Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Wednesday 24 January 2018
Fans Behaving Badly: Pats, Eagles bring out worst in fans

By DAN GELSTON Iowa, was one Vikings fan
AP Sports Writer who traveled to Philadel-
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Binge phia for the game. She told
drinking for hours in stadium Minneapolis’ WCCO-AM
parking lots, a few Philly radio that she walked into
fans flexed their beer mus- the stadium with a group
cles with throws that were of other Vikings fans. Sud-
as on point as Nick Foles denly, two men in the front
connecting with his Eagles of the group were hit in the
receivers. head with something and
Sure, the Minnesota Vikings bleeding. “One guy had a
fans who walked through cracked forehead and the
hostile enemy territory that back of his right ear was just
would set the stage for bleeding. The other guy, it
malfeasance at the NFC was his left ear,” she said.
championship game had She said that security told
to expect the boos, the their group there was noth-
four-letter words, the ob- ing they could do.
scene gestures, the shouts Once she got to her seat,
to go home, the, well, the the fans around her were
misconduct list goes on for giving her group some
churlish Eagles fans. good-natured grief at first,
On a few occasions, cooler New England Patriots fans cheer during the second half of the AFC championship NFL football but after the Vikings scored,
heads prevailed. game between the Patriots and the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018, in Foxborough, one of her sisters got spit on
As in fans opened coolers, Mass. by Eagles fans, and anoth-
plucked cheap beers and Associated Press er sister had food thrown
chucked unopened cans flag of most obnoxious fans. counterfeit ticket sales. borhoods around the city at her. Hokinson said they
at Vikings fans. But certainly not the most Patriots fans invoke a differ- cheering and chanting. were escorted to the car,
This was a dangerous twist violent. The West Coast ent kind of hate. Earlier in the day, workers but they had promised to
on Target Field for the Min- takes a (tarnished) gold NFL fans from Kansas City in Philadelphia who jok- give a man from Minneap-
nesota faithful. among American sports to Jacksonville are just sick ingly called themselves olis a ride to the airport. Se-
Social media users cap- fans, with stabbings report- — or jealous — of the Pa- the “Crisco Cops” greased curity had to go back and
tured snapshots of fans ed at games in San Diego triots going to the Super light poles to try to prevent retrieve that Vikings fan
dodging and weaving and San Francisco; while Bowl and watching New fans from climbing up them from his club seat because
cans, crushed red solo fan arrests at New York Gi- England celebrate on after the game. Eagles fans were blocking
cups and all kinds of trash ants games generally lead duck boats and parade During the fourth quarter, him and wouldn’t let him
launched toward anyone the league. routes. Patriots fans are of- Philadelphia police posted leave. “It was crazy,” she
in purple and gold, and Eagles fans involved were ten called entitled or nau- an image of Crisco on Twit- told the radio station.
many more Vikings fans in a scuffle with and police seating for their Super Bowl ter . While urging fans to When the Eagles fans
complained on Twitter of officers in one parking lot gloating. There are New celebrate responsibly, they come to Minnesota: “I just
witnessing random acts that left at least one fan England teens who believe wrote, “Now comes the hope our fans stay classy.
of violence. Some fans beaten and bloodied be- Super Bowl appearances time in the night where we Because that’s a whole
whined their Vikings hats fore the NFC championship are as much a given right must warn everyone about other level of crazy down
were swiped off their heads game. Police only reported as lobster rolls and clam the dangers of Saturated there. And I know the fans
and tossed into urinals be- two arrests for disorderly chowder. It wasn’t all seri- Fats.” up in Minnesota, they’re
fore Eagles fans showed conduct and one for as- ous in Philly. Just don’t tell Vikings fans not going to stoop that low.
why their team was No. 1 in sault on police. They also After the game, huge about frivolity in Philly. I hope they don’t.”
the NFC. reported three arrests for crowds gathered in neigh- Jana Hokinson of Manson, Yes, that’s classic sweath-
Mongo from “Blazing Sad- eart thinking that everyone
dles” would surely tip his in Minnesota is so nice.
cap at the way Eagles fans Not always true. Not nec-
can sock a horse . essarily a problem. The all-
Philly boos were supplant- day tailgating isn’t gener-
ed by Minnesota boo-hoos ally in full 0.20 BAC levels at
.Beware, Minneapolis. the Super Bowl as it is on NFL
Eagles fans are coming to Sundays and the league
your city. will generally assemble a
And the Massholes are join- massive task force to thwart
ing in on the Super Bowl fan violence.
bash. Vikings receiver Adam
Patriots-Eagles is more than Thielen said he hopes Min-
a 2005 Super Bowl rematch. nesotans hold no grudges.
It sticks two of the more “You can’t group all Ea-
maligned — and misunder- gles fans into that group,”
stood — fanbases in the Thielen said one day after
NFL within striking distance his team bus was pelted
of each other at US Bank with beer on its way out of
Stadium. Philly. “It’s kind of the same
It’s time to line ‘em up — thing with the NFL some-
the Santa Snowball Hurlers Philadelphia Eagles fans dressed as underdogs watch as players start to warm up before the times. If somebody gets in
vs. the Deflategate Truthers NFL football NFC championship game against the Minnesota Vikings Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018, in trouble, it kind of gets put
in a fight for the checkered Philadelphia. on everybody.”q
Associated Press