Why do Americans DESPISE soccer?.

[bettilimbroke999]

Anybody remember when Colombia took on USA in the 94 World Cup and the Colombian player scored an own goal. The guy got shot like a dozen times in a bar in Colombia a week later. Now the guy that killed him is out, he got out in 05. Colombia...what a country.

Colombia's Andras Escobar paid the ultimate price for his own-goal against the U.S. when he and his teammates returned home in disgrace after being knocked out in the first round.
On July 2, less than two weeks after the U.S. game, the Colombian defender was assassinated in brutal fashion for his mistake, gunned down outside a restaurant in a suburb of Medellin. According to his girlfriend, the killer callously shouted "goal" for each of the 12 bullets he fired into Escobar. Humberto Munoz Castro was found guilty of Escobar's murder in June 1995 and sentenced to 43 years in prison. The sentence was later reduced to 26 years due to his submitting to the ruling penal code, but Munoz was controversially released from prison in 2005 after serving approximately 11 years of his sentence.The brutal murder of the 27-year-old Escobar, who was negotiating to sign with Italian club AC Milan at the time, still casts a macabre shroud over the World Cup and the game of soccer to this day.

Proof soccer fans are insane, I saw German player a week ago almost head the ball into his own goal (trying to head it to his goalie) and the goalie was understandably mad as hell. Lucky thing the goalie barely caught it or that German dude would be full of holes by now. When was the last time you saw a football player fumble it for the other team TD and then picked up the paper to find out the fans killed him, soccer fans are inbred psychos that call a game where you kick the ball back and forth at midfield for 90% of the game and then try to kick the ball as hard as you can whenever you see a 1 foot hole and hope by some miracle it goes in, then the lucky **** does that faggoty ass shhhhhhh BS to make sure everyone knows he takes it in the ass after the game and Final score 1-0. Betting on soccer is a complete joke b/c if you bet on a team and the score is a tie you lose, so if the other team scores the first goal it's just like game over pay your bookie but if your team scores a goal you still have to sweat like a pig every time the opponent kicks towards goal b/c if he lucks one in for a tie with 2 mins left you lose your bet.

[noyb]

Proof soccer fans are insane

yeah man, what great proof you have there and what a great post from an awesome poster... so, 95% of the world population is totally insane, sure...

perhaps better to let this thread die off, we will just let all of you americans play your nfl-game and let you pad yourselves on the back you're so good at it (a sport the rest of the world won't play or watch for that matter without falling a sleep during one of the three-thousands breaks every match has), we'll continue overhere loving our favourite sport (a sport americans apparently can't watch without falling asleep) and just let each other be.
if you promise to cancel all those stupid NFL-Europe experiments which are bound to fail anyway, we'll promise to find some lower league low-quality club in some small european country who might be willing to take good old Beckham back those last few dying years of his career. everybody happy, right?

[RageWizard]

yeah man, what great proof you have there and what a great post from an awesome poster... so, 95% of the world population is totally insane, sure...

perhaps better to let this thread die off, we will just let all of you americans play your nfl-game and let you pad yourselves on the back you're so good at it (a sport the rest of the world won't play or watch for that matter without falling a sleep during one of the three-thousands breaks every match has), we'll continue overhere loving our favourite sport (a sport americans apparently can't watch without falling asleep) and just let each other be.
if you promise to cancel all those stupid NFL-Europe experiments which are bound to fail anyway, we'll promise to find some lower league low-quality club in some small european country who might be willing to take good old Beckham back those last few dying years of his career. everybody happy, right?

Your right, the NFL is getting some payback for the soccer powers that required the U.S, to have a league back when we hosted the world cup (something that should never happen again). So we will try to keep the NFL with in our borders and with a rule book that is thicker than an encyclopedia, and you guys keep your game everywhere else while taking back some of your washed up stars that come over here for another paycheck that they couldn't earn in a real league somewhere. We will still enjoy the riots that we see in the stands and you guys can marvel at the incredibly super fat asses that we consider to be atheletes such as a 450lb nose tackle.

[bettilimbroke999]

Thanks for sending your "world cup" garbage experiment here in 94 bout 80 ft of leg room for each person in the stands, I noticed the NFL experiment that was bound to fail was playing to a packed house. Seriously dude can you justisfy killing a person for making a bad/unlucky play in a game? If so you are indeed insane and are a perfect fan for that game, you prolly go around doing the shhhhhhhhh crap at your local bar when some jackass lucks in a goal after 100 mins of kicking it towards the goal and sit there shitting in your pants when you're in penalty kicks even though you know it's pure luck bullshit

[pavyracer]

Insane American Hooligans

NASHUA, N.H. - After a Red Sox-Yankees argument spilled outside a bar, a Yankees fan aimed her car at a group of people to scare them and didn't brake, hitting and killing a man, authorities and witnesses said.

The Yankees fan, Ivonne Hernandez, was arraigned today on reckless second-degree murder and drunken driving charges and was held without bail. She did not enter a plea.

Hernandez, 43, was speeding early Friday toward a small group that included the man, Matthew Beaudoin, 29, and never hit her brakes, a prosecutor said today.

"She accelerated at a high speed for about 200 feet. She went directly at this group of people," prosecutor Susan Morrell said. "She indicated to police that she wanted to scare this group of people. She thought they would get out of the way."

Beaudoin died of massive head trauma at a hospital, Morrell said.

Hernandez, of Nashua, was arrested at the scene. She said she had been drinking and refused to take a breath-alcohol test, said Morrell. Hernandez said she had been in an argument with the group.

Hernandez's public defender, James Quay, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Authorities won't describe the argument, but witnesses said it heated up when Hernandez identified herself as a New York Yankees fan. Like the rest of New Hampshire, Nashua, 45 miles northwest of Boston, is Red Sox country.

Bartender Tanya Moran said the argument spilled outside, and at least one person in a group that included Beaudoin began chanting against the Yankees when they saw a Yankees sticker on Hernandez's car.

Hernandez allegedly gunned her car and struck Beaudoin and Maria Hughes, 21. Hughes had only minor injuries, which Beaudoin's sister Faith said was because her brother shielded Hughes, a friend.

[bettilimbroke999]

Just for the record those "incredibly fat" NFL players bench around 500, which equals about 5 of your soccer players that bench a paper weight

[bettilimbroke999]

Pavy I'm talkin bout literally hunting down and killing a player for a mistake he made in the game, he shot him 12 times screaming goal each shot and only got 11 years, hell he should've been hung, guess the next Columbian soccer team will have to wear bullet proof vests when they inevitably lose. Fans fight each other in every sport after big games that's b/c they are drunk and idiots, soccer hooligans fight after every big game, I don't care about that I'm talkin bout a month later hunting down a player and shooting him 12 times b/c of one bad/unlucky play

[noyb]

Thanks for sending your "world cup" garbage experiment here in 94 bout 80 ft of leg room for each person in the stands, I noticed the NFL experiment that was bound to fail was playing to a packed house.

i think we can both safely agree a "packed house" for any one time (!!) sporting event is by no means a good way to measure the success and popularity of a sport. judging from the attendance figures of the 94 wc you so fondly talk of americans must absolutely adore soccer ("The average attendance for the tournament was 69,000 while the total attendance was 3.6 million. The 1994 World Cup holds the record for the highest attendance in World Cup history. It was also the highest-attended single sport sporting event in United States history.")

[pavyracer]

Just for the record those "incredibly fat" NFL players bench around 500, which equals about 5 of your soccer players that bench a paper weight

And that's why when they are sitting on the bench after one play they need an oxygen mask because they have no stamina.

[noyb]

Pavy I'm talkin bout literally hunting down and killing a player for a mistake he made in the game, he shot him 12 times screaming goal each shot and only got 11 years, hell he should've been hung, guess the next Columbian soccer team will have to wear bullet proof vests when they inevitably lose. Fans fight each other in every sport after big games that's b/c they are drunk and idiots, soccer hooligans fight after every big game, I don't care about that I'm talkin bout a month later hunting down a player and shooting him 12 times b/c of one bad/unlucky play

yeah man, keep on talking about some random incident that involved some lunatic more than 10 years ago, it is really helping your case to prove all hundreds of millions of soccer fans are all crazy and violent as hell, go on, you've almost convinced me.

[Thor4140]

I don't care if it was a golden goal, golden shower, or even a silver bullet, play until someone scores. Maybe they can take a couple of players off the field for each overtime and allow some more subs to come in. Don't give me this shit about tired players, how much do they make? If they played until someone scored, Americans would at least respect that even though we still won't watch.

You can't play till someone scores because the games might last another 6 or seven days. I wonder what it would look like with the floppers being extra tired. Would they be to tired to flop or would the flops look even more ridiculous. This sport is as bad to watch as golf before Tiger got there.

[bettilimbroke999]

Dude it was highest sports event attended in US b/c it went on for like 6 months, very horseshit way of measuring attendance. Yes the stands were sold out just like the NFL even in Europe, hell you can as you would agree always sell out stands for a one time event, half of which were prolly Euros/South Americans come over to watch their shitbag teams.

[ZXCVBNM123]

There's a reason why they call soccer 'The Beautiful Game' and not ridiculous stop and start nonsense like baseball and football.

The fact is Americans (and I am American) have this superiority complex, the "us agaisnt the world" mentality that automatically allows the opportunity to hate anything non-American, thus their own mesaurement system, weather system, sports, etc.

Americans also prefer strength over skill. Who can throw and swing a stick and hit someone the hardest? That's why Americans don't like tennis either.

They like everything to do with CRASH BOOM BANG AHHHHHHHH (notice that most American sports have steroid scandals) and like nothing that happens during the run of play (notice that soccer/tennis athletes rarely get caught using any kind of 'enhancement'. Therefore soccer and hockey are not very popular, and baseball/football are.

[pavyracer]

Dude it was highest sports event attended in US b/c it went on for like 6 months, very horseshit way of measuring attendance. Yes the stands were sold out just like the NFL even in Europe, hell you can as you would agree always sell out stands for a one time event, half of which were prolly Euros/South Americans come over to watch their shitbag teams.

1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994.

[woodg8]

Dunno why you're still tryin to reason or talk to this fool, he ain't got a clue about anythin. Dumb ****.

[bettilimbroke999]

Enjoy soccer guys if you like to see a 1-0 blowout in your final (get to watch a bunch of 100 lb kids kick pass the ball to each other to run out the clock after lucking in one goal) or have the "Super Bowl" of soccer decided by bullshit penalty kicks then enjoy. Just like betting on the lottery watching them kick the ball into a crowd of 20 guys on a corner and hoping one of them is in position to head it or kick it into goal by complete accident, then celebrate like they planned that play perfectly

[bettilimbroke999]

1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994.

Thank you for confirming my point, I knew that "single sporting event" took a fukin decade, then they compare it to one day US sporting events, very fair comparison for judging attendance

[bettilimbroke999]

And that's why when they are sitting on the bench after one play they need an oxygen mask because they have no stamina.

If they "tackled" a soccer player the guy would never wakeup, would be a very different game, he'd have an oxygen mask on in the emergency room

[RageWizard]

There's a reason why they call soccer 'The Beautiful Game' and not ridiculous stop and start nonsense like baseball and football.

The fact is Americans (and I am American) have this superiority complex, the "us agaisnt the world" mentality that automatically allows the opportunity to hate anything non-American, thus their own mesaurement system, weather system, sports, etc.

Americans also prefer strength over skill. Who can throw and swing a stick and hit someone the hardest? That's why Americans don't like tennis either.

They like everything to do with CRASH BOOM BANG AHHHHHHHH (notice that most American sports have steroid scandals) and like nothing that happens during the run of play (notice that soccer/tennis athletes rarely get caught using any kind of 'enhancement'. Therefore soccer and hockey are not very popular, and baseball/football are.

How do you pronounce your screen name? Anyways, as for our measurement system I can tell you that as an engineer, we use both ours and the metric system. It is the rest of the world and especially the germans that have a problem with it.
In about a week there is a sporting event that will start up that is the poster child for steroids. Yeah the Tour de France, nice race and I will watch the entire thing cause I race myself on a lower scale here in the states to keep my fat ass thin. Anyways the tour should be called Tour de Steroids.
You don't hear much about football (NFL) players getting caught on the roids based on a number of players per sport basis.

[pavyracer]

If they "tackled" a soccer player the guy would never wakeup, would be a very different game, he'd have an oxygen mask on in the emergency room

They need to catch him first with their 2 mile per hour speed.

[Willie Bee]

(notice that most American sports have steroid scandals)

Well, not every sport can be as scandal free as the Tour de France or even Soccer with its betting scandals.

I've also noticed a lot of soccer fans sporting a bit of a superiority complex with regards to their favorite sport as well. Everyone likes to wrap themselves in the flag for a show of national pride every now and then. Like I said before, I don't hate soccer, just not familiar with it. And just because someone likes baseball or American football or basketball or NASCAR more than they like another sport doesn't mean they hate the other sports.

[pavyracer]

How do you pronounce your screen name? Anyways, as for our measurement system I can tell you that as an engineer, we use both ours and the metric system. It is the rest of the world and especially the germans that have a problem with it.
In about a week there is a sporting event that will start up that is the poster child for steroids. Yeah the Tour de France, nice race and I will watch the entire thing cause I race myself on a lower scale here in the states to keep my fat ass thin. Anyways the tour should be called Tour de Steroids.
You don't hear much about football (NFL) players getting caught on the roids based on a number of players per sport basis.

Bill Romanosterowski ring a bell?

[bettilimbroke999]

I don't hate soccer, I just don't like it, it's like Nascar to me, there is nothing interesting about it, okay 20 mins of back and forth kicking at midfield alright guys let's go time to score a goal c'monnnnn ok finally kick on goal at 30 min mark and blocked by 10 players alright that was a thrill , so 2 hours no scoring okay so what method do we have of ending this excitement , penalty kicks from 10 ft away huh well that sounds like it will identify the best team , so goalie dived wrong direction more times than the other goalie alright well Turkey's the winner, yay Turkey , so ends another great Euro cup match

[RageWizard]

Bill Romanosterowski ring a bell?

Of course you can pick an example, that's not my point.

[Shark79]

For you us citizens to dislike soccer ... it sure seems its a big thing to talk about ... I say this by looking at the amount of pages this thread has since it was opened.

[Shark79]

O.K. I'm an American and I gave the Euro futball thing a chance. Here is why I don't like soccer.

As well as everyone in the American Continent

[Shark79]

Colombia's Andras Escobar paid the ultimate price for his own-goal against the U.S. when he and his teammates returned home in disgrace after being knocked out in the first round.
On July 2, less than two weeks after the U.S. game, the Colombian defender was assassinated in brutal fashion for his mistake, gunned down outside a restaurant in a suburb of Medellin. According to his girlfriend, the killer callously shouted "goal" for each of the 12 bullets he fired into Escobar. Humberto Munoz Castro was found guilty of Escobar's murder in June 1995 and sentenced to 43 years in prison. The sentence was later reduced to 26 years due to his submitting to the ruling penal code, but Munoz was controversially released from prison in 2005 after serving approximately 11 years of his sentence.The brutal murder of the 27-year-old Escobar, who was negotiating to sign with Italian club AC Milan at the time, still casts a macabre shroud over the World Cup and the game of soccer to this day.

If your a narc and lose over 10 large ... would u not spend some money to pop somebody ... if you actually pop someone almost on a daily basis?

This was a specific case ..... it was one of the best Colombian teams to EVER be in a WC and had the chance of getting into semis and this own-gol created one of the worse upsets for colombians.

Not only was this kid killed, many other things happened within the country that no one else knew.

Soccer is not just a sport its a lifestyle.

[darrell74]

In our high schools, ages between 14-18 years old, (for all of you non-Americans) the bigger and more stronger, better looking, more popular boys, would play football. The skinnier, weaker, acne-faced, nerdier kids were more apt to play soccer. My point, football has been the more socially accepted sport. Which may have a small part to play in the reasons why Americans dislike soccer.
Another point, if the Americans won the World Cup, we wouldn't give a damn. One of my friends, who follows soccer, said that we should care because if we won, the world would start World War III on us in bitter frustration.
This is a good thread.
However, to most of us Americans, as much as they pound the soccer into our faces, we'd rather watch football, basketball, baseball, golf, Nascar, hockey, mma, tennis, pro wrestling, reality t.v. dancing with the stars, american idol, hot dog eating, tour de France, sit coms, the news, ESPN's bottomline tracker, horse-racing. After all of those interests are through, we'd rather spend time with our families, jobs, vacations, recreation, way before we even give a damn about soccer.
Does any of this make any sense?

[Shark79]

In our high schools, ages between 14-18 years old, (for all of you non-Americans) the bigger and more stronger, better looking, more popular boys, would play football. The skinnier, weaker, acne-faced, nerdier kids were more apt to play soccer. My point, football has been the more socially accepted sport. Which may have a small part to play in the reasons why Americans dislike soccer.
Another point, if the Americans won the World Cup, we wouldn't give a damn. One of my friends, who follows soccer, said that we should care because if we won, the world would start World War III on us in bitter frustration.
This is a good thread.
However, to most of us Americans, as much as they pound the soccer into our faces, we'd rather watch football, basketball, baseball, golf, Nascar, hockey, mma, tennis, pro wrestling, reality t.v. dancing with the stars, american idol, hot dog eating, tour de France, sit coms, the news, ESPN's bottomline tracker, horse-racing. After all of those interests are through, we'd rather spend time with our families, jobs, vacations, recreation, way before we even give a damn about soccer.
Does any of this make any sense?

Darrell, I agree with you that football is the most popular sport in the US, but World Wide, Futbol (soccer is only used in the US) is the most popular sport.

Those that I highlighted for your reference would be mentioning every single human being born from Canada all the way down to Chile.

I understand that you guys use American or America as yours ... but it really isnt, yes, you may be the most powerful of all the countries within the American Continent ... but that is something completely different.

[bettilimbroke999]

If your a narc and lose over 10 large ... would u not spend some money to pop somebody ... if you actually pop someone almost on a daily basis?

This was a specific case ..... it was one of the best Colombian teams to EVER be in a WC and had the chance of getting into semis and this own-gol created one of the worse upsets for colombians.

Not only was this kid killed, many other things happened within the country that no one else knew.

Soccer is not just a sport its a lifestyle.

Kill some1 b/c I lost 10k gambling, no I don't think I would, in fact I lost over 10k gambling in 06' and I don't remember hunting any players down and screaming FREE THROW as I shot them 12 times, though I may have wanted to after watching the national championship game this year. Trying to justify murdering a kid b/c he made a bad play in a soccer match b/c you think crap soccer is a "lifestyle" further proves soccer fans are insane, it's a fukin game of kickball get over it.

[darrell74]

In response to Shark:
I may admit to a grammatical error. As I was use to understanding the world view is that U.S. Americans were, in general, called Americans, and that wasn't to be confused with Canadians, Carribbean, Central and South America, and Mexicans.
We may find it odd to not like soccer, because the rest of the world loves it. But, we're happy with that decision. I think every U.S. American feels 100% qualified, and feels like an expert on why we don't like soccer. We have no problem with it.

[Shark79]

Kill some1 b/c I lost 10k gambling, no I don't think I would, in fact I lost over 10k gambling in 06' and I don't remember hunting any players down and screaming FREE THROW as I shot them 12 times, though I may have wanted to after watching the national championship game this year. Trying to justify murdering a kid b/c he made a bad play in a soccer match b/c you think crap soccer is a "lifestyle" further proves soccer fans are insane, it's a fukin game of kickball get over it.

Let me rephrase then 10 very large numbers.

I am not justifying absolutely anything, I disliked it as much as every soccer fan in the world. I just made a note that for some soccer is MORE than there own life and unfortunately that was proof of it.

[woodg8]

However, to most of us Americans, as much as they pound the soccer into our faces, we'd rather watch football, basketball, baseball, golf, Nascar, hockey, mma, tennis, pro wrestling, reality t.v. dancing with the stars, american idol, hot dog eating, tour de France, sit coms, the news, ESPN's bottomline tracker, horse-racing. After all of those interests are through, we'd rather spend time with our families, jobs, vacations, recreation, way before we even give a damn about soccer.
Does any of this make any sense?

I think this post just ended any discussion. It's blatantly clear that Americans feel proud that they don't like Soccer, and love expressing their delight that they hate it.

Nail on head.

[Shark79]

In response to Shark:
I may admit to a grammatical error. As I was use to understanding the world view is that U.S. Americans were, in general, called Americans, and that wasn't to be confused with Canadians, Carribbean, Central and South America, and Mexicans.
We may find it odd to not like soccer, because the rest of the world loves it. But, we're happy with that decision. I think every U.S. American feels 100% qualified, and feels like an expert on why we don't like soccer. We have no problem with it.

Now it would be interesting to see if every single us citizen agrees with you on this subject. Probably the majority of US gamblers dislike it ... but those who enjoy the game would have a serious disagreement.

But, why dont we all just wait for Football to start and enjoy making some extra $$ on the side.

[pavyracer]

Does anyone remember Steve Bartman? He should have been shot too.

Foul ball incident
At the time of the incident, Mark Prior was pitching a three-hit shutout for the Chicago Cubs in the eighth inning. For the Marlins, Luis Castillo was batting, with one out and Juan Pierre standing on second base. The Chicago Cubs were leading the game 3-0, leading the series three games to two, and were five outs away from reaching the World Series for the first time since 1945 and attempting to win it for the first time since 1908. Coincidentally, Game 6 was played on the 95th anniversary of the clinching game of the Cubs' last championship.

Bartman was sitting in a box seat in the front row along the left field corner wall behind the bullpen when a pop foul off the bat of Castillo drifted toward his seat. Cubs left fielder Moisés Alou ran over to attempt a catch, reaching up into the seating area, but Bartman, who was watching the ball and not the fielder (like a few other fans next to him), got to the ball first and appeared to knock it away from Alou. Alou slammed his glove down in frustration and was seen shouting in Bartman's direction, and the Cubs argued for an interference call. However, Bartman had touched the ball on the spectator side of the wall, and umpire Mike Everitt correctly ruled that there was no fan interference.


[edit] The aftermath

[edit] For the Chicago Cubs and Florida Marlins
Following the incident the Marlins scored eight runs, six of them unearned: [3]

Castillo, given new life, drew a walk. Ball four was a wild pitch from Cubs starter Mark Prior, which allowed Pierre to advance to third base.
Iván Rodríguez singled to drive in the first run of the inning, making the score 3-1.
Miguel Cabrera hit a ground ball to Alex S. Gonzalez, who booted (misfielded) the ball. Had Gonzalez fielded the ball properly, the Cubs could have ended the half-inning with a double play. Instead all runners were safe and the bases were loaded.
Derrek Lee doubled, tying the score and chasing Prior from the game.
Relief pitcher Kyle Farnsworth issued an intentional walk, then gave up a sacrifice fly to give Florida a 4-3 lead. Another intentional walk again loaded the bases.
A bases-clearing double from Mike Mordecai broke the game open, making the score 7-3.
Pierre singled to put Florida ahead 8-3.
Finally Luis Castillo, whose foul popup initiated the controversy, popped out to second to end the inning. In total, the Marlins had sent twelve batters to the plate and scored eight runs. Florida won the game 8-3.
The next night, Florida overcame Kerry Wood and a 5-3 deficit to win 9-6, and win the pennant. The Marlins would go on to win the 2003 World Series, beating the New York Yankees four games to two.


[edit] For Bartman
Bartman had to be led away from the park under escort for his own safety, as Cubs fans shouted profanities towards him and others threw debris onto the field and towards the exit tunnel from the field. News footage of the game showed him surrounded by security as passersby pelted him with drinks and other debris. The game was delayed for approximately 6 minutes.

The stigma encountered by this loss by the Chicago Cubs in their end of season run had many Cubs fans blaming Bartman for the Cubs' series loss, as well as their failed bid to reach the World Series for the first time since 1945.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Bartman's name, as well as personal information about him, appeared on Major League Baseball's online message boards minutes after the game ended. The Chicago Sun-Times revealed his identity. Bartman was hounded by reporters; he had his phone disconnected and did not go to work. In his defense, childhood neighbors said he was a great guy, a lifelong Cubs fan, and a Little League coach for the town of Niles.

The Cubs issued the following press release:

“ The Chicago Cubs would like to thank our fans for their tremendous outpouring of support this year. We are very grateful.
We would also like to remind everyone that games are decided by what happens on the playing field — not in the stands. It is inaccurate and unfair to suggest that an individual fan is responsible for the events that transpired in Game 6. He did what every fan who comes to the ballpark tries to do — catch a foul ball in the stands. That's one of the things that makes baseball the special sport that it is.

This was an exciting season and we're looking forward to working towards an extended run of October baseball at Wrigley Field.
”

Bartman gained instant national attention, most of it negative or derogatory. Many websites spoofing him were created, and late-night shows such as the David Letterman and Jay Leno shows made him the subject of many jokes. (Letterman did state, in Bartman's defense, that one play alone cannot account for two straight losses.) Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich went as far as telling the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper that "[Bartman] better join the witness protection program." Multiple editorial cartoons showed Bartman in hiding with Osama bin-Laden and Saddam Hussein. The week following the incident an episode of According to Jim aired showing a Bartman lookalike who interferes as Jim tosses his keys to his wife. Jim looks at the character and says "Haven't we talked about that?" An episode of Family Guy depicts Stewie Griffin giving Bartman advice to catch the ball. In the days following the incident, Bartman received offers to do movies or talk shows because of his sudden celebrity status. He declined all such offers. ESPN did air a live interview on SportsCenter with a person claiming to be Bartman, but it turned out to be a prank that fooled the network. Bartman was also offered asylum by Florida Governor Jeb Bush where Marlin fans viewed Bartman in a more favorable light. Bartman was also reportedly offered a job with the Florida Marlins, but Bartman rejected both offers.

Bartman donated the numerous gifts given to him to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in the name of Ron Santo, a former Cubs third baseman turned broadcaster who suffers from diabetes. Calling this his "final statement," it seems Bartman intends to return to obscurity.

Bartman said, "I look forward to, and expect to return to my normal life activities, including cheering our beloved Cubs toward many more exciting postseasons of play."


[edit] Destruction of the Bartman ball
The loose ball was snatched up by a Chicago lawyer and sold at an auction in December. Grant DePorter purchased it for $113,824.16 on behalf of Harry Caray's Restaurant Group. On February 26, 2004, it was publicly exploded in a procedure designed by Cubs fan and Academy Award winning special effects expert Michael Lantieri.

In 2005, the remains of the ball were used by the restaurant in a pasta sauce. While no part of the ball itself was in the sauce, the ball was boiled and the steam captured, distilled, and added to the final concoction. [4]


[edit] The Bartman Seat
In the intervening years since the incident, the Bartman seat (Aisle 4, Row 8, Seat 113)[5] has become a tourist attraction at Wrigley Field.


[edit] Scapegoat factor
Bartman became a scapegoat for the Cubs' failure to advance to the World Series, joining other alleged "curses" or "jinxes" of teams that frequently fall short of expectations, such as the "Curse of the Billy Goat", "Curse of the Bambino", "Curse of Muldoon", "Curse of Rocky Colavito", "Curse of Billy Penn", and "Curse of the Black Sox". The Chicago Cubs' "Curse of the Billy Goat", is still referenced to this day, as the Cubs were swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2007 playoffs. The "Curse of the Bambino" of the Boston Red Sox has lost its pop-culture cache following their winning the 2004 and 2007 World Series. Likewise, the "Curse of the Black Sox" was regarded as having ended with the Chicago White Sox's victory in the 2005 World Series. However, believers will state, that the "Curse of Rocky Colavito" continues, as the Cleveland Indians have still not won the World Series since 1948 (although they came close in 1997, coincidentally against the Marlins).