Now, (entirely voluntarilly), I wish to state that on a personal level I would have had no trouble keeping quiet for a minute, out of respect for the Pope as a man who did more good than harm, and also out of respect for those who saw him as their religious leader. Hearing a few yobs making rude remarks would not have boiled my blood, however. If, for example, there was a tragedy and we were having a moment of silence for someone in the American leadership, a few yob remarks would have definitely got my blood up.

Make of this what you will, it's my honest reaction. I guess what I'm most concerned about is how by attendance at a sporting event I may be subjected to an experience which will leave a bad taste in my mouth. But perhaps that's one of the risks one takes when one is part of a society.