Someone started a thread in the US Men Fans & Travel forum asking if anyone is watching the U.S. v. Mexico game anywhere in Philly: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=180839 Seeing it got me to lamenting, once again, that Philly doesn't seem to have a place where fans of the US Men's team gather to watch games together. D.C. has Summer's, NYC has Nathan Hale's, and Boston has several bars where US fans gather to watch games. I have to think that there are enough fans in Philly to make it worthwhile for a bar to accommodate us -- we would just need to get organized, and pick a bar to adopt. I've watched EPL games at the Dickens Inn, but they always seem a bit on the Euro-snob side, and they seem to have carved out a niche for themselves with English expats. I'm not sure whether they would want to become a bar for American soccer fans to watch the American national team. So I guess I have two questions: 1. Are people interested in getting together somewhere to watch U.S. games in a good atmosphere with other fans? and 2. If there is enough interest, which bar should we adopt? Unfortunately, I have commitments this Sunday and Wednesday which will prevent me from watching either game live. But I'd be glad to try to organize something in the future if there is enough interest. And if there is enough interest for the upcoming Mexico and Guatemala games, maybe someone else can organize a party for those games.
Yeah, even though I'm actually not gonna be there. Nonetheless, the restaurant has really good food, maybe on average $1 more per item than Dickens, and most importantly the staff is very US Soccer friendly and really wants us there. The location is also better than Dickens-- 1600 Arch Street, literally right on top of Suburban Station and across the street from Love Park in the Phoenix Apartments. I would very highly recommend going there and I wish I could join you all but I do have some prior commitments I have to deal with.
Sweet! I've never been to Tir Na Nog, but I know that they do show soccer there. And I'm really glad to hear that the staff is very US Soccer friendly and really wants us there. If that's the case, then I think we should adopt it as the official bar to gather it and watch US games. Unfortunately, I can't make it on Sunday or on Wednesday. But I hope at least a few people show up, and that we can make this a regular event...
So, it sounds like this Sunday may be a wash, but Tir Na Nog looks good for the future...Let's use this forum to organize some viewing parties for the upcoming qualies.
On 16th Street, in the Phoenix building directly across the street from Love Park...You would miss it if you didn't know it was there. They one neon light in the winodw.
I would go but I am working during the Guatemala game. I think the Dickens might be favorable to people going there. I go there a lot (used to be a lot more) and know all the bartenders pretty well. They've always hooked me up with discounts.
I'm very interested in getting people together to watch USA matches. I sent an email around to about 100 or so people who are interested in soccer at Temple University (on Facebook) and didn't get a SINGLE response about getting together and watching USA vs. MEXICO (granted, it was Easter Sunday, but come on....there's gotta be a few non-Christians at Temple somewhere). If anyone is getting people together, please let me know. Tir Na Nog in downtown Philly is a personal favorite of mine, but then again, I haven't been to all of them.
Most of them/us did get together. Some didn't because of work obligations. I go to Temple. There doesn't seem to be much soccer interest. I was going to talk to student affairs about maybe running a trip to go to the Meadowlands for a Metros game or when the US plays there this summer. I see kids all the time in soccer clothing but whenever I stop them to talk they have no clue and have it because it's "cool". I am a huge Chelsea fan, no bandwagoner, and saw a kid in one yesterday. He only had it because, "He's Russian." Enough said. I've seen people in MLS stuff and it's the same thing. It really pisses me off. Is soccer clothing now "cool"?
As far as MLS clothes being worn "because they're cool"...I don't get that very often. Whenever I stop someone who has an MLS shirt, they at least have a clue. Might not be a die-hard.... Saw a girl the other day with a Mike Petke shirt (Metrostars) who seemed to know her stuff...that was refreshing... It's the Euro soccer jerseys where you'll find people who don't have a clue. Some people will buy a jersey when they are overseas on vacation, or a friend/relative went to <insert foreign country here> and brought them back a souvenier. I don't think I've ever met someone who was a Chelsea fan BEFORE 3 years ago. This is a real treat for me...congrats.
Three years? Even that would be considered "old" these days! Seriously though, we have a group of Philly Blues that have been getting together for Chelsea games at the Dark Horse for around the last 5+ years or so. When started, there was around 5-8 of us. Now we don't get a whole lot more than that but every game has 3-4 "new" people show up. I've taken the stance of you can't turn them away. You have to just support their supporting Chelsea.
See I stopped going to Dark Horse because they very specifically do not care about American soccer. I used to call them regularly to ask if they were showing US National Team games (this was about fall 2002 to I would say spring 2003) and they just kept saying no. So I found Tir Na Nog, went there for a game, and it stuck.
That might have been the old owners. I can't remember when Paul, James, Matt, etc bought the place but it was around then I believe.
Yeah, I have a really hard time giving money to support Eurosnobs....hopefully this is no longer the case.
I hate that word. What is a "eurosnob"?? Honestly, I need a definition. I need to know if I am one. It's just used so often.
No, you're not a eurosnob, Eddie. I come closer to being one than you. As I understand it, its an American who only watches and supports European teams, not MLS or the USNats. Seeing as you actually attend MLS games, I don't think you fall into that definition. Me, wellllll, I've never been to an MLS game though I do catch them on the tv, and even own a Fire jersey, but frankly, Arsenal and the premiership get more of my attention.
Well Saturday's Metros game was my first. I've always watched and supported the USMNT but own both a USA jersey and an England one (Terry). The EPL still gets most of my attention but this year I am making a big time effort to follow MLS. I actually enjoyed my first game, loved it actually even though the stadium was empty.
I actually love that word, because it really sums it up pretty well. We should come up with an "official" definition of the word....there are so many different uses of the word, but I think the CORE of the definition is: A person who looks down their nose at American soccer because the quality of play isn't equal to that of the England, Italy, Spain etc. Ignoring the fact that American soccer is VERY young in it's development, and is growing in popularity and quality year by year. In the mind of a Eurosnob (I can only speculate)...apparently MLS is supposed to compete with those leagues in ten years time....imagine that. Considering the fact that you've got FAR less money, and an anti-soccer media bias, how could that happen anyway? This person can be an American OR a European.The WORSE of the two is the AMERICAN who is a Eurosnob. I can't STAND that... I LOVE to ask an American eurosnob why they don't support American soccer, and you get the same answer (Level of play....blah, blah)...my response is always "Well, how is MLS (or American soccer in general) going to improve if YOU (and other Eurosnobs like you) don't help....?" My problem with European Eurosnobs is that they should respect the fact that we're trying to grow the game in this country. If you truly love the game, wouldn't you like to see it become popular in the USA? I mean, I could very easily criticize the European game....sure the quality of play is amazing...but who wants to watch the SAME FREAKIN' TEAMS WIN EVERY FREAKIN' YEAR. Unless a team like Plymouth inherits a billionaire fan...and then they might compete. And then don't get me started on the glory hunter aspect of Euro soccer. THAT's about the best way I can put it... For me...I love the sport, and I want to see it succeed in this country. I try to support & promote it anyway I can. Which is why I did the Soccer Fanatics Radio Show for three years. When my radio show (the only radio show in the country that covered EVERY level of American soccer) went off the air when I moved to Philadelphia, I was trying to revive it, and a radio person who was interested in being the new home for the show wanted me to take the focus off of American soccer and give most of the attention to Euro soccer. My response was "why the hell would I do that? Since when does European soccer need help being promoted? And how does that help American soccer by promoting European soccer?" This could turn into a lengthy rant...but I'll just stop right here.
About the glory-hunting thing, I believe that's natural in every sport. I can name a ton of people who are Yankee fans/Cowboy fans/Bulls fans based on the same criteria. I wouldn't consider myself a "eurosnob" even though I do enjoy it more. Yeah, the level of play is higher, but as you said olujosh, I don't expect MLS to be up there....yet (see me when I hit retirement age). I do enjoy watching MLS and the national team, and when they struggle like they did against Mexico, it sucks.
No question....I'm not saying it's exclusive to Euro soccer...I'm just saying that it's just as bad over there as it is here. (How many Yankee fans have actually BEEN to New York?) Glory hunters bug me....but not as much as eurosnobs. Now a eurosnob glory hunter....there's an ass kicking!
My excuse for not following MLS was that I just never had a rooting interest...and...(this is going to sound weird)...but the timing of games, this is nothing that MLS can control but I am SO busy with school, work, girlfriend, etc, that the EPL's early Saturday morning kickoffs fit into my schedule perfectly. By 3 or 7 (when MLS kicks off) I am usually full force into something else by then and couldn't give it any attention. I am trying now, the MLSnet.com Sights and Sounds feature has been a huge help, but it's still not the same if you don't have a team of your own. Now that I am moving up to Hoboken, I adopted the MetroStars. It's a wonderful 10min ride from my girlfriends to Giants Stadium, we tailgated with the ESC then had a great time at the game. We're converted (I was surprised she liked it because she hates sports, then again she thought Jewsbury, Klein and Wolff were "hot". )