Tomorrow, the two Turkish football teams Galatasary and Fenerbache square off in Istanbul. The fans of both teams are known for being violent toward each other. They throw stones, chairs, flares (basically anything they can get their hands on) and they're not against using knives or lead pipes. Here's an interesting piece by a British reporter on the heated rivalry that occurs in the stands and on the streets.
Makes you appreciate the slow pace of an afternoon baseball game and the relaxed atmosphere of the ballpark. Sure, most people are more interested in chatting over beer or buying cotton candy than paying attention to the pitch sequence or a defensive shift in the outfield. But at least they're not throwing a bottle or kitchen sink at other spectators.
Why don't Turkish fans react the same way over basketball? Harder to smuggle blunt weapons into an arena? Or are they less excited about hoops now that Hedo Turkoglu and Mehmet Okur have left the country?
(Thanks to dirtytackle.net for turning me on to this video)
Point of order. What confluence of events (or more likely website links clicking) led you to "dirtytackle.com"... you say it's about football, eh? Right, likely story.
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