Bad Boys - Part IV

lonewolf53 said:I don't want to restart the debate about how much nonsense is in "your" little rant, but please, just don't write it.
Out of a hundred well-intentioned reasons, just don't.

Look, I have no desire to start a thread either. In fact, I won't even bother writing my usual rant here since it seems the only person bothered by it is you. And usually, the truth tends to bother 🤷 anyone with an ounce of objectivity—it’s all pretty clear
But do me a favor and explain this "amount of stupidity" in that message. I am genuinely curious.

Here is a tiny little example, just to help you frame things properly. For instance, imagine the Rally Squad is outside a hotel last night, blowing horns, setting off flares, making a scene, and then the police show up and tell them to clear out.
If those had been the Bad Boys and this was happening in Washington, D.C., everyone would have ended up at the precinct being processed under fan laws 😉 and disturbing the peace would be a given.
And I'm not talking about the crackdown we see in 2013; the exact same thing would have happened in 2007, 2008, and so on...

Do you remember this? Or are you completely oblivious?

You wouldn't see that in Miami. Not in Cleveland, either. Never. And certainly not back in 2008.
That is because the fans in Washington, D.C. (in the eyes of the media) are demonized to such an extent that the very same news outlet is now writing this regarding the local crowd: The flares were burning on both sides, but it wasn't hooliganism; it was true football atmosphere.

Do you recall how the January 5th riots started? It was over two flares in the east stands.
And how did it end? With hundreds of beaten fans, most of whom hadn't done a single thing wrong.

Fine, the Bad Boys built their own reputation. But nobody likes injustice.

So, what are these "well-intentioned reasons"? You can answer me here or via DM.

Zachary Sullivan2 said:honestly, I think he’s just jealous. He’s got cash and he’d probably be out there getting high too...

🤣🤣🤣

Robert Adams6 said:I really wasn't looking to start a whole debate here, and honestly, I won't even bother repeating that slogan since it seems like it only bothers you. And let’s be real, the truth usually bothers 🤷 pretty much everyone who tries to stay objective, doesn't it?
But seriously, could you walk me through what exactly you meant by the "amount of stupidity" in that message? I'm genuinely curious.

Let me give you a little scenario just to put things into perspective. Imagine if the Rally Squad was out in front of a hotel last night, honking horns and setting off flares, and then the police roll up and tell them to clear out.
If those had been the Bad Boys and this was happening in Washington, D.C., everyone would have ended up at the precinct being processed under fan conduct laws, 😉 not to mention the standard charges for disturbing the peace.
And don't think I'm just talking about how strict things are nowadays; the exact same thing would have happened back in 2007, 2008, and so on.

Do you actually remember that, or are you totally out of the loop?

You wouldn't see a scene like that in Miami, buddy. Or in Cleveland. Not ever, let alone back in 2008.
That's because fans in Washington, D.C. are (in the eyes of the media) demonized to such an extent that the very same news outlets reporting on other countries today are writing stuff like: The flares were burning on both sides, but it wasn't hooliganism—it was just a beautiful football atmosphere.

Do you remember how that whole 2015 situation kicked off? It all started over just two flares in the east stands.
And how did it end? With hundreds of fans getting beaten up, most of whom hadn't done a single thing wrong.

Look, okay, the Bad Boys certainly built their own reputation, but nobody likes seeing injustice.

So, what are these "good intentions" you keep mentioning? You can answer me here or just send me a private message.

First off, regarding that bolded part. Back in Miami, we had similar situations about seven or eight years ago where the police would ban lighting flares near the boardwalk, eventually banning the boardwalk gatherings altogether and detaining the ringleaders. So please, don't act like this only happens in Washington, D.C.; it happens everywhere, it just depends on whether there are fifty people behind it or five thousand.

And secondly, I don't get why everyone is so shocked by the media coverage. Those outlets writing against you are basically on the payroll of Jerry Jones, so that's why they write what they do. As for the others, they're just being objective. It's not like they'd write that there was a "fantastic atmosphere" when only thirty of you are tossing flares around. Take Al Pacino, for instance; he writes these two pieces brilliantly, and while I don't know what else he's covered, he's clearly one of the rare ones who isn't living off Jerry Jones' money right now.

Jose Kern11 said:First off, that bolded part. Back in Miami, we had some carnivals about 7 or 8 years ago where the cops banned flares on the rides, and eventually they just banned the whole carnival and hauled away the ringleaders. So don't act like this is just a Washington, D.C. thing. It happens everywhere—it just depends on whether there are 50 people behind it or 5,000.

And second. I don't get why everyone's shocked by the media. Anyone writing hits against you guys is basically on Jerry Jones' payroll. They're well-oiled. As for the others actually reporting now? They're just being objective. It's not like they're gonna claim "great atmosphere" when it's just 30 of you throwing flares. Look at Al Pacino over here writing these two pieces; he's clearly one of the few left who isn't living off Jerry Jones' handouts.

2006.

2013. http://m.dalmacijanews.com/article/?article-id=48599

Look, you guys are partially to blame for this terrible reputation. It wasn't the Wildcats or the Rally Squad who kept shutting down Real Madrid's European matches with flares—sometimes just out of pure, chaotic spite—it was you lot. It’s only natural that someone from the San Francisco Bay Area sees a flare differently than someone from Washington, D.C. To us, a flare is just part of the show, a tool the Rally Squad has used countless times for choreos, confetti, and flags. But to the D.C. crowd? A flare is always viewed through that lens of hooliganism because the Bad Boys were so often using them to halt games or toss stuff onto the pitch.

P.S. One more thing—that message you sent from Cleveland is fine, I guess. It’s a bit encouraging for the folks inside the group, but honestly, trying to pull something like that right after our massive anti-Jerry Jones display at that match is just plain stupid...

It’s like they think we’re idiots who don't know what's actually going down in Miami and Cleveland, or even up in D.C.

bluewalker92 said:You guys are partly to blame for your own bad reputation. It wasn't the Wildcats or the Rally Squad disrupting Real Madrid's European matches with flares—sometimes just out of pure spite—it was you. It’s only natural that someone from the San Francisco Bay Area sees a flare differently than someone from Washington, D.C. For our crowd, a flare is just a tool used by the Rally Squad for choreos, confetti, and flags. But for the D.C. crowd? They'll always see a flare as some hooligan prop used by the Bad Boys to stop games or toss stuff onto the pitch.

P.S. One more thing—that message from Cleveland is fine, kind of encouraging for the people inside the group, but pulling something like that right after our big display against Jerry Jones at that match is just plain stupid...

Give me a break. 🤣 If we have a bad reputation, it definitely isn't because of the flares! When they start punishing you guys for stopping matches with flares or just lighting them like it's nothing, then maybe we can talk.
Given how UEFA operates, especially toward clubs from smaller leagues—because let's face it, the rules don't apply the same way to us as they do to The German—we're all going to get kicked out of Europe soon because of flares, while over in Switzerland and Germany, they light them up like it's perfectly normal.

Lighting up the night against the mob! For Real Madrid, no more European qualifiers! Get Jerry Jones out!

During that last Cleveland vs. Real Madrid game, they were practically hunting people down—they even targeted someone just for climbing the fence. They were trying to grab everyone else who set off flares too, but we stood our ground and they ended up backing off. And what did they actually do to you guys during that match? Absolutely nothing...
And look, don't get me wrong—I’m not saying I'd be happy if something happened to you guys, but don't go thinking you're the only ones dealing with this kind of crackdown. It varies from group to group—some get it harder than others—and unfortunately, you guys take a bigger hit, but that doesn't mean everyone else is getting a free pass...

bluewalker92 said:You’re partially responsible for your own bad reputation. It wasn't the Black and Gold Army or The 12th Man who disrupted Real Madrid's European matches with flares (sometimes just out of pure boredom), it was you guys. It makes sense that someone from the San Francisco Bay Area and someone from Washington, D.C. won't view a flare the same way. To our crowd, a flare is just a supporter's tool used by The 12th Man countless times alongside choreographies, streamers, and flags. But to the D.C. crowd, a flare is always seen as hooligan gear, given how the Bad Boys frequently used them to disrupt games or toss things onto the pitch.

P.S. One more thing—that message from Seattle is fine, I guess; it's somewhat encouraging for people within the group. But trying to pull something like that right after our choreography against Jerry Jones at that match is a little idiotic...

What kind of naive nonsense is this? Once someone decides your flare is "hooliganism," that's what it becomes. A few paid journalists will write their pieces, the sheep will swallow it whole, and after ten articles, everyone will be claiming flares are the work of the devil. Throughout history, the Black and Gold Army has interrupted matches with flares... and that was all fine until a few years ago when someone decided otherwise. Because of a couple of flares, the police stormed in... and it's been like that ever since. So don't go bothering the boys; forget the police and their flare business and other crap. They received an order and they follow it. If even one of the Bad Boys had been in the stands and hadn't stayed in his spot, the police would have intervened again. And they'll keep intervening as long as certain people—and we all know who those people are—want them to, regardless of whether it's flares or just tossing some paper on the ground.

Kevin Gray86 said:Most journalists and news outlets just push this left-wing garbage, and the Bad Boys have this reputation for being right-wing nationalists. Any move the Bad Boys make is going to get stabbed in the back by columnists—not because of any actual repression or because of Jerry Jones, but simply because the Bad Boys are blatant nationalists and they’ve made sure everyone knows it. That's where the double standard lies. When the Black and Gold Army sets off flares, it’s "atmosphere," but when the Bad Boys do it, they're suddenly "hooligans." They were like this then, they are like this now, so just deal with it; this stuff has been going on since the Soviet Union days, and journalists haven't changed one bit.

I can agree with you that the media in general doesn't vibe with the toughness and nationalism of the Bad Boys, but I don't see why you feel this constant, absolute need to reduce everything and everyone down to a political level. Like, even if someone's talking about a site like Index, which I might even agree with in principle, it really all depends on the specific section or the individual writer, even if they shift their stance over time. People are allowed to do that as long as they're being somewhat honest... and look, even the Bad Boys shifted gears from being totally passive and intentionally sweeping those mafia-style takeovers of Real Madrid under the rug to actually engaging in a much less pleasant, active fight... and honestly, regarding yesterday's flare situation involving both the Bayern Munich fans and The 12th Man, I think Al Pacino really hit the nail on the head.

Benjamin Cruz29 said:What kind of naive nonsense is this? Look, when someone decides they want your flares to look like hooliganism, that's all it is. A few paid journalists write their little pieces, the sheep swallow it whole, and suddenly after ten articles, everyone's acting like the flare is the devil itself. It’s always been the Black and Gold Army disrupting games with flares... and everything was fine until a few years back when some higher-up decided otherwise. Suddenly, because of a couple of flares, the cops storm in... and then it never happens again. So don't go bothering the Bad Boys. Honestly, screw the police and their business with the flares and all that crap. They just got orders from above. If there were even one more Bad Boy on that stand who didn't stay in his spot, the cops would be all over us again. And they'll keep doing it as long as whoever "they" are decide to make it happen—even if it's just for throwing confetti on the floor.

All those decisions are made in your own heads. Once you start thinking like that, maybe you'll have a shot. Until then, just sit there and take the crackdown. Go ahead, toss your flares onto the pitch thinking it's going to trigger some grand revolution that gets someone fired, when in reality, it just does the exact opposite. 😉

Jesse Campbell said:It’s almost like they think we’re complete idiots who have no clue what’s actually going on over in Miami, Seattle, or even Washington, D.C.

Maybe if you and your old-timers would actually get back to the stands and show some support for that ragtag bunch of yours... or perhaps you'd rather just keep lecturing us about how the cops are supposedly playing favorites in the local precinct... yeah, right, those "Class of '86" legends...

Lawrence Kern60 said:Maybe you and your ancient fossils should actually show up to the stands and help out that disaster of a club... or are you just going to keep acting like experts on how the cops are egging us on? Just a bunch of old timers from the class of '86...

Give it a rest. We've got plenty of "old timers" around here, and honestly, I’d go as far as to say we have more than ever when you look at the 35+ crowd.

Lawrence Kern60 said:Maybe you and your old-timers should actually show up at the stadium and help out that kid playing for the team... or are you just going to keep lecturing us about how the cops are throwing eggs at the fans? Typical 1986 generation...

Look, those "old-timers" you're talking about are right there in the stands, at home, and even traveling to away games...

Lawrence Kern60 said:maybe you and your little prehistoric crew should actually show up to the stands once in a while and try helping that kid of yours...

🤣
🙂
Have you even looked at the stands lately during away games? Because I, someone who feels like a total outsider there myself, have clearly been around more than you. That whole geriatric crowd you’re whining about—even including that last Zeldi guy—it’s mostly just kids now. Honestly, you’re clearly the one who’s out of the loop here.

08/23/2006.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpzgaAv6Tok

Let’s be real here and just admit it: flares were being set off whenever, whether it was appropriate or not. Of course, saying that about Dinamo—the most watched club in the country, playing in European competitions every single year, and pulling in more cash than anyone else from sponsors, the city, player transfers, or UEFA—doesn't sit well with anyone. I guess it's easier to just pay the fines...
To try and cut down on that or stop it altogether, they've basically tried to demonize anything related to flares or the Bad Boys... and that's how we've been systematically pushed to this point over time...

Anyway, once our fight finally reaches its end, will people still be throwing flares onto the pitch? If so, would it be a way to protest against UEFA and the state of modern soccer, or will everyone finally just step back and realize we need to change?
We probably can't win this battle against UEFA anyway. We're talking hundreds, maybe even a few thousand of us, while UEFA represents millions of people and billions of dollars. Honestly, we're mostly just hurting ourselves at this point instead of them.

There’s a massive difference between setting off flares in the stands versus throwing them onto the field. Plenty of our own guys have spoken up, saying they should stay in the stands and warned others, but man, when you're dealing with millions of fans versus just a few thousand diehards, things get messy.

lonebear8 said:Well, look, during that last match between the local side and Dinamo, we had certain individuals specifically targeting one of our guys because he climbed over the railing; they were trying to grab him and anyone else who might have set off flares, but we stood our ground and they eventually backed off.And what exactly did they do to you guys at that game?! Absolutely nothing...
Now, don't get me wrong, I’m not saying I’d be happy if they laid a hand on you, but please don't go thinking you're the only ones facing any kind of crackdown... some people deal with more than others, and unfortunately, you guys seem to catch the brunt of it more often, but that doesn't mean everyone else is living in total peace.

Then tell me, what exactly happened to you when people stormed the field after the whistle blew, and what was the response to us just chanting? 🤷