World Cup and European leagues

[Gotberg]

I haven't seen this posted, thought you all might find it interesting:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/060719

[Just Bill]

I just read this Bill Simmons article (linked in the post above), and it's exceptional!

Simmons got hooked on soccer during the World Cup and decided to select an English Premier League team to follow.  He gives a great synopsis on each team.

A must-read whether you're a Premier League expert or a newbie!

[sac]

I just read this Bill Simmons article (linked in the post above), and it's exceptional!

Simmons got hooked on soccer during the World Cup and decided to select an English Premier League team to follow.  He gives a great synopsis on each team.

A must-read whether you're a Premier League expert or a newbie!

Great link thanks.  Absolutely a must read, very funny at times especially if you follow the EPL.


I have to admit that I pull for Liverpool. ..........and if you read the article I'll watch any game played at Newcastle just because the crowd is awesome especially when the big four come to town.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Yeah.  When I started following EPL closely I really wanted to go with Liverpool, although, as Simmons pointed out, you can't do it lightly and I'm not sure I'm worthy of it at this point.  We'll see.

Anyway, I've been rooting for Wigan the last few years as they've flown up the ranks and I'll be pushing for Reading hard this year as they feature some prominent Americans.

I just can't root for Chelsea, ManU or Arsenal.

Spurs was a good choice for the SportsGuy.

[Hoosier Titan]

VERY nice article.  The only thing I disagree with is that I think Liverpool is a lovely city and a great vacation destination (I've been there twice.  Then again, I teach courses on the Beatles).

I went through the same thing when I started following the EPL.  ManU, Arsenal, and Chelsea have all, in order, seemed too much like the Yankees for me to support them.  I was gutted when Michael Owen left Liverpool, and when they didn't bring him back, although I understand the finances of that decision.  And Stevie G is every bit as good as Simmons says.

Can't quibble with his choice of Spurs, though.  Robbie Keane is a great striker, and Aaron Lennon is a dynamic young talent.  Too bad Keane isn't English; he could have helped a ton in the WC.

[Greek Tragedy]

It's ironic that Manchester United is called, "The Yankees of the EPL" since they actually have a partnership with the Yankees and you can see Man. Utd. games on the YES network!

Anyway, I have to defend Manchester United as my favorite team.  I first started watching the EPL way before it was called the EPL on a little known (now defunct) channel named Sports Channel America back in the very late 80's (1989, I think) when Manchester CITY was finishing higher than Manchester UNITED.  There really isn't any reason why I picked United over City (maybe I like red better than Blue), it just happened, kind of like why I prefer Chevy over Ford or Coke over Pepsi...things happen.  But, I was definitely sold when Ryan Giggs made his professional debut in 1991.  Wow! So, I wasn't just jumping on the Man. Utd. bandwagon after they won 7 of the first 10 Premier League titles!  

I think everyone hates them because they were so good for so long.  I'm included in that mentality as well.  I hate the Bulls (maybe because I was a Knicks fan), Tiger Woods, the Yankees, etc. 

Well, I'm not going to go into a 16 year history of Man. Utd.  The article criticizes Man. Utd. for buying up all the young talent...don't you want that?  I don't think you're viewed as such a hawker than when you buy up established players from different teams, i.e. the Yankees or the Lakers.  Beginning in the early 90s, Sir Alex Ferguson brought up Fergie's Fledglings that included Giggs, Scholes, Butt, and the Nevilles from the "farm team".  I think that's pretty impressive.  Aside from big name young talent in Rooney, Ronaldo and even Alan Smith, he has been very good at buying "under the radar" talent in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Luis Saha and even Roy Keane.

Man. Utd. ain't perfect, Ferguson can be a total [you know what] sometimes and they've been spoiled by past success.  But I'll always be a fan of them and I've got the tattoo to prove it (of the abstract Red Devil)...even if they are owned by the Glazers (who happen to own the Tampa Bay Bucs, among other things  ).

Aside from Man. Utd...

Newcastle (a good friend of mine who lives in Shrewsbury is a big fan of them, besides, we stole Andy Cole from them!)

Liverpool (I loved the old rivalry days when they had Ian Rush, Peter Beardsley and John Barnes...and who can forget Bruce Grobberlar!)

Arsenal (your enemy's enemies are your allies.  Obviously, as a MU fan, I hated them, but that was before Chelsea bought their last two championships)

Fulham (McBride and Bocanegra)

Spurs (cool name, among other reasons)-those are horrible jerseys.

[Greek Tragedy]

Zidane given 3 (international) match ban and fined a couple of bucks for his headbutt.

Matarazzi given 2 match ban (international as well) and fined a couple of bucks for is insults.

Zidane and Matarazzi suspended

They're suspending players for insults now? 

As we speak...#2 v #3 on his list on Classic Games on FSC:  Liverpool v Hotspur!

[Gotberg]

Anyway, I have to defend Manchester United as my favorite team.  I first started watching the EPL way before it was called the EPL on a little known (now defunct) channel named Sports Channel America back in the very late 80's (1989, I think) when Manchester CITY was finishing higher than Manchester UNITED.  There really isn't any reason why I picked United over City (maybe I like red better than Blue), it just happened, kind of like why I prefer Chevy over Ford or Coke over Pepsi...things happen.  But, I was definitely sold when Ryan Giggs made his professional debut in 1991.  Wow! So, I wasn't just jumping on the Man. Utd. bandwagon after they won 7 of the first 10 Premier League titles!  

In 1992 I wasn't really a soccer fan yet.  My roommate was from Stockholm, Sweden and he'd watch a Saturday morning English soccer recap program.  I'd watch it a few times with him and he told me his favorite team was Man City because his father bought one of their jerseys as a gift for him while his father was in England on business.  So, I decided I needed to pick a team to follow.  I chose Man United that day because I was really impressed with a young talent named Ryan Giggs who was in his early twenties/late teens.

The following year I was in Budapest and attended my first European match - a match between Man United vs. Kispest Honved - an early round Champion's league game that took place in a small stadium of about 10k.  One of the best and worst experiences I've ever had.  The best because I became an absolute soccer fanatic.  The worst, because I'm an absolute hooked soccer fanatic.  I had the chance to see Giggs, Cantona, Schmeichel etc.  This was leading into the 94 world cup so more wood for the fire.

Fortunately I have an understanding wife who allowed me to spend a week in Europe last month with 4 friends attending the World Cup. 

I think the Simmons article I linked in a previous post captured some of the things about Soccer that makes it so fantastic (and in many way college sports).  Fans are there for to see the game and not to be seen.  The focus is so much on the game at hand...and not the entertainment in the stands or during TV timeouts.

I just fell in love with the passion of the fans and the excitement of the everflowing movement that occurs on the field and the adrenaline of a potentinal goal...a result that actually means something.

Sigh - good times.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I confess that my team is Arsenal, but it has nothing to do with jumping on the bandwagon (at least, not directly - I have no idea as to the origin of the club name).

In my area, the club team with some future d1 and professional prospects is Ann Arbor Arsenal.  They have won several national titles (both boys and girls), though usually U13 or below.  That makes me wonder if their coaching is not as good as advertised, or if they are losing their REALLY good players to someone even higher on the pecking order.

The club I work with (Ypsilanti Area Soccer Club) has probably never had a pro prospect, has a scholarship prospect perhaps every 2-3 years, and would have at most 2-3 d3 starters each year, most of whom don't go d3.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Frankly with the way Chelsea is spending these days, I can't even bring myself to be mad at people who root for ManU or Arsenal.

[Just Bill]

As we speak...#2 v #3 on his list on Classic Games on FSC:  Liverpool v Hotspur!

Clearly you didn't read the Bill Simmons article closely enough:  Its "Tottenham Hotspurs" or "the Spurs".  Nothing else! 

[CRZK]

Had this link sent to me.  Great 9 minute video on Zidane.  Didn't have much of a chance to watch him enough during his career (out in my area we had until recently little cable access to soccer).

Anyway, outstanding farewell video showing awesome talent.

web: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8451296196135992907&pr=goog-sl

[Mr. Ypsi]

Thanks for posting that! 

Obviously Zizou did more than sometimes break the laws of FIFA, he regularly broke the laws of physics.  Some of those moves are simply not humanly possible!

[Greek Tragedy]

Fringe players at Chelsea become starters elsewhere...Del Horno heads to Valencia and Damien Duff goes to the Magpies, instead of TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR!  Is that better, Just Bill, err...Bill Simmons? lol. 

[jfpiv]

Great article by Simmons.
Tragic selection, I'm a Gunner fan myself, but great article nonetheless.