vay encima de le leao

Vay encima de le leao! (Go like the lion!)


we had a great time at the futbol game. it wasn't the most packed game ever--the opposing team was from the state of brasilia, quite far away, so their fans were not in tow. maybe it is good to ease into our enjoyment of futbol. actually, i think the stadium would have been more fun with more people/the opposing team. we sat with the fans, in our blue and white, and in the less expensive seats. my sister's friends who came with us and made sure we found our way around, guided us to this, the more fun section, though we didn't go into the "most fun" section, that looks like it might have been a bit scary. (my brother points out: like in the states, the people in the better, more comfortable seats- in this case plastic with backs rather than cement blocks- tend more to stay seated and quiet, though maybe not if it were a more exciting game.)
click to see a movie (celebration after a goal. avai won 2-0.)


the videoed section of the stadium stood and sang for pretty much all of the game. and it wasn't the most important game avai has ever played (though the result did make the front page of the paper). my dad compared them to the cameron crazies at their peak pitch during the final minutes of a tight duke-unc game...for the WHOLE game.

even though the stadium wasn't packed and no opposing fans were there, the traffic was still incredible. not that anyone was angry about it. for the most part i think everyone was thrilled their team won.

they were all tuned into the same radio station, which not only covers the game, but also advises the entire city when to honk together on cue, "if you're listening and you supported avai tonight, honk!" so, it would be difficult to tell if anyone was unhappy about the traffic patterns.

i will hand it to the state of florianopolis, though. having braved wrigleyville for the past 8 weeks during cubs games, i have a baseline comparison for police management of traffic flow during large regional sporting events. flori's tactics seem generally effective, though they start at a disadvantage due to the fact that there's only one road that leads to/fro the stadium.

they shut down the other direction of the road so that before the game, the road--and we're talking like a 5 mile stretch-- goes only in one direction. not only this semi-important road, but a stretch of interstate is closed down on the return route!! so, at 11:30pm last night (early for brazilians, not so early for my parents) my dad turns onto the interstate, following the cars ahead of us, to find a line-up of waiting cars...waiting for the 7,000 futbol fans to get out of the way so they can proceed on THEIR side of the freeway!

i wonder how many tourists are caught unawares each year...as the 5 mile stretch of "semi important" roadway is actually EXTREMELY important if you're trying to catch a flight. its the road to the airport.


here's the part where the huge SWAT team protects the refs--during half time and at the end of the game. crazy!!