Die-hard Ultras / Hardcore Supporters

Tyler Thomas15 said:Look, before you even get a chance to reply, I should probably drop this—

2011 - 9,500 members in the organization

2012 - after electing a new president, membership drops to 2,500

2013 forecast - 200 members.

Now, why do you think that’s going to happen?

I've always wondered: why does an Ultras group even need a secretary and a president?
Honestly, I don't think membership numbers mean anything when it comes to the actual strength of a group. Why waste energy on such nonsense?

if you're actually right, that's just sad...

It’s probably best to just stay on the right side of the law ☕

FOUR BANKS AND A BIT MORE, THE EIGHTIES ULTRAS WERE INSANE, FAR FROM THE CORE, LIKE SOME OUTSIDER, BUT STILL THE SAME THING TO ME

THERE ARE OLD SCHOOL PHOTOS ONLINE NOW THAT I LOOK AT THEM

YOU GUYS WHO DECIDED TO GO WILD WITH THIS ULTRAS SCENE, YOU MIGHT BE RIGHT IN THE MOMENT, BUT YOU ARE TOTALLY WRONG IN THE BIG PICTURE

AND YOU ARE GOING TO MESS UP THE ULTRAS BECAUSE—WITH THE REPRESSION WE ACTUALLY FACE—YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS WILL BE LIMITED TO JUST 300 OR 400 PEOPLE

YOU'LL WIN SOME LITTLE STREET CREDIT, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO lose everything else

IT'S OBVIOUS THAT A MILLION THINGS ARE SQUEEZING YOU, AND THAT YOU'RE ASHAMED OF THE DISGRACE UP NORTH, THE FIGHTS, THIS AND THAT... AND SO ON

AND YOUR STORY MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO ME....BUT THE ULTRAS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A MIX OF EVERYTHING...PART HARDCORE MOVIE AND PART CELINE DION

LET ME BE VERY RADICAL AND CLEAR

THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE STRENGTH AND THE UNIQUENESS OF THE GROUP, NO MATTER WHAT YOU THINK

THIS CURRENT SITUATION IS BAD, AND NOTHING GOOD IS GOING TO COME OUT OF IT

ESPECIALLY DURING THESE MOMENTS WHEN OUR HAJDUK HAS ACTUALLY ACHIEVED SOMETHING IMPORTANT

AND ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CLUB IS IN TOTAL CHAOS

MY ADVICE...ORGANIZE YOURSELVES LIKE THE IRA....THEY HAVE SHIN FEIN AND THEIR REGULAR

SPOKESMAN WHO HANDLES NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE ENGLISH

AND THEY HAVE A WING THAT IS ALL ABOUT THROWING BOMBS...THEY ARE CONNECTED BUT NOT PUBLICLY...EVERYONE HAS THEIR ROLE

WHO IS STOPPING YOU FROM ORGANIZING AS A RADICAL ULTRAS WING, SO YOU CAN FIGHT RUSSIA IN AZERBAIJAN IF NECESSARY

THIS IDEA YOU HAVE, WHERE THE BOMB-THROWERS ARE THE LEADERS, SIMPLY CANNOT WORK IN TODAY'S WORLD

ESPECIALLY WHEN THE PEOPLE WHO "LOOK AT YOU WRONG" IN THE STANDS END UP DESTROYING YOU,

AND THEY WILL DESTROY YOU

YOU'LL END UP KILLING OFF BOTH HAJDUK AND THE GROUP

THE VERY GROUP YOU ARE PLEDGING SO MUCH TO

CHEERS

Oh, so now you guys suddenly decide to show up and stare at the boys after they just got absolutely demolished by Russia.... HAHAHA

God, I just can't deal with this crap...

I suppose I should probably mention that steinar hasn't said much lately. Maybe they're just laying low, or maybe they've just lost interest in the conversation entirely. It feels like things have gone a bit quiet on that front, I guess. kaže:
I guess about 90% of the people in this group don't actually support this... yet you all just keep typing away regardless. Peace out.

...you think he’s just not following the rules? I mean, maybe. It seems like that's the case. 🙄
velvetmaker7, look, no hard feelings here, but maybe just check back in once you hit 60. I honestly think that’s about how much time you need before you actually grow into a real FAN. You’ve probably got another 20 years or so to kill. Maybe spend the next decade just watching everything unfold with a bit of understanding, and then take action in the following ten. At the end of the day, age is just a number, I guess.🙂

I was actually going to write a whole thing out, but honestly, I’ll pass.
It’s just a minor blip—don't start spinning some massive conspiracy theory, especially not here on this forum.
We’re just going to ride this one out; nothing weird or even remotely alarming is actually happening.

🍿

🤣

Stop hating on each other. Just hate me instead.😁

Just watching everything unfold...

velvetmaker7 said:I’ve got four banks and then some, and look, I was an eighties Black Knights fanatic—way out on the fringes, almost like an outsider—but it’s still part of me.

When I look back at those old-school photos floating around the internet now,

I see you guys who decided to climb into that whole ultras scene; sure, you aren't wrong about the vibe, but you are fundamentally mistaken about the big picture.

You’re going to destroy the Black Knights because, between the actual police repression we face and everything else, you're narrowing our entire identity down to a mere 300 or 400 people.

You might win some small battles on the street corner, but you'll lose everything else that matters.

It’s obvious what’s squeezing you—it's a million different things, from the shame of seeing the North Side crowd get into brawls to all that other nonsense... etcetera, etcetera.

I see the movie you're trying to make... but the Black Knights have always been a complete mix of everything... a blend of hardcore ultra cinema and even the mainstream pop appeal of someone like Barbra Streisand.
To be incredibly blunt and radical about it,

that diversity was always our greatest strength and our unique identity, regardless of what any of you think.
The current situation we've found ourselves in is terrible, and nothing good is going to come from it.

Especially during these specific moments when our beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers actually achieve something significant.

And heaven forbid we find ourselves in a total mess with the club.

My advice? Organize yourselves like the IRA does. They’ve got Sinn Fein and their "ordinary" folks,

along with a spokesperson who handles the negotiations with the English,

while there's another side ready to throw the bombs... they're connected, just not publicly... everyone has their role to play.

Who's stopping you from organizing a radical ultra wing to handle things, maybe even getting into scraps with Russians in Azerbaijan if that's what it takes?

But this vision you have, where the guys throwing the bombs are the ones leading the charge? That simply won't fly in today's world.

Particularly when you're going to get absolutely wrecked by the people you're "looking at sideways" in the stands.

And trust me, they will wreck you.

You’ll end up killing off both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the very group

that you claim to pledge your life to.

Regards.

🙏

What happened?😕🤷

Please write something.......

It’s still early over here, and most of us are still fast asleep!!

placidheron19 said:Would you rather spend your time wandering the streets of New York City looking for scraps just to fill the stands against LAFC? It’s embarrassing to see you drag your own reputation through the mud like this. Even us "tough guys" hold ourselves to a higher standard than you big-city academics who think you're so much better than the local police forces chasing you down. You should probably just head back to where you came from. We have always belonged here and we always will, unlike those outsiders who act like they own the place. Honestly, seeing how you've been treated makes me wonder if you actually care about this country at all, or if you're just following orders like a loyal pet.

velvetmaker7 said:And you guys decide to check up on the Boys right after they got absolutely crushed by the Russians? Seriously?

I just can't take it anymore.

Could Štabulja be writing until tomorrow?

I find myself in agreement with Florin’s assessment here.
It is an undeniable fact that what sets the Black Knights apart has always been that massive wave of high-strung "fans," "die-hards," or "casual supporters"—whatever label people choose to attach—that other clubs simply don't possess to this extent.
I also concur that the hardcore contingent (those who truly embody the spirit of the Black Knights) ought to wield more influence within the group, steering the direction and making the heavy calls, regardless of whether the "casuals" approve or not.
However, I cannot support the idea that the core should bully or belittle those casual supporters; that seems to be nothing more than an expression of bruised egos, which only leads to the kind of internal friction and division that serves absolutely no one.
In the stands, every supporter deserves to feel welcome and valued, rather than being judged because they're wearing a standard jersey instead of some limited edition gear, or because they haven't spent twenty years traveling to away games.
We really ought to acknowledge—and perhaps take some pride in it—that such a large crowd can operate with this level of cohesion. Why insist on mimicking the English, Polish, or Russian style of fandom when it bears no resemblance to our own identity?
We should be satisfied with what we have and use it as a foundation to build something better. Everyone needs to find their own niche within the crowd, and the rest of the group simply has to accept that.

@steinar what's the actual point of your post?
Come on, walk me through your reasoning regarding these changes some people are supposedly craving.

velvetmaker7 said:I HAVE FOUR BANKS AND SOMETHING ELSE—THE BLACK KNIGHTS OF THE EIGHTIES WERE A TOTAL MESS, COMPLETELY OUTSIDE THE CORE, LIKE SOME WILD WESTERN OUTLAW, BUT IT WAS STILL US

LOOKING AT THE OLD SCHOOL PHOTOS ONLINE NOW...

YOU PEOPLE WHO DECIDED TO CLIMB INTO THE HOOLIGAN SCENE AREN'T WRONG PER SE, BUT YOU ARE DEAD WRONG IN THE BIG PICTURE

YOU’RE GOING TO DESTROY THE BLACK KNIGHTS BECAUSE—COULDN'T YOU SEE THE REALITY OF THE REPRESSION COMING?—YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS WILL BE LIMITED TO JUST 300 OR 400 PEOPLE

YOU’LL GET A LITTLE BIT OF STREET CRED, SURE, BUT YOU’LL LOSE EVERYTHING ELSE

IT’S OBVIOUS THAT YOU’RE BEING PUSHED FROM EVERY DIRECTION—THE SHAME OF THE NORTH SIDE KIDS, THE FIGHTS, ALL THAT NONSENSE... ETCETERA

I SEE YOUR MOVIE CLEARLY... BUT THE BLACK KNIGHTS WERE ALWAYS A MIX OF EVERYTHING... BOTH THE HARDCORE ULTRA VIBE AND BARBRA STREISAND

LET ME BE VERY RADICAL AND BLUNT HERE

THAT WAS ALWAYS THE STRENGTH AND THE UNIQUENESS OF THIS GROUP, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU THINK

THIS CURRENT SITUATION IS BAD, AND NOTHING GOOD IS GOING TO COME FROM it

ESPECIALLY DURING THESE MOMENTS WHEN OUR ATLANTA UNITED FC HAS ACTUALLY ACHIEVED SOMETHING IMPORTANT

AND ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CLUB IS IN TOTAL CHAOS

MY ADVICE... ORGANIZE YOURSELVES LIKE THE IRA... THERE’S THE "SHINN FEIN" TYPE WHO ACT AS THE

SPOKESPERSON WHO NEGOTIATES WITH THE ENGLISHMEN...

AND THEN THERE’S THE WING THAT’S READY TO THROW BOMBS... THEY ARE CONNECTED, BUT NOT PUBLICLY... EVERYONE HAS THEIR ROLE

WHO WOULD DEFEND YOU IF YOU PARTIALLY ORGANIZE AS SOME RADICAL ULTRA FACTION, ONLY TO END UP FIGHTING WITH RUSSIANS IN AZERBAIJAN IF NECESSARY?

THIS IDEA YOU HAVE—THAT THE GUYS THROWING BOMBS ARE THE LEADERS—JUST CANNOT WORK IN TODAY'S WORLD

ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GET REPRIMANDED BY THE PEOPLE YOU GIVE "DIRTY LOOKS" TO IN THE STANDS,

AND THEY WILL REPRIMAND YOU

YOU’LL END UP KILLING OFF BOTH ATLANTA UNITED FC AND THE "GROUP"

THAT YOU ARE SO DESPERATELY PLEDGING TO SUPPORT

REGARDS

Every argument or whenever a gathering happens, it always produces some old Black Knight, whether on this forum or in person—here I am, live, telling you how it should be! Honestly, I’m fed up with you all!! This youth currently running the stands doesn't want to bring the kids along; the kids are fine, but you have to know who pays the bills. You need to stick with the kids, teach them from a young age how to live the supporter life, rather than just acting like a babysitter in recent years, coddling them if some other "babysitter" gives them a hard time!! Legend, looking at those old photos, our young crowd isn't looking at anyone the wrong way; if anything, we are hungry for friendship and love among us. But how? When the legendary leader pledged support in front of 100 people at the last meeting, saying he would stand with us in the stands, then shows up to the game and mocks us, joking around with his "inner circle"... because, as he puts it, it’s "too hard" for him to come to the stands, or he'll get too emotional. He acts like Goran Bare when he's saying goodbye to a band!!! So, there's my dream of him—he’s a "cult figure" to people. When he decides to give support, his followers follow. Then, eventually, we will truly become "US." We won't have this constant "us versus them" narrative anymore. Once individual egos are minimized and the ego trips burst, then we can actually start over... but those are just two small things in this whole circus!!

I’ve been in the stands since somewhere around 1997 (with a few pauses here and there), and my memory of everything happening with the Black Knights dates back to then. I remember during my first few games on the North Side, the Black Knights were positioned in the northwest, but later they moved back to the northeast.
Let’s just say I attend all the home games plus about four or five away matches a year. I was never really "on the inside"—more like I was just "doing my job"—but I’ve always been just as interested in the cheering and the Black Knights as I am in Atlanta United FC, so I stayed plugged into what the group was doing. For those who know me, I’m a die-hard fanatic; to most people, I probably come across as just a casual supporter. 😁 I’m listing this just so you guys know exactly what kind of fan I am.

Instead of rehashing the entire history as I remember it, I’ll focus on the current topic and these recent changes.
It still doesn't make sense to me why the old leadership had to be swapped out in such a drastic way. There is only one possible reason being pushed right now.
Sure, maybe the leadership lost its touch over time, or maybe things became concentrated in the hands of just a few people, but that’s irrelevant. If things are working, why tear it down—or maybe "revolt" is a better word—when you don't even have a plan or a program for what comes next? What did you offer as an alternative: total anarchy? And then we talk about the need for unity?!?
The crowds in the stands have grown over the last few seasons. The atmosphere fluctuates, but overall it’s been great (I remember what Carles Puyol and the unknown said at the start of this season when we had a young Atlanta United FC and truly fantastic support). It’s become possible to pull off complex choreographies that used to be just a dream, the flares are consistently great, and the look of the stands is solid. The number of people has increased, but they are the same core crowd, somewhat more educated in fan culture, singing songs that aren't just the same three chants. Public relations have improved significantly; the Black Knights are becoming a respected social force, whereas the hooligans lack public support and therefore lack the power to drive change within the club. Also, a lot of big things have been done for Atlanta United FC itself: a code of conduct was adopted, our Atlanta United FC movement exists despite Warren Buffett, and the Board remains intact. There are people capable of making smart statements and voicing the Black Knights' stance.
The Secretary was widely accepted by the masses in the stands; he has a feel for the pulse of the North Side and knows how to respect people. Our cheering didn't become fantastic because of 200 guys in a beer corner acting crazy 24/7/365; it happened because of the entire northeast section, and sometimes the whole North Side too. A few seasons ago, we couldn't even be heard at the Rose Bowl (there are photos proving we had zero volume), and things in Miami could be pretty rough too. There was frustration on all sides. But in the last few seasons, we’ve put on a total show at the Rose Bowl; that was when the legendary video "Black Knights Miami wins the final battle" came out. Even at smaller games, the support is high-quality and consistent, which used to be unthinkable.
I won't talk about street stuff because it's not my business. Whoever wants to scrap, let them scrap. People can spend their vacation time traveling to Russia to write checks to Zenit; I don't see anyone being more important than anyone else.

Having gone to games for about 15 years, the last 3 or 4 seasons have been the absolute peak of my experience. That’s why it hurts to see how everything has collapsed in such a short amount of time. The Black Knights will always exist; the question is what kind of group they will be and which direction they'll head. Maybe things will settle down and find their level, but is it really expected that some "younger" and "active" types will just swoop in and wreck it all again, instead of calmly taking over when the time comes to continue the same path?

Everyone is talking about unity, but lately, the forum has been nothing but reading "true" or "false," "you're a fan" or "you're just a sympathizer." You can be in the stands for 15 years, and suddenly you're being pushed to the East Side because "everyone is starting to call themselves a Black Knight." Fine. If the goal is to have only a small cluster of 200 people on the North Side, then whatever.

What actually matters: does someone have the right to call themselves a Black Knight, or do they just have to wear specific gear or a certain shirt? Does it matter if people view us as a true hooligan group or just "a bunch of people gathered to cheer"? Are we here to support Atlanta United FC, or are we just here for the ego boost of being called an ultra group?

Why can't we just be the Black Knights? Why can't we just embrace who we actually are? We’re a mix of hooligans, die-hard fans, locals, intellectuals, blue-collar workers, students, and old-timers. That’s us. That diversity is either our greatest strength, or we can just kick everyone off the stands until there are only 200 "true believers" left.
If you show up on the North Side to cheer, then cheer. Follow the choreography and stay in sync with the rest. Some people will be more vocal than others, but everyone should feel welcome. Now, those who put in extra work for the group—they are the heart of this movement, and they deserve nothing but respect. They should be the ones leading the way and setting the group's direction. But don't let your own ego come before the group. If things are working smoothly, don't go breaking them. Only tear down what isn't working.

Anyway, I've spent way too much time rambling on about this. I've been sitting here typing for two hours straight. My apologies to everyone.

Tyler Thomas15 said:Look, before you even attempt an answer, just read this—

2011 - 9,500 supporters in the fan club

2012 - after electing the new president, membership drops to 2,500

2013 forecast - maybe 200 left.

Now, try to figure out why that’s going to happen.

Come on, man. Stop fighting and quit posting this nonsense.

Charles Ruiz6 said:I have been sitting in the stands since roughly 1997 (with some pauses here and there), and that marks the beginning of my memory regarding the events within the Black Knights. I recall that during my first few games, the Black Knights were positioned in the Northwest section of the stadium, though they later moved back to the Northeast.
Let’s just say I attend all the home games plus about four or five away matches a year. I was never really part of the "inner circle"; I was more of someone just "doing my job," but I have always been as interested in the cheering culture and the Black Knights as I am in Atlanta United FC, so I stayed engaged with what the group was doing. To those who know me, I am a die-hard fanatic, though most people probably see me as just a casual supporter. 😁 I suppose I am mentioning this just so you understand what kind of fan I am.

Rather than lecturing on the entire history as I remember it, I will focus on the topic at hand and these recent changes.
I still don't quite grasp why it wasn't working well enough to warrant changing this entire lineup in such a drastic way. There is only one explanation being pushed.
Sure, maybe the leadership eventually lost steam, or perhaps everything boiled down to just a handful of people, but that doesn't really matter. If things are functioning, why tear them down (or maybe "revolt" is a better term) when you don't even have a plan or a program for what comes next? What did you offer as an alternative—just a power vacuum? And then people talk about the need for unity?!?
The crowd in the stands has actually grown over the last few seasons. The atmosphere fluctuates, but overall it has been very good (I recall what Carles Puyol and the unknown mentioned at the start of this season when we had a young Atlanta United FC squad and truly fantastic support). It has become possible to pull off complex choreographies that used to be nothing more than a dream, the flares are consistently great, and the look of the stands is solid. While the number of people has increased, they are the same core group, somewhat more educated in terms of supporter culture, having learned songs that don't just rely on "hey hey hey." Our public relations have improved significantly; the Black Knights are becoming a respected social factor, whereas groups like the hooligans lack public support and therefore lack the leverage to push for changes within the club. Furthermore, a lot of significant things have been done for Atlanta United FC itself—a code of conduct was adopted, our supporters' association was formed, and the board remained steady despite Warren Buffett's influence. There are people capable of making smart statements and voicing the true stance of the Black Knights.
The Secretary was widely accepted by the masses in the stands; he has a feel for the pulse of the North Side and knows how to respect people. Our cheering didn't become fantastic because of 200 guys in a beer coop who are there 24/7/365; it happened because of the entire Northeast section, and sometimes the whole North Side too. A few seasons ago, we could barely be heard at the Rose Bowl (there are photos proving we had no volume), and things in Miami could be pretty rough as well. There was frustration on all sides. But over the last couple of seasons, we put on a total show at the Rose Bowl; back then, the legendary video "Black Knights Miami win the final battle" was even released. Even at smaller games, the support is high quality and consistent, which used to be unthinkable.
I won't talk about street stuff because it isn't my concern. Whoever wants to fight can go ahead; people can even travel to Russia during their vacation to write checks to Zenit's fans; I don't see anyone being more important than anyone else.

Considering I've been going to games for about 15 years, the last three or four seasons were the absolute peak of everything I've experienced. That is why it makes me sad to see how everything collapsed in such a short amount of time. The Black Knights will still exist; the question is what they will look like and which direction they will head. Maybe things will settle down and find their level, but is it really expected that some "younger" and "more active" group will just show up to tear it all down again, instead of letting new people calmly take over when the time comes to continue on the same path?

Everyone talks about unity, yet lately this forum has been nothing but people pointing fingers, deciding who is "real" and who isn't, or labeling someone a fan versus just a sympathizer. I guess you could show up to the stands for 15 years, but suddenly you’re being pushed to the sidelines because everyone is starting to claim they belong to the Black Knights. Fine. If the goal is to have a tiny crowd of maybe 200 people on the North Side, then I suppose that's fine.

The real question is, does it actually matter if someone is officially called a Black Knight, or is it just about wearing the right gear? Does it matter if we are labeled a hooligan group or just a bunch of people who gathered to cheer? Are we here to support Atlanta United FC, or are we just chasing some status as an official hooligan outfit?

Why can't we just be the Black Knights? Why can't we just be what we actually are? We are a mix of hooligans, sympathizers, locals, intellectuals, warehouse workers, students, kids, and older folks. That is who we are. That could be our greatest strength, or we could just push everyone away from the stands until only 200 "true believers" are left.
If you show up to the North Side, just cheer. Follow along when there is a choreo and everything else. Some people will be more active than others, I suppose, but everyone should feel welcome. Those who do more for the group—they are the heart of it, and they deserve respect. They should be the ones leading the group and forming its stance. But I think the group should come before your own ego. If things are working well, there is no reason to tear them down. You only tear down what isn't working.

Anyway, I guess I'm just talking to myself here after spending two hours typing this out. My apologies to everyone.

That was well said, man, though I think you could have made it even simpler.

NO HOOLIGANS
NO ULTRAS
ONLY BLACK KNIGHTS 🙂

Charles Ruiz6 said:I’ve been in the stands since somewhere around '97... and that's basically when my memory of the Black Knights starts. I remember at my first few games on the North Side, the group was tucked away in the northwest corner, then they moved back to the northeast.
Let's just say I hit every home game plus maybe four or five away matches a year. I was never really part of the inner circle, more like someone just doing my thing, but I always cared about the atmosphere and the Black Knights just as much as Atlanta United FC, so I stayed tuned into what the group was doing. To those who know me, I'm a die-hard fanatic, though most people probably see me as just a casual supporter 😁 Just listing this so you guys know what kind of fan I am.

Instead of rehashing the whole history I remember, I'll just focus on the topic at hand and these recent changes.
I still don't get why things supposedly went so wrong that this entire crew had to be swapped out like this. There's only one excuse they're trying to push.
Sure, maybe the leadership lost its touch over time, or maybe everything just boiled down to a handful of people, but that doesn't matter. If things are working, why tear it all down—or should I call it a coup?—when you don't even have a plan or a program ready to go? What did you offer as an alternative? Total chaos? And then they talk about needing unity?!?
The crowd size has actually grown over the last few seasons. The chanting goes up and down, but overall it's been great (remember what Carles Puyol and that unknown guy said at the start of the season when we had that young Atlanta United FC squad and truly incredible support?), we've even pulled off complex choreographies that used to be just a dream. The flares are consistently awesome, and the stands look good. The crowd is bigger now, but they're the same people, just a bit more knowledgeable about supporter culture, learning songs that aren't just the same old repetitive chants. Public relations have been solid too; the Black Knights are becoming a respected social force, whereas groups like the hooligans lack public support and therefore don't have the leverage to change things at the club. Plus, a lot of big stuff was done for Atlanta United FC itself—the code of conduct was adopted, our supporters' foundation was set up, and the board stayed firm despite Warren Buffett's influence. There are people there capable of making smart statements and voicing the Black Knights' actual stance.
The Secretary was widely accepted by the masses in the stands; he felt the pulse of the North Side and knew how to respect people. Our atmosphere isn't amazing because of 200 guys drinking beer in a corner 24/7, it's because of the whole northeast section, and sometimes the whole North Side too. A few seasons ago, we were barely heard at the Rose Bowl (there's footage of us being silent), and things were rough in Miami too. It was frustrating for everyone. But lately, we've been putting on a total show at the Rose Bowl, including that legendary video "Black Knights Miami wins the final battle." Even at smaller games, the support is high quality and consistent, which used to be unthinkable.
I won't talk about street stuff because it's not my business. Whoever wants to fight, go ahead. People can travel to Russia on their vacation to write checks for Zenit's fans, I don't see anyone being more important than anyone else.

Having gone to games for about 15 years, the last 3 or 4 seasons were honestly the peak of everything I've experienced. That's why it sucks seeing everything fall apart so fast. The Black Knights will still exist, it's just a question of what they'll become and which direction they'll head. Maybe things will settle down, but are we really supposed to expect some "younger" and "more active" crowd to just swoop in and wreck it all again, instead of letting new people calmly take over and keep the momentum going when the time comes?

Everyone’s talking about unity, but lately this forum is just full of people pointing fingers... "you're a real fan," "you're a fake." You could’ve been in the stands for 15 years, and suddenly they want to kick you out to the East Side because "everyone thinks they're part of the Black Knights" now. Fine. If the goal is to have a tiny corner of 200 people on the North Side, whatever...

What actually matters? Does it matter if someone has the right to call themselves a Black Knight, or if they're wearing some specific brand or merch? Is it more important if we're labeled an ultra group or just a crowd of people showing up? Are we here to support Atlanta United FC or just to get validation for being "hardcore"...

Why can't we just be the Black Knights? Why can't we just be what we are? A mix of hooligans, casual fans, locals, intellectuals, workers, students, old-timers. That's us. That's our strength... unless we push everyone away just to keep a "pure" 200 people in the stands.
If you show up to the North Side, just cheer. Follow along when there's a choreo and all that. Some will be louder, some quieter, but everyone should feel welcome. The ones putting in the work for the group? They're the heart of it, mad respect to them. They should lead and set the tone. But don't let your ego get bigger than the group itself. If things are working, don't break them. Only fix what's actually broken.

Man, I'm just rambling to myself here after typing for two hours... sorry everyone...

here's the thing, 70% of the people in this city aren't even Black Knights, yet they think they know what's best and where they belong... honestly, if you aren't fully involved, maybe don't comment on the changes or say how things shouldn't be... just show up, cheer, wave a flag, help with the choreo, and that's pretty much it...🤷