The Gold Cup final today features a fantastic matchup beween the United States and Mexico -- without question the two best teams in CONCACAF. The continental championship game will be played tonight in the Rose Bowl, meaning there will be thousands of fans in attendance supporting both sides. Support for both teams should be fantastic. . .as long it doesn't veer into questionable territory.

Yesterday, Jeremiah Oshan wrote an excellent piece on SBNation that included this advice to U.S fans:

Don't fall into this trap. Don't let jingoism be mistaken for patriotism. Don't allow yourself to blur the line between sport and life to this degree. Don't turn this into an opportunity to break out tired, hurtful and lazy stereotypes.

Jeremiah went on to correctly state that just because someone roots for a different country does NOT mean that they don't appreciate the United States. It's a simple truth, but one that for some reason is completely overlooked by certain U.S. fans.

It goes without saying that the United States vs. Mexico is a fantastic rivalry, and one that makes both teams better. There's also tremendous fan support on both sides. U.S. fans continue to grow in numbers, but unfortunately there's always those on the U.S. side who use the game as an excuse to air their own racist nonsense. And it is these fans that give the entire population of U.S. supporters a bad name. This needs to end.

Here are a few of the dumbest postings found on Twitter as of midday on Saturday (warning: racist idiocy and possibly offensive language below):

soo are Rose Bowl workers asking fans for green cards? if so there wont be any mexicans in attendance tonight #USMNT Chris Maher

thisisme17chris

Send those wetbacks home #USA #SOCCER #FREEDOM Mike

sc0on1e

any mexican attending the USA vs Mexico game tonight will be arrested for being an illegal immigrant simply because they all look suspicious Tyler Findle

_Jenkins_

The Mexico NT came early at The Rose Bowl today...not to practice but to cut the grass... #GoldCupTrashTalk #SUBTLERACISM #Imnotracist Joseph

Ganon391

Fuck Mexico soccer, stupid spics #USA Cole Duncan

cduncan39

USA! Fuck the mexicans. Every single one of you. Go to hell. Brandon Lee

DiezSiete17

Not legally at least RT @Adam_Jacobi: USMNT-Mexico at the Rose Bowl Saturday. Luckily for us, there are no Mexicans in Southern California. Matt Johnson

twoeightnine

Someone call immigration! I know where 90,000 mexicans will be! The gold cup at the Rose Bowl Stewart Cooley

stu_bag

@FutBrando Also 90,000 people will be at the Rose Bowl tonight. 75,000 of them will beaners Chase Ruttig

DjPardon