Friday, August 24, 2007

Relocated Legion

According to a couple of reports, including from Chivas USA sources, when the Legion 1908, the main fan group for Chivas USA, went to buy their discount rate tickets for their usual section, they were told that demand for this match was so high, that the Galaxy organization wasn't offering any discount. Tickets would have to be purchased at the regular price - which the Legion decided was too expensive.

The group eventually changed their mind and went to purchase their tickets, only to be told that most of those tickets had already been sold. The only remaining tickets for such a large group to congregate together were on the grass seating section of the stadium.

That's where the Legion turned up. At such a distance from the field, perhaps the Chivas USA players couldn't really see them. They didn't celebrate one of their three goals over by that section.

I like the Legion's energy and passion. They ran up and down the grass berm and beat drums throughout the game.

However, I didn't like the T-shirts featuring an upside-down photo of Posh Spice. In general terms I cringe when the fan groups involve families in their mocking. The wives and children don't play, leave them out of it. Vicki can probably deal with it better than most, but whether it's an actress or pop star wife or a realtor spouse, some things should be out of bounds.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

How about the spitting at galaxy fans walking below them or lighting off a fire on the grass???

Crap moves by the Legion.

The Galaxy FO should offer discount tickets to them, however, if only to improve the atmosphere at the match.

But our whole organization is only about money and could obviously care less about presenting the game in the best way or (god forbid) winning.

Anonymous said...

It's the Legion. What do you expect? They are some great people in that group, but are being led by a small group of pinheads?

Anonymous said...

Andrea, maybe MLS (hell, why not FIFA)should hire you to be the moral arbiter of fan decorum. Maybe your little world will become a happy place after you approve of everyone...

A.C. said...

Yep, expressing my personal preference in my blog makes me a moral arbiter.

I didn't like TFC fans throwing seat cushions, either.

I also don't like much seafood.

I like nachos and chili fries.

So yes, my world would have less seafood if expressing my opinion actually had any real effect on it.

Anonymous said...

I stood up there and it wasn't too bad. I don't think Galindo ran up to us because we were o the opposite side of the pitch. The players knew we were there and came over after the match to applaud us.

The galaxy FO did something foul.. I suspect they didn't want the rival group to be seen on tv with so much press surrounding Beckham. They didn't even turn on the light for us! We were in the dark...

Wow, people are so whinny and sensitive. It was a flare, not an actual fire on the grass, anon.

AC, all is fair in love and soccer. (everyone, take this lightheartedly)

L.B. said...

I must say, I respectfully disagree that Victoria Beckham should be out of bounds. Of course, I'm not condoning distasteful mockery of her, but she is a public figure of her own making.

I mean, saying Victoria Beckham is a Galaxy wife is like saying David Beckham is a Galaxy midfielder. No, Peter Vagenas is a Galaxy midfielder; David Beckham is David friggin Beckham.

No other Galaxy wife has been a member of a globally-popular pop band or had a reality show based on her or strikes poses with a five-figure purse draped on her arm.

Posh is a celebrity while most other Galaxy wives are not. I will agree that those other wives shouldn't be made fun of - and I wholeheartedly agree that children should not be made fun of regardless of their fame or their parents' fame - but Posh is Posh and as long as fans don't do something distasteful, then like gly said...

A.C. said...

I just don't think anyone's kids, even if they are the offspring of Posh and Becks, should see their mom be made fun of when they go to see their dad play.

I'm not arguing that Vicki isn't a public figure - or course she is. I would also fully expect any opposing fans to boo or mock David, even if they actually respect him. But Vicki's not in the game - leave her out of it. It's about soccer, or it should be.

Anonymous said...

So the Galaxy FO "did something foul" by not giving Legion 2005 discount tickets? Wow!

LARS has been in a different place, and paid full price every time the G's have been away to Chivas. We've only been in 138 once.

Anonymous said...

there goes a.c. again stirring the pot, stating the obvious. Like we couldn't discern for ourselves that that is wrong. it's not the first time the becks kids have seen that, and it won't be their last. it's a price you pay for having celebrity parents. i'm sure they will be ok. i for one would never do that, but to each their own.

James said...

I'm with A.C. on this one. Family should be off limits, no matter if they are famous or not.

Also off limits should be a culture's traditions. What the riot did, while clever, was in poor taste as well.

As for the Legion being relocated ... yes, they were relocated. No they didn't get a raw deal. The Galaxy should not have hiked the prices on Sec 119 to the Legion (from $15 int he first game to $50 for this one), but at the end of the day the Galaxy did more than enough to help out the Legion.

Including offering tickets to them at a way cheaper rate than they offer it to the public. at the end of the day, the members of the Legion only paid $15 for their tickets. So it can't be said that the Galaxy are bad guys in this. Though it's hard to call them the good guys also.

Anonymous said...

One more time, Mr. Cardenas, the Riot Squad was not mocking Mexican cultural traditions but embracing them. Chivas does not have a lock on Mexican heritage and culture, but they certainly act as if they do, and try to exploit it. If we were mocking anything, it was Chivas' cultural arrogance.

LARS is half Latino, and the majority of that segment of the group is Mexican. The idea for the mariachis came from a guy who grew up in Aguascalientes.

And you assert, but don't explain why the Legion are entitled to discounted tickets. As I noted above, this is a courtesy that Chivas have never extended to LARS, and only once have we been in our usual spot. As you said, Legion still received their deal - so why is this a problem?

Anonymous said...

I agree with l.b. in that Posh is a public figure and she's not out of bounds. When LAG played D.C. at RFK, the Screaming Eagles had a big banner that said: "We sing better than your wife". The local media and some national soccer media thought that was hilarious and a good show of fan spirit. It was all in good fun and I am sure Beckham understood that. Relax Andrea.

Anonymous said...

Wait wait wait...LARS guy, you're celebrating Mexican heritage amongst your supporters by wearing sombreros and playing mariachis in the supporter section? How does this support your team? Everyone saw this for what it was, trying to take a blow at Mexican heritage, Chivas and the Legion...Sorry, but there have been too many racial incidents involving LARS to let this go.

Anonymous said...

just because the idea for mariachis came from a guy who grew up in aguascalientes does not make it okay. if an african-american gave you their blessing to use the "n" word to address your friends, i doubt you would. or at least i hope you wouldn't, but being that i am addressing someone from lars who is defending the tactics of wearing obnoxiously huge, and cartoonish sombreros when hosting the chivas, by saying they are representing their fanbase in doing so, is an insult upon an insult.
and where do you think mariachis originated...aguascalientes? wrong, mariachis originated in guadalajara, jalisco...understand the mariachi-chivas connection? no, it doesn't mean chivas has a lock on all things mexican-american, or on all things from guadalajara, jalisco that's asinine. the point is those from lars who participated knew they were being insulting, it was contrived and calculated on their part, so just own it. stop the excuses. you wanted to be insulting to chivas' fans and you were, case closed. that's all you had to say and i wouldn't even have commented. but instead you write that "it was chivas' cultural arrogance" that made you want to mock them. so you thought your actions would prove a point to chivas but all you ended up doing was to exploit, insult and alienate your own fanbase (think outside of lars), which is exactly what you accuse chivas of doing. it's the old idiom of "the pot calling the kettle black." either way you slice it(either doing it to mock chivas, or doing it to poorly represent lars mexican-americans/latinos)it was foolish. in life if you want to represent, set the bar higher than where you perceive others to have it, and represent with some dignity. there's a chance to redeem yourself at the next superclasico although it's not a home game.

Anonymous said...

So, we have two choices.

(1) LARS managed to find the world's only racist, self-hating mariachi band.

(2) Chivas USA fans and junior LA Times soccer reporters are useless puppets.

Gonna go with (2), thanks