Sissy and I went to a local pub to watch the highly anticipated match between ManU and Roma. 30-40 minutes into the match Scoles (ManU midfielder) got his second yellow card and forced ManU to play a man down for the rest of the match. Just before half, Roma scored a goal on a dodgy deflected corner kick. Roma has a reputation for putting corners into play too early. Several balls used during a match so that errant shots don’t have to be chased down and slow play. In this case, Roma played the corner almost before the other ball went out. The teams would trade goals in the second have, so this first goal proved to be the difference.
The real action took place after the first goal, and was televised during the mid-game break. After the Roma goal, Italy fans began taunting the ManU supporters. Separated by glass, the Roma fans made obscene gestures and starting hurling beer bottles at the English section. Fine, and par for the course. “Football” crowds have always made America football crowds seem like lambs of the god. The reaction by ManU fans was also to be expected. Completely shocking and horrific to watch was the handling by the Italian Riot police. They were already lining the English section at the start of the game. When the ManU fans reacted to the beer bottle missiles that had targeted them, the Italian police began beating English men, women, and children. Dogs were spared only because they were not allowed in the stadium (aside from guide dogs for the blind, and these were given quite a beating indeed).
The camera captured several police beating unconscious fans already bloodied and on the ground. The phrase “hitting a man while he is down” has renewed meaning and significant imagery for me.
The reason I scored the match in my favor by 6: The Abbey is about 2 blocks from my place and its featured whisky this month is Glenkinchie at 2.20 a nip; game, set, match. I just hope they don’t have Italian riot police guarding the whisky.
The real action took place after the first goal, and was televised during the mid-game break. After the Roma goal, Italy fans began taunting the ManU supporters. Separated by glass, the Roma fans made obscene gestures and starting hurling beer bottles at the English section. Fine, and par for the course. “Football” crowds have always made America football crowds seem like lambs of the god. The reaction by ManU fans was also to be expected. Completely shocking and horrific to watch was the handling by the Italian Riot police. They were already lining the English section at the start of the game. When the ManU fans reacted to the beer bottle missiles that had targeted them, the Italian police began beating English men, women, and children. Dogs were spared only because they were not allowed in the stadium (aside from guide dogs for the blind, and these were given quite a beating indeed).
The camera captured several police beating unconscious fans already bloodied and on the ground. The phrase “hitting a man while he is down” has renewed meaning and significant imagery for me.
The reason I scored the match in my favor by 6: The Abbey is about 2 blocks from my place and its featured whisky this month is Glenkinchie at 2.20 a nip; game, set, match. I just hope they don’t have Italian riot police guarding the whisky.
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