I recently read Elif Batuman's article on the Istanbul soccer team Besiktas, and I find at least one commonality between Turkey's most passionate fans and our own.
Besiktas' fanbase is known as Carsi; their chant lead by the chief cheerleader, Armenian Alen:
and a more familiar one, by Fireman Ed:
Apparently Besiktas supporters broke the record for a decibel level when their beloveds recently beat Liverpool. Admittedly, when you read Batuman's article, you realize that their fans have it way over football fans in this country in every way. They sing love songs to their club ("I remember when we first met. It was raining. You were wearing stripes...") and announce to their Istanbul opponents Fener that they will renounce profanity, but not before requesting that Fener perform a sexual act upon them. I can't think of an American fan base that is as lyrical, but then as of Batuman's article, Alen is laid up in bed, nursing a gunshot wound he received from a rival Carsi faction member. Fireman Ed is less inclined to take a clip from some guy who lives in Mineola.
2 comments:
I love in the NY'er article how after the scientific community determined that Pluto was not actually a real planet (?), Besiktas supporters all chanted 'We are Pluto!'; relishing in their identity as unwanted cast-asides
I KNEW you'd pick up on that! I'll know I'm in real trouble when Besiktas puts me in their chants.
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