Sunday Night Lights

Word of the Post: Calcio (Soccer or Football)

Crowds. Vendors. Lights. Security. Players. Cheers. This was Sunday night football (European soccer).

On Sunday I experienced my first European soccer match. Roma was playing InterMilan. No sporting even that I have ever been to in the states compares to the game that I attended on Sunday.

When I walked into the stadium, chills went through me as I saw hundreds to thousands of fans gathering for the interleague match. Security checked my bag and asked if I had water on me. I responded no and wondered of all things why they would ask me if I had water on me. I wondered even more later why they asked me if I had water on me, when I took note of the opposing fans setting fires in their session. I couldn't bring water into the stadium, but fans could lights smoke bombs and fires. It is a totally different world over here.

We took our seats and I looked around. Unlike a baseball stadium fans were already standing and yelling back and forth at one another. The opposing team's fans were being guarded by security so that the Romans wouldn't jump them. The fans were intense, the energy level was ridiculously high, and the seats were a sea of maroon, yellow, and white. Everyone was ready for this game.

Everyone except the Roman players. Roma ended up losing the game 4-0, a huge disappointment even though they were playing one of the best teams.

The thing that I really enjoyed about the game was that it was all about the game, and not sideshows. When you go to sporting events in the states, at least professional events and even some college events, people are focused on catching the shirts that the mascots are shooting into the crowd, or the fan who gets to attempt a half-court shot at half-time. Not here. Here it is simply the game and that is it. No one cares about anything else, because nothing else is going on. Fans are there for the pure enjoyment of watching the game--something that I def. think has been lost in American competitions.

One other thing that I found awesome and hilarious was that near the end of the game there was an announcement that the visiting guests had to remain in their seats until security escorted them out for their safety--maybe they should start doing that with Boston fans at Yankees stadium.

After my first Roma game experience, I will def be rocking my Roma jersey and Roma scarf to a few games in hopes to catch a win, and if not a win--at least a laugh at crazy Roman fans.