New York Jets Football Fans Shame America’s Soccer Ambitions
AS the New York Times reports: “At halftime of a Jets’ home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, several hundred men lined one of Giants Stadium’s two pedestrian ramps at Gate D.
“Three deep in some areas, they whistled and jumped up and down. Then they began an obscenity-laced chant, demanding that the few women in the gathering expose their breasts.”
Says WCBS-TV, part of CBS Television Stations: “They’re subjected to taunting and teasing. Women are being encouraged to expose themselves.” For thsoe brave enough to look, the station produces a video marked “Halftime Harrasment”.
Britsh sports fans may well turn away from American football. It really is too terrible.
John Santangelo of West Milford, Conn., said that type of behavior has been prevalent at Jets games for a long time.
“They really get going and they start chanting,” Santangelo said. “I wouldn’t want my wife over there.”
Richard J. Codey, president of the New Jersey Senate, vows to crack down on the harassment of women at Jets games.As the NY Times goes on: “The mood of previous Gate D crowds — captured on video clips posted on YouTube — sometimes bordered on hostile, not unlike the spirit of infamously aggressive European soccer hooligans.”
George Zoffinger, president of the agency that runs the stadium, tells the Boston Herald:
“This boorish behavior should not be tolerated.”
“This type of conduct on one of the stadium spirals is outrageous and unacceptable,” says Jets senior vice president of business operations Matt Higgins on Fox News. “We have spoken with NJSEA [New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority] officials and demanded that they take steps immediately to ensure that it does not happen again.”
And on MSNBC: “At half time, several hundred males congregate on the ramp, grab a smoke, quaff their beers, and greet any woman adventurous or foolhardy enough to join them to “Show your bits.”
Clearly, British football fans are appalled – the correct chant is “Get Your Tits Out For The Lads” and can be aimed at women and more portly male players.
It gives us no little pain to realise that David Beckham’s arrival in America has not triggered the furthering of the football cause he and and so many of us had hoped for.
Posted: 21st, November 2007 | In: Reviews Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink
