changed. When you treat an adult, or all adults, like children, that is how they will act.
My motto when dealing with people, has always been, “If you expect nothing, you get nothing”.
We are protecting people from themselves, to death.
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That’s the part that bothers me. These are adults. It’s like warnings on things. Do we need to tell adults that irons get hot or spilt coffee will burn? *eye rolls*
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I did a post once on stupid warnings. I read the toilet scrubber box, it said, “Not for personal hygiene”. Really? I can just see someone, in the shower, singing and scrubbing underarms with a toilet brush, full of chlorine and other wonderful chemicals. NOT
No, scratch that. There was this one guy I knew..
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🙂
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Fan behavior is but one of the reasons why my interest in sports has waned in the last many years. I think it’s more than alcohol and male testosterone, though. It runs deeper into a facet of changing societal norms on politeness and respect. – Marty
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I think that’s part of it. The worst is that the adults today were raised by my generation. We weren’t raised like that.
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I’m not inclined to join groups, so whenever I see any out-of-control fan behavior I thank my lucky stars that I have the sense to keep to myself. People be crazy. Horses be better.
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People be very crazy. I’m not a fan of groups. I don’t think I’ve ever been.
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People die celebrating sports events around the world too often. Sports generate group social behavior (like the doing the wave in stadiums, singing team songs and cheers) which is lots of fun, but easily degenerates into mob think which drastically lowers the IQ of everyone involved. Add alcohol and the IQ is nearly a negative number. I think your city was wise to plan for it. 🙂
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They do extensive planning for every event and parade. Some is to prevent terrorism and some to prevent drunken (and crowd) behaviors. I love celebrating minus the pain and damage.
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Hitting a horse is only funny when Mongo did it in Blazing Saddles…
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That’s an oldie for sure!
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Ahh yes, Philly fans are known for their . . . hoopla? Hehe. Revel in the fun of a winning team. I haven’t experienced that since 1985.
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Hoopla? Nice word for it! They can be bad fans but they are not the only ones. I was at a Yankees game in the 80s and I couldn’t believe the language. There were kids there but that’s the training ground.
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Too much craziness with sports. I don’t like to see horses used for crowd control. Too many horses spooked and injured with nobody able to make a humane decision about euthanasia. Feel the same way about horses on the track… nope. Officers, horses, and people all put in harms way for the sake of a football game. Just doesn’t make sense to me.
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I feel that way about dogs too although they do some great work. We have a local festival and they use horses for crowd control. Every year someone gets jailed for hitting a horse. So far no horse has been hurt because the person is too drunk but I too worry about a spooked horse rearing. I won’t even go to a rodeo.
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If you think you can handle it google Charlotte the police horse Houston. The day I saw this was the day I said no to horses on crowd control, No to horses for the use of policing at all, Not graphic but sad.
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I will pass on viewing it but you have convinced me. I don’t like horse carriage rides on streets with cars either.
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I understand, Kate. I would have never seen it had it not come through my feed on FB. I had seen it and there was no unseeing it. I am against carriage rides and have objections to eventing now until they make it safer for both horse and rider. There seems to be a large number of eventers that want the thrill of the ride and all else be damned. Sorry Kate for making your comments a statement about horses but I am truly passionate about them. I will let this rest… 🙂
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I do get it. I wouldn’t go to circuses as a child because I didn’t think that’s the environment those big animals should be in. I’m almost a vegetarian because of the cruel practices in the meat industry. My grandparents were farmers and although the farm was long gone by the time I came along, I have a love and concern for all animals.
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I know Kate… your love and concern for all animals comes shining through. One of the things I love about you.
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🙂
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Alcohol, yes, but also mob mentality. That poor horse.
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The police horses are very large and strong. He also hit the policeman on the horse too. I think they both made out better than he did. It’s such a stupid thing to do. Someone else could have gotten hurt.
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Yes, large and strong; calm and patient… Usually cold-blooded breeds; workhorses like Percheron or Clydesdale and VERY well trained.
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They are way more patient than I am!
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It’s a game.
Some fans lose sight of that basic fact.
Because they iz stupid!
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Some people iz stupid for sure!
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You know how there are gaggles of geese and murders of crows? I’ve decided that a group of young males should be a “stupid.” The more of them there are, the less intelligent they act.
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I like it! It fits!
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I agree with all these points. What goes on in “adults” heads that makes them celebrate with destruction. 😦
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I don’t know. Kids sometimes make a sandcastle then destroy it rather than let the ocean wash it out but adults doing real damage, I don’t get.
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For sure.
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Defective socialisation?
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As good a reason as any!
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I shake my head in bewilderment equal to yours. It makes me think of the expression ‘you can’t fix stupid’.
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Maybe that explains it best of all!
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I’m with Colin and Ray. I’m shaking my head as I type!
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I was hoping someone would help me understand why someone would do it other than they were super drunk. That doesn’t excuse bad behavior (or make it funny).
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I love the game of football, but I can’t stand to see the news reports of the destructive behavior by fans afterwards. I have to turn off the TV so it won’t destroy my love for the game.
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I get that. I’ve been turning the TV off for a lot of stuff these days.
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Love this. It is so true. I stay far away from scenes like this!
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I stopped going to professional sports games a long time ago. Much more comfortable in my home but I can appreciate the effect of being in person. It’s like a concert with even more bad manners.
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I like going to baseball games but the “after parties” are not for me.
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Not the crazy ones!
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As I have said before, I am not a fan of that team who won the right to a spot at the Super Bowl. But, will certainly cheer them on to victory for my many friends who are. I am also not a big fan of that city they play for. However, sports fans behaviors (no matter what city, or sport or team) perplex me! Where is there joy in violent behavior? How does destroying property make it a more joyous occasion for the winning team? How does hurting your fellow man or a horse make it good for your team. How is a black eye a badge of victory????? The pole greasing….how pathetic that those measures had to be taken.
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My thoughts exactly.
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I agree with all the above common sense. In my day, and I’m not 400 years old although I look it today, if your guys won, people jumped up and down and yelled YAY and maybe waved their arms and got drunk and felt all justified that their manlyman bunch had beat the other manlyman bunch. There may have been some small brief tussles between the less-mature losing fans and the less-mature inning fans, but eh. I think it’s fascinating what the town has learned seems necessary, with the crisco and this and that. I am sure it makes sense, and as a parttime stage manager, I applaud it, while still thinking that it is too bad that some folks are beyond knuckleheads–
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Beyond knuckleheads says it all. I also like the manlyman term. Good description.
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ahaha!
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Sports, testosterone, and alcohol… don’t forget the alcohol. We are a nation of idiots.
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We’re not alone. There are people killed in soccer matches overseas too. So bizarre.
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OK, a world of idiots.
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Sadly yes.
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Alcohol and sports are never a good mix. I heard about them greasing the poles. At first I thought I misunderstood.
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Me too! I read it twice, then saw it again in the TV news. I don’t get the point of climbing a pole to celebrate. It’s not like a parade where you can see better.
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I was a bit of a loner as well. Couldn’t see the point of doing the stuff that other boys were doing.
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I don’t think we missed much. You can celebrate without destroying property. Oh yes, there was a street where all the parked cars were spray painted with the winning colors. Seriously. I think the players would be embarrassed about that.
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The lemming left standing, looking over the precipice is the one which gets to pass on its genes (thankfully!)
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Hi Deb. That reminds me of “It’s the early bird that gets the worm”, and the rebuttal “Yes … but it’s the 2nd mouse that gets the cheese!”
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🙂
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Wait until Superbowl…I bet the crazies will be out in force, especially if they win.
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I’m glad it’s not local!
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a hug to all policemen who have to deal with such peeps… and a hug to all police horses… they probably wonder why the human species is calles the most intelligent…
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My thoughts exactly! That horse should have peed on the crowd! Nothing breaks up crowds like a stream of yellow!
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or not when they think it’s free beer ;O))))
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Oh my! No words for that comment!
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Sometimes, I just have to shake my head and pretend that I am not of the same species! 🙂
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Me too and it’s not just aging. I was like that when I was young. I distanced myself from crazy friends who did stupid things.
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