They kept talking on the news today about how they thought there would be a riot after the Duke-Maryland game last night, and showed footage of the one that happened last year. I was really surprised, especially when they said the riot didn't happen because the team lost. Also surprising was that a student they were interviewing said that when a student comes to Maryland, they expect to be involved in a riot at some point while they're there.
I have NO experience with this, I figured fans would be more likely to riot after a loss. Jeff said that the high schools around him had riots all the time after sporting events - usually after wins, but some schools rioted no matter what. WTF?! I seriously did not think this happened - the only rioting I'd ever heard of was between Yankees and Red Sox fans and I figured that happened because the fans are often on each others' turf, it's a bitter rivalry, and those fans are typically kind of in-your-face and will taunt each other, so it doesn't surprise me that fights might break out on a large scale.
Have you seen a riot or been involved in one? Are they somewhat common where you're from or at the college you attended? Am I the only person that thinks it's insane to be SO into your school's sports team that you riot when they win?
Re: Sports-related riots
Yes, in 2003 when I was in college during the baseball's ALCS the Red Sox won game 1. The students did riots, non violent. Mainly yelling yankee sux! going all around campus ect. ect. It started by the dorm and I lived 2 blocks up from campus in an apartment and we heard them so my roommate and I went to see to what was going on. It was fun! Later in the week it got more rowdy and then got stopped.
Probably one of my favorite memories in college
I saw that on the news last night, too, and was pretty shocked.
I've been involved in two sports-related riots, both in college. I went to Indiana University for my first two years of college. My freshman year, Bobby Knight was fired as the basketball coach and everyone rioted.
The second was my sophomore year of college when IU knocked off Duke in the Elite 8 (and went on to lose to MD in the final game). After we won, everyone rioted on the main bar drag of campus. People were throwing down alcohol bottles and lighting it on fire, ripping trees out of the ground, lighting furniture on fire, climbing light poles. It was pretty insane.
Funny now to look back on and remember how big of a deal it was for our team to knock off a #1 seed. :-)
Two riots, both in college.
One was when the Yankees choked against the Red Sox in the ALCS. I am a Yankee fan. Plenty of Red Sox fans knew it. I had to hide in my friend's closet for two hours. This was the night they won the series.
The other was when we played Clarkson in hockey. They are our bitterest rivals. There were TONS of fights during the game. We won and during the handshake, ANOTHER fight broke out and there was a riot.
The Princess of Anything is Coming!
Had a dream I was queen.
Woke up. Still queen.
That was probably one of the BEST days's in my life..
sorry. H and the boys actually watch game 4 quite often.
My mom went to Clarkson! She said in the winter they would prop the dorm doors open and pour water on the hall carpet so that it would freeze, then they would play hockey in the hallway.
I'm sorry, Laura. I cannot be friends with Clarkson spawn.
(Kidding! One of my good work friends is a Clarkson alum and we just give each other crap all the time.)
The Princess of Anything is Coming!
Had a dream I was queen.
Woke up. Still queen.
I've never been involved in a real "riot" but definately have been in a loud, rowdy crowd on campus when our team won.
I've also gone to a Red Sox-Yankees game as a Red Sox fan at Yankee stadium and had peanut shells thrown at me, been sworn at and flipped off. People were removed from the stadium by police, etc. I can see how any Yankees - Red Sox situation would EASILY get out of hand if were allowed to escalate - no matter which team won / lost.
Yes, this is why it didn't surprise me to hear about riots with those fans. It DID surprise me to hear that riots occur just from fans getting over-excited, and not having anything to do with taunting/insults from the opposing group of fans. I have seen fights break out between Yankees or Red Sox fans and Orioles fans, so I know that those two groups of fans are particularly...overzealous, if you will. I can only imagine that bringing them together, which happens often since it's relatively easy to travel to each others' stadiums, would result in mayhem.