So often, we hear about rivalries tearing people apart at sporting events. But this week, we have some downright inspirational news coming from one of the most dedicated sports fandoms you've probably never heard of.
The Barmy Army, England's semi-organized squad of touring cricket fans, came together in support of one of their fellow fans who was reprimanded for taking his shoes off at a match on Dec. 26. The unidentified fan was in Melbourne the day after Christmas to watch the start of the Australia vs. England cricket match, when he decided to let his feet breathe.
A security guard came over to him and asked him to please put his shoes on. Apparently, "no shirt, no shoes, no service" is a universal rule. But when the security guard brought the issue up, hundreds of nearby Barmy Army members came to the fan's defense. Soon enough, they all had their shoes off and waving in the air.
Even better, the fans set their protest to the tune of the 1979 certified hit "Go West" by none other than the Village People. For a moment in time, an entire section of the stadium was chanting in unison, "Shoes off if you're England!" At the same time, a sea of flip flops and sneakers waved like the tides of freedom, coming to usher the Barmy Army to a barefooted utopia.
If you're confused as to why the heck someone would take their shoes off at a cricket game to begin with, let me explain. First of all, it's summertime down under, and with temps climbing into the 70s, standing in the bright sun all day could have you seriously considering which non-essential clothing items you can shed.
Speaking of "all day," let's talk about the fact that cricket matches regularly last for five days, with six hours of game time each day. That's really really ridiculously long. Couple that with the fact that most fans are drinking throughout it all, and you have yourself a recipe for debauchery.
I'm honestly surprised that shoemageddon (as I will henceforth refer to this event as) was the worst thing that happened at this match.