Who will I support?
July 31 - 2007
I was recently informed by the Union of Bloggers and Other Fake Journalists that I had a choice: I could either move into my parents basement, or I could run a series involving a bracket-style competition decided by highly subjective and ultimately meaningless criteria. I could no longer, they said, remain a member of the union without satisfying one (or both) of these requirements. Dicks.
I’ve long been flirting with the idea of abandoning my 7 year romance with West Ham and could possibly be in the market for a new club. To find out, I’ve organized a battle royale 
featuring all 20 Premiership squads. The teams are seeded according to last year’s table with the bottom five and 3 newcomers randomly drawn into into the pigtails. As far as methodology goes, I have none. I simply hope to talk through the match-ups, weigh pros and cons, and solicit the opinions of the small handful of extremely knowledgeable readers here at the ‘Nista. The winning club will be mine, kit purchases and all.
West Ham will start on equal footing, and I’ll explore my reasons for possible defection when they face Derby later this week.
On a serious note: My son is now 17 months old, and is giving fairly clear signals that he will be every bit as footie-obsessed as his jackass father. As these things go, the team I select will likely be his team as well (or at least until he begins to sexually covet his mom and so feels the need to symbolically kill me my team). I don’t take the responsibility of choosing my son’s first club lightly.
So let’s get started…
If you want to re-create the sense of hopelessness and self-pity that you must have felt for the last 7 years, feel free to join me in Sunderland fandom.
Comment by omac — July 31, 2007 @ 9:06 pm
Nista, if you choose to support Sunderland, you’ll need to start another knock-out style tournament to find another brother. Beat it, omac!
Comment by hose B — July 31, 2007 @ 11:46 pm
Do it the way the rest of us did it as kids… you choose the one wearing the color you prefer the most.
Comment by drew.catt — August 1, 2007 @ 12:12 am
Simple choice, pick the team playing the most entertaining football…answer: Arsenal!
Comment by LG — August 1, 2007 @ 1:18 am
I just picked a team that played the more entertaining game in the 1st match I saw on TV. I had no idea how important the match was, how good the team was overall, or how good their opponents were. It’s worked out pretty well for me.
Comment by Ben — August 1, 2007 @ 11:42 am
hose B - Sunderland supporters not only don’t mind your derision, they thrive on it. Expect many odes to Roy Keane in this space all season long.
Comment by omac — August 1, 2007 @ 12:54 pm
Newcastle, my friend. It’s the only logical choice. Competitive, yet somewhat self-loathing and hopeless. Plus, you get to hear the greatest accent in the world on a weekly basis.
Comment by JP — August 1, 2007 @ 1:02 pm
I’m a Hammers fan and I’ve noticed that their first two opponents should be pushovers in your bracket. After all, who the hell really wants to root for ManU? My god.
Now the ‘Boro / Reading winner, that might be a bit tougher, as I like both teams and they’re both class organizations.
But — to be honest, you may want to try and change, but its in the blood and simply impossible to do so. If I had a chance to never meet a few of the lads on the Hammers dev team, I would’ve probably ended up rooting for Liverpool with a few of my other buddies or Aston Villa (No, I don’t have a thing for Claret and Blue)
Even with all of the stink and mess and crap with Tevez and Mascherano, Kia and some fishy contracts, Eggert and past management we will refuse to name, this is still my club for worse or worser (notice, there’s definitely no ‘better’ included) Aside from totally ignoring that rather hapless defense this offseason and being mired in Tevez while picking up thug Bellamy, what’s not to like?! Hell, Ashton even scored a goal — A GOAL! I still have hopes he won’t turn out all Michael Owen-y on us.
Comment by poofyhands — August 1, 2007 @ 1:12 pm
You could pick a team the same way 90% of Americans do…simply pick the team with the most yanks on it. Or you could avoid Fulham like the plague. Seriously, I need a team as well. Last year was my first year with FSC and other than pulling for woefully overmatched Watford, I haven’t formed a strong allegiance. I’m open to suggestions…
Comment by grant — August 1, 2007 @ 3:18 pm
all right - so I won’t make the case for an overall win for Sunderland, but against Wigan in the first round? Dude - until recently Wigan had a mascot named “Springy,” (sadly, not a Simpson’s reference) and their fans consider “You Are My Sunshine,” a fight song (although I guess this would be a step up from “bubbles.”)
Comment by omac — August 1, 2007 @ 3:37 pm
I also need a team. Like Grant, this will be my second year watching EPL full time. I found myself strangely drawn to Spurs last season. They play pretty attractive football and you don’t have to feel bad about rooting for them. Also, Berbatov is phenomenal. Nevertheless, I’m this close to declaring that I’ll also support whoever wins the bracket.
Comment by Max — August 1, 2007 @ 5:14 pm
Max and Grant, let’s not get carried away. Soccernista is a great website and carries some of the best soccer commentary around. BUT, But, but…don’t let a guy that just had a baby distort your view of the world, not to mention he doesn’t actually “wear” the pants in the family. Regardless, Max you mention Spurs…not bad, BUT why not Arsenal?? They play more attractive soccer than Spurs and they usually (almost always) kick the snot out of Martin Jol and his clan of jolly Dutch-ites.
Comment by LG — August 1, 2007 @ 6:58 pm
LG - Because Van Persie is a fruit and their manager is a Frenchie.
But seriously, they’re annoying to watch to me. They’ll keep 99.9% of the possession but put like one shot on goal the majority of the time.
Comment by Adam — August 2, 2007 @ 7:56 am
Adam…I tend to agree with you. But, with the likes of Fabregas, Rosicky, Adebayor, etc…I’m sticking with them. Plus, what team doesn’t have at least one “fruit” or complete douche-rocket on their team??
Comment by LG — August 2, 2007 @ 11:07 am
LG - good suggestion, and I’d be lying if I said I don’t like watching Arsenal. I do. I really do. There’s truly nothing I don’t like about them (although I really like watching Henry…). The only problem is that they’re too good. I feel (as a newcomer) like rooting for Arsenal would be a bit of front-running. Like coming to America and rooting for the Yankees. OK maybe not the Yankees, but the Red Sox? Either way, I’d feel a bit guilty. If you can talk me out of this feeling, I’m all ears.
Comment by Max — August 2, 2007 @ 5:54 pm
Fair enough Max, let’s see what I can do. Go back to the eighties/nineties and Arsenal was basically a great striker (Ian Wright) and a bunch of random, thug-esq, weirdo’s…David O’Leary, Tony Adams, David Seamen. Granted, they had their fair share of championships but I DOUBT anyone would argue that they played the attractive football we see today.
They haven’t won the league since 2004 and I don’t think anyone thinks they have a chance at winning the league this year…of course they have an outside chance but Chelsea, ManU, and Liverpool are clearly ahead in terms of favorites.
More importantly, you have a team comprised of a bunch of young guys that play wildly exciting football.
Here are some random facts that should sway you:
**Arsenal have twice clinched the league title at White Hart Lane (1971 and 2004) - that’s Tottenham’s home pitch.
**Between May 19, 2001 and November 30, 2002 Arsenal scored in 55 consecutive league matches — an English record.
**On December 14, 1935 Ted Drake scored all seven goals in Arsenal’s 7-1 win over Aston Villa at Villa Park — it remains a record. Ted Drake also holds the record for most goals in a season for Arsenal with 42.
Comment by LG — August 2, 2007 @ 6:30 pm
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Am I the only one who thinks he should stick with West Ham?
I’m no fan of Curbishley, but you’re only one poor patch of form away from a new manager!
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