Same game, new atmosphere

So yesterday, Dave, two of our roommates (mike and zach-man), and I went to Stadio Olympico to watch Roma vs. Palermo. On our way to the game, we had some trouble finding our way to the metro stop that would take us to the stadium, so we all pitched in to grab a taxi to not miss the game. After the taxi dropped us off, we sprinted to the stadium; the stadium lights lit up the Roman night sky from far away, and as we got closer the crowd got extremely louder. I was definitely pumped for this whole new experience in an entire new atmosphere, even though it was the same game. Running into the stadium, we were dodging italians just merely walking, as if the game didn't start for another hour or so. But not us Americans, we didn't want to miss one second of this epic match to be. Roma stands second in the Seria A table, while Palermo stands seventh. When we got to our seats we found ourselves bumped up next to the Roma fan's section, with a line of guardsmen in between them and us. The atmosphere was nothing I've experience before. I've been to an Arsenal vs. Chelsea match, but the fans are nearly not as crazy and out of control as the italians. Those italians know how to stir up the crowd and keep the stadium bumping with excitement. Roma ended up scoring four goals, with Palermo only scoring one because of a pk from a trip right inside the box. The chants and celebrations could not compare to an MLS match at all. MLS not only seems like a joke, but now I know it's a joke compared to these star-studded leagues in Europe. Us Americans need to step it up on all levels, when it comes to the game of soccer; from the fans to players and just the game itself. What an outrageous place to be to watch a football match.