Life Right Now

Haven't made a post since November 2011, and as the photo suggests, I have had plenty on my mind since then. And many things on my mind has turned into action. For  example, the start of the Major League Soccer season for Columbus has seen my time and money invested in making banners while scheming ideas for other displays. The globe spins while the ball keeps rolling  meaning that there are so many leagues and games to keep my eyes busy. But as I'm following the sport globally, the passion of fanatics and supporters remains constant.  The amount of activity in blocks, curvas, ends, terraces, even arenas are continually being displayed. I might be an American  but I consider myself a student to these visual displays from ultras, torcidas, barra bravas, etc.  It feels like an education of sorts, always learning about fresh concepts, fresh objectives, the highs and lows of  fanatic culture. I will always be infatuated with this. 

Bundesliga Best: Hertha Berlin

On 26NOV11, the supporters of Hertha Berlin in their Ostkurve won my attention as the best of that Bundesliga weekend with this display:

Bundesliga Weekend Favorite: FC Ingolstadt's BRC'08

My German fussball pick of the weekend goes to FC Ingolstadt's supporter group named BRC '08. They started out in 2008 and to this day consist of 14-20 year olds. They spent several months independently saving the money and they consider this their best ever display. RESPECT!

Bundesliga Matchday 12 Favorite

My Bundesliga display of the weekend goes to FC Koln's away support at Werder Bremen.

Something about that worn look

Banners looking old, maybe torn, frayed on the edges. The paint on a logo or text is chipped, cracked, maybe even chunks are missing. To some this may look tired, and the banner appears  ready to be tossed, replaced, or maybe the need to paint over the cracks and chips. Sometimes this is the case, but often times, this distressed look can  be unique to the supporters area and railings because they have worn the test of years. Although these distressed banners are inanimate objects, if one looks at them, they show years of joy and pain, winning and losing. They have been through the elements of all four weather seasons, have been pulled, folded, balled up like twine. Sometimes beer or even stadium food might appear on the banner. At the end of the day and night, these banners remain a vital part of supporter culture.  Like the worn look, supporters of the team go through the good and bad, but still remain true to the colors of the team.

Bundesliga Best: Round 13 from BL 2.

My Bundesliga pick of the weekend goes to BL.2 supporters from FC Union Berlin. Not that elaborate in terms of display, but scarves up was the theme for their match vs. St. Pauli. Club and/or city anthem playing, people singing along, SCARVES UP!

2011 Two-stick flags

So for the 2011 season, I made some two-sticks but not as many as I had wanted. 





Also during the season, some other supporters picked up on the addiction. (photos courtesy of Massive Report