The fans do not go into a frenzy, beating up their wives or girlfiends, attacking bystanders and engaging in similar acts of hooliganism until th egames start. Ditto for the war games. It is no coincidence that sport fans tend also to be war supporters.
close to overwhelming pressures. The population who are most likely to be subject to pro-war bullying -- Arabs and Muslims in the USA -- have not changed their opinions. Blacks remained steadfast in their opposition as well (unlike at the time of the first Gulf War):
You seem to confuse in-group presseure with out-group pressure. For US whiteys - refusing to support the "home team" in Iraq is in-group pressure, while for Blacks or Muslims - it is out-group pressure. Their in-group pressure is to oppose the white man's game.
Wojtek