South America and the Neverending Quest for Crazy

Okay, this is a week old but we've been largely consumed with the Confederations Cup. However, when it comes to South America and crazy there is no such thing as shelf life.

And the Argies are making a nice push to take the crown of crazy from its current holders in Peru.

You might remember when we told you about how rival gangs broke into mini-riot mode when their busses passed each other on the way to their respective matches. That totally makes sense. You see your enemy you attack them. It's Pavlovian, or Skinnerian. Whichever means you can't help yourself.

Well it seems waiting around for an adversary is now asking too much for Argentine soccer fans.

Argentina's chronic soccer violence flared up again on Sunday when fans of title favourites Huracan clashed and left two dead and two badly injured, hospital sources said on Monday.

Nothing out of the ordinary there.... Until we reach the next sentence:

Fighting among rival factions of fans of the same team began at halftime in their 3-0 home win over Arsenal and, with many brandishing guns and knives, worsened in the streets around the stadium in Parque Patricios after the match.

Rival factions of the same team? Jesus what is wrong with you people? I mean I once got in an argument with a guy over who was a bigger Replacements fan, and it ended in shots. But they were shots of tequila not lead.

We don't want to make too much light as there were two fatalities, but really, upping the ante on crazy in South America shouldn't veer into bloodsport territory. According to the manager of the hospital where the wounded were taken, the fighting continued all the way to the hospital where staff was heard gunshots.

Jesus people, the way you like to fight you think you might have done a better job defending the Falklands.

Perú's response? Some tepid petty thievery.