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Life on the Southside » vers cas.

including the officiating. For example, we had two chants for the linesmen. The first, for the
i. you ever been to a Vancouver Whitecaps game? Well, if you have, you may have linesman on our left, “You’re the Worst Linesman Ever” and another for the one on our right,
noticed the fans standing on the south end of the field behind the goal. This is the Whitecaps | “You’re the Second Worst Linesman Ever.” We had another song for the referee who kept
exclusive and raucous “Southsiders” club. Many fans find them annoying or offensive, but handing us yellow card after yellow card. He was honoured with “You’re the Worst Referee
really, they’re one of the greatest parts of the game. Ever.”

I must be honest; I didn’t always see them that way. I thought they were loud, rude, This amazing group is the best place to be when you’re at a Whitecaps game. Come

obnoxious and drunk. The first game I attended, I bombarded my poor fiancé, Matt, check it out for yourself.
with questions like, “Who are those guys yelling?” and “Why are there beer cups on the See you on the Southside.

field?!” and “Why isn’t anyone stopping them?” Matt quickly explained that they were a
longstanding Whitecaps/86ers tradition. They caught my attention throughout the game, as
those 20-30 fans were louder than the rest of the stadium.

I began to change my opinion at the second game. I was closer to them and could
understand them in their drunken stupor. It was then that I noted that these guys had amazing
harmony for a group of drunken dudes. I mean, | know music, and these guys were as good
as any choir I’d ever heard. I began to inquire about getting seats in that section.

I joined them for the MLS (Major League Soccer) bid night on the 7". It was awesome.
I mean really, what’s not to love about a group of fans that taunt the other team’s goalie
with cries of “AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH— YOU—SUCK—BASTARD!!!” when he kicks
the ball. The amazing thing about this particular chant is that the Southsiders hold the
“AAAHHHH” for over a minute while getting louder and louder. Add to this the awesome
songs such as “Platter.Ate All the Pies,” which features secondary choruses for his mother
and babysitter for Minnesota’s goalie and you have a recipe for some amazing fun as even
the old ladies in the section joined in. However, the Southsiders aren’t all about insults. The
most rousing song we sang that night was after a hail of “boos” when the Whitecaps’ Justin
Moose was taken down by a player from Minnesota. We immediately launched into “We All
Dream of a Team of Justin Moose,” which claims Justin Moose as players #1-12. Even the
little seven-year-old in front of me sang loud and clear.

The Southsiders are the heart of this team. They bring fun to all aspects of the game

 

 

The Boog ey ivy a n By Matthew Steinbach

I was discussing creativity and a few other topics recently with a couple of
people I know, when one person I was talking with asked me how I manage to
come up with so many ideas weekly for this very paper.

To be honest, it all stems from an experience as a child. When I was in
grade five, I wrote a micro-story in class for some sort of assignment. I think
it was one of those journal projects that teachers, for some reason or another,
force you to keep. Anyways, I created a terrifically mediocre story about The
Boogey Man. I had no idea what I was doing; I just remember the excitement
when I finally had an idea. I had struggled throughout this class period to find
anything, anything at all.

Finally I had done it.

I got that thrill you get only when you accomplish something that has been
increasingly difficult and somewhat painful. I was really young at the time.
What seems like a silly assignment now, was actually at one time important to
me. I finally had written a story.

Oh, and I had even drawn crude illustrations to accompany it.

You might say this was my first and only horror story written. It was a
horror story because of its context, but more importantly because I realized
that there was no easy way to be creative. There was, frighteningly enough,
no secret to being creative!, Since this horrific realization, I have been forced
to become more aware of my surroundings. I have learned to pay attention
towhat is happening around me, and to think of how these observations could
be remotely interesting and what others might agree or disagree with it. In
essence, The Boogey Man, in all his crayon drawn glory, gave my creativity to
me.