[vip9]

With UEFA Champions League action heating up and the group stage is just around the corner ( and my team is, obviously, qualified! ) I was wondering if there are any Euro soccer fans among us, people who really like soccer, enjoy watching/talking about it and, most important, truly know what they are talking about.

Oh, by the way, that REAL part in the title of this thread is NOT dedicated to Real Madrid. I hate that team!!! (partly, because my friend is an adamant fan of them , and I had to buy him lunch on a few occasions when they beat my team)

With all due respect (or lack thereof), this thread is NOT dedicated to MLS!

 

[msu79gt82]

Big time lover of the game

My wife and I were long time season ticket holders in the old NASL. Do you remember that? Several years with the Memphis Rogues and several years with the Atlanta Chiefs. Man I loved those times and I loved those games. I still have every program I bought and I bought them for every game I attended. All in all I guess I've been to hundreds of pro games. Watched every NASL game on TV and watched "Soccer Made In Germany" every week.

But that was then. Of course the old NASL folded years ago and there are no MLS teams in Houston. I still watch MLS games on occaission and pick up a European game every now and then. But my kids were into baseball and basketball, which I helped coach. So I guess I am not "in" to soccer like I used to be - but I still love the game.

 

[msu79gt82]

A cool soccer story

I was never a big fan of football (US Football - not European football/soccer), but I attended the college games anyway. While I was in grad school in Atlanta an intersting article came out in the newspaper the day after the Super Bowl of 1981. It seems a reporter watched the game with a stopwatch and "clocked" the amount of time the ball was actually in play. He would start when the ball was snapped and stop when the play was blown dead. Regarding the incredible hoopla surrounding the Super Bowl, his article the next day was entitled: "All This for 12 Minutes and 42 Seconds?"

I wrote a letter to the editor comparing the amount of live action in a football game compared to the non-stop action of a soccer game. The letter was published. I still have a copy of the original article as well as my letter.

Like I said soccer is a beautiful game. But it is in my opinion a game to be watched in person. TV does not do it justice, which is part of the reason it has yet to catch on as a spectator sport in the US.

 

[vip9]

Msu: you are right, nothing beats 90 minutes of pure action at the stadium!!! No broadcast can do justice to being there. Tapping into energy of 100,000 of your fellow fans!!! Kissing and hugging total strangers when your team scores and wins. The rush of participating in the "wave"... Oh, memories, memories...

I held a season ticket and did not miss a single home game of my team for a stretch of about 5 years while living in Europe.
I also "participated" in some less glorius fan-related activities... Oh, the youth, the hot blood...

IMO, 2 games may come "close" as far as non-stop action is concerned: hockey and basketball. But with all the ad breaks in the former and timeouts in the latter, nothing beats soccer.

Baseball?? Yawn
Football?? Yawn-Yawn

As far as MLS is concerned, they have to change the formula!!! Relegation is a must in any league!!! Some of the most famous clubs have been relegated and had to fight hard to come back into top league.
What's up with those stupid shoot-outs at the end of a tie game? Etc, etc...
In one word, MLS sux.

Anyway, group stage pairings of UEFA CL are later today!!! Can't wait for it to start again!! Maybe my team can repeat or even improve on the result from 2-3 years ago - semifinal!!! One of the best 4 teams in Europe!!! Arguably, even in the world!!!

We'll see.

Fox Sports World occasionally show some of the games, but not all of the ones I would like to watch!

 

[msu79gt82]

100,000 fans

Can't say as I've ever experienced that! I think the largest crowd I've ever sat in for a soccer game was in the mid 30s, for an old NASL game.

I must confess to really liking baseball (even on TV ), but neither football nor especially hockey do anything for me. Although it is not classic soccer by any means I also really enjoy the indoor soccer game(US style - not European!). Far superior to hockey in my opinion. We also had season tickets to the NASL indoor seasons and also followed the old MISL.

As far as shoot-outs are concerned I have mixed feelings. I do not mind any regular season game (or a tournament pool game ) to end in a tie. Nor do I mind an overtime period to settle things. However I dispise ending a game on penalty kicks, as often happens in European soccer. For what it is worth I prefer the old NASL (they invented it!) style of a shoot-out over penaly kicks any day. At least with a shoot-out the goalie has a chance.

I hear what you are saying about relegation. It is ironic you mention it, because I was describing the process to my kids the other day and they were fascinated. They too thought it would add some excitement to the game if for instance the last place NL baseball team had to play in AAA Minors the next season and the first place AAA club got to be in the majors the next season.

However there are not enough MLS teams to have much of a league, and certainly not enough (if any?) "minor" league soccer teams to allow relegation to occur in this country.

 

[vip9]

re 100,000

My teams has 2 stadiums - they own a 20,000-seater, but often play important matches at the city-owned 100,000-seater. In the old days, the big one was sold out at least for 5-7 games out of about 20-25 home games, and at 50% capacity for another 10.

The national team also plays at the 100K. Actually, I think that after reconstruction and to bring it in compliance with new FIFA standards, it now seats mere 90,000.

I like hockey a lot. I also played it in the younger days a lot! Having sub-zero temperatures and at least 1 ' of snow from late November through mid-March helped!

Baseball is also a great game, but I doubt I will EVER go to a stadium again. Even for the World Series. At least, watching it on TV, you can surf the channels or go grab a snack in the kitchen during "fast-paced" action.

Anyway, the UEFA CL Draw has just been announced. Not bad. Could have been worse, but, could have been better...


Any more takers for this topic??? C'mon, I remember a few Brits hanging around on this site. They have 3 teams in CL. How 'bout it? Germans and Spanish have 4!

 

[greatscot]

I know you're going to wonder if I'm for real (real not REAL). I'm a native Glaswegian (Rangers forever) and of course grew up playing the game at several levels, school and Boys Brigade (protestant Boy Scout equivalent in U.K.) Really dating myself here, but I played amatuer for Rob Roy, then moved on to Raith Rovers (Stirling) then had a try at Arsenal as a Junior reserve (back then they were in the English First Division, the EPL wasn't in existence back then.) I played over here in the L.A area, then after the army at L.A. Pierce college, then at BYU. Have coached many kids teams when my kids were younger, but now I'm just an old X driver . . . and loving it! BTW you mention Real Madrid. When I was ten I was at the European Cup Final in Glasgow (Hampden Park, 1960) known in the fitba' world as THE game of all time. I now own that game on video. Sorry for going on and on, but you struck the boring nostalgia in me.

 

[msu79gt82]

Obviously not a lot of fans out there

It is a Catch-22. Hard to find loyal rabid fans without good media coverage; yet our commercial profit-driven media must have a target audience to play to

Can't develop loyal fans w/o media coverage - won't get media coverage w/o loyal fans.

 

[msu79gt82]

Sweet

"Brad Friedel became the first American picked for the English Premier League team of the year when he was voted the top goalkeeper by his fellow players. Friedel, the starter for the United States at last year's World Cup, finished first in voting by the Professional Footballers Association."

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/world/2003-04-28-friedel_x.htm

 

[laborlitigator]

Since getting the YES network, I've been watching many classic Manchester United matches. . . still, I can't really get into it

 

[greatscot]

greatscot's the name, fitba's ma game :2:
I watch Skysports avidly. But tonight I will NOT be watching last weekend's Rangers-Celtic game, hurts too much.
However, not to fear too much, Rangers still atop the Scottish PL.

BTW, how much "footie" dae ye want tae talk aboot?

As for the EPL, Man U. Arsenal, and Liverpool are the teams to watch. I have all the EPL team's songs on CD, and of course a great collection of the Famous Glasgow Rangers songs-C'way ra 'Gers.
Do you know that Celtic will play Man U. here in the States this summer? Got to go and cheer for Man U. Not that I usually cheer for an English team, but they are playing against Celtic, after all. Celtic are also going to play Porto in the upcoming Euro Cup final.

 

[msu79gt82]

Do you know that Celtic will play Man U. here in the States this summer? Got to go and cheer for Man U.

Where? When?
The US National is playing Mexico here in Houston May 8 (live ESPN2, btw).

 

[greatscot]

Where? When?
The US National is playing Mexico here in Houston May 8 (live ESPN2, btw).

Will watch that one. I will get you details on the Celtic Man. U. game. Sir Alex. is a fellow Glaswegian. Used to play for Rangers in his playing days.

 

[greatscot]

R A N G E R S, we are ra people!

 

[greatscot]

Where? When?
The US National is playing Mexico here in Houston May 8 (live ESPN2, btw).

Here it is, plan now,
Manchester United v Celtic
July 22, 2003
Seahawks Stadium at 8 pm Pacific Time

 

[Jon]

Not many people might now know.........but Koreans are huge soccer fans!!!

 

[greatscot]

Not many people might now know.........but Koreans are huge soccer fans!!! [/B][/QUOTE]
Interesting indeed. How many Koreans play outside their own country, say like the Serie A in Italy, the Bundesliga in Germany, or the EPL in England?

 

[alaturka]

Interesting indeed. How many Koreans play outside their own country, say like the Serie A in Italy, the Bundesliga in Germany, or the EPL in England?

I know of at least one who used to play for Inter, I think, and he got booted because he scored against Italy in the World Cup! This is true!

On a side note, here how we Galatasaray fans cheer the team:

CIM CIM CIM.. BOM BOM BOM ... CIM BOM CIM BOM BOOOOOM!

I love this game. Last summer was the best I had in a very very long time!!!

I will see you all in Germany next!:2:

 

[greatscot]

On a side note, here how we Galatasaray fans cheer the team:

CIM CIM CIM.. BOM BOM BOM ... CIM BOM CIM BOM BOOOOOM!

I love this game. Last summer was the best I had in a very very long time!!!

I will see you all in Germany next!:2:

Galatasaray, that is one tough team to beat at home. Not only do you have to win on the pitch, you have to escape town with your life. :17:

 

[Jon]

I know of at least one who used to play for Inter, I think, and he got booted because he scored against Italy in the World Cup! This is true!

Yeah his name was Ahn Jung Hwan, he got fired because he scored against Italy. HAHA. In reality though......Korea sux at soccer. And they make inferior cars.