Comments on: The View From the “Cheap” Seats http://weekendwarrior.theoffside.com/orange-slices-and-aspirin/the-view-from-the-cheap-seats.html Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:35:57 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Juan-John http://weekendwarrior.theoffside.com/orange-slices-and-aspirin/the-view-from-the-cheap-seats.html#comment-278 Juan-John Fri, 08 May 2009 18:09:36 +0000 http://weekendwarrior.theoffside.com/orange-slices-and-aspirin/the-view-from-the-cheap-seats.html#comment-278 1984 Summer Olympics, Chile vs. Norway at Harvard Stadium. Lots of loud Chilean fans banging drums, blowing horns, being loud. 1984 Summer Olympics, Chile vs. Norway at Harvard Stadium. Lots of loud Chilean fans banging drums, blowing horns, being loud.

]]> By: alessio http://weekendwarrior.theoffside.com/orange-slices-and-aspirin/the-view-from-the-cheap-seats.html#comment-231 alessio Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:46:19 +0000 http://weekendwarrior.theoffside.com/orange-slices-and-aspirin/the-view-from-the-cheap-seats.html#comment-231 I've been fortunate enough to go to several Italian Serie A games in my days, a few Spanish games now that I'm studying in Madrid. Never been to an EPL game, though. Best games recently? Atletico-Villarreal, in a battle for 4th place (champions league) Atletico (home) went down 2-0, before coming back to win it 3-2, just a few weeks after another comeback against Barcelona. Last weekend I went to Lazio-Roma, bought tickets from the official seller online so I only paid 18euros a piece, beautiful. It was an incredible derby, after the earthquake there was just tons of emotion, Lazio won 4-2, there were 5 red cards (assistant coach of Lazio and coach of Roma sent off) and just a great derby atmosphere. I’ve been fortunate enough to go to several Italian Serie A games in my days, a few Spanish games now that I’m studying in Madrid. Never been to an EPL game, though.

Best games recently? Atletico-Villarreal, in a battle for 4th place (champions league) Atletico (home) went down 2-0, before coming back to win it 3-2, just a few weeks after another comeback against Barcelona.

Last weekend I went to Lazio-Roma, bought tickets from the official seller online so I only paid 18euros a piece, beautiful. It was an incredible derby, after the earthquake there was just tons of emotion, Lazio won 4-2, there were 5 red cards (assistant coach of Lazio and coach of Roma sent off) and just a great derby atmosphere.

]]> By: Derek http://weekendwarrior.theoffside.com/orange-slices-and-aspirin/the-view-from-the-cheap-seats.html#comment-228 Derek Mon, 13 Apr 2009 23:18:27 +0000 http://weekendwarrior.theoffside.com/orange-slices-and-aspirin/the-view-from-the-cheap-seats.html#comment-228 Been lucky enough to go to a couple of memorable games: England vs Germany at Euro '96 - nosebleeds at the old Wembley, another penalty shootout (with predictable result), fantastic singing from both sections of the crowd. Australia vs Croatia at WC '06 - never before had I had a chance to support my own country at a World Cup so to go to a game and stand with thousands of other Aussies and celebrate a 'win' (a draw was enough to send us thru), along with all the other controversy of that game was simply incredible. It was made even more incredible by the fact that I came across a ticket by pure chance. A guy at a train station overheard me talking and just happened to have an extra ticket he wasn't planning to use. No mark-up, no scalping, just a random guy with a ticket. Still very keen to go to more club games, ideally some derbies, so I can experience that football is not life & death, it's more important than that. Been lucky enough to go to a couple of memorable games:

England vs Germany at Euro ‘96 – nosebleeds at the old Wembley, another penalty shootout (with predictable result), fantastic singing from both sections of the crowd.

Australia vs Croatia at WC ‘06 – never before had I had a chance to support my own country at a World Cup so to go to a game and stand with thousands of other Aussies and celebrate a ‘win’ (a draw was enough to send us thru), along with all the other controversy of that game was simply incredible. It was made even more incredible by the fact that I came across a ticket by pure chance. A guy at a train station overheard me talking and just happened to have an extra ticket he wasn’t planning to use. No mark-up, no scalping, just a random guy with a ticket.

Still very keen to go to more club games, ideally some derbies, so I can experience that football is not life & death, it’s more important than that.

]]> By: Brian http://weekendwarrior.theoffside.com/orange-slices-and-aspirin/the-view-from-the-cheap-seats.html#comment-224 Brian Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:20:44 +0000 http://weekendwarrior.theoffside.com/orange-slices-and-aspirin/the-view-from-the-cheap-seats.html#comment-224 1994 World Cup San Jose, CA. Me, My Best friend, my wife, and his wife. USA v. Brazil four rows up mid field. We decided it would be really cool to paint our faces. Done and Done...Yes my wife still thinks I a am an idiot...but then about 12 beers in we get the bright idea to paint our bodies too. One problem Only enough of us to paint U.S. did that stop us no. We think we ended up on Spanish TV. We cheered we chanted we yelled and we booed. We felt the agony of defeat and the torment of what felt like thousands of Brasillian fans. We all know the outcome, but still one of the best experiences of my life. 1994 World Cup San Jose, CA. Me, My Best friend, my wife, and his wife. USA v. Brazil four rows up mid field. We decided it would be really cool to paint our faces. Done and Done…Yes my wife still thinks I a am an idiot…but then about 12 beers in we get the bright idea to paint our bodies too. One problem Only enough of us to paint U.S. did that stop us no. We think we ended up on Spanish TV. We cheered we chanted we yelled and we booed. We felt the agony of defeat and the torment of what felt like thousands of Brasillian fans. We all know the outcome, but still one of the best experiences of my life.

]]> By: Musab http://weekendwarrior.theoffside.com/orange-slices-and-aspirin/the-view-from-the-cheap-seats.html#comment-222 Musab Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:06:54 +0000 http://weekendwarrior.theoffside.com/orange-slices-and-aspirin/the-view-from-the-cheap-seats.html#comment-222 Mike: I'm making the journey up there with a couple of friends as well. Got my tickets already, and I can't wait either! Mike: I’m making the journey up there with a couple of friends as well. Got my tickets already, and I can’t wait either!

]]> By: Mike http://weekendwarrior.theoffside.com/orange-slices-and-aspirin/the-view-from-the-cheap-seats.html#comment-221 Mike Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:51:05 +0000 http://weekendwarrior.theoffside.com/orange-slices-and-aspirin/the-view-from-the-cheap-seats.html#comment-221 So far, only a Rev's game when I was 7. But this summer when Milan come to Boston to play Inter, I'm going, and I CAN'T WAIT. I'm sure I'll have plenty of stories about it :) So far, only a Rev’s game when I was 7.
But this summer when Milan come to Boston to play Inter, I’m going, and I CAN’T WAIT. I’m sure I’ll have plenty of stories about it :)

]]> By: Laurie http://weekendwarrior.theoffside.com/orange-slices-and-aspirin/the-view-from-the-cheap-seats.html#comment-220 Laurie Tue, 07 Apr 2009 05:55:41 +0000 http://weekendwarrior.theoffside.com/orange-slices-and-aspirin/the-view-from-the-cheap-seats.html#comment-220 This doesn't qualify as "biggest," really, but the experience was so different it will stick in my memory forever. France-England, friendly, last March. I was there with my two older kids. Whenever a France player would screw up on the pitch, the guy next to me would loudly mutter, "Oh la vache!" or "Oh la putain!" ("Oh, the cow" and "Oh, the whore," respectively.) My son and daughter wondered why I was laughing. I gave them only one translation. (Actually, I'm lying. I gave them both.) Oh, and French people really do say "Oh la la." In fact, they say it all the time in situations that call for it, which seems to include football matches. (You know. For those times when "Oh la vache" and "Oh la putain" are a little harsh.) For safety reasons, away fans are segregated and separated from locals by high chain link fences. Yes, in the stadium. You are only allowed to enter through the gate where your seat is located. You cannot mingle anywhere else. Everyone entering, both sexes, gets a full pat-down search. There is no alcohol served. In the second half, the French fans started the wave, but the English fans refused to participate. Since they were segregated in about 1/8 of the stadium, the wave would make it 7/8 around, then die. The French on the other side of the Englanders would start it up again, only to have it die yet again. This must have happened fifteen times. After the first couple of times, the crowds would roar when the English fans shut it down. I caught several of the players looking up to try to figure out what was going on -- whether or not it was something they were doing. Oh, and they serve hot dogs on baguettes. Good times. :-) This doesn’t qualify as “biggest,” really, but the experience was so different it will stick in my memory forever.

France-England, friendly, last March. I was there with my two older kids.

Whenever a France player would screw up on the pitch, the guy next to me would loudly mutter, “Oh la vache!” or “Oh la putain!” (”Oh, the cow” and “Oh, the whore,” respectively.) My son and daughter wondered why I was laughing. I gave them only one translation.

(Actually, I’m lying. I gave them both.)

Oh, and French people really do say “Oh la la.” In fact, they say it all the time in situations that call for it, which seems to include football matches. (You know. For those times when “Oh la vache” and “Oh la putain” are a little harsh.)

For safety reasons, away fans are segregated and separated from locals by high chain link fences. Yes, in the stadium. You are only allowed to enter through the gate where your seat is located. You cannot mingle anywhere else. Everyone entering, both sexes, gets a full pat-down search. There is no alcohol served.

In the second half, the French fans started the wave, but the English fans refused to participate. Since they were segregated in about 1/8 of the stadium, the wave would make it 7/8 around, then die. The French on the other side of the Englanders would start it up again, only to have it die yet again.

This must have happened fifteen times. After the first couple of times, the crowds would roar when the English fans shut it down. I caught several of the players looking up to try to figure out what was going on — whether or not it was something they were doing.

Oh, and they serve hot dogs on baguettes.

Good times. :-)

]]> By: Musab http://weekendwarrior.theoffside.com/orange-slices-and-aspirin/the-view-from-the-cheap-seats.html#comment-219 Musab Tue, 07 Apr 2009 05:49:12 +0000 http://weekendwarrior.theoffside.com/orange-slices-and-aspirin/the-view-from-the-cheap-seats.html#comment-219 I was maybe 13 when Galatasaray came to New York to play Porto in an exhibition match at Giants Stadium. Having grown up in New York, I never got the chance to see the CimBom play until that day. They won 2-1, goals by Arif and Hakan Sukur. I was maybe 13 when Galatasaray came to New York to play Porto in an exhibition match at Giants Stadium. Having grown up in New York, I never got the chance to see the CimBom play until that day.

They won 2-1, goals by Arif and Hakan Sukur.

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