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Now they get smashed by West Ham and for probably the 5th time this year they have had an incidence of Hooliganism or racism. For those that don 't follow MLS we've been dealing with this all season from Columbus and their hoodlum of supporters. Recently Mark McCullers their GM blamed Toronto's fans for brining this culture to MLS. Whether that is the case or not it is the Crew fans who have brought discredit to the league and to soccer in the eyes of the American media and public with their incidents of throwing glass bottles on the pitch, shouting racist slogans towards New England players, throwing streamers at players when they take corners and general rowdy behavior. Every Crew home game their is an incident like this. I feel bad for the good people who support West Ham who thought this would be a nice benign holiday. Going to Crew Stadium is anything but these days.
Watch out or the crew gonna get you! ICF you are whack! the HSC reign supreme!
USA USA USA USA
Until the Crew are docked points for not policing themselves nothing is going to change. The culture of Hooliganism that has taken hold at Crew Stadium combined with the inability of American police forces to understand what they are facing and deal with it the way the English police or Italian police deal with these things means we will continue to have incidents like this at every Crew match. Those of you who do not follow MLS don't realize that this is an old story! It has happened at just about every Crew match this year! Until these fans are dealt with it will continue to happen.
I hope the U.S is starting to realize a thing or two about "soccer"
Months ago when I targeted Columbus fans on the American Soccer Show and my blog and got nothing but hate and vitriol and "oh Toronto is the hooligans, we promote family atmosphere" b/s.
We even had Crew fans spam my blog with attacks on TFC and threats of not bringing their types to Crew Stadium. We had Columbus fans blaming their attendance woes on other teams "hooligans"
The behavior in Columbus has already been used as convenient fodder for Jim Rome, Tony Kornheiser, Brian Burwell and all the other insular, immigrant hating, soccer bashing media elites in the US.
We did not need this to happen now, right in the middle of summer after the momentum from the Euros and the first round of Superliga both of which got excellent TV ratings and hooked new fans on the game. The fact that Columbus i playing friendlies while other MLS sides are in a serious competition like Superliga tells you the relative importance of their club.
Now their fans continue the season long campaign to destroy the credibility of this game with our press and fans we are in the process of educating about the wonderful aspects of football. So many people in the US are afraid of football because of how its been depicted in the press and movies here as a showdown for hooligans. Having a team like the Crew in middle america run by its most violent fans is not helping the cause in this country.
"this is how we roll.... "!! hahaha sorry composing myself now.
There was ONE incident this year when ONE "Crew fan" (or at least a fan in Crew stadium) used ONE racial epithet ONCE.
Management joined with the Supporters groups, managed to get a photo of the guy and he has been banned for life.
Other than that, what exactly are all these many, many horrible incidents you refer to?
What soccer haters like Rome and Wilbon talk about isn't the Crew's problem. They'll seize on anything to bash soccer. If it wasn't that it would be something else. Go to YouTube and you'll find dozens of Jim Rome anti-soccer rants. So what?
Most of the rest of your posts are simply lies. McCullers NEVER blamed TFC fans for anything.
There was ONE guy who yelled something mean ONCE and then a month later 15-20 West Ham clowns tried to start a fight. NOT "five incidents of hooliganism and racism" as you say.
The reason Columbus played West Ham instead of SUperLiga as only four MLS teams are (meaning that the other TEN are of "no importance" according to you) is because the league asked them to. The Hammers flew over and wanted a tuneup on American soil before the All Star Game.
Columbus is the closest league city to Toronto, where the game will be played, so MLS asked COlumbus to provide the game.
Your verison is simply made up stupidity and you are a liar.
It's no wonder nobody listens to your dumb show. You're a retard.
According to you "Columbus fans continue" trying to destroy the league reputation with their terrible behavior. Which is absurd. The Hammers fans walked the entire length of the building and made it ten rows into the Crew section wghere they - read the news report, idiot - they then attacked some Crew fans. The piture above is in the Crew supporter's section.
So the WH fans went over to the Crew section and started a fight which, according to you, is another example of Crew fan bad behavior?
You're just too stupid and dishonest to bother with.
Go to any website that cover hooliganism in this league including some of the papers websites including Steve Goff's Washington Post blog and Faank Delappa in the Boston Globe and they will have twice as many articles and mentions of problems at Crew Stadium than all other places in the league combined.
Moreover, if you go to MLS Rumors you'll find McCullers statement as well as details as to all the trouble at Crew Stadium every week. Columbus has had more trouble than the rest of the league combined this year. Bottles, racism, streamers, fights, etc. Disgusting. Really discrediting the game. Your fans are right now the embarrassment of the league. As a media member I don't lob accusations out there without cause. Columbus has given everyone plenty of cause for concern. What's even worse is your supporters continue to blame everyone else for the continued troubles at Crew Stadium.
Having not made the playoffs since 2004 makes you guys also rans in this league. It's really a shame. I loved the Crew in the days with Stern John, Cunningham and McBride and still have the foremost respect for Guille and Sigi Schmid. They deserve better than your fans.
get on with just watching football and enjoying the players skills and you might enjoty it!
The interview was conducted last night by my friends at the site.
http://mls-rumors.net
the above comments are correct. we are tough and proud. we do not want crew stadium to take on the crowd that the galaxy and others are courting driving mercedes and sipping martinis. when u face the crew u face a fight. understand?
we do not look for trouble but fight back when faced with trouble. toronto fans came and caused trouble. then new england players gave us the bird. now west ham. screw you kartik on the streamers. everyone does it but the league singled out us because we are the ones changing the league changing mls making it a real football experience. you do not like streamers or crew? go watch usl or pdl you woos!
Bill is exactly right: one racist loudmouth doesn't mean everyone there is a racist. As far as what happened last night, it wasn't any worse than what happens after 49er-Raiders games.
Hell, I recall during the NHL playoffs Dallas Stars fans complaining on the Dallas News hockey blog about the treatment they were getting in Detroit.
The whole thing is getting out of hand.
I agree with you on some points but also disagree on a few things which makes Columbus far and away the biggest offenders in MLS or USL.
1) Portland has rowdy fans that sing throughout the matches but hardly ever pick fights with the other teams supporters.
2) In Houston you describe the incident correctly but failed to mention the club itself and the other large supporters group the Texian Army took strong action against EB and little trouble has occurred since.
3) Chivas USA banned several members of a supporters group that picked a fight with the LA Riot squad outside the SuperClassico match in April from several matches and the entire Supporters groups choose to sit out the matches in solidarity with their members.
4) DC has had no violence or trouble between the Barra Brava which tend to be Latinized and the Screaming Eagles which are not.
5) TFC dealt with the problems of violence on the GO trains after matches as well as frequent pitch invaders and no trouble has occurred since. The Metropolitan police in Toronto have increased their presence around the ground on matchdays.
6) New York has had assorted rowdy behavior but as some other writers bemoan the ejection of many Red Bull fans Saturday night versus the Galaxy let me applaud the police for stamping out trouble before it started.
Now let's look at Columbus and contrast it with the above situations:
1- Columbus did not adequately police the tailgate area before the season opener with Toronto and thus many TFC fans were attacked and with a lack of port o lets for such a large tailgate area, inevitably tensions flared and not only did fans piss on the ground but they began fighting w/ one another.
2- At the same match the police presence was so minimal several TFC fans were able to storm the pitch and head towards the goal Columbus was defending.
3- When I discussed the Toronto situation openly and honestly and tried to engage TFC fans on my CSRN show the complaints about me being "too soft on the canucks" all seemed to come from Crew fans. Days later several Crew fans were shouting racial obscenities at New England players.
4- The organization and supporters group in complete contrast to the strong a decisive actions of Chivas USA and Houston in fighting hooliganism tried to cover up the situation and wouldn't give up the individuals involved. The team would not take action so the league had to after several embarrassing columns were written in newspapers, some of which hardly cover the sport normally.
5- In defiance of a league wide ban Columbus fans began sprayed confetti and streamers on opposing players while attempting a corner. Now I cannot recall the specific match but it was done. Why the security did not confiscate the items at the gate is beyond anyone's comprehension.
6- A bottle was thrown on the pitch during a Crew home match in June. Again I cannot recall the specific match but it happened.
7- The Crew hooligans yesterday started a fight with the West Ham group. Now West Ham has a reputation for having rowdy fans, but we've hosted English clubs before and never had trouble. As I mentioned earlier the Crew hosted Everton two years ago, played them to nationally televised draw and no problems occurred.
Here is my thesis. Hate me if you wish: Columbus attendance once the highest in MLS has now become among the worst in the league. I believe the organization, desperate to create an "atmosphere" and attract new fans is purposely turning a blind eye to the things other organizations are stamping out immediately. As I have said to this point we've had no repeat incidents in Houston, Toronto or LA because those matters were dealt with by the club before the next home match. Columbus on the other hand has allowed things to fester. They are going to have to take action this time for the good of MLS and Soccer in this country.
It's really a shame. At one time the Crew were the model for MLS. They built their own ground while the rest of the league was still using NFL/College Football stadiums and had such a good record of finding players and developing talent. But this year's version of the Crew while talented on the pitch has left a sour taste in many people's mouths because this stuff just keep happening and happening.
Please, Columbus clean up your own mess and stop blaming others for your problems.
Brits has one T, Its the ICF as in Inter City Firm
Also learning about soccer has nothing to do with violence
But the worst thing is being proud to admit you had fewer supporters than the away fans, what sort of club can attract fewer fans to a game than one based over 3000 miles and an ocean away
Oh, and 1776, I'd look a little closer at the history books, if it hadn't been for the French you would still be just another colony.
bwahahahahahaha!!!
Stick to baseball mate.
you claim because we play a different style of football more technical and influenced by mexico that we should stick to baseball.
i have no love for columbus crew. hate them actually but i am so proud of those boys in ohio who stood up for the red white and blue, mls and themselves and kicked the snot out of the hooligan brits .
when i return from my florida vacation i am ready to join the fight, columbus.
the brits come here looking for trouble. they come to american websites or any articles about us or mls saying stick to baseball, and always say we don't know the game because we call it soccer and say a field. man for a country with so little in the way of recent football accomplishments you certainly think highly of yourselves. or maybe you need us to pick on because the germans, french and italians always kick you the rear end!
I saw`reports of trouble at the Fire v. TFC game last week in Chicago. I was there but did not see any illegal or disorderly behavior. The comments by certain so called fans taking pride in their actions are utter garbage. Are we seeing a upswing in unlawful fan behavior at MLS games. The evidence is YES! Does it take some kind of outside spark to cause the violence or behavior, it appears so.
So the issue is why? In my opinion the fan behavior reflects a general increase in the level of criminal behavior in the US. There is no secret here that hard economic times leads to more anti-social behavior. I've seen it in the NFL over the years and MLB, hard times and poorly performing teams lead to fans being out of control. The games become nothing but an excuse to act out the frustrations of the fans on and off the field with the aid of alcohol.
Are soccer fans in the US or anywhere else bound to exhibit criminal behavior. No not at all. Is soccer in the US large enough to provide an outlet for the fans frustrations, yes. Do we have to accept this now. Is paying $4.50 a gallon for gas and seeing you well paid factory job outsourced a source of good feeling. Hell no! After a few beers and a bad game it becomes easy but not right to justify a lot of behavior.
Bit of aggro in the parking lot as well, but plenty of cops around and just a bit of drunken lads giving it mouth. The one fella who ran off from the cops after the game was being tracked by a police helicopter...seemed a bit much to have that there but I guess the cops were ready for some aggro.
Not a bad game for July to be honest...the speed of play, comfort on the ball, awareness and overall control from the West ham players showed a real gulf between the two leagues.
what has england or scotland won in football in recent times.
u came to columbus and disrespect us american support and the crew. you disrespect mls and disrespect soccer here. you in fact disrespect anything not comfortable like britain 4 u.
we proved to u how it should be. u don't come into our house and pretend it is ur house. we would not go to stamford bridge or upton park and behave as if we owned the place.
u may have invented football but the brits are no good at it. looked 4 u in the euros and didn't see u. must have missed the england match. how did u do at euro?
hey u tool kartik. the chivas and houston fans are scummy and do not belong in our parts. u defending them tells me all i need to know of u. u lack any credibility if u r going to defend mexican troublemakers while not defending our american territory.
First off. 1776 was simply a date. The colonies were being slaughtered in the war and it wasn't until Saratoga and French entry into the war in 1778 that the tide turned. So some of us Americans would rather not recall 1776 when New York was occupied by the tories and the cause seemed lost.
Secondly, Britain didn't capitulate to the Germans the way other European countries did and hardly needed American help to stave of the Germans. What they did need was American help to finally liberate Europe. But the UK did well on its own as did the USSR in that war. American aid helped but to assume the English would have fallen without American military help is not grounded in any way factually. Truthfully as far as Europe was concerned the US was the third most important actor on the Allied side but clearly the most important one in the Pacific.
Now back to the football. Crew man you are a racist. If you are who I think you are, you were among those who asked me to stop appeasing the canucks or some such thing a few months ago. Now you're attacking Houston and Chivas fans because they are somewhat darker than you. Mexican troublemakers? The real troublemakers are people like you who don't seem to accept that our country unlike many in the west has long been a melting pot and no amount of tough talk on a message board or blog is going to change that.
If you want to talk to me directly about you and your friends disgraceful behavior at Crew Stadium email me at kartik@csrnusa.com
Oh and for those who said this weekend that Columbus ought to be invited to Superliga because they had the best fans in the league, can you imagine if this sort of disgraceful behavior advocated by racists like Crew Man took place in a tournament match against a top mexican team? All I can say is thank goodness for American Soccer and the harmony of the races that Columbus did not qualify for Superliga.
I am not proud that you are a fellow American with talk like that. Defend our territory is something for the Army to worry about not a soccer fan.
I get the strong feeling that you may not like the make up of the Houston and Chivas fan base and that is a sign of your weakness. That is an attitude America can do without, so why don't you just join those bad English fans you so hate. You sound no different to me.
I am proud that in Chicago fans of all ethnic back rounds join together in support of The Chicago Fire. While I admit some of the fans of various Mexican teams will get on each other at the games, you find the Chicago fans an example of what a sport can do to bring people together.
Any other American's that feel a need to defend your territory please join the military and stay out of soccer stadiums.
England won in 66
West Ham made 66
You twat Yanks would not understand
You should stop playing football or excuse me SOCCER.
You do not even know the name of the sport
You do not have any quality
Crew quality is all latin. The Boca great, Schelotto is there. But who else? A Yank? That is a laugh.
Your supporters do not know the rules
Go watch basketball or baseball yanks and leave football to the nation that invented the sport and the only nation that plays it the way it was meant to be.
The Latins flip and flop and the Italians cheat. We will prevail over any firm. Sicilians, Americans, Spanish. They all lose to us.
Undefeated for 30 years and counting............
I do need to talk with you about American history and WW2, save it to say that America's role in WW2 is larger then you give it credit for, although even being Captain America, I must admit that the USSR broke the German backs in the war. England stood alone and the world owes them still to this day for doing so. The Pacific war was an American war and no other nation did and could of fought two major wars at one time. The major achievement of the war was America fighting in both oceans at one time and supporting the effort of England and Russia with vast materials.
Lets talk about the War for Independence later, but enough to say that the Crown had to hire Germans and still couldn't keep us down! Ok, and the French did help.
You really need sensitivity training!
1. i find it very hard to come up with a stupider activity than fighting over sports. it doesnt matter who started it, who was right and all that bs. grown-ups walk away from drunken morons looking to fight over nothing. "protecting our turf"... give me a break, this is columbus, not compton.
2. regardless of who started it, the fact is that both teams reputations preceed them. west ham is second only to millwall, as we all know they even made a movie about their hooligans. and we here in America all know about columbus.
it does appear to me that these west hammers were looking for a fight. i am all for self defense, but the crew fan groups should have just ignored them or called security. that would have been the grown up thing to do, especially considering they have been in hot water about this crap before. crew fans missed a big opportunity here to prove all of their haters wrong.
whats up with the wet spam fans anyway? were they mostly english who just flew over or were they americans (or brits who have lived here for awhile)? sounds like an awful waste of money to fly all the way to america just to fight some mls fans.
"we want america to see what we are about"... well, west ham, we see what you are about, and we want nothing to do with it. blow your bubbles somewhere else.
Fact is the ICF has not existed since the early '90's. In truth it ceased to exist in 1986. A lot of the boys still go today because they love the club and love football, but they don't get involved.
I know a few blokes went over for the game but I think this was more an all American affair, with a few people in the Claret & Blue intoxicated by too many viewings of Green St.
By the way, there is a film being released 1st August called Cass. I think this will be far more realistic of what it was like running with the West Ham firm back in the 1970's & 1980's than Green St., Rise of the Footsoldier, and The Firm put together.
I was unaware that the ICF had re-emerged from the retirement home to take on the Mighty 'something or another from Dishwater, USA'. Must be tough taking on guys on zimmerframes and wheelchairs.
The naivity being shown on this blog is ridiculous. I like America they are a bit like your cousin with clubfoot who you don't mention that much how ever are kind to over Christmas.
If 'whoopingyerass' constititues a bit of pushing and aimless punches congratulations, in England that is a girly fight.
If occurs to me that you just wouldn't stand a chance against a real 'firm'. Possibly the fans of 'netball' oh thats another sport you based basketball on.
Oh yeah!
I also remember the day of the Orange smoke bombs when you lot ran for your lives.
A gooner trying to call anyone "all talk"? Give it a rest!
As for the ICF, it was a rallying cry more than an actual firm. The top firm ever at West Ham were the Mile End mob. NO ONE messed with them EVER.
But seriously, if this bunch of pillocks think they've been clever going all that way to steam a bunch of septics they're either off their heads, made of money or probably both. They could have had a night out in Ilford and had a row with whoever they liked and saved themselves a fortune in the process.
Them and the septics richly deserve each other. PATHETIC!!!!!!
England were at war with Japan on the front line before the USA -FACT we occupied a lot of their initial invasion countries...so there!
dont believe everything you see in your movies lads...a lot of it is glorification
Credit due though, if it werent for the USA, Australia, NZ, Poles, French, Dutch and of course OUR forefathers...we would be german, but who gives a toss now!
back to footie...you suck!
Steve you are a twat!
and thats that!
BYE
I've been over there coaching a few times and they've got a really good system over there not just with the schools and Colleges, but also with the Clubs.
They are developing really good players at grass roots and have invested a fortune on coaching.
So like I say, make the most of it because much as I hate to say it, the septics are coming.
The North Bank Highbury had some respected lads during the late '60's and '70's. Hoy, Putney, Pentonville, etc. I knew a lot of your boys, but don't make me laugh mate. I went to virtually every encounter between 1967 and 1978 and the Mile End and subsequently the TBF took the North Bank every time. Either you are dreaming or I am suffering from senile decay. Don't answer that!
As for our American cousins (who I will always have affection for), if you ever venture across the pond to London come over to Upton Park and experience a real atmosphere at a real football ground. You will be perfectly safe. Don't waste your time going to one of these new generic bowl stadiums like Arsenal's Emirates, even if the football on offer is marginally better (even I have to admit that last point).
you would never no football violence if it hit you in the face..
watch any english ,dutch, german football violence videos and you would never compete with us.in or out the stadium.
new film coming soon is called CASS A west ham boy. you yanks would shit yourself if you see him.
Learn from the pros.
Bye the way i do like all your sports.
PS don't state things as facts when they are not. America did not win WW2 it was a joint effort by many, America came in towards the end but still played their part.
While i'm not pretending to be an expert wasn't there 'Brits' on both sides of the American war of independance? Otherwise how can you explain why over 25million+ Americans have English ancestory?
I read some comments on a Columbus Crew website, which suggest that the so called West Ham Fans were in fact Chicago Fire fans in West Ham colors. Now obviously I do not know if this was true, but there were several reports of Police chasing Columbus fans after the game.
At the end of the day, the English game (please do not refer to us as 'Brits" - we after all an English club) has cleaned significantly since the 80's. Copy cat wanna be hooligans are a decade or two too late!
No lets all grow up and actually try to enjoy the beautiful game of football.
an american tourist comes to london and hails a taxi and says to the driver "show me the sites of london.
so the cabbie sets of and rounds parliment square and says to the yank "thats our houses of parliment where all our politics are debated. gees says theyank in america our whitehouse is 10 times the size of that,a little further on the cabbie says that the famous tower bridge to which the yank replies gees back in america our bridges are 10 times has big as that,the yank then spots the double golden arch and asks the cabbie what it stood for,the cabbie replies that is the sign of mcdonalds,gees says the yank in america our mcdonalds are 10 times has big has that to which the cabbie says
we make burgers to fit our mouths
And if you wanna be tuff guys go to Central America or challenge Argentina's firms like Boca and River. If you servive you can come to Europe and challenge the hundreds of firms here!
A couple points:
Whether or not people are railing on the supporter groups, they have increased attendance. I have been going to Crew games for the last 7-8 years, and this season (with a winning record of course) the atmosphere has been tremendous.
Profanity? I don't agree with some of the chants that are common in the Nordecke, but they are not worse than something you hear in the movies or at your local HS/college. If they offend that much, there are plenty of other sections you can get seats at.
Extreme situations? I was at the New England game as well as the majority of the games this season. There was crap thrown (beer bottles, coins, sharpened pencils, and more) but I think that game was the turning point of our groups. Our true supporters have begun to police the crowd whenever stupid crap starts. The majority of the problem are those douche bags that come to the game once in a while piss drunk and don't care what happens no matter what. the same people kicked out of bars and clubs all over the place. I don't have a problem with streamers. But that is the line I draw. Even though the beer bottles are PLASTIC AND DO NOT HURT, as a soccer player myself, I would get pissed about anything else than streamers or a little bit of beer.
Hudson Street Hooligans? I am a supporter of the HSH supporter group legitimately. All of you that are "Columbus is a bunch of wankers" and crap like that, chill out. No, we do not have the prestige of many of the firms and groups across the nation, but realize this. Besides this season, when has anyone heard so much about fans of the MLS, whether good or bad? This season our group of Hudson Street and the Crew Union have grown by leaps and bounds. To even have a supporter group section as loud and outspoken like this in America (which I admit has a crappy outlook towards soccer) is awesome. The only supporter section larger is TFC, but they are Canada, and I don't have to go any farther than that. Haha j/k.
Give us a break. Our groups are having growing issues which I am sure that many of the more established fan groups have gone through in the past. I'm sure you all have at least one "tough guy" like Crew Hooligan in your groups as well. The majority of us just want to try and show the rest of our country why soccer is the number one sport in the wold to play and cheer on!
Lata.