Osama! Osama! (wtf?)
 

WTF, indeed... I don't know how the rest of the world sees us specifically, but I have to assume the foreign policy failures of the current administration have to be addressed, regardless of who wins the presidency in November.

http://sports.iwon.com/news/02112004...=home&SEC=news

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) - The boos nearly drowned out "The Star-Spangled Banner," and a few dozen fans chanted "Osama! Osama!" as the United States was eliminated by Mexico in Olympic men's soccer qualifying.
A loud anti-American crowd hollered as Mexico beat the United States 4-0 Tuesday night in the under-23 tournament, claiming a berth in the Athens Olympics.

As U.S. players left the stadium for their bus, several fans - some clutching beers - chanted "Osama! Osama!" in reference to al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Police in riot gear held back the crowd and urged people to calm down.

First off this is way different then other anti-American situations of the past. This is a bunch of ignorant 2nd world ass fucks being sore winners. I could understand if this came from like Pakistan or somewhere else but not Mexico.

Funny but those same people are ones that were probably caught in the desert trying to gain entry in the country they were taunting.

Hey Jose why dont you come and get your brother Pablo off my lawn!!!!!!!!!

Yep I have to agree, both the USA & UK foreign policy has been an absolute disaster. Hopefully Bush & Blair will soon be history and world will be a safer place.

Yes. The crowd was full of idiots. However, I have seen similar idiots in arena around America that booed the Canadian national anthem.

Idiots are idiots (and amazingly they are often found enjoying sporting events).

Responding to racism with racism = startlingly unhelpful.

Wow great racism for racism... wait who were the idiots again?

I take offense at the comment regarding idiots at sporting events-I'm a huge sports guy, as are many of my friends, and we wouldn't be caught dead acting with such a lack of respect. It's not the idiocy, it's the DRUNKEN idiocy.

Besides, in America, our drunken idiot fans are less idiotic than in most countries- we don't commonly riot, maim, so on. (Although college kids are known to be lunkheads in this regard. Can't hold their beer!)

This has nothing to do with Bush at all. Chanting Osama is a disgrace to the many that lost their lives in that building on that day and the thousands elsewhere in the world who have died because of attacks he orchestrated. I hope Mexico comes out with a public apology, that chant is never ever called for and theres a big difference between chanting Osama and booing the canadian or american anthem.

Its like chanting Hail Hitler when an Israeli team is playing. Not much of a difference in my mind.

So now, we're taking foreign policy cues from Mexican soccer fans? Please.

Racism? No racism here.

I have and illegal alien who cuts my grass. His name is Pablo

See how quiet the crowd gets when the US threatens to repeal NAFTA.

I wouldn't be surprised to hear them cheer...

The drunken was implied... However, it is not always the case that alcohol is the main impetus for these action. Group or mob mentalities create a different dynamic than you would probably get from any one of the crowd taken individually...

That's okay, soccer's a dumb sport.

This is pretty typical of soccer hooliganism. Reading Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby showed me some appalling examples of the terrible behavior of fans, e.g. throwing bananas to a black player. It's just the ridiculous atmosphere of sports competition causing people to behave like assholes. Who hasn't shouted "Ref beats his wife!" at a hockey game?

What was really amusing was after the US knocked Mexico out of the world cup. Millions of Mexican fans were whining and acting like soccer fans tend to act, while there was an utter lack of caring in the US. I think that’s what pissed them off more, the US not only won, but the US as a whole didn't CARE. If it weren't for the actions of the Mexican soccer fans this time, we would have been lucky to have heard the US lost.

Whoa! Soccer isn't dumb. Maybe to you it is. But to the rest of the world its almost like a religion...its even bigger than the freakin' Olympic man!! How can that be dumb?

If 4 billion people do a dumb thing, its still dumb.

*shakes head and presses the back button*

Just because you don't like something doesnt make it dumb

That's the whole point Kelly, noones opinion but mine matters. It's wonderful logic, I pat myself on the back and welcome everyone to do so as well!

Enough already... this isn't about what sport you like or don't like... Take your flames elsewhere.

Lighten up :p

Some people enjoy watching soccer, some people enjoy playing soccer, and some people enjoy making fun of soccer.

Its not up to you to decide how I enjoy the sport :D

If you dislike the fact that illegal alien Pablo is cutting your grass why do you hire him? I'm sure the legal kid next door would be happy to cut your lawn.

Yeah..I should lighten up...but I'm a huge soccer fan and it bothers me when someone diss on soccer like that....flame all gone now :D

Im surprised we're getting this uptight about sports fans..

Soccer moms beat up each other, hockey dads beat up each other.. Soccer fans riot, hockey fans throw stuff on the ice..

If whole countries had to apologize everytime an ignorant person acted up at a sporting event, there'd be no time to display dental records!

Look, this was a game to decide who goes to the Olympics. So, I'd hope that the Mexicans could show a little more class as a COUNTRY. This wasn't like going to a Cowboys-Packers game; this was on a nationwide scale. You wouldn't hear the Americans chanting "Mow my grass, Chavez!" after we beat them.

I agree that there should be an apology. GOD KNOWS if it was the other way around, WE'D be expected to apologize!

Anyway, given the "special mob dynamics", the whole concept of "country" which is glorified in sports and many other activities is completely outdated.

A couple of things;

A.) This thread is not about the pros and cons of soccer. It's about the disrespectful actions of some soccer fans. Let's keep the "soccer is dumb" comments out of this converstion. If you want to debate the actual sport, go open a thread in Tilted Sports.



B.) As much as I hate to admit it, I kind of have to agree with Ustwo here.
I think that you boiled the meat off of the bone here, Ustwo. Good observation. For once. ;)

Sorry, Tom. I'm no Bush fan, the fact of which Ustwo can bear witness, but this is just too much of a stretch here. While your statement may be true, and I, for one, would argue that it is, it has no cause or effect on what is essentially a story about a bunch of rude drunken Mexican soccer fans, that hurt our feelings. It was a soccer game. Somehow I don't think that United States Foreign Policy was foremost on the minds of the spectators.