Can We Really Call These People Fans?
San Francisco Giants fans basked in the glory of the team’s World Series victory on Sunday night and into early Monday morning. But did the celebrations go too far? The easy answer is yes and it’s really not even close.
This is by no means a rip on Giants fans; it is obviously the freshest in our minds since they are the latest team to win a major sports championship. But fan celebrations in general has gone so far overboard that we shouldn’t even call them celebrations – call it what it is, a lawless riot.
I had the misfortune of driving on Mission Street late Sunday night and was absolutely appalled by what I saw. People just walking through the streets, jumping on and stopping cars, really with no regard for safety at all. Because of the heavy fog, it was hard to see and there were numerous times I had to slam on my brakes to avoiding hitting someone. Fires were set all through the Mission District, storefronts were vandalized, some of these idiots even lit a Muni bus on fire. I even saw on Twitter on Tuesday that a local TV station is reporting that the San Francisco Police Department is looking for a group that nearly beat a man to death.
Photo Credit: Red Devil Lounge
I think in the past, San Francisco has gotten a pass on this type of unruly behavior. For example, if this had happened in Oakland after an A’s World Series victory, media and other pundits would be calling it a riot and talking about all the thugs and hooligans that are fans. Same goes for the difference between Raiders and 49ers fans. Honestly, I think there have been more violent incidents at Candlestick than at the Coliseum over the past few years.
But the reality is, every team’s fan base has a small percentage of “morons,” fans that should not really be called fans, those looking to start problems, whether it’s at a game, in the parking lot or at a local bar. It’s unfortunate but those were the people setting fires, causing fights and just acting like idiots on Sunday night.
Is there really anything that can be done? I don’t really know how city officials and law enforcement can put a stop to these types of problems to be honest, especially with budget cuts and staffing constraints. And it’s really tough for other fans or residents to put a stop to this type of juvenile behavior for fear of repercussions from an angry mob.
I am not a Giants fan. But I know from living in the Bay Area my whole life that 99 percent of the fan base is terrific and passionate about their team. With the recent success of the team, they have brought in so many new baseball fans to the Bay Area, many of whom are just starting to learn about the game, which is a great thing. It just sucks that a few idiots can ruin and tarnish what is meant to be a truly celebratory occasion for a city, team and its fans.
