Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
'Beer snake' stokes debate
Fans split on practice, Bomber brass may ban it
The beer cup snake in Section S at Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg last Friday. (MIKE.DEAL@FREEPRESS.MB.CA)
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Watch out Bomber fans, football's newest menace is a long, tall, attention grabber. (No, it's not defensive lineman Doug Brown.)
A long pliable structure composed of plastic beer cups, known as a "beer snake" for its penchant for slithering up the stands, might be banned by the Blue Bomber club for fear of injuring fans.
"It's not officially banned yet, but we've had meetings on it," said Bomber spokesman Darren Cameron. "We should have a decision on it in the upcoming days."
The beer snake has been visible at the first few Bomber games this season.
The structure is formed when fans stack jumbo beer cups into each other until they make a long wavy figure, sometimes rising as many as 30 rows high.
Fans haggle with each other to get discarded cups, as the beer snake winds its way through the crowd resting on shoulders, seats and the occasional lap.
"It was at the start of the first season opener when we started building the snake," fan Steven Foster said. "It was just so much fun, and I really got into it."
Foster said he doesn't understand why the club would ban the practice, which he said adds to the fun of the game.
"This kind of stuff really only happens in section S," Foster said. "If you're not there to have a good time, then you should go to another section."
Section S of the Canad Inns stadium is notorious for its popularity with rowdies and students, and was in the news last year due to clashes between police and inebriated fans.
Bomber brass and beer snake opponents feel differently.
"We received complaints from the July 2 game that people were getting cut by plastic cups falling down," Cameron said. "We take our patrons' complaints very seriously."
Nick Sinclair is one Bomber fan who will be happy to see the snake disappear.
"I think it is a good thing that they ban it," Sinclair said. "People come to Bomber games to enjoy the game, not to have to worry about rowdy drunk fans throwing beer cups just to make a beer snake."
Sinclair also pointed out the snake distracts other fans from the game, with people paying more attention to the escalating mound of beer cups than to the players.
The first beer snake is rumoured to have been started during an English cricket match, as a means to distract fans during the long lulls between plays.
"Our beer snake was on TSN's plays of the week," Foster said. "If our team can't make it on there, the fans have to pick up the slack."
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 14, 2010 A2
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