Interaction: Football challenges football

Myers: Hello, and welcome to Miami, Florida. Today we’re here in the United States to talk about its version of football, and how it contrasts to the rest of the world’s version of football. And of course, one of the critical matters in international football today is the recent spate of violence in Italy that has led to a halt of all professional and amateur matches. Yesterday in Catania, violence flared again outside a Serie A stadium, leading to the death of one police officer as well as more than one hundred injuries. This comes after further violence at several of last weekend’s matches, including the death of an official at an amateur club. Of course, sporting violence is not a uniquely Italian phenomenon, and many other nations have seen their share of trouble with supporters. But what can be done? What can authorities learn from these incidents and from the history of sporting violence around the world? And can we learn from the way they do things here in North America? To find out, we have a panel. I’m Debbie Myers. Here is a specialist in football supporters’ behaviour, a sociology professor at Turin State University, Ms Gina Della Blanco.

Della Blanco: Hi.

Myers: Also with us is sportswriter and author of the recent book The Pond: Sporting Differences Between North America and Europe, Ms Francine Dell.

Dell: Hi Debbie.

Myers: Joining us from Madrid, Spain is a midfielder at Real Madrid who will be joining the Los Angeles Galaxy this summer, Mr David Beckham.

Beckham: Hi.

Myers: And finally the quarterback for the Carolina Panthers who has played in the NFL Europe League, Mr Jake Delhomme.

Delhomme: Good to be here.

Myers: And thanks to all of you for joining us this afternoon. Gina, let us start with you. Is there something about football that makes it such a haven for fan violence?

Della Blanco: I don’t believe there’s anything in particular about football. There have been riots at many other sporting events around the world. Football, however, is the most popular sport in Italy. Therefore there are numerous clubs at many different levels, and so each weekend there are many matches and many opportunities for violence.

Myers: But Francine, the same is true about sports in the United States. Why do we not see this level of violence in this country?

Dell: Well, Debbie, as I point out in my book, there is violence at sporting events in the US. It’s just disorganised. People get drunk and throw fisticuffs, or perhaps throw their beers at players. If fans actually got together into large organisations like in Europe, you might begin to see more of that.

Myers: David, you’ve spent much time in the US, and you are soon to be spending even more. What differences have you witnessed?

Beckham: Well, football in America is really taking off, There’s that guy from The Drew Carey Show who really loves football –

Myers: Drew Carey?

Beckham: Is that his name?

Myers: Yes.

Beckham: Well, whatever his name is. And then that guy from Rocky –

Myers: Sylvester Stallone.

Beckham: And that other guy who’s confused about his racial identity –

Myers: Michael Jackson?

Beckham: Yeah. And that girl who thinks she’s British.

Myers: Madonna?

Beckham: No, the other one. Debbie Myers or something.

Myers: Debbie Myers would be me.

Beckham: Oh, you’re the one who thinks you’re British.

Myers: I am British.

Beckham: It’s okay to admit that you’re not.

Myers: I am. I was born in west London and... forget it. Jake, when you played in NFL Europe, what differences did you notice in fans’ behaviour on the opposite sides of the Atlantic?

Delhomme: Well, first, may I say that you sound pretty British to me.

Myers: That’s because I am.

Delhomme: Okay.

[Pause.]

Myers: So what differences did you notice in fans’ behaviour on the opposite sides of the Atlantic?

Delhomme: We’re still talking about that?

Myers: Apparently not.

Delhomme: Well, the fans in Frankfurt and Amsterdam were fun. Especially in Frankfurt, where they sang songs, played drums, lit sparklers, and generally made merriment. It was kind of like a college game.

Dell: That’s interesting, because that’s exactly the conclusion I came to in my book. I discuss how fans in other countries feel a connection to a particular club in much the same way Americans feel a connection to a particular college. It may be regional, or hereditary, or acquired. And I believe that’s why we often see more violence associated with college sports rather than professional.

Myers: It’s not because college students drink too much?

Dell: Well, so do people at NFL tailgates.

Myers: All right, interesting. Well, we’re going to move on to our viewer questions now. Remember, you can get your questions to us in one of several ways. Telephone, E-mail, text message, facsimile, or snail mail your questions to us in one of the ways you can see on your screen right now, right next to... it’s a map showing my birthplace in Brentford, TW8. Very clever. Our first question today is from Lance in Seattle, WA, USA. He asks if an Italian-US fan exchange programme would work. An interesting thought. Gina, what would you say to that?

Della Blanco: I’m not sure. Would the Italian fans go to NFL games?

Myers: Let’s say yes.

Della Blanco: I think the frequent play stoppages and timeouts would bore them uncontrollably, and so they would maintain their interest by throwing things onto the field and trying to incite violence from the visiting supporters.

Dell: Wait. Don’t Italian football teams always play boring defensive football?

Della Blanco: That’s a myth. Only when they want to defend a lead.

Dell: Maybe that’s the root of the problems. Italian football is so boring, the supporters tear up seats and throw flares just to relieve the monotony.

Myers: All right, well, our next question is from Brent in Brentford, England, UK. Okay. Brent, are you there?

Brent in Brentford: Hi Debbie! Remember me?

Myers: Um...

Brent in Brentford: We used to go to Brentford FC matches? I always ordered the same thing on our way to Griffin Park? You always made that face whenever I got my bangers and mash? You remember, Debbie!

Myers: All right. Let’s move on to our next –

Della Blanco: Wait. Who was that, Debbie?

Myers: That was the first guy I ever let touch my breasts, when we were fifteen.

Beckham: That is just sick.

Myers: I know. I told him if that one guy scored a hat trick, he could have a feel. I forgot who it was, but the guy scored a damn hat trick! What are the –

Beckham: No, that you would have him call in just to make us think that you’re really British. Well, it’s not going to work. I call bullshit on you, Debbie Myers! [hits Bullshit Button]

[Sirens, flashing red lights.]

Myers: All right, well, you’ve called bullshit, David. That means I get to present a statement to the panel. If you can correctly determine whether it is true, I’m eliminated from the programme. But, if I can successfully bullshit you, David is eliminated. Everyone ready? Okay. The statement is: I’ve got a secret crush on David’s wife. [writes on card] And I’ve got true or false on this card here. So, do you think it’s true or false that I have a secret crush on Victoria?

Beckham: I bet it’s false. That’s the sort of thing she’d lie about.

Dell: No, I think it’s true.

Della Blanco: Really?

Delhomme: Yeah, I think it might be true.

Dell: Yeah. I mean, who doesn’t have a secret crush on her?

Della Blanco: I don’t.

Delhomme: I don’t either.

Dell: You’re just saying that because you’re married.

Delhomme: True.

Beckham: Wait. You’ve got a crush on my wife?

Myers: That’s what you’re trying to determine.

Beckham: Not you.

Dell: Yeah, of course I do. She’s a cutie.

Beckham: But she’s my wife!

Myers: We’re almost out of time. What is your answer?

Dell: It’s just a little crush. Not like I blink every time we touch.

Delhomme: I fucking hated that song.

Della Blanco: “Blink”? I thought it was “faint”.

Dell: I thought it was “blink”.

Myers: Well, now we’re completely out of time. So that’s one thing about my personal life that goes unrevealed as we thank Mr Jake Delhomme, Mr David Beckham, Ms Francine Dell, and Ms Gina Della Blanco for joining us today. Next week we’ll talk about ethical matters in journalism, and we’ll be speaking to a journalistic ethics expert, a former government minister for ethics, a media studies expert, and an author who has just sold the TV rights to her book. You can, of course, visit interaction.goobnet.net to submit your questions. Until then, good night.

Dell: Tell her it’s not like everything I do depends on her.

Delhomme: Great. Now I’m going to have that song stuck in my head during the Super Bowl.