Interesting Perspective

[Coach_McGuirk]

This is a colum from a Dallas-area sports weekly that ran this week about some differences in sports in England and the US. Pretty good read.

A little background: Bob Sturm is the author. He hosts an afternoon show on our local all sports talk station, KTCK 1310 AM, with Dan McDowell, and the show is "BaD Radio" (Bob and Dan, get it??).

Bob is a scouser, but he's also the only local sports guy in Dallas who even mentions soccer on his show (and hockey, which means I don't miss it), plus he actually added a category to their famous "Homer Call of the WeeK" (radio broadcasters who forget they aren't supposed to cheer in the pressbox) for soccer calls from England. (There are links on his site)

OK, enough background. Here's the link:

http://www.bobanddan.net/ViewPageDetails.cfm?GeneralPageID=408

[roarksown1]

Now that was a nice read.

[billyho96]

That is a good example of why many USA soccer fans prefer the EPL to MLS (if you don't have local team)

The first EPL match I remember seeing on television caught my attention because of the crowd. Americans love big events, which is why we watch the Masters, the Final Four, and Wimbleton (even if you hate those sports). They are just big events. The crowd in England, if you just listen, would lead you to believe that every match is the Cup final. It just felt like a big event, even though it was a mid October fixture.

As opposed to the USA where the Metrostars play in Giant Stadium with 50,000 extra empty seats.

The crowd at the England-Turkey Euro qualifier at the Stadium of Light was more energetic than any event in the US all of last calender year, except maybe the last 5 innings of game 7 of the Yankees/Red Sox.

[Bluto11]

i liked it. i can't wait to go to highbury!!!!

[phishy]

i chatted wif sturm about his closet gooner tendencies..... SUUUUUUURE he's a 'pool fan....
he was when they won 5 trophies.....
he should of gone to elland road to see his boys.. very dissapointing.. although, he had director box seats to both matches so.... its all relative...

[Martin Daoust]

I'd only say that Arsenal are more like the Dodgers in that we have won far more often than the Red Sox and more consistently, too....

[Lanesra]

I think he needs to get his facts straight, Highbury 130 years old ???, holds 30,000 ?

[Coach_McGuirk]

Originally posted by phishy
i chatted wif sturm about his closet gooner tendencies..... SUUUUUUURE he's a 'pool fan....
he was when they won 5 trophies.....
he should of gone to elland road to see his boys.. very dissapointing.. although, he had director box seats to both matches so.... its all relative...

Did you listen today? He said he wasn't sure if he was more excited he sat next to Spike Lee or Teddy Sheringham the next day. Got to love the rest of the guys just sitting around going "huh??" when he mentioned Teddy.

He is WAY screwed up on his facts regarding Highbury, but I think most of that is hyperbole to make a point, Lansera. Bob's a decent guy (although he doesn't visit Uncle Gary)

[Lanesra]

Originally posted by Coach_McGuirk
Did you listen today? He said he wasn't sure if he was more excited he sat next to Spike Lee or Teddy Sheringham the next day. Got to love the rest of the guys just sitting around going "huh??" when he mentioned Teddy.

He is WAY screwed up on his facts regarding Highbury, but I think most of that is hyperbole to make a point, Lansera. Bob's a decent guy (although he doesn't visit Uncle Gary)

I'm sure he is.

[Intermission]

Originally posted by billyho96
That is a good example of why many USA soccer fans prefer the EPL to MLS (if you don't have local team)

The first EPL match I remember seeing on television caught my attention because of the crowd. Americans love big events, which is why we watch the Masters, the Final Four, and Wimbleton (even if you hate those sports). They are just big events. The crowd in England, if you just listen, would lead you to believe that every match is the Cup final. It just felt like a big event, even though it was a mid October fixture.

As opposed to the USA where the Metrostars play in Giant Stadium with 50,000 extra empty seats.

The crowd at the England-Turkey Euro qualifier at the Stadium of Light was more energetic than any event in the US all of last calender year, except maybe the last 5 innings of game 7 of the Yankees/Red Sox.

In Australia we suffer from the same thing. Australian's, especially those at an Aussie Rules match, just sit on their hands and muffle their team name after a goal, and that it's it.

I find it hard how they can do that. As an ex-Pat, you're used to chanting and all that, but here ... there's none of it.

Lazy ********ers.

Intermission