Is it the joy of watching humans perform noble feats of athletic prowess or is it the bone deep satisfaction of revelling in the defeat and humiliation of 'the other' ?  Considering the nationalism inherent in soccer and the general nastiness of fans worldwide I'd say it's more of the latter. I'd be interested to hear some opinions since I've long wondered about the emotional intensity displayed by myself and others that no logical reasoning can explain. For me the joy in knowing there are millions of obnoxious Yankees or Red Sox fans whining and miserable after a defeat weighs about the same as the vicarious satisfaction I get from a job well done by the O's.