UK fans have been poking fun all of today at the Maple Syrup banner that appeared at Stade Olimpique yesterday for the game against New England Revolution.



The BBC’s long-running flagship soccer show, Match of the Day featured the banner on their Facebook page and comments simply flooded in, some inevitably making sarcastic reference to more sinister displays on view yesterday as Bayern Munich visited HSG Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga.



I received a few sarcastic notes from UK-based friends of mine too, asking about the hooligan problem in Canadian football and MLS, after they’d seen the post. Mostly MLS-sceptics, this doesn’t help my crusade to establish MLS credibility in Europe!



One fan, Julian Trichet, thinking it was offensive questioned exactly why it was so, adding that he actually found it funny, only to be responded to sarcastically by Matt Bateman - “So the joke took the 10pm DHL departure from EMA and flew right over your head then.... “



Julian finally ‘got it’ after Klaus Hoflmeier advised - “Julien Trichet - Match of the Day’s caption is sarcasm on a higher level.”



Adam Higgins wrote, “Think the players should have walked off after this. Absolutely disgraceful in this day and age! Bet Fifa won’t do anything about it either!”



Gary Kyle wasn’t so sure, suggesting, “Hmmm it’s a sticky one, bud.”



Greg Johnson directed comments presumably to family member Tim Johnson, “You love a bit of MLS banter. Hope this doesn’t put Bojan off his game,” to which Tim responded, “I couldn’t take this pressure.”



And there was a vote of confidence for the creators of the message from Caig Horne, “After trying genuine Canadian maple syrup thanks to you, and American maple syrup from my own travels I agree with this statement.”



Steven Miller suggested, “Canadian hooliganism, so polite that they hand themselves into the police after a paper plane riot.”



Terry Gorringe advised, “You wouldn’t want to mess with the Maple Syrup Ultras.”



But Marc Scott probably hit the nail on the head by declaring, “and that is enough internet for me today....”



Amen...





