US World Cup team security

[jerryskids 6,763]

So I'm listening to a sports update on the radio, a station I don't usually listen to (but may moreso now), and the guy says, paraphrasing:

 

"In a stroke of genius, the US World Cup soccer team has decided to not have the US flag on our their team bus, to help avoid security problems. All 31 of the other teams will have their flag on their bus. So the US team will be in the blue bus without the flag."

 

[torridjoe 48]

So I'm listening to a sports update on the radio, a station I don't usually listen to (but may moreso now), and the guy says, paraphrasing:

 

"In a stroke of genius, the US World Cup soccer team has decided to not have the US flag on our their team bus, to help avoid security problems. All 31 of the other teams will have their flag on their bus. So the US team will be in the blue bus without the flag."

 

 

I don't get it. What's the joke? Without the flag, there's a better chance they won't be mobbed by people angry at our criminal government.

[Cdub100 3,895]

I don't get it. What's the joke? Without the flag, there's a better chance they won't be mobbed by people angry at our criminal government.

 

It is a tip that blue bus

[Rude Rick 0]

I don't get it. What's the joke? Without the flag, there's a better chance they won't be mobbed by people angry at our criminal government.

[Voltaire 5,298]

There's going to be 100s of blue buses and they all look pretty much the same. After what happened to the Israeli Olympic team in '72 (also in Germany) you have to take precautions. America is radioactive in the Arab world and there are tons of Arabs in Europe.

[jerryskids 6,763]

I don't get it. What's the joke? Without the flag, there's a better chance they won't be mobbed by people angry at our criminal government.

The joke is that if they are the only team bus without a flag, they haven't accomplished much.

 

HTH

[Voltaire 5,298]

The joke is that if they are the only team bus without a flag, they haven't accomplished much.

 

HTH

 

Germany has tons of tour buses everywhere all the time. For a huge event like the World Cup, there'll be even more, maybe two or three times as many. The US flag is a big bullseye, I doubt that removing it reflects the views of the players or the USA Soccer managment so much as it aims for their safety. It's always a big honor for any athlete to play for their country on the world stage of the sporting event they train their whole lives for.

[Rude Rick 0]

Our country is hated more than before because of Bush

[Voltaire 5,298]

Our country is hated more than before because of Bush

 

[jerryskids 6,763]

Germany has tons of tour buses everywhere all the time. For a huge event like the World Cup, there'll be even more, maybe two or three times as many. The US flag is a big bullseye, I doubt that removing it reflects the views of the players or the USA Soccer managment so much as it aims for their safety. It's always a big honor for any athlete to play for their country on the world stage of the sporting event they train their whole lives for.

I was just posting a funny radio tidbit. If Germany has a bazillion similar buses, of course it was a good security call. I certainly said nothing to imply it is not an honor to represent your country.