English Football 2015-16 - Leicester City won the league
01-22-2016
, 06:49 AM
01-22-2016
, 10:48 AM
01-22-2016
, 12:52 PM
Well since Stu Ungar threw his hat in the ring, I guess I will too. I'm an American Spurs fan only in his second year of EPL fandom. I decided I wanted to watch soccer year round after the 2014 World Cup and only chose Spurs because my best friend from college (who was quite a good soccerballer of his own and played on our university's club team (one step below varsity) and has followed euro soccer forever) was an Arsenal fan and I figured choosing their rival would be a good chance for us to keep in touch and talk **** a few times a year.
I've really quite fallen in love with the club and the sport in general. It's fascinating from sort of an academic standpoint how different the whole system in soccer is vis-a-vis American sports. From transfer windows to playing multiple competitions at once it's just completely different and it's fun to try and figure it out. I love being completely ignorant of what coaches and teams are trying to do, and trying to figure it out.
The internationality (is that a word?) of it is also exciting. American sports are so dominated by Americans (mostly, obviously there are exceptions), there's something fascinating and new about wondering if the Dane, the Argentine, the Belgian and the Englishman can figure out this pressing attack. If only because it's different.
It's also a delight simply because it's sports rooting without cynicism. I chose Spurs for a completely arbitrary reason and I know it. I love spurs but I don't hate Arsenal. I mean I "hate" Arsenal, but they didn't ruin any of my childhood memories like Derek Jeter or Aaron Boone or all of the Rick Pitino Celtics teams (I'm from Massachusetts). A Spurs win can give me the joy of every sports watching experience you want but somehow a loss doesn't bring the same pain. Yet, I guess.
1.5 years in I'm trying to grapple with the relative quality of midfielders and fullbacks. I think an elementary soccer mind can figure out the quality of strikers and GKers relatively quickly, but the diverse midfield roles takes longer. I'm working on it! I'm trying to figure out why Ericksen has seemingly taken a dip in quality (but has he really?) and whether Dele Alli should be a holding or an attacking midfielder.
Another fun thing is seeing soccer patterns in other sports, especially basketball. I already want NBA refs to be able to play advantage when someone is fouled in an open court attack lol.
Sorry for the tl;dr post, but cheers! I've been lurking this thread for the last two seasons and it's definitely informed me, if not on soccer tactics at least what to lol at. Maybe I'll throw in a gameday post or two now that I've outted myself. But be prepared to laugh at my ignorance. All in good fun
(Oh yeah and if by chance LO remembers me from the MTTc low content thread from before black friday, hello!)
I've really quite fallen in love with the club and the sport in general. It's fascinating from sort of an academic standpoint how different the whole system in soccer is vis-a-vis American sports. From transfer windows to playing multiple competitions at once it's just completely different and it's fun to try and figure it out. I love being completely ignorant of what coaches and teams are trying to do, and trying to figure it out.
The internationality (is that a word?) of it is also exciting. American sports are so dominated by Americans (mostly, obviously there are exceptions), there's something fascinating and new about wondering if the Dane, the Argentine, the Belgian and the Englishman can figure out this pressing attack. If only because it's different.
It's also a delight simply because it's sports rooting without cynicism. I chose Spurs for a completely arbitrary reason and I know it. I love spurs but I don't hate Arsenal. I mean I "hate" Arsenal, but they didn't ruin any of my childhood memories like Derek Jeter or Aaron Boone or all of the Rick Pitino Celtics teams (I'm from Massachusetts). A Spurs win can give me the joy of every sports watching experience you want but somehow a loss doesn't bring the same pain. Yet, I guess.
1.5 years in I'm trying to grapple with the relative quality of midfielders and fullbacks. I think an elementary soccer mind can figure out the quality of strikers and GKers relatively quickly, but the diverse midfield roles takes longer. I'm working on it! I'm trying to figure out why Ericksen has seemingly taken a dip in quality (but has he really?) and whether Dele Alli should be a holding or an attacking midfielder.
Another fun thing is seeing soccer patterns in other sports, especially basketball. I already want NBA refs to be able to play advantage when someone is fouled in an open court attack lol.
Sorry for the tl;dr post, but cheers! I've been lurking this thread for the last two seasons and it's definitely informed me, if not on soccer tactics at least what to lol at. Maybe I'll throw in a gameday post or two now that I've outted myself. But be prepared to laugh at my ignorance. All in good fun
(Oh yeah and if by chance LO remembers me from the MTTc low content thread from before black friday, hello!)
01-22-2016
, 01:08 PM
Quote:
Well since Stu Ungar threw his hat in the ring, I guess I will too. I'm an American Spurs fan only in his second year of EPL fandom. I decided I wanted to watch soccer year round after the 2014 World Cup and only chose Spurs because my best friend from college (who was quite a good soccerballer of his own and played on our university's club team (one step below varsity) and has followed euro soccer forever) was an Arsenal fan and I figured choosing their rival would be a good chance for us to keep in touch and talk **** a few times a year.
I've really quite fallen in love with the club and the sport in general. It's fascinating from sort of an academic standpoint how different the whole system in soccer is vis-a-vis American sports. From transfer windows to playing multiple competitions at once it's just completely different and it's fun to try and figure it out. I love being completely ignorant of what coaches and teams are trying to do, and trying to figure it out.
The internationality (is that a word?) of it is also exciting. American sports are so dominated by Americans (mostly, obviously there are exceptions), there's something fascinating and new about wondering if the Dane, the Argentine, the Belgian and the Englishman can figure out this pressing attack. If only because it's different.
It's also a delight simply because it's sports rooting without cynicism. I chose Spurs for a completely arbitrary reason and I know it. I love spurs but I don't hate Arsenal. I mean I "hate" Arsenal, but they didn't ruin any of my childhood memories like Derek Jeter or Aaron Boone or all of the Rick Pitino Celtics teams (I'm from Massachusetts). A Spurs win can give me the joy of every sports watching experience you want but somehow a loss doesn't bring the same pain. Yet, I guess.
1.5 years in I'm trying to grapple with the relative quality of midfielders and fullbacks. I think an elementary soccer mind can figure out the quality of strikers and GKers relatively quickly, but the diverse midfield roles takes longer. I'm working on it! I'm trying to figure out why Ericksen has seemingly taken a dip in quality (but has he really?) and whether Dele Alli should be a holding or an attacking midfielder.
Another fun thing is seeing soccer patterns in other sports, especially basketball. I already want NBA refs to be able to play advantage when someone is fouled in an open court attack lol.
Sorry for the tl;dr post, but cheers! I've been lurking this thread for the last two seasons and it's definitely informed me, if not on soccer tactics at least what to lol at. Maybe I'll throw in a gameday post or two now that I've outted myself. But be prepared to laugh at my ignorance. All in good fun (Oh yeah and if by chance LO remembers me from the MTTc low content thread from before black friday, hello!)
I've really quite fallen in love with the club and the sport in general. It's fascinating from sort of an academic standpoint how different the whole system in soccer is vis-a-vis American sports. From transfer windows to playing multiple competitions at once it's just completely different and it's fun to try and figure it out. I love being completely ignorant of what coaches and teams are trying to do, and trying to figure it out.
The internationality (is that a word?) of it is also exciting. American sports are so dominated by Americans (mostly, obviously there are exceptions), there's something fascinating and new about wondering if the Dane, the Argentine, the Belgian and the Englishman can figure out this pressing attack. If only because it's different.
It's also a delight simply because it's sports rooting without cynicism. I chose Spurs for a completely arbitrary reason and I know it. I love spurs but I don't hate Arsenal. I mean I "hate" Arsenal, but they didn't ruin any of my childhood memories like Derek Jeter or Aaron Boone or all of the Rick Pitino Celtics teams (I'm from Massachusetts). A Spurs win can give me the joy of every sports watching experience you want but somehow a loss doesn't bring the same pain. Yet, I guess.
1.5 years in I'm trying to grapple with the relative quality of midfielders and fullbacks. I think an elementary soccer mind can figure out the quality of strikers and GKers relatively quickly, but the diverse midfield roles takes longer. I'm working on it! I'm trying to figure out why Ericksen has seemingly taken a dip in quality (but has he really?) and whether Dele Alli should be a holding or an attacking midfielder.
Another fun thing is seeing soccer patterns in other sports, especially basketball. I already want NBA refs to be able to play advantage when someone is fouled in an open court attack lol.
Sorry for the tl;dr post, but cheers! I've been lurking this thread for the last two seasons and it's definitely informed me, if not on soccer tactics at least what to lol at. Maybe I'll throw in a gameday post or two now that I've outted myself. But be prepared to laugh at my ignorance. All in good fun
(Oh yeah and if by chance LO remembers me from the MTTc low content thread from before black friday, hello!)
Always been a huge sports fan here..baseball, NFL and college football, college hoops, primarily.
Played 4 years AYSO as a kid..coached my son and daughter in soccer for several seasons when they were ages 7-12. Always been a big World Cup fan, but could never get interested in the US Soccer Leagues..from the NASL (showing my age) through the MLS.
Then a few years ago NBCs started promoting the heck out of the Premier League..got hooked. What team do I follow? Well United obviously out..the NY Yankees of English soccer..no thanks. City? Nah, they were the top team and I'm no bandwaggoner..somehow it came down to Tottenham, Everton or Southampton..but something just drew me to Spurs. They always seemed to get close, but never over the top. Also a friend of mine happened to be a big Gooner fan, which helped solidify my decision.
Have to disagree with you about Christian Eriksen..probably my top current player..always brings it, and seems to be the backbone of the team.
BTW, Spurs fans, whatever happened to Adelbayor?
01-22-2016
, 01:14 PM
I love hearing from anyone who's either new to the game or has a different perspective. I'd even go as far as to say the thread needs more Americans! (Which after the 2012 World Cup threads I never thought I'd ever say, lol)
01-22-2016
, 01:22 PM
01-22-2016
, 01:48 PM
