Safety and Fear: Time to Build a Wall?
Yesterday, I attended The Game on the road for the first time. I was there with my old friend Seth (yes, that Seth), and our buddy Mitch. On the way home, one of the topics of discussion was what would have happened if the replay had gotten the call right, and the ref had announced the game was over.
The hyperbole about Buckeye fans being out of control maniacs holds as truth. We met some truly nice fans. For each tolerable person, we also encountered countless dentally-challenged simpletons with clever shirts. Did anyone know Ann Arbor is a whore? Shocking news.
As the crowd's temperature rose and the game neared its end, I began to feel less and less safe. I had to remind an enthusiastic Seth of his surroundings more than once. We had a great usher in section 10C, a visitor's sections, but one that still had plenty of dimwitted neighbors whose angered open-mouthed drooling only intensified as the game tightened.
Thirty years ago nearly 100 people were killed in an English soccer stadium because of a riot. How far off were we yesterday? Maybe this is hyperbole, but maybe it is not.
The same fans who rushed the field and led Chase Winovich to say the team had to "fight for our lives" as they were "attacked" by field rushers. The same rushers who were no further away from the official at the moment he decided "the play stands as called".
Fear strongly influences decisions, that is a psychological fact. What fear does to human physiology and the ability to think rationally is clear. So, what happens if the official spends more than 37 seconds looking at the replays and comes out with the right call? Was he afraid of what might happen? Was his decision influenced by fear?
If fans cannot control themselves, and stay in the stands where they belong, is it time to build a wall?
November 27th, 2016 at 10:19 AM ^
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November 27th, 2016 at 10:41 AM ^
fans put on a collar when they get in the stadium...
November 27th, 2016 at 10:48 AM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 12:11 PM ^
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November 27th, 2016 at 10:20 AM ^
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November 27th, 2016 at 10:23 AM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 10:29 AM ^
Maybe the comparison is not fair to England, but to this point, the US has not seen a disaster like that. What I stand by is that there is a total lack of control, and a mob mentality in that stadium. Think "Malice at the Palace" and multiply that many times over. A riot is far from improbable.
November 27th, 2016 at 10:27 AM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 10:31 AM ^
Obviously lacking. Poor comparison to situations it sounds like.
November 27th, 2016 at 10:37 AM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 10:44 AM ^
I am a soccer fan, would love to know more about it. Checking it out now.
November 27th, 2016 at 12:11 PM ^
Not to mention the fact that a fence surrounding the pitch was a proximate cause of the crush--if it wasn't for the fence the crowd could have spilled over onto the pitch and possibly alleviated the crush sooner.
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November 27th, 2016 at 12:59 PM ^
A start.
November 27th, 2016 at 11:03 AM ^
I don't know how they can have such nice things.
And honestly, just by watching the game on TV and shots of the crowd, you can just tell that they're just all shitty ass people.
November 27th, 2016 at 10:46 AM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 10:47 AM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 10:58 AM ^
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November 27th, 2016 at 11:05 AM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 10:59 AM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 11:02 AM ^
And eases you mentally, gently, sentimentally, instrumentally
With entity, dementedly meant to be Infinite
November 27th, 2016 at 11:57 AM ^
Are you being romantic?
November 27th, 2016 at 1:52 PM ^
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November 27th, 2016 at 1:51 PM ^
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November 27th, 2016 at 11:02 AM ^
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November 27th, 2016 at 11:04 AM ^
This bothered me. It wasn't an upset per most metrics EXCEPT what they saw happening all day- a team barely hanging on vs the "underdog".
November 27th, 2016 at 11:36 AM ^
Let me then ask this, if it is a 15 yard penalty for throwing your play sheet, how is there no repercussion for rushing the field at the end of the game? I get the game was over, and enforcement is impossible, but it's not safe for the players on both sides.
On a side note, in my high school coaching career, I've throw my play sheet dozens of times and never got penalized. Probably should be setting a better example for the kids, but I'll worry about that at a later date, like after the team wins.
Is a wall the solution? Maybe, but the drunk and disorderly would climb over it anyways.
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November 27th, 2016 at 11:54 AM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 12:23 PM ^
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November 27th, 2016 at 12:48 PM ^
It is a problem: they not only hate us with the intensity of a thousand suns, but their football program is stacked with talent. That's a tough combo. Still, we were thisclose to winning yesterday...
November 27th, 2016 at 11:25 AM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 11:52 AM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 3:00 PM ^
Much of Ohio is different culturally than Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin. A large part known as Appalachian Ohio is more like Kentucky or West Virginia.
So, no, it isn't your imagination. A different breed down there.
November 27th, 2016 at 3:35 PM ^
I definitely like fied/court rushing in sports but more specifically in upset games. For instance when Indiana Fort Wayne won last week. Having said that the risks of it are obvious and in my opinion growing. It might be time to make a more serious attempt at stopping it entirely.
November 27th, 2016 at 3:42 PM ^