Why Couldn't They Drink Water?

Silly me, I forgot to bring my umbrella to the soccer game.  Indoors.  

Just as well, I guess.  It would have been bad luck to open it inside anyway.  

I guess that's a point, but there's also something to be said for leaving the place not smelling like crappy beer.  

So, soccer fans are an interesting bunch.  They try their best to be consistently loud and rowdy for 90 minutes of game time (plus stoppage time and all that nonsense), but the simple fact is that there is a LOT of down time in a soccer game which doesn't necessarily deserve boisterous cheering.  As such, chants and songs are invented to keep the fans occupied until your team stops kicking the ball back to their goalie and actually makes a concerted effort to score a goal.  Unlike other sports where cheers of "step on his throat!" and "kick his *insert body part here*!" are plentiful, the cheer of choice for people following the American soccer team appears to be "I believe that we will win."  I was not aware of this until recently.  It's shockingly polite.  It is in no way an insult to the other team, or even an indictment of their soccer-playing abilities.  It's simply a statement opining the optimism of the American fans.  It's not even "We will win," it's "I believe."  It's subtle.  

You'd think the constant chanting and singing would lessen the dynamic contrast when a goal is actually scored, but you'd be wrong.  The decibel level does go up tremendously when something happens on the pitch...such as a goal in the opening minute of the game.  (Maybe you watched the game, but if not, this actually happened.)  The place got pretty loud right about then.  

Of course, when something even more exciting happens, such as the American team re-taking the lead with 4 minutes left to play (plus the whole stoppage time deal), the rowdiness needs to step up yet one more level.  This apparently involves throwing beers all over the place.  It was news to me.  Of course, you can't throw good beer...that would be expensive.  So, you do what you can, and throw crappy beer around the bar and continue with your celebration.  Which is all well and good unless you're in the path of said beer, and now it's time to do the laundry.  All because I forgot my umbrella.