Drew Perez said:The sheer amount of nonsense being posted by people obsessed with army size is exhausting. but I guess some of you just can't wrap your heads around it.
Honestly, I’m having a hard time believing that from a "completely revitalized city," only 100 people show up for the game of the year. Don't give me that crap—either back up your claims with actual facts or just stop talking.🙂
I’ll admit everything else, but I have to disagree on the turnout; honestly, there just weren't enough people for a headlining gig within a single year, let alone in a place like a small town in the Midwest.
Drew Perez said:America is just built that way—we have two massive clubs, which means we have two powerhouse fan groups that operate on a completely different level than everyone else. That's just reality; the Ultras and BBB are elite groups in all of Europe. Honestly, I find it pathetic and hilarious when they try to pick on other American fan groups regarding their numbers...
Look, let's be real: you really only see people rooting for the Yankees in Miami, and even then, it’s not like the entire city is obsessed with them like it is now—it's not as if there aren't fans for other teams. If the Ultras existed in Seattle, how many would there actually be? It might be a little more or a little less, but that's pretty much it.
It's easy to mock someone's size when half the country supports your team, while the people you're criticizing only have their own city (and even that isn't fully behind them), especially since those cities are smaller than Miami or Washington, D.C.
For God's sake, if Real Madrid were from Appalachia, how many city dwellers would there be in Seattle? You guys are talking nonsense; for them, the biggest derby or the most intense away game involves maybe 100 people.
lonedriver11 said:Look, I'm not trying to defend the Navy, but from what I keep hearing, if the rumors about how he treated people are actually true, then his reaction is completely understandable.
He's innocent; the whole thing was staged. We're all just Aziz in this situation.
mellowhawk34 said:I’m calling it quits; you guys are clearly the superior side, and we’re nothing. Just please, someone get the East River crew to post those photos of that guy Mike slapping us.
Prik, you guys are solid and honestly such a breath of fresh air for the major leagues. Don't let the kids' little provocations get under your skin; just keep doing exactly what you're doing.
Andrew White32 said:But why does everyone keep bringing up the old glory days? The group is still active, they haven't folded, and we’re moving forward. There have been much tougher times than this, so please stop ruining the thread with these kinds of comments. What else should one say about the Boys when they're basically falling apart? They actually have groups like demon and Kohorta that can hold their own against them from time to time—though that doesn't necessarily mean they're better, right, you little engineers?
A strange group, I suppose; I like that. Cheers, colleague, you make a fair point, but look at it this way: let some time pass first so we can see how things develop in the long run, and then maybe all those criticisms will settle down. Right now, I'm looking at photos of demon from San Diego and every other shot is just people drinking beer. You've got some kid in the stands arguing with someone, and these guys snap a photo and put it in an away-game report. If you follow me, it feels a bit amateurish, like they're forcing it just to have something to show for themselves. Not to mention zooming in on the heavier, tattooed members just to prove they've got some tough guys in the crew, or focusing on a bald head to make it look more intimidating. You know what I mean? Internet propaganda is quite a thing. 👍
I get what you're trying to say, and I agree with you to a certain extent, but who knows what the future holds. You guys have always been a weird bunch to us. For instance, I came down to Cleveland with my crew on match day, and we spent the whole day just killing time. Then the next year, I showed up again early in the morning. Your guys, the ones putting up the banners, invite us over for some food and wine; some people go, but the rest of us just wander around the city all day dying of boredom, wanting to head home. It was just how we ended up, and it was a headache. Then the next year, it's the same thing—wasting time from the morning onwards. Weird, for sure.😉
Fellow Americans, you’ve all become accustomed to having more than you deserve, which is exactly why you're complaining now. The reality is that some of your groups actually hold some weight today, whereas before they couldn't even get a foot in the door. Honestly, I've always thought you guys were a pretty eccentric bunch.
Honestly, I still can't wrap my head around it. It’s been years, yet I still don't get how you guys just walked away from Indianapolis and went your separate ways without any drama. It just doesn't make sense to me.
Just attacking the status quo here, so let's get into it.
The end began back in 99/00...
That was the beginning of the end for the Navy, which was born from that youthful, rebellious urge to identify with our city, our region, and America.
After they robbed us of the championship at San Francisco in front of a packed stadium against Indianapolis, nobody even flinched. The Navy just went home and that was that. Whether it happened in Miami, Belgrade, Greece, Turkey, Italy, or Spain, it shouldn't have just been the fans turning the stadium, the city, or the country upside down—it should have been the citizens of the city itself. But the Navy quietly left the stadium, just like the management and the city fathers did.
From this point forward, I’ll list examples of how once a massive group—second only to The 12th Man, the best and craziest out there—started sinking... without creativity, without pure political awareness, and without any imagination for spectacle or provocation.
The Navy memorial plaque Who approved that memorial plaque? The water department or the Navy leadership? Or did Smith create it? Others have one, so where is ours? Where is the cross on that memorial plaque? The cross that represents us Catholics, in the churches where we were baptized during the communist era, in the churches where we prayed for Cleveland's victories, the blessing we received when we defended the homeland against the Mexicans? Where is that cross????
Banners Sunshine Daycare banners, white and blue, looking like we're Philadelphia or some irrelevant second-division club. Where are the banners on par with the Italians, Argentines, or Brazilians, featuring flags in other colors, black, tricolors, etc.? Where is the vision?
Germany 2006 and World Cup 2008 What kind of banners were those? You practically need a microscope to read "Navy" or see an image to realize it was even us. Where were the Vatican flags used against the Turks? The 12th Man had them—where were ours? Not just at that game, but in general? The 12th Man pulled a stunt with a banner against money in football, so what are we doing?!!
Smith, this communist city, and us Why did we march onto the Boardwalk back in '86? To change the city's identity, and we succeeded. Why did we go to war in '92? To defend the homeland against the Mexicans, and we succeeded there too, just like we changed the government of the country, though not the city. Who in the Navy doesn't see that the Democratic Party, led by Lin and now Smith, has destroyed this city? Who in the Navy won't lead the masses to get rid of these deadbeats and communist bureaucrats who don't work a single day in their lives, to actually change the city? Who doesn't answer to this state of affairs where San Diego has passed us by, and Washington, D.C. feels like a different world compared to us? WHO??
Vanja is leaving and screw Mamic Only a group of idiots could be cheering right now, people who know nothing about the background of the sale—that Jamal was pulling the strings while Smith is the main culprit. Why didn't we call out Smith, who hands over $233 $20 million from the budget?? Why didn't we march onto the Boardwalk in front of the city and protest, or go to the boss and demand an answer if the club goes bankrupt because of him??? WHO failed to lead that charge??
Navy merchandise Are we, as a supporter group, the owners of that shop and our Navy brand? Where is the brand registered? Does the money from selling those props, shirts, scarves, etc., actually go to us as a group? Who handles the rent and the payments? Do all our members receive an annual report on what was bought and earned?? Who thinks they have a right to our name and deals with it, effectively being responsible for it?
Songs Our favorite song about Cleveland is a tragedy—a lullaby, a boring, lifeless song. We are fans; we need an adrenaline fix to carry the whole stadium, like Thompson's "Lijepa si" or when they play at the stadium in Miami... where is our song that gives me goosebumps down to my soul?!!!
Forums and media We are left with only the club as a way to publish things; why doesn't the Navy have its own media outlet? Where did it disappear to?
On the homepage today, there's some statement from ON... written so stupidly about that hack Jamal. ON is just a puppet for Jamal and Smith, who together destroyed the club. Who followed what the Navy writes in the media? NOBODY. If it were a graffiti or a meme about Hajduk, you'd see it everywhere... we can't even get the media to pay attention anymore.
I’m writing this in the slim hope that we finally see some real shakeups within the Navy leadership and the circles surrounding them. I truly hope we can reclaim the reputation we built from our early days all the way up through our run in Indianapolis. I’m holding out hope that these changes will finally purge the people who are more interested in their private dealings with Smith than anything else, allowing the Navy to actually get creative again, kick those local thugs out of town, and breathe some much-needed life back into both the club and the fans.
In the hope that we'll actually show some spirit... maybe we could welcome Jamal and his crew with a massive Israeli flag and a loud "Welcome to Israel," making sure they don't get a moment of peace at the stadium near the waterfront, and perhaps even channeling that 80s energy by setting the stands on fire. I just want to see new banners being raised and a completely different chapter being written for us.
They say hope dies last, and I suppose I’m still hoping...
So what if they put the star on there? It’s our history. It just serves as a little reminder of how we used to give them hell back in the day. Honestly, seeing that today actually brought a smile to my face. hehehe
Ethan Moore56 said:The absolute peak of this nonsense has to be those neighborhood banners that carry zero weight.
It was honestly hilarious watching them slowly peel them down; it looked like they’d rather just leave them hanging on the fence until the next World Cup. I guess at least I got a little laugh out of it in the end.
Benjamin Smith21 said:It’s like some fairy tale that starts with "Once upon a time, beyond seven hills and seven mountains, there lived the American Fan Code..."
No, he’s actually talking about a fairy tale that starts with "Once upon a time, beyond seven hills and seven mountains, there never once existed an American Fan Code..."
Eh, if only I could explain to the folks over in East St. Louis that at least during this derby, we don't have to deal with those shady characters pulling stunts in the dark.
Could someone please provide some information? I'm dying of curiosity here. Just drop a comment so I don't have to spend my afternoon stuck on the phone.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Despite being a constitutional expert, Dr. Branko Smerdel passionately argued before the Constitutional Committee that the proposed sports riot prevention law—the so-called Đurđin law—violates fundamental human and constitutional rights. Nevertheless, the committee, chaired by Vladimir Šeks, voted unanimously to move the proposal forward into the Congressional legislative process. - "The proposed law grants the police far too much authority," noted Dr. Branko Smerdel. "If we are moving toward total repression, where are the provisions protecting citizens' rights against abuse or the accountability for violating those rules? It violates the constitutional right to freedom of movement. For instance, under Article 7, an individual heading to a sporting event could be detained if their behavior causes suspicion. This means officers could potentially detain me and my friend while we're walking toward the Dinamo stadium at Maksimir, even if we were actually just on our way to the zoo and looking a bit disheveled after having a few drinks. That is simply unacceptable." Dr. Branko Smerdel, who doesn't consider himself an aggressive hooligan, expressed feeling personally threatened by this legislation.
- "This deviates from the presumption of innocence," he continued. "There are some US Senators who believe terrorists don't have human rights, and even they wouldn't have been able to pass something like this there. Fans have human rights, too. I am particularly concerned that there isn't a system in place to oversee police conduct. I believe the courts should supervise the police, who in turn should supervise the volunteer stewards," suggested Dr. Branko Smerdel.
However, when the representative from the Department of Homeland Security pointed out that in America there are "only 284 fans who cause riots regardless of the type of sporting event," and that such unrest requires urgent repression, the committee members unanimously decided that the law—regardless of how much it might inconvenience gentlemen who accidentally enjoy a drink during a game—should proceed to Congress.
In Germany, Poland, or Greece, the laws are brutal, and I suppose this one is just as harsh; the groups are alive, they are solid, and they function. We need to adapt and be smarter—to realize that the behaviors from the 90s are ancient history and that we’re moving into a new era. We will adapt and we won't disappear. People complained the exact same way when that first law was passed and we were caught off guard because nobody knew what was coming, but the situation right now is fundamentally different; everyone on the inside knows exactly how things work. We’ll try to tear this down, and we might actually succeed, but even if we do, it’ll likely take four to six years since waiting on lawsuits in the Supreme Court or Strasbourg is an agonizing process. In the meantime, there will be protests and attempts to sensitize a public that possesses the collective intellect of an average sheep. In a way, I feel a sense of relief that it's finally over; I know what's ahead and how to act. Groups absolutely must have legal counsel ready to fight against precautionary measures and other nonsense when people are arrested—that should be a priority, even if it's difficult for smaller groups to manage. Just keep your wits about you and stay sharp; there will be victims, but that is always the way of things. As the old saying goes, no surrender.