In stark contrast to their excruciatingly naff English counterparts, American sports franchises have a propensity for hiring the village cool kids to manage their social media accounts.
LA Galaxy, for example, are well known to trade jibe with fans, opposition fans and even rival clubs, but they took their engaging antics to new extremes following their 1-0 defeat to the Portland Timbers last night.
Galaxy fans were aggrieved when Timbers defensive midfielder Diego Chará pulled a wobbler of a dive over an attempted challenge from Jelle van Damme, with the latter receiving a second yellow card - not for the foul, but for dissent after conceding a foul despite not making contact with his Colombian foe.
So too was the person behind their social accounts, whose response has taken the US football world by storm.
You might be familiar with the 'shooting stars meme' which has taken the internet by storm in recent times (admittedly, this writer most certainly is not). According to Balls Sources, they've been all the rage since January. For context, here's a whole compilation of them from 'the Youtube':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSENH3FE2As
Nah, us neither. But that's really not important.
LA Galaxy's resident cool kid spent what was presumably a considerable amount of time turning Chará's dive into one of those very memes, and unleashed it upon the world a full day after their defeat to remarkable acclaim.
While we've seen English clubs aim cheeky tweets at opponents in the past, and Bundesliga sides in particular exchanging infinitely more humourous barbs, Galaxy have broken new ground in their dedication to the craft of riling their opposition, creating a full video ripping the piss out of Chará.
But it only gets better from there, because Chará's own side, the Portland Timbers, were not taking the assault on their player's character lying down.
if you can only put fans in 60% of your seats a cute meme is one way to get attention. We have video guys, too. Stay tuned...
— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) March 13, 2017
Pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow!
The Timbers are yet to post even a single video in response to the Galaxy's stellar effort, presumably due to the fact that they have to make them first. They did, however, deliver one parting shot at their adversaries in Los Angeles when Galaxy's PR, marketing and digital maestro, Brendan Hannan, offered them an apology for any offence caused.
.@brendanhannan @LAGalaxy it's all good ... no offense taken here (and we know quality football will soon be on its way to StubHub 😉). pic.twitter.com/2CVMWxOMFm
— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) March 14, 2017
This was a kindly reference to the fact that the LA Chargers, formerly of San Diego, will soon take up residence in the Galaxy's home ground.
Meanwhile, the world of US soccer was enthralled by Portland's showdown with Galaxy on Twitter, and in particular Galaxy's original jibe at Chará.
.@TimbersFC @LAGalaxy pic.twitter.com/3iR6dgjowt
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) March 14, 2017
@LAGalaxy 1-0.
— Aaron Durand (@everydaydude) March 13, 2017
@LAGalaxy this is so savage. Honestly the hardest ive laughed/most I've cringed all week.
— Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13) March 13, 2017
@alexmorgan13 @LAGalaxy 100% ??
— Daryl Motte (@DarylMotte) March 13, 2017
@LAGalaxy Bravo ??
— K. O'Shaughnessy (@OShaughnessyK) March 14, 2017
@LAGalaxy @RWhittall haa haa! I have no words. In actual tears
— Musa Okwonga (@Okwonga) March 13, 2017
@LAGalaxy Can't. Stop. Watching.
— James McManus (@JamesMcManus1) March 13, 2017
Jelle van Damme, for what it's worth, who was sent off following Chará's dive, tweeted the following WHILE THE GAME WAS STILL ONGOING.
Shouldn't use your phone in the early bath, Jelle.
