I got one word for all you skinheads who foam at the mouth when yer talking about Man United, West Ham, or Chelsea. Those of you who group up to yell from the cheap seats til' soccer moms take their squads to another part of the stands. That word my young American friends is Hockey. That's right hockey. I can't think of a better sport for skinheads to support, especially American Skinheads. This ain't England pal, and lofty dreams of a running riot through one of America's huge sports complex's parking lot (that takes ya 15 minutes to find your car) are unlikely to happen. So why push it, if you don't truly enjoy the game don't front like you do. I'm sure there are plenty of you out there who actually follow the sport. I'm not talking to the folks in Europe or South America, where soccer has been part of their life for centuries. I'm talking to johnny down at the mall skinhead.
   Why the sudden turn, didn't this guy put out a record called "World Cup Year" didn't American Upstart do a story in it's very first issue about the KC Hooligans, yup and yup. And I am sorry for and regret both (to an extent.) I get laughable emails from people "calling out" the "KC Hooligans." Get a fuckin' clue folks, stop trying to emanate something from a story book. Soccer here in the states in like football in Canada, it just ain't happening. KC plays St. Louis, no riots before the game, baseball that is, "our" sport. Oakland is in the playoffs with Miami, nothin', nada zip, the stands are packed with fans from both cities, no injuries, no shanks. The Kansas City Wizards beat the Chicago Fire for the MLS cup, no moltov cocktails, no crowd control, hell I bet the game didn't even sell out. And that's the coup de gras of men's American soccer. Any one who has read Among the Thugs by Bill Buford, must remember the part where Buford was talking to a board member or councilor or some other "official" and the official was blown away that there were no riots or "incidents" at games in the states, football in particular, where a stadium can hold 20,000 or more. That peace was kept, no body searches before the game, that violence between rival fans was never even considered.. After World Cup Year came out and soon following the first issue of Upstart, I started receiving packages from European soccer supporters, showing us their brand, their passion, their uncomprmised love of the sport. Stadiums blazing with fire, uncontrollable crowds, police giving up the fight. That's not the picnic atmosphere that takes place in the well manicured American stadiums. Quiet frankly it was embarrassing. Main Street Saints guitarist Santo Edu is from Argentina, he warned us, wanted the photos taken off the record sleeve, photos of our "picnic" that are trying to be passed off as American Hooliganism. You can look at this two ways: a challenge or a reality check. And honestly it's not your fault, the road trip Cleveland to support your team compared to travelling from one country to the next to show your colors is really quiet silly.
  I'm not trying to demean skinheads, I'm basically trying to find out why the American skinhead population is scoffing at one of the fastest, most violent sports played at a professional level in just about every large metropolitan area. I mean sometimes the only thing stopping a fan from getting in on the fisticuffs is a large high density slab of plexiglass (and sometimes that can come down.) Hockey is kinda like soccer if you really think about, a couple of the rules are familiar, the clock runs continually for the most part, two or three main scorers on each squad but everybody has their part. It's also about as far from soccer as you can get, A. the pace is about 3 times as fast, 2. they get to carry sticks C. hitting hard is part of the game none of this "card" stuff. And if shit really gets hot, they combine 2 and C together, but then they have to sit in the box and feel shame. HA
  From a fan perspective its a no brainer. You are skinheads, you enjoy violence, chances are you may also use weapons. So what's better than watching the hometown boys throw down with the "out-of-towners" and not having to leave the area afterwards. As the old (and tired) joke goes: I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out. But folks hockey is so much more. Even if there are no fights, guys get laid out left and right, sometimes you the fan can help out in your own way by punching the glass when a solid check takes place in front of you and the opposing team member has his face smothered into the glass, give your team a hand and bruise your knuckles, take the cheap shot. The electricity in the air when two rival teams meet, bloody battles in their past is almost stifling. The crowds screaming for blood, opponents widdling away at each other's fuses, each elbow, high stick, and knee accounted for until finally all hell breaks loose. The crowd's bloodthirst is quenched, and bloodied warriors take a trip to THE BOX. Move over Richard allen, cause the NHL has better story line than Joe Hawkins any day.
  Are there "enforcers" in soccer. A team member who's sole duty is to get the other team off their game, to disrupt their chi. His job is to also assure his team's shooter is left in peace, to thwart attempts against his body. Sure he doesn't score many goals, but that's not his job is it? What does soccer offer, quick kicks to the shin then dashing off, an accidental headbutt maybe.
  As far as game excitement goes, hockey has soccer beat again. The only reason there is such a grand celebration when a goal is scored in soccer is cause that is the first goal in the three games that team may have scored. Far fewer hockey games end in nil-nil ties, it does happen though but there are also games with football type scores, 7-3. Then when a team is stuck with a penalty it's 5 on 4 hockey, the team at full rank puts the pressure on like a frat boy at homecoming. The team with the penalty has to fight for their life the next two minutes, trying their hardest just to get the puck out of their zone. The game could be riding on a goal, a goal made possible cause Timor Vladinski had to try and remove Guy Herbet's nuts with his stick. Soccer; a line of guys covering their nuts while the opponent blasts the ball toward the goal.
  Lets look at a typical season.... 82 fuckin' regular season games!!!! An unearthly amount of playoff games leading to divisional "best of seven" series to determine who will play in the final BEST OF SEVEN series and take home the Stanley Cup!!!!! Fuck, hockey has everyone beat now!
  Now, we still have never heard of much fan violence within the NHL or other minor leagues. But who needs fan violence when your team is doing all the bare knuckles work for you. What else do you want?

Wanna bitch me out and tell me how wrong I am, put it on the message board or write hockeyrules@americanupstart.com

A thrilling soccer moment.

A thrilling hockey moment.

A soccer tussle.

A hockey fight.