We have as a society a lot of aggression built up inside us. That is why we have "violent" sporting events and the like. We have to have some form of release of that or it will spill over into the streets of our towns. It is better that these people who are on the verge of exploding have a place like a football game to go to and let it out rather than on you or me at a traffic light or somewhere else in our neighborhood.
Not saying it is ideal or right, but it is one alternative which we have created in our society. I stopped going to all sporting events many years ago due to the cursing all around us, the fighting and brawls of which I have jumped in several times to save some poor guy from a beating. I once even saved a security guard who was getting pummelled by 2 black gang members while his crew was brawling with the whole security force at a Padres game.
Sporting events, sadly, has been no place for a nice clean family outing for years IMO. So sad too. Yet I would rather just admit to letting the thugs have the stadiums to vent than our public streets at random.
I am too old and broken down to fight anymore, but am sure I would jump in at a game when seeing some innocent fan get beat up by a thug, especially one wearing the visitors jersey.
I say let them pay $100 bucks to go vent in the stadiums and arenas, and leave the street I live on a little more safe and peaceful. I am sure a lot of these people I call thugs are not hardened criminals, but rather just drunk everyday working people who need an outlet from their nagging bosses, spouses, and crazed kids. Give them one day a week when they can put on their team's jersey and go "kick some arse" rooting for their team and occassionally getting it on with the opposing team's fans. They can then return to their "normal" mundane life the other 6 days of the week.
A lot of good points there, just wanted to add in my 2 cents.
I had season tickets for years, went with my Dad who is in his 60's. I never got in a fight, never close really. I'm not a fighter. I dont turn around and talk smack to opposing fans after every first down, that sort of thing.
But going to the games for 10 years including a lot of SDS games, I saw a LOT of fights. I can tell you that 90% of the time they were started by drunk guys in their 20's who come to the game purely to act like *******s and drunk guys in their40's who get pissed off at them and then it's a Animal Planet documentary waiting to happen...
You see the 20's at the game going up and down, up and down the stairs. You think; Why even come to the game? You haven't seen any of it you spend all your time going to get more beer and going to the bathroom? Then they spend what little time they are in their seats facing away from the field, arms raised and antagonizing other fans.
That's where 40 year old drunk guy comes into the picture. See 40 year old drunk guy has a lot of angst like you talked about, plus he got drunk in the parking lot because he's too smart to pay $9 for beer, but now his buzz is wearing off, this angers the primitive beast.... He's got the pressure of life on his shoulders and he paid hard earned money to come to the game and have a few beers, now he's got 20year old drunk guy screaming in his face all game, trying to antagonize him. He's been listening to 20's crap all game and he's not going to put up with it anymore. Who does this 20 think he is?
Then the 20 starts thinking; 'haha I'm getting under that 40's skin, this is fun! I'm gonna go even harder, cuz the beer is making me brave and fighting is fun!'
These two creatures can only exist in the same space for so long before there is a fight.
