American’s can’t love Football? Much Less United...Right?
I am always astounded when surfing the Talking Red’s forum when others can’t believe that I love football, simply because I am an American. For some reason the general consensus of us American’s are that we are fat, gun toting, George Bush Cronies who could never love a sport that we aren’t any good at. I hate to burst some xenophobic bubbles out there, but soccer is starting to surge in the United States and I for one am thrilled that it has. Yes I said soccer; don’t hang me up just yet.
Football is far and away my favorite sport and the more that I submerge myself into it; the more it seems to take over my life. In fact besides my wonderful family, I can’t think of anything that I love more. I appreciate American sports. The NFL is a terrific game that combines collisions, skill, and is truly a battle of wits. Basketball seems to ignite passion in other cultures and can be exciting when played the right way. I happen to love Ice Hockey for its speed and passion. Baseball can be interesting because of its deep history. Yet all of these sports pale in comparison to the beautiful game. What other spectacle involves so many players from all over the world, working in cohesion just to see a leather orb burst into a mesh net? What other sport provokes men to sing silly songs and hug one another while rooting for men in the same colored shirts? What other sport provides speed, sensibility, insensibility, theatrics, skill, and tactics in the way the football does?
When I was first exposed to football, I must admit I did not fall in love. Yet I was very intrigued. Why do all these people go nuts to see a game finish 0-0? Can I really follow a sport in which my local team could never be considered world class or the best? MLS is a decent lunch pail league yet not one of these boys could play for a great international squad. If I was to learn this game whom do you even support. These are questions that harm the game in the States. For me time would settle all of these questions.
Football first started to place itself on my radar in the form of a video game. I know that many of you will think that I am a Cretan for bowing to the idiot box. Yet, I was a teenage boy in need of entertainment. A mate of mine told me that the new Fifa game was actually pretty fun. I told him I would try it out and he would pound the stuffing out of me with Roberto Baggio and the Italian squad. Oh how I hated that guy. It seemed a bit unfair that he would always choose the Italian squad and I would be the USA. It was like trying to win a war with a rubber band while my opponent had a Panzer tank. So I suggested that we pick Club Squads. He would choose Bayern because he was German. I then decided to choose Manchester United. Sounded like a cool team. I always liked Manchester, it seemed like all of my favorite bands were from Manchester. Joy Division, The Smiths, Morrissey, the Stone Roses, and Oasis. Well wouldn’t you know it, I finally won. I think it was 2-1. Regardless, the result wasn’t important, I just liked the announcer sounding off, “Van Nistelrooy…He scores”.
I have always been a huge music fan. I love concerts and I especially love British bands. Unfortunately I let my country down when it comes to my musical tastes. As a gun toting, Bush loving, fat Cretan, I should value my musical roots. I just don’t though. I am an all or nothing guy and when I submerge myself into something, I go all out. I want to know where and how this “thing” came about. As I started to read about many of my favorite musical artists, I started to see a common thread. They all seemed to love, besides Oasis of course, Manchester United. In fact, did you know that Morrissey’s birth certificate actually says that he was born in Old Trafford? Apparently his father loved United more than he loved little Stephen. No wonder the man is so depressed. As a teenage boy, you love your idols and Morrissey being one of mine made me think that I going to give this United thing a shot. So I started to read. I wanted to find out why this club seemed to be calling my name.
Over the coming years I started to seek out football in any way I could get it. At this time in the U.S. the only regularly televised matches were all World Cup centric. While the football was great, it just wasn’t on the television enough to give you a thorough knowledge of the sport. I started to recognize some names and began to pick my favorite players. The tiny red head in the center of the England midfield was intriguing. I was convinced he could hit a beer can with a pass from 60 yards out. Hum, He is a United player. That Beckham guy is a bit fiery, I can relate to that bloke and what do you know, United player. So, United was certainly going to be my squad. Sometimes you don’t pick a team, it picks you and once it does, you cannot change your allegiance.
If I was going to go “all out” on the football thing I need to be able to see these league games. I am not the casual fan type who can watch 10 games a season and feel content. So I started searching the internet to find where I could see these games regularly. Some of my American fans will remember inventions like the ITVN box. I had that awful invention set up in my basement and would watch every game, frame by frame trying to watch a United match in less than 2 hours. The picture would freeze, the commentary would sputter and I loved every second of it. I was indoctrinated. My buddies were ready to have an intervention because they were convinced that I joined a religious cult, one devoted to the Devil, the red devil. In point of fact, they were right.