April 10, 2005

Soccer fans in Scotland jeer during pope tribute: Shades of Northern Ireland and Protestants vs. Catholics

posted by roberts to soccer at 05:26 PM - 11 comments

My medieval superstition's better than your's....nya nya nya

posted by owlhouse at 05:36 PM on April 10, 2005

I never cared for the scottish league before this... Now i hate it.

posted by StarFucker at 10:42 PM on April 10, 2005

I'd blame this incident on the insensitive schmuck that thought it was a good idea to do a religious tribute at a game, particularly since there's already been religion-related violence.

posted by dusted at 11:54 PM on April 10, 2005

You want to hear booing? Wait until Thatcher dies and they try doing a minute's silence for her.

posted by squealy at 05:02 AM on April 11, 2005

As dusted suggested I coulda figured that trying to pull off a pope tribute in front of Hearts or Rangers fans is a bad idea but still, they don't do themselves any favours by not being able to suspend sectarian hatred by shutting the hell up for 60 seconds. Well I guess Hearts fans will get a pat on the back and a free pint or two from Rangers fans so maybe that was doing themselves a favour.

posted by gspm at 07:09 AM on April 11, 2005

This surprises people why? Have none of you ever seen an Old Firm game? Pure hatred. On both sides. The people who suggested a minute silence for the Pope must be idiots if they didn't think it would get booed.

posted by afx237vi at 08:30 AM on April 11, 2005

True. And squealy, I agree: the same person who decided that a moment's silence would go smoothly at a game like this had better not be in on choosing how best to do a Thatcher tribute.

posted by chicobangs at 06:36 PM on April 11, 2005

Tourism leaders have admitted that Scotland's international reputation is being tarnished by sectarian behaviour at football matches. Scotland's international reputation would be more tarnished if the societal sectarianism had a higher profile than it does. This incident just shines a light into the corner and gives it worldwide attention.

posted by gspm at 09:43 AM on April 14, 2005

European soccer = no class anyway (numerous riots, and hitting opposing goalies with flare guns) Europe is branded with the scalet label "thugs"

posted by rockhard10 at 10:20 AM on April 14, 2005

You are aware that Europe is made up of different countries and cultures? Levels of disorder vary wildly from country to country, so just to tar Europe with the label of "thug" is just ludicrous and ill informed.

posted by squealy at 02:16 PM on April 14, 2005

Oh yeah. And us North Americans just sit quietly by and behave wonderfully at all our sporting events. Golf clap anyone? (I would link to the ol' Malice in the Palace vid clip - but that would be heavy handed - no?)

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 08:16 AM on April 15, 2005

You're not logged in. Please log in or register.