The Armada

boldmarlin5 said:Either you aren't thinking clearly, or you're just trying to start something. There isn't much middle ground here.

How is that even a provocation?🤷🤷🤷🤷
Akron has always been part of Cleveland, and it always will be.

Douglas Chavez73 said:I’m done listening to this garbage, so I’ll weigh in too. First off, you guys broke the most basic rule in the fan scene regarding graffiti: you don't touch the art! Everyone knows how much money and effort goes into a single piece. In New York City, nobody touches the Walmart tags, and in Miami, nobody touches the Real Madrid ones. Yet here you are, acting tough by destroying the work of a group seven times smaller than yours while armies of "outsiders" roam the streets freely. Bravo, real tough guys right there!
This piece is an embarrassment to you, and thanks to idiots like these tagging over things and leaving other messes, the whole scene is circling the drain.

Second thing: nobody put up any Cleveland City FC graffiti on the west side of town. It was done in Akron, where the Rockettes tags stay untouched too.

If you don't even know where Akron is, go pick up a book or ask someone older. You'll see that because of commenters like you who have been voting for the same people for 50 years, Akron vanished from the map. If it hadn't been a historic American city that was economically stronger than its neighbors, Cleveland wouldn't even exist in its current form today. Period. OFF

🤣

The Red Sox? Where were they back in the mid-90s when the team was grinding through the struggle to finally break into the big leagues, back when the energy was all driven by The Joker and supported by those guys from The Rockettes and the rest of the local fans... I don't recall seeing a single banner for the Red Sox during that whole run through the minor leagues, even though I was at pretty much every game... there just wasn't any mention of that name. It’s only now that we’ve made it to the top tier that suddenly here they are... just some guys from the East Side showing up out of nowhere because they want to stir things up a bit... you know, acting like it's the major leagues and we need to show the rest of America that we're the only real team in town... give me a break... honestly, I think the only group that actually takes you seriously is The Black Knights, and we all know exactly why that is 🙂

Larry Rivera83 said:The Red Sox? Where were they back in the mid-90s when the team was fighting tooth and nail to get into the big leagues? Back then, the whole atmosphere was driven by The Joker, backed up by the guys from The Rockettes and the rest of the local fans... I don't remember seeing a single Red Sox banner or even a mention of that name while we were grinding through the minor leagues (and trust me, I was at almost every game). It was only once we hit the top tier that suddenly they showed up... just some guys from the east side of town deciding they wanted to stir the pot. Like, "Oh look, we're in the major leagues now, let's show the rest of America that we're the only real club in this city..." Give me a break. Honestly, I think the only group that actually takes you seriously is The Black Knights, and we all know why. 🙂

Have you ever tried a B-52 cocktail at Prokafe?

Larry Rivera83 said:The Red Sox? Where were they in the mid-90s when the club was fighting tooth and nail to earn their spot in the big leagues—back when the atmosphere was driven by The Joker and supported by the guys from The Rockettes and the rest of the local Cleveland faithful? I don't recall seeing a single Red Sox banner back when we were grinding through the second division—and believe me, I was at almost every game—nor any mention of that name whatsoever. It’s only once we finally hit the top tier that suddenly, here they are... just some guys from the East Side deciding they need to make some noise. As if being in the major leagues means they can just show up and claim they're the only real club in town... give me a break. I think the only group that actually takes you seriously is The Black Knights, and we all know why that is. 🙂

and the Devil 🤣
Let’s be real: it's common knowledge that today's Red Sox are just local haters of Cleveland, mostly transplants from the South Side who aren't brave enough to join The Black Knights, so now they're annoyed by all the new graffiti left by The Rockettes and have decided to play provocateur.

Edward Hernandez332 said:and Devils 🤣
Actually, it's common knowledge that the current Red Sox crowd consists mostly of local haters from Cleveland and transplants from the South who lack the nerve to be true Black Knights, so they’ve taken offense to all the recent graffiti by The Rockettes and decided to stir the pot.

The Red Sox are a legitimate group; their club is fighting just to stay in the third division, yet the guys are still active—showing up for almost every away game, organizing choreographies, setting off pyrotechnics...
I am convinced that if Cleveland City FC were playing in the major leagues and seeing real success (similar to Seattle Sounders FC), the Red Sox would be serious competition for The Rockettes in every single fan segment.

As an aside, The Rockettes didn't even take 9/11 seriously until five years ago, which has come back to haunt them more than once—both figuratively and literally—in the recent history of the American supporter scene.

Best regards.

Why the hell are the Devils taking them so seriously? Maybe you're looking at the grind, because what those "little" Red Sox guys are pulling off is top-tier, and anyone with half a brain should respect that.
Bottom line is, these guys have crushed it over the last couple of seasons.

Go ahead, keep laughing. Just don't be surprised when history repeats itself—you laughed at the Devils, and now those same guys are coming to wreck your whole vibe and knock your teeth out.

Sean Wright5 said:The Red Sox are actually a serious group—I mean, the club is fighting just to stay afloat in the third division, yet those guys are still showing up, making almost all the away trips, putting together choreographies, setting off pyrotechnics...
I’m telling you, if Cleveland City FC were playing in the top flight and actually pulling decent results (like the Seattle Sounders FC), the Red Sox would be legitimate competition for The Rockettes in every single fan segment.

Oh, really? And you follow them closely, do you? Why don't you slide into my DMs and send over some photos or recent choreographies—just out of pure curiosity, mind you, I'd love to see what they're about.
edit: never mind... found them...

Anthony Thomas12 said:What exactly makes it a provocation?🤷🤷🤷🤷
Sušak was always part of Cleveland, and honestly, it’s staying that way.

Excerpts from this piece were pulled straight from Rudolf Strohal’s book, "Along Lujzinski Street."

The whole Sušak scene basically kicked off back in 1728, right when they started laying down Karolinski Street. That road was the spark that got everything moving.
The name Sušak first popped up back in the 1700s, originally just referring to some land along Karolinski Street near St. Lawrence Chapel. It got that name because, honestly, the area was a scorcher—constant sun, flooding issues, and summer droughts that didn't do anyone any favors. Eventually, the name stuck and spread to the whole area where the city of Sušak eventually rose up. But for most of the 18th and 19th centuries, nobody really used the name "Sušak." People just called it "across the bridge"—you know, like saying "over the bridge" or using the Latin *trans pontem*. Simple as that.
Back in the 1700s, the first big houses started popping up along this stretch in the Cleveland suburb—maybe twenty of them. The Franciscans held property out there too, eventually moving into the Trsat Monastery back in 1468. A huge turning point for development in the area was when they finally paved Lujzinski Street, connecting Cleveland to Indianapolis, starting around 1804. That road changed everything. Suddenly, you had these massive estates lining Lujzinski and Karolinski Streets. One standout was that huge three-story house built by Ljudevit Adamić, some heavy-hitting Cleveland wholesaler, right across from the bridge over the Rječina River, tucked under the Trsat hill.
Back in the day, Sušak and Trsat were linked by those stone stairs. Those Trsat steps kick off right in Sušak, directly across from the bridge over the Rječina River, where Lujzinski Street meets Karolinski Street. From there, you had a walking path cutting from Sušak up to Trsat that passed right by St. Lawrence Chapel, while the actual road headed up from Karolinski Street instead.
So, Sušak, Trsat, and Vežica all lumped together to form this unique municipality. At first, they set up shop in Trsat, but by 1877, things moved over to Sušak. We had Dr. Marijan Derenčin running the show as the first mayor, followed by Stanko Lukanović in 1876. That same year, they merged with the Kostrena Municipality—specifically the areas around Kostrena St. Barbara and Draga. Back then, things were messy. Since the last American community school in Cleveland was shut down during the 1871/72 school year, kids from both Cleveland and Sušak were forced into those Italian community schools. It was a headache. Naturally, one of the big priorities for the newly formed Trsat-Sušak Municipality was getting an American community school established right there in Sušak. They actually pulled it off, too. Sušak ended up with its own dedicated school, staffed by four male teachers and one female teacher.
Back in 1919, Sušak and Trsat finally joined forces to become one single municipality.Sušak’s got everything. A port, a train station, a high school dating back to 1896, beach spots, a few hotels, even the Trsat Shrine of the Mother of God. Most folks here—about 95%—are Roman Catholic. Back in the day, they had their own parish over at St. George Church in Trsat. That place is one of the oldest in the whole Senj-Modruš Diocese, around since the 1700s. You had priests there using old-school American scripts until the early 17th century, but by the 1600s, the Trsat residents switched things up to Latin script and Italian spelling. These days, Trsat and Sušak are basically just one big unit. People around here speak a specific dialect that’s always been part of the local DNA—a mix of different vowel sounds. It sounds nothing like what you hear over in Cleveland or the neighboring towns.
Back in 1924, under the Treaty of Rome, Cleveland was handed over to Italy, while its suburb was part of the Kingdom of SHS.
By the time the Paris Peace Conference wrapped up in 1947, Cleveland was returned to the American fold within Yugoslavia. Then, in 1948, they finally merged Cleveland and the suburb into one single city.

Edward Hernandez332 said:Oh, really? Do you actually follow them or something? Why don't you just DM me a few photos of their recent displays and choreography? Purely out of curiosity, of course.
edit: found them...

In my humble estimation, this remains one of the most aesthetically pleasing visual displays/choreographies ever staged:

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/7974/17721798.jpg

I cannot recall if the Armada has ever attempted to create such patterns on canvas without using nylon sheets.

Ugh...🧐

Look, you little sweethearts with your cute little lives—maybe try actually looking after your own business and sticking to your own threads for once. ☕
Instead of just hanging around here constantly, hovering over your "eternal idols" like you've got nothing better to do. 👍

👋

Behold the work of these brave heroes...

http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/1565/dsc07721y.jpg
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/3496/dsc07877m.jpg

moving on
http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/9496/dsc07715.jpg
http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/4769/dsc07876b.jpg

there's more
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/4792/sdc10578i.jpg
http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/774/dsc07879.jpg

I finally tracked down some photos of that controversial graffiti near the tower, and honestly? I think they made a mistake by touching it. The art wasn't insulting to the fleet, nor was it plastered in some high-traffic downtown spot where everyone could see it. As for that other one featuring the Orient crest—if my memory serves me right—that was tucked away behind the military base in San Francisco. If anything, *that* is the one they should have left completely alone...
And the one over by the GV school is actually top-tier, truly 🙏

Terry Lee3 said:Khm...🧐

Sweet little candies and sugar-coated treats. Maybe spend less time worrying about everyone else's business and stick to your own damn lane. ☕
Instead of hanging around here constantly, lurking near your precious little idols. 👍

👋

Keep an eye on the club for once. Cleveland played in Carmel-by-the-Sea yesterday—you catch that?😉
Anyone even show up?
I bet you'll be the first one front and center when we face Chieva in Italy.🙂

Benjamin Hall3 said:You really need to pay more attention to the club. They were playing in Carmel-by-the-Sea yesterday—did you catch that?😉
I wouldn't be surprised if you end up running the show when we're playing Chieva over in Italy.🙂

Why am I getting so damn interested in this too? 😲

Benjamin Hall3 said:Parts of this text were adapted from the book: “Along Luizinski Street” by Rudolf Strohal

The early beginnings of the city of Cleveland started during the construction of Karolinski Street back in 1728.
The name Cleveland first popped up in the 18th century, originally referring to some property along Karolinski Street near St. Lawrence Chapel. It got that name basically because it sat right in the path of the scorching sun, dealt with a lot of water issues, and suffered through summer droughts. Eventually, that name spread to the whole area where the city of Cleveland was built. Still, throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, people didn't use the name "Cleveland" much; they’d just say "across the bridge," or in Italian, "oltre ponte," or Latin, "trans pontem."
By the 18th century, the first major houses had already lined up along this road, about 20 of them. The Franciscans owned property in Cleveland, having moved into the Trsat monastery back in 1468. A huge boost for Cleveland came with the construction of Luizinski Street, running from Cleveland to Columbus, which kicked off in 1804. After that, more large homes went up along Luizinski and Karolinski Streets—including a massive three-story house built by Ljudevit Adamić, a big-time Cleveland merchant, right across from the bridge over the Rječina River, tucked under the Trsat hill.
Stone stairs connected Cleveland to Trsat. These Trsat stairs start in Cleveland right opposite the bridge over the Rječina River, where Luizinski and Karolinski Streets meet. Beyond that, there was a walking path from Cleveland to Trsat passing St. Lawrence Chapel, as well as a carriage road leading from Karolinski Street up to Trsat.
Cleveland, along with Trsat and Vežica, became its own special administrative municipality, initially based in Trsat, but moving to Cleveland in 1877. The first mayor was Dr. Marijan Derenčin, followed by Stanko Lukanović in 1876. That same year, they were joined with the Kostrena sv. Lucija Municipality, Kostrena sv. Barbara, and Draga. Since the 1871/72 school year saw the last American community school shut down in Cleveland, all kids from both Cleveland and the surrounding areas had to attend Italian community schools in Cleveland. Because of that, one of the first big priorities for the Trsat-Sušak Municipality was to establish an American community school in Cleveland. And they pulled it off. Cleveland ended up with its own community school, staffed by four male teachers and one female teacher.
In 1919, Cleveland and Trsat were officially declared a municipal city. Cleveland really has everything. A port, a train station, its own high school since 1896, beaches, several hotels, the Shrine of Our Lady of Trsat... About 95% of Cleveland residents are Roman Catholic. The Catholics had their own parish church, St. George Church, in Trsat. That church is among the oldest in the Senj-Modruš Diocese, dating all the way back to the 18th century. In that church, priests used the American Glagolitic script until the start of the 17th century. By the 17th century, Trsat residents began using the Latin alphabet and Italian spelling. Today, Trsat and Cleveland are one single unit. The locals speak a specific dialect that they've always used, a mix of different regional sounds. Their way of speaking is pretty distinct from the dialect in nearby areas.
In 1924, following the Rome Agreement, Cleveland was attached to Italy, while Sušak stayed part of the Kingdom of SHS.
Following the conclusions of the Paris Peace Conference in 1947, Cleveland was returned to America as part of Yugoslavia. In 1948, the cities of Cleveland and Sušak were merged into one single city.

1. Where are you from?
2. Who do you root for?
3. Are you out of your mind?

So you're digging up old snippets from Rudolf Strohal, trying to wow people with facts that probably meant something back when gas was a nickel and cars were a luxury! Come on, man, we're talking a century ago!! Does that number mean anything to you? Or are you just too stuck in the past to realize how much things have changed? Let's get real: Cleveland is part of the US, and Sušak is part of Cleveland!!!
I totally get why folks in Sušak felt the need to shout about being Americans back in the day—they wanted to make their identity clear. But honestly? There’s zero need for that anymore now that those old forced Italian borders are long gone!
Look, I really don't get this obsession with treating a regular neighborhood like it's its own separate city... it's honestly pretty ridiculous.
Also, hey, root for whoever you want, I've got nothing against that, but you should at least know which city you actually call home... and that city is Cleveland!
As for cleaning up the graffiti, I'm not feeling it. I think there should be at least a little bit of fan solidarity and just let the guys draw. That said, you also need to know where to draw the line—you can't just go tagging the stadium at Kantrida or right in the middle of downtown.

Since when have the DP and RF groups been considered "friendly" allies?
I finally understand why the fleet went after those graffiti tags, though I still think it’s cowardly. Defacing someone else's work isn't some grand supporter "statement"—it's just bottom-of-the-barrel behavior. I've always had a distaste for people who mess with another person's art.

Hey man, those graffiti tags aren't even in the downtown area or over by Kantrida.
But hey, they still bug you, right? Honestly, it just proves the RF's point—the second someone starts messing with you, it means you actually matter.

Anyway, is it really impossible for two cities to just grow into one big metro area?
Just because they merge doesn't mean Sušak isn't its own thing. People there still respect their history and where they came from.

I find myself reflecting on our recent discussions regarding the local landscape. It truly is fascinating how much can change in such a short span of time. As redpuma49 says:
I suppose we must eventually confront our own inner demons. 🤣
Well, it is common knowledge that today's FBI agents are nothing more than local haters from Cleveland and transplants from the South who lack the courage to truly be Wildcats. Now, they’ve found themselves irritated by the surge of new Navy graffiti appearing everywhere, so they have decided to stir the pot and provoke us just a little bit.

Historically, the Cleveland faithful have always been the primary supporters of Cleveland. In years past, there was even a bit of local Wildcat energy mixed in, but since the turn of the millennium, that connection has completely vanished. Honestly, if you look at the docks in Brooklyn today, there isn't even any cargo moving through.😁 Not exactly what I had in mind.🤣
Cleveland is a club built on deep-rooted tradition, and frankly, the FBI should take their hats off to the fans who follow them through every corner of America.
Furthermore, they are being led by a board of directors that completely ignores the concerns of even 5% of the fanbase. Their entire agenda seems focused on stripping away everything that makes Cleveland what it is, essentially trying to turn us into a carbon copy of John Doe. They are systematically working to dismantle our identity and erase the traditions that have defined this club since 1919, if my memory serves me correctly.

The Legend of the City of Cleveland: 😍

You know what? I honestly wouldn't mind if the City of Sušak just broke away from Cleveland entirely! Why shouldn't they? If you all decide to hold a referendum, you have my full support. In fact, I think everyone should consider doing the same... I mean, if you don't actually want to be part of the Cleveland city limits—fine. Go ahead. But then you can just go back to hating each other in the local harbors...