I must remind everyone that smoke bombs and other pyrotechnics are strictly prohibited at swangard by both the club and the city. Not only could you be thrown out and have your season tickets revoked but you could hurt a fellow southsider.

Now I must admit in the past I have broken this rule myself and while I agree smoke bombs are fun and create atmosphere this is something that needs to end. The club has asked very little of us. Mostly no more beer cups on the field and no smoke bombs. In exchange they have helped us create the game day experience we all enjoy today. If we are unable to uphold our end of the bargain, we could see our benefits disappear as well.

Some of these benefits might not be obvious so to give you an idea of just last night what direct benefits I have as director of tifo: the poles, the drums, the banners and everything else are stored at the stadium in the whitecaps secure 'cage'; the prime ad boards in front of the southside are blank and the club allows us to advertise ourselves there free of cost; the club allows us/me to put up the giant poles behind the southside; I have control over 'southside' stadium access passes which allow me and helpers enter the grounds early and set up large tifo; the club has to pay around $300 for the cleanup of a confetti and streamers night, this is why we don't do it everygame, but on games like last night the club lifts the ban and pays for the cleanup; the club allows us to put up the southside advertising board and posters all over the stadium. And that's just what I oversee. You can look at other function of the southside, be it our events or media coverage and its the same.

So please can we stop with the smoke bombs.

And sorry I wrote this on my bb, so I'm sure its a grammar disaster  

Edited by Blue&WhiteArmy - 06-August-2010 at 10:13

  

^ Agree 100%

^ We've been a nuisance to the USL/NASL target market (SUV-driving soccer moms and their little brats), but we are their MLS target market.

  I just want to throw in my two cents here. Those smoke bombs are a nuisance and irritating. When one goes off I see everyone covering their mouths with their scarves. How does that enrich the experience? Some of us, like Matt said, have breathing problems. I for one have to leave the section every time someone sets one off. I always have. Didn't this issue come up last season and everyone agreed no more smoke bombs? I was talking to someone on wednesday who wanted to join but was worried about the smoke bombs. She loves the chants, loves the atmosphere, but not a fan of the smoke bombs.

I also noticed tonight that there were plenty of kids in the section, most belonging to Southsiders it appeared. How would we feel if a smoke bomb went off and one of the kids got hit or tried to pick it up? What kind of liability is that for us an organization? While we are an adult oriented section, that doesn't insure us from liability, especially if it's something that's already prohibited.

Just my opinion though...

I guess Ill put in something and all that I will say is culture clash.

Something I discovered last night ... the grandstand LIKES confetti bombs!  Or at least the section I was in seemed to think the one I let off was appropriate and added to the celebration.  I'll be buying more Brett!

I like the smoke machine, and it's hypoallergenic.  But do be on the safe side, let's only use it when the opposition goalkeeper is near the south end.

See, this is the kind of comment that really fucking annoys me Christopher.

It's fine to think it's lame and pathetic, I have no problem with that. I thought it would be shit myself but was pleasantly surprised.

What annoys me though is knocking the club for trying to give us something to appease the MINORITY of those in the Southside that want smoke. I like the smoke, but we can't have it in the form we saw on Thursday.

 

Edited by GoF1903 - 26-July-2010 at 17:17

With smoke bombs banned, it's either the smoke machine or no smoke at all.  Which do you prefer?