Class and soccer

I meant to make this post awhile ago, but mess outside from the pending soccer match reminded me to get my ass in gear.

so about a month or so ago i attended a soccer game between corinthians and spfc, the two são paulo teams. corinthians are traditionally "the people's team," whereas spfc is the upper class team. Corinthians where here first, and their stadium is way out on the edge of the city. SPFC is much newer, and their stadium was built in the middle of a wealthy area.

the rivalry between spfc and corinthians is probably one of the most serious in brazil. the game i attended was called a "classico." SPFC were the favorites by far, well on their way to winning the championship (which they may accomplish tonight, if not next week), whereas corinthians had been having a shitty season.

everyone i talked to, corinthian and spfc fans alike, warned me not to go sit with on the corinthian's side. apparently, i don't look corinthian enough; i look like an spfc, and that could get me lynched. I reluctantly took their advice to heart.

as the game got under way, both teams raised their respective banders: huge flags that span a chunk of the stadium. the ends get passed up the crowd, and people wave them by beating on the underside. after a minute or so, they get lowered. The corinthians raised theirs first, an eagle. then spfc raised theirs, a dragon. a tear formed in the banner, just below the dragosn head. as the banner was raised, the tension caused the tear to spread, ironically cleanly beheading the dragon. a very bad omen.

it was a dirty game. there was significant fouling on both sides. at one point a fight broke out on the corinthians side. as the police poured into the stadium to quell the small riot, the spfc fans started cheering the cops on, saying "break them!" ugly, ugly business.

there were much fewer corinthian fans than spfc at the game, probably about as many as attended on that first, cold game i saw with ben. but they were waaaaaay more into it than the spfc fans. the spfc cheers barely circulated the crowd, staying focused only in the hardcore-fans section. moreover, the cheers got super repetitive despite the vast repertoire of cheers. the corinthians, on the other hand, were on their feet, dancing and singing the whole game through.

no goals were scored. bad energy filled the stadium. finally, with about 5min left in the game, the corinthians landed one on the spfc goalie.

wow. spfc couldn't even cheer. the stadium erupted with the songs of the corinthians. i couldn't even hear the beat of my team's drums.

as the game came to a close, i decided it would be a good idea to get teh hell out of dodge. i started moving towards the exit a little before the goal was scored. as soon as the game ended, i was outta there. outside the stadium were more cops than i have seen in one place in a long, long time, forming human walls in full riot gear, dividing the corinthians from spfc as much as possible. i had to hoof it over a hill just to get to my street (which actually pops out right in front of the stadium, but the cops wouldn't let us get to it for a ways).

leaving the stadium was a racket. singing fromt he stadium, singing in the streets, people honking horns (even taxis!), flags waving out car windows, fireworks exploding all around... suffice it to say, all the spfc fans had removed their shirts before hitting the street.

at one point, while waiting for a light to change a car drove by carrying some corinthians. they taunted my group waiting at the intersection. one of the people near me responded, mumbling one of the ugliest thigns i've heard in along time: "allegria da favela." happiness of the ghetto. that's what the corinthians were to this guy, a ghetto team. many people seemed to share his sentiment.

when i got back to the house, i sat down at the computer and started messign aroudn on my email or something. i could still hear cheers and sirens and explosions outside, even though thehosue is a ways from the stadium (by outside, i mean RIGHT outside). the explosions got closer, as did the sirens. then, i started to hear scuffling in the busshes by the window. it was 2 corinthian fans, being chased by the cops for setting off fireworks and generally being unrully. the cops landed their spotlights on em pretty fast, but i mean damn, what a mess.

i found it really itneresting how the class division in the city bleeds into soccer. soccer is the lifeblood of this country. you better believe they talk about soccer pretty damn early on the news. the victory of the corinthians was a victory of the lower class defeating the upper class.

the corinthians hadn't beaten spfc in many years. it was quite an upset.