11 Days Left

I have never played a part in a riot. Once I watched as Carlton Fisk and Deion Sanders came to blows at Yankee Stadium in the very early 1990s, but it never occurred to me to get involved. Or that I should have brought flares. Ethan Trex of mental_floss recently wrote about seven of history's most terrifying sports riots, including this classic battle between A.C. Milan and Inter Milan's fans. The video isn't great, but getting the rioting fan's view is important.

An April 2005 Champions League quarterfinal between A.C. and Inter Milan seemed like a great place to renew their bitter intercity rivalry – or at least wreak some senseless havoc. Although A.C. won the first of two matches and had gone up 1-0 in the second, Inter thought it had scored an equalizer on a header with twenty minutes left. Much to the displeasure of Inter fans, referee Markus Merk disallowed the goal because an Inter player had fouled A.C. goalkeeper Dida while jockeying for position.

Like any reasonable mob would, Inter fans responded by pelting the field with hails of bottles and that most European of riot weapons: the lit flare. As Dida cleared away bottles from the pitch to set up a goal kick, he was struck in the shoulder with a flare and received minor burns. The match was restarted after a thirty-minute delay, but more thrown flares led to its abandonment and A.C. Milan receiving credit for a 3-0 victory.

Inter Milan was fined a record 200,000 Euros for the riot, and their fans received the sports version of being sent to their rooms: the club’s first four 2005-2006 home matches were played in empty stadiums, effectively making them the soccer equivalent of Atlanta Hawks home games.

For six more – including fans coming together to bring down an Emperor and lots of groin punching – read the complete article.

This is a real product. Subtle Butt disposable gas neutralizers will set you back $9.95 for a package of five.

(Thanks, PAgent!)

Oh, not much.