Soccer

[ObiDongKenobi]

Spain and Germany are fielding teams now that can play and beat the best of EPL.

I would say it's been that way for a while, apart from a few notable exceptions, i.e. some Champions League triumphs.

[MissBarbara]

.   .   .


I am told to hate Spurs by the lunatic fringe at Chelsea.

.   .   .

I have a question which maybe relates more to American sport in general.  How do fans feel when a franchise rips their team away from them and deposits it thousands of miles away?  Do they pick another team or just watch from afar, or do they not have the allegiance to a specific team?  It happened in the UK once a few years ago and caused outrage even though it was only a move of less than 100 miles.  The loophole that allowed the new team to remain in the same league position has now been closed by the authorities.  I much despise the team that moved and much admire the team the fans built in its place.

I am told that as a Spurs fan I should hate Chelsea. But I don't. Yes, they're a London rival, but I have no geographic or family ties to British soccer teams. Besides, when I first began to seriously follow English football, David Luiz was (and remains) one of my favorite players. And I've long liked Willian.

Then again, I am told that as a Spurs fan I should hate Arsenal. And I do, pretty much because I am told to do so. So, go figure.

My knowledge of American sports is far less than many others here on KB, so someone else would be better qualified to answer your question. I know it's a reality -- and a really big deal for supporters/fans. I know a couple of examples (e.g. the Cleveland Browns moving to Baltimore, and the Rams moving from LA to St. Louis and back to LA), but others can speak more intelligently to this.

[watcher1]

Though it is not a thousand miles away, the Oakland Raiders will be moving to Las Vegas once their new stadium is completed. The Oakland fans may not be too happy and I have heard that many people in Las Vegas are not too happy either about the Raiders moving in but it is all about the money. Damn the loyal fans. Though, to be honest, some professional sport teams have moved when attendance was pitiful year after year mainly due to a poor product and by moving the owners thought a change of venue would help.

[ObiDongKenobi]

.......Besides, when I first began to seriously follow English football, David Luiz was (and remains) one of my favorite players. And I've long liked Willian.

.......Then again, I am told that as a Spurs fan I should hate Arsenal. And I do, pretty much because I am told to do so. So, go figure.

Ah, David Luiz,  I like him as well but he can veer from hero to zero in the space of two matches and was primarily responsible for us losing to Spurs in the league earlier in the season.

Willian is also a player I much admire, Barcelona are supposed to be interested in him though.

The Spurs - Arsenal hatred stems not only from their very close proximity in North London but also because of this travesty https://talksport.com/football/283679/what-if-arsenal-had-not-conspired-ensure-tottenham-were-relegated-1919-180208254601/

[vinney]

.   .   .


I am told to hate Spurs by the lunatic fringe at Chelsea.

.   .   .

I have a question which maybe relates more to American sport in general.  How do fans feel when a franchise rips their team away from them and deposits it thousands of miles away?  Do they pick another team or just watch from afar, or do they not have the allegiance to a specific team?  It happened in the UK once a few years ago and caused outrage even though it was only a move of less than 100 miles.  The loophole that allowed the new team to remain in the same league position has now been closed by the authorities.  I much despise the team that moved and much admire the team the fans built in its place.

I am told that as a Spurs fan I should hate Chelsea. But I don't. Yes, they're a London rival, but I have no geographic or family ties to British soccer teams. Besides, when I first began to seriously follow English football, David Luiz was (and remains) one of my favorite players. And I've long liked Willian.

Then again, I am told that as a Spurs fan I should hate Arsenal. And I do, pretty much because I am told to do so. So, go figure.

My knowledge of American sports is far less than many others here on KB, so someone else would be better qualified to answer your question. I know it's a reality -- and a really big deal for supporters/fans. I know a couple of examples (e.g. the Cleveland Browns moving to Baltimore, and the Rams moving from LA to St. Louis and back to LA), but others can speak more intelligently to this.

As an Arsenal fan I just hate ALL the opponents... especially when we lose...

[MissBarbara]

.......Besides, when I first began to seriously follow English football, David Luiz was (and remains) one of my favorite players. And I've long liked Willian.

.......Then again, I am told that as a Spurs fan I should hate Arsenal. And I do, pretty much because I am told to do so. So, go figure.

Ah, David Luiz,  I like him as well but he can veer from hero to zero in the space of two matches and was primarily responsible for us losing to Spurs in the league earlier in the season.

Willian is also a player I much admire, Barcelona are supposed to be interested in him though.

The Spurs - Arsenal hatred stems not only from their very close proximity in North London but also because of this travesty https://talksport.com/football/283679/what-if-arsenal-had-not-conspired-ensure-tottenham-were-relegated-1919-180208254601/

I think that's why I like David Luiz: You never know what he's going to do. Plus, he has the coolest hair in the Premier League.

I recall watching a match during his first tour with Chelsea where he made a completely boneheaded play on defense, that directly led to their opponents' scoring a goal. And then, a few minutes later, he made a brilliant stop, launched a perfect 60-yard pass to one of his strikers, who easily kicked it in for a goal.

That article was very interesting, though I'm a bit too young to remember the 1919 campaign...

[MissBarbara]

As an Arsenal fan I just hate ALL the opponents... especially when we lose...

And I've never been able to escape the fact that the name Arsenal contains the word arse.

[watcher1]

Wow.   

[vinney]

As an Arsenal fan I just hate ALL the opponents... especially when we lose...

And I've never been able to escape the fact that the name Arsenal contains the word arse.

And if that wasn't bad enough they had a manager named Arsene Wenger for years!

[MissBarbara]

As an Arsenal fan I just hate ALL the opponents... especially when we lose...

And I've never been able to escape the fact that the name Arsenal contains the word arse.

And if that wasn't bad enough they had a manager named Arsene Wenger for years!

Exactly...

That side is, literally, a bunch of arses...

[vinney]

As an Arsenal fan I just hate ALL the opponents... especially when we lose...

And I've never been able to escape the fact that the name Arsenal contains the word arse.

And if that wasn't bad enough they had a manager named Arsene Wenger for years!

Exactly...

That side is, literally, a bunch of arses...

And the wind those arses emit could wipe out the opposition...

[ObiDongKenobi]

.......Besides, when I first began to seriously follow English football, David Luiz was (and remains) one of my favorite players. And I've long liked Willian.

.......Then again, I am told that as a Spurs fan I should hate Arsenal. And I do, pretty much because I am told to do so. So, go figure.

Ah, David Luiz,  I like him as well but he can veer from hero to zero in the space of two matches and was primarily responsible for us losing to Spurs in the league earlier in the season.

Willian is also a player I much admire, Barcelona are supposed to be interested in him though.

The Spurs - Arsenal hatred stems not only from their very close proximity in North London but also because of this travesty https://talksport.com/football/283679/what-if-arsenal-had-not-conspired-ensure-tottenham-were-relegated-1919-180208254601/

I think that's why I like David Luiz: You never know what he's going to do. Plus, he has the coolest hair in the Premier League.

I recall watching a match during his first tour with Chelsea where he made a completely boneheaded play on defense, that directly led to their opponents' scoring a goal. And then, a few minutes later, he made a brilliant stop, launched a perfect 60-yard pass to one of his strikers, who easily kicked it in for a goal.

That article was very interesting, though I'm a bit too young to remember the 1919 campaign...

If it's flowing locks you're after then there are quite a few fine examples in english football at the moment.  Ethan Ampadu (also of Chelsea) looks like the lovechild of a union between Ruud Gullit in his dreadlock days and David Luiz.

Guendouzi of Arsenal might have sprung from the same union.

[ObiDongKenobi]

As an Arsenal fan I just hate ALL the opponents... especially when we lose...

And I've never been able to escape the fact that the name Arsenal contains the word arse.

And if that wasn't bad enough they had a manager named Arsene Wenger for years!

It was written in the stars, Vinney, as soon as his parents christened him.  Like Ferguson a great manager hated by other fans for his success.  A shame his last couple of years were controversial and he didn't leave with the same adulation as Ferguson.

[ObiDongKenobi]

MissB,

Arsenal now have the bragging rights on hair as David Luiz signed for them this season. 

(Just don't mention the Europa League to Vinney,  oops, I think I just did)

[MissBarbara]

MissB,

Arsenal now have the bragging rights on hair as David Luiz signed for them this season. 

(Just don't mention the Europa League to Vinney,  oops, I think I just did)

Well, I suppose that's one factor in the Gunners' favor.

I've been a fan of David Luiz since he joined Chelsea back in 2011. And no, not just because he has the coolest hair in the Premier League. However, once he went over the to dark side back in August, my affection for him has waned. But I have to admit it was a brilliant signing on Arsenal's part.

I know where I'll be on Sunday at 11:30 am (EDT). The match airs live here on a basic cable channel, and I can't wait.

[ObiDongKenobi]

Yes I was a bit sorry to see Luiz go from Chelsea, I'm not sure what the reasons were.  He may be a bit of a liability at times especially with a "stray" elbow here and there but his range of long distance passing and glorious free kicks more than made up for it.

I hadn't noticed it was the old rivalry on Sunday.  I will be at the Chelsea game tomorrow.

A shame the Champions League final was not the best it could be for the neutral.  It would have been hard to follow those magnificent semi-finals though.

[MissBarbara]

Yes I was a bit sorry to see Luiz go from Chelsea, I'm not sure what the reasons were.  He may be a bit of a liability at times especially with a "stray" elbow here and there but his range of long distance passing and glorious free kicks more than made up for it.

I hadn't noticed it was the old rivalry on Sunday.  I will be at the Chelsea game tomorrow.

A shame the Champions League final was not the best it could be for the neutral.  It would have been hard to follow those magnificent semi-finals though.

Yes, the Champions League final was hugely disappointing, and it was also a very pedestrian match. The Spurs are in what should be a winnable group for this year, but we'll see.

I recall watching a match during David Luiz's first tour with Chelsea where he made an absolutely boneheaded play that led directly to a goal for the opposing team. And then, only a minute or two later, he made a 60-70 yard pass that landed at Frank Lampard's feet for an easy goal.

I also respect David Luiz because he is a very religious man, and he gets tons of grief because of it. While I do not share his religious beliefs, I always respect someone who is willing to stick to his beliefs in the face of adversity.

And, on the doubtful chance that someone other than the two of us are reading this exchange, this is what I meant by his cool hair:

[watcher1]

I watched the MU vs Southampton match today and was not impressed by MU, who played a man up for the last 15 minutes or so and couldn't score.  They must be in a rebuilding phase. A few of their players prefer to shoot from anywhere rather then pass

MissB - I agree. Call me a throwback to the 60s-70s but "give me a head with hair, long, beautiful hair..."

[watcher1]

I hadn't noticed it was the old rivalry on Sunday.  I will be at the Chelsea game tomorrow.

Obi - shame Chelsea gave up a goal in the 90th minute to even the score. Off their defender to add insult.

[MissBarbara]

I hadn't noticed it was the old rivalry on Sunday.  I will be at the Chelsea game tomorrow.

Obi - shame Chelsea gave up a goal in the 90th minute to even the score. Off their defender to add insult.

I watched that match this morning, and every time the camera scanned the crowd, I tried to find ObiDong, but I never saw him. Then again, I haven't the slightest idea what he looks like.

I'm wearing my Harry Kane Jersey today, and when I was at a local supermarket I bumped into a guy wearing an Arsenal jersey. We had a very friendly chat, but I'm sure that both of us on the inside were seething with hatred.