Shoes

by Dick Mac

Those who know me know that I believe good shoes are important.

At a Red Bulls v DC Scum match in 2007, a New York player lost his shoe in the midst of the play, and never missed a beat. The play continued uninterrupted and a new chant was born when the Empire Supporters Club all removed one shoe, shook it in the air, and shouted at the opposition: "One shoe! We only need one shoe!"

The story has gained folklore status as it was featured in an article about the Red Bulls in England. A Wigan supporter was at the match, and published it in this article (find the yellow highlighting).

You won't hear the chant every match, but it is a supporters' favorite, and occasionally makes its way into a match day routine:

Here during a match against Toronto:


And here to the tune of "Blue Moon" in a match against Kansas City:


Shoes play many roles in different cultures. In some cultures, it is insulting to show the bottom of your shoes to another person. I have never heard how close the shoe must be to my face in order for it to be an actual insult. Certainly, if the bottom of the shoe touches me, it would be insulting, but I don't think I would be insulted if I merely saw the bottom of a shoe.

The soles of some shoes can be rather fascinating, especially in the snow where you might see logos or fun patterns.

A journalist in Iraq decided to show the bottom of his shoes to George W Bush the other day, so he removed the shoes and threw them at the podium where Bush was speaking. Bush deftly evaded both shoes.

Either this guy is a lousy shot, or George W Bush is pretty quick on his feet. I have to admit that unlike every other situation in which I have seen Bush perform, he handled this situation quite well and I am impressed by his agility and demeanor:



I don't have anything else positive to say about George W Bush, but he sure knows how to avoid the other shoe is dropping.


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