Rainbow Fever

Right. This hasn't been easy to write to be honest with you folks. But have a read please.

Rainbow Fever - coming soon.

Fantastic read and some great points. I'd love a sticker even if I can't make it to the game this weekend!

The slogan is outstanding as well. Appreciate you writing this, its never an easy topic to tackle.

Bravo! We'll said - I think we've all been guilty of the subtle sexist/racist abuse at some point. Perhaps a rethink of the most obvious chant we all use "she fell over" or even the "same ol' Aussies, always cheating"?

It's pretty hard to stop yourself in the heat of the moment - generally your upset because the nix are losing or something has gone against our team.

The YF could be the leading edge in how it should be as far as active/incuslive support.

I was there.

I was so happy that Balbi stood up to that oaf so that I didn't have to.

Brilliant stuff, hopefully see you in the zone and will get a sticker off you!

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Great article, well done you!

Look forward to seeing you at the game and Go Rainbow Fever!

Thanks for this Balbi.  Beautiful writing and I tautoko every word

Never been a big fan of the "same ol' Aussies" chant given we've usually got a few Aussies in our team.

When I've watched women's football, I feel they tend to dive/play act less, not go over quite so easily. It would probably be more appropriate to chant "He fell over" when someone goes down on women's football. Don't mean to create a battle of the sexes though!

Good write up Balbi.

I've always been partial to 'Dig a hole, dig a hole' when someone's down faking it - it lasts longer than 'she fell over'.

Although these Americans seem to have a good one...

"Same old Aussies" to me is a bit of banter, it's funny to sing and I'm sure holds a bit of extra meaning after the whole sandpaper thing. Heard a pretty shark rendition though as a kid at the Bahrain game which considering the words used, obviously wasn't in jest.

Great initiative mate, obviously emotions run high at football matches and some people may be partial to a few incensed words towards the players but there's no excuse for general sharkcodery like that guy was showing

I always say "cheat fell over" if that chant comes up

Excellent Read, and I hope your flag becomes one always brought out in the zone.

And Great work on calling that stuff out.  I'm always too scared to call it out, but will support someone that has called it out, because to be frank I'm a wuss.

"She fell over" doesn't appear much in the zone anymore (used to happen every game), but I remember someone in here saying they didn't like it so opted for "cheat fell over" so I've said that ever since.

Reading above about the "same old aussies, always cheating" is in that messy area.  

It's bants, but only if taken and given in jest.  Discriminating based on nationality is Xenophobia, so it really is as unacceptable as the other things.  All of the things we see as grossly unacceptable was considered acceptable bants back then when it wasnt just society on the whole hadn't caught up yet.

That's right, it was you who made this suggestion years ago which I started using.

same old Aussie one is easy to sort - you just change the Aussie to the name of the team we're playing

ie on Saturday it could be Same old Mariners, always cheating

Question, if people have an issue and the response is for you to "get over it".

Then would the solution to this gay issue could be to burst forth with "Somewhere over the rainbow"?

Just asking, and ffs no one get offended. It's not a gay bashing joke. In fact, I think it could be worth some mileage for gay people to adopt as in a slogan. In tough times or when encountering some anti gay muppet - That song could have a new meaning.

Definitely behind that, would be pretty fudgeing funny and I know a lot of people would join in

Perhaps this weekend in the zone, we could all join in with a rendition of it. classic song, easy to sing etc. We've done Twist & Shout, Bohemien Rhapsody, The Muppet Show theme, Singing in the Rain,So why not Over the Rainbow?

Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
And the football dreams that you dream of
Once in a lullaby

Somewhere over the rainbow
Phoenix birds fly
And the football dreams that you dream of
Dreams really do come true

Someday, I wish upon a star
Wake up where the crowds are far behind me
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the Feverzone top
That's where you'll find me

Somewhere over the rainbow
Phoenix birds fly
And the dreams that you dare to
Oh why, oh why can't I?

Just checking in after work. Thank you all for reading, thinking and making suggestions - you're all wonderful.

Having heard the Fever do Bo Rhap, I'd be worried about our version of Rainbow tbh. Probably get a stadium ban.

Yes well, most of us struggled with the high notes didn't we. Over the Rainbow doesn't have any.

The person made those statements is no longer in the zone and has set up his own support group on the other side of the stadium. 

As I've said in the past - there's a huge contradiction between the easy acceptance of homophobic banter among male footballers and fans, and the fact that gay women have been the backbone of the women's game in this country since ages ago.

The Fever Bo Rap is better than the original if you don't account for tune, timing or talent. 

There's a huge contradiction homophobic language and many people who uses its intentions. 

A lot comes from ignorance and a lack fo self reflection. 

I know I used it for far too long despite having no ill will towards LGBQT+ people and it took someone explaining their pain for me to realise how bad it was. I hope our kids grow up more informed and this shark dies with our generation. 

I agree with this wholeheartedly. 

I know there are all sorts of extremely problematic things I have said in my life. 'Boys will be boys' type shark in the school yard - while that certainly not good nor desirable wasn't intended to offend in that way. The key thing is whether you continue using such language and humour and ways of thinking once you know better. Ignorance is only an excuse till you know better (and even then still not a great one). 

We thankfully live in an age where we are less and less ignorant as a society and as individuals and we can choose to be better as we move forward rather than clinging to what might have been an old norm. 

There are many, many, MANY ways I'm not perfect but bigoted language is a thing I choose to leave in my past. And as you say I hope those biases die with us.

EDIT - also big ups to you John for tackling this topic. It's not an easy one and I know you mulled it long and hard. You've broached it well and I commend that.

Banana's some struggle with it, some don't anyway, you said My Generation. I cannot fail you with this........

Now back to the real nature of the thread....... Over the Rainbow, are we all up for it? I'll start it if you like.

Sounds good LG, might need a bit of help with the words after the pre-match! See you Saturday.

Just sing the normal version if you wish. this in my humble opinion is the best ever version.

Izzy K’s an absolute legend, one of the most wholesome people i’ve encountered. Big thumbs up for this version as a chant. bit afraid that the Fever attempting this will strengthen #NixOut, but all good

for reals? not a surprise then that they are trying to "market themselves as all inclusive"

Oh aye, that version was at the end of Life on Mars. See you Saturday and give it a whirl.

Life on mars, got the two series on DVD - Brilliant. Back to your cause though. First we should laugh at ourselves, for then we can laugh at others. I have always believed this and when I was once shown on TV shirtless and fat gut hanging as I was picking up a coke from my bag, the whole of NZ got to see a most horrifying site - I laughed. Embarrassed but then laughed.

I like to say ignorance is not an excuse, it's a reason. 

We don't have to excuse bad behaviour but when we understand everyone is ignorant, we are empowered to change things that are important like this. 

Everybody is ignorant about something, there's always things to learn, and for some people it's changing things they have seen as facts and unlearning ingrained incorrect views can be hard. 

Maybe they have changed their ways.  In that time they may have realised why they were wrong. 

Everyone needs to have that moment where it clicks into place in their minds, maybe being called out did it. 

Maybe *shrug*. 

Come On You Nix and Come On You Rainbow Fever. 

I'm an Aussie that doesn't care and I doubt many Nix supporters from here do care, to be honest. Most people over this side of the ditch are pretty carefree towards kiwi-aussie banter to start off with and while we're all aware this is a NZ based club, we still support it, no matter what the Fever are chanting. We know they're referring to the players from the other 9 clubs, not ours.

Same Old Antipodean Neighbours
Always bending the rules in their favour!

Good read Balbi, it's a shame homophobia is so deeply ingrained in society people fail to see the issue with what they're saying.

It's certainly changed significantly in the past 5-10 years, but there's still a substantial way to go.

The work of people like yourself have done/are doing is instrumental to changing the culture and mentality of society. 

Even though in essence (not to belittle you at all) what you're doing is very basic, it helps highlight the need for it. 

Small changes make revolutions. You got my support.

Liam Hyslop rang me for a yarn about it yesterday, and Dura approves too!

Stuff report on Rainbow Fever

Kia kaha John. Tu roa