In response to Rick’s previous post, I agree with everything you said.
But let’s also not forget - football is all about PASSION. If I want entertainment, I would go to cinema instead. Yet in football, why does the home team need to leave a section available for the away fans? Because fans love to give each other stick, that’s part of what makes football fun.
Football is not about to siting back and relaxing, it’s not about “enjoyment”. Ask any fan from the lower divisions, say Exeter, Huddersfield, Darlington etc. Do you think their fans go to the match expecting “entertainment”? They are there because they love their teams, regardless if the football on the pitch is Samba Brazilian style or long ball out of bound for half of the match’s playing minutes.
It may sound like a “sore-loser” act when we’re giving sticks to our rivals in the league, but you can bet your house that the Man U, Chelsea, Spurs, and Liverpool fans are doing exactly the same to us. That’s what makes us SUPPORTERS.
I always found watching the Premiership more exciting than the World Cup. ‘Cos I don’t support any team in the World Cup, I end up watching the games as a neutral. Frankly, when you don’t support any team, the games become rather boring.
The Premiership, on the other hand, I not only watch Arsenal matches, I watched plenty of Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool & Spurs matches as well, supporting whichever team is playing against them on the day!
There have been many heated debates on this site. Yet despite all the different opinions from different individuals, you can sense and feel the PASSION of the fans here. Some criticise our team, some defend them, and most of us just love to jump on the opportunity to give our main rivals stick. That’s because we CARE about our team, and the game. If everyone would just go on and say well done to our opposition whenever we get beaten, wouldn’t football become a bit boring?! What else would have left to talk about??
Chelsea no doubt deserve their good season so far, I don’t think anyone deep inside would have any doubt about that. What they have done off the pitch has been disgraceful in my opinion. Should we bother calling them on it? Yes we have to. ‘Cos if nobody is going to say anything or do anything, they would keep doing the same thing. It was Cole the last time, it could be Henry or Paddy or Cesc the next, who knows?
Finally, perhaps some of us, me included, are not considered “CLASSY” fans. Personally I don’t want to be a classy fan. In the ninety minutes of football, it’s the one opportunity for me to get away from harsh rough reality and jump into fantasy land, watching my beloved team fight hard on the pitch. I want to watch the game feeling like I’m living or dying with the team, urging our players forward, and giving the opposition stick which they may or may not deserve. That’s the game is all about to me; you spend the one and a half hours forgetting who you are, putting aside all the troubles you have to encounter in your daily life,and instead hug and jump around with the fellow besides you whom you have probably never met before.
As I said, football is like a fantasy land, and over there in fantasy land, you can’t be rational. ‘Cos when you do, things are not as fun.
11 Responses to “Football Fever - you are entitled to get a bit carried away with football”
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April 15th, 2005 at 1:48 pm
Andez, I agree with you and think we should challenge our rivals on all fronts - on the pitch, in the papers, discussion boards, etc. But, passionate support doesn’t mean you can’t acknowledge another accomplishments.
When Arsenal went undefeated in league I didn’t expect Man U fans to like it, or to start supporting Arsenal, but I did expect them to acknowledge the accomplishment. That’s all I was doing.
April 15th, 2005 at 2:01 pm
Andez:
I am happy to see some like me. I agree of what you think.
I enjoy the passion in soccer more than the game itself.
for example, I enjoy watching NCAA (FB) more than NFL, cuase there is more passion as I belong to this school or some time I was a student there.
Same for soccer, I enjoy Arsenal cause I see my passion there since 1995 !
April 15th, 2005 at 2:07 pm
Faresk, I’m a big Duke basketball fan as well. Can still remember Christian Laettner’s last pair of free throw which sank the “unbeatable” UNLV in the 1991 Final Four. And Laettner’s last second jumper which beat Kentucky Wildcats in the NCAA quarter finals a year later… It was just an AMAZING FEELING i can’t even put it into words. Same when Michael Thomas scored the later winner at Anfield to win the league title for Arsenal back in 1989. Those moment really inspired me a great deal in my life - that never give up, and keep your faith. Who says football [or basketball] is just a game?!
April 15th, 2005 at 3:40 pm
Well my idea of being a “classy” fan is keeping my pinky out when I punch a Manc in the throat, so I feel your pain, Andez. Just kidding, of course. Pinkies in.
Seriously though, I like the whole spectrum of experience that comes with being a complete, raving looney for my club. I consider myself fairly unflappable, but I almost have to laugh when I feel my blood rush after I hear even the tiniest criticism of The AFC from outside sources. Its practically surreal how I can in one moment salute the game and all its majesty, and in another wish a slow and painful death on Fergie or Mourinho and other men that I have never met. My point is, it gets in you and its almost out of body what happens after that. Short of flare throwing and bandanna bang-ups, I get what everyone’s on about. I’m not sure I can speak for the majority of people in my condo complex, though. Have you ever heard the sound of 23 doors locking at once? See ya at 7 am, folks.
And let’s be honest…it’s more than just a game isn’t it? No need to explain, Andez. Right there with you.
April 15th, 2005 at 6:15 pm
U know Scotty, as much as I hate the likes of Ferguson, Mourinho [to a lesser degree] to dead, I wouldn’t want them NOT to be around.
I mean, without the “mind game” from Ferguson before every Arsenal/United crash, it just doesn’t feel the same. In a certain degree, I like to hear the trash talk from Ferguson, ‘cos it makes me feel even better after we beat them!! One of the best moment supporting Arsenal was when Ferguson insisting they were a “better” team during our double winning season 3 years ago, Wenger replied “every man would think they have the prettiest wife at home” [how brilliant!!], before the Gunners travelled to Old Trafford beating them at their back yard and claimed the title. And BECAUSE Ferguson and Gary Neville the likes did say all the rubbish prior to the match, that made our victory even sweeter!
April 15th, 2005 at 6:38 pm
I’d forgotten about that Wenger quote. Absolutely brilliant!
And you speak the yang of my ying. Its all good in the big picture. Its so sweet to stuff the blowhard. Very, very good point. Mourinho’s sub gaff that saw their loss to NUFC…priceless. Neville standing in for what must have been the purplest nose in the world. All adds that icing that makes it sweeter. And lets HOPE and PRAY to whatever god suits you these days (mine is the god of beer and ibuprofen) that Pool steal the semi.
Still, I must out of blood obligation, hate my foes. I would expect as much from them. And if I don’t, it just doesn’t feel as good to stuff them. Besides, I’m from Jersey, and hating’s our business. Must be the toxic waste.
April 15th, 2005 at 6:46 pm
I life and die with the team. When they are doing well I?m feeling good. When they loose or are in poor form, I feel horrible. I wear a red-white jersey during the games or my gunner scarf while watching TV. I have an insatiable appetite to read anything and everything on the team. I pay to watch pay-per-view games. I buy the DVD?s the club sells. I read the books I can find. I write about my feelings for the club on my own blog < http://gerardpas.blogspot.com/ > I will put everything to the side to watch a game. I wake up at ungodly hours on a Saturday to watch early broadcasts of the games. I have a saying ?I root for Arsenal or any team playing ManUre or Chelsea?. I vote for the players on all the possible voting sites like UEFA?s website. Damn, I?d leave my wife and marry Henry if I was gay but I?m not.
I am an educated individual and move in some rather lofty circles. My work takes me around the world. When I?m away, I long for news on the club; even going to internet cafes to read what I can.
Do you think I should ask my psychologist if all is okay? I already know that if she answers me wrong, I?ll keep up my pinky as I punch her in the throat (nice image ScottyUS ? got a laugh out of me) does that make me a yobo ? soccer hooligan? Is that classy or what? I?m a gunner and nothing is classier.
Damn I even contribute to this site.
April 15th, 2005 at 7:22 pm
Andez you say :
“Finally, perhaps some of us, me included, are not considered “CLASSY” fans. Personally I don’t want to be a classy fan. In the ninety minutes of football, it’s the one opportunity for me to get away from harsh rough reality and jump into fantasy land, watching my beloved team fight hard on the pitch. I want to watch the game feeling like I’m living or dying with the team, urging our players forward, and giving the opposition stick which they may or may not deserve. That’s the game is all about to me; you spend the one and a half hours forgetting who you are, putting aside all the troubles you have to encounter in your daily life,and instead hug and jump around with the fellow besides you whom you have probably never met before.”
This is what I would like to sense and share here, because I think I am with my fellow arsenal’s fans.
Rick ? Class ?
I don’t like to talk too much about my vials as I don’t want to disrespect anybody.
They might be great or bad but I want them to loose anytime anywhere they play.
I am jealous of them and I want to think about them,
I don’t want them to hget any recognition.
I don’t want to give anything to them.
All my respect goes to the players who suffer for the team I love.
Sometimes I can smell the ground when a player falls.
I suffered during the OT shamefull game for Reyes and Cole with the violence on the pitch,
I know what it is when the game becomes violence. I faced same situations on the pitch in the past, and very often when I was a kid.
I was almost crying like a kid witnessing Mike Riley disgracefull refreeing.
Rick, Interesting you talk about “classy fans” when you hail our enemies.
I’ve never heard this word “CLASS” when you talk about Arsenal and their players, managers, or style.
When I heard most from the “classy fans” is the message of disgrace in pain, the crying about the bad “things” we have to change to “win” the CL, like you win the FIFA’s computer game.
It’s alright for the business, a shame for the game. This kind of “football experts and fans”, are just simple consumers, clients before being anything else.
Andez, passion ?
After a difficult season, with an unprecedented and well documented situation of injury to key players, Wenger, Paddy, Henry, Cole, Cygan, everyone at Arsenal could need the respect from their fans, all their fans, even the so called “classy” ones.
The responsabilty to back the team is bigger than the one who command ask to respect and hail our ivals in our own home (web site here).
We are fans or just spectator ?
Chelski is nothing, I’ve no respect for respect for them, no matter what they do, I don’t give a **AYE CARUMBA**(censored). It’s their business, not mine.
We could and should beat these bastard russians at Highbury with just 2 kids (Flamini and Cesc showing what they are capable even at their age). It commands respect. We’ll beat these batstard on their ground as usual.
I am always happy when I read hate oriented comments from Cheslki or spurs fans. I feel good because this means they reckon and respect a true rival.
A true rival in real football is the one you fear.
Any champion or sunday sportman or wowen engaged in a fight will tell you this: The best way to get up for the first is to hate your opponent especially when you are scared of him.
The more is good, the more you fear him, and the more you have to hate him if you to win.
It’s just human thing.
“Classy” are above of the team they support. It’s just a product for them.
The players ? Just heard the way the “classy” fans talk about them.
Even some slave drivers might have shown more respect for the work done for them.
Cygan deserves more respect and praise than the whole Chelski team even if they win every thing GOd or the man created, including CL, world cup, the third world war, whatever….
I hate them.
April 15th, 2005 at 7:41 pm
Personally, I take the word “hate” as the true respect fans show to other teams. As Paul stated, you HATE them because you FEAR them. And you know that they are a strong team which is capable of beating your own team. A lot of ppl hate Man U, a lot of ppl hate Chelsea, and a lot of ppl probably hate us Arsenal as well. But you don’t hear often people hating [apart from their local derby rivals] the likes of Crystal Palace, Norwich, Southampton…
I read many paying “respect” to Liverpool, but I believe we could hold a rather neutral groud towards Liverpool is because, deep inside, we know no matter how Liverpool is going to do in the CL this season [even winning it], we will still stand a bigger chance winning the title next season than them.
On the other hand, even Man Utd went out of the CL just like we did prematurely, we know, deep inside, they are still one of our primary opponent in the Premiership title race next season.
So the question is - what is the TRUE respect? An opposition you LIKE? or an opposition you HATE?…
April 15th, 2005 at 8:38 pm
It’s obvious there is clear evidence of a permanent confrontation and an almost impossible understanding between the two categories of fans on this site : the “classy” fans and the stupid old guys like myself who brainlessly always back their team for the better and the worse.
I cannot explain, but I don’t think it’s realted to any historical or geographical reasons.
My guess is that this difference in view is the direct consequence of the difference of perception of the reality.
The lack of consideration of natural or human factors in some comments or analysis has something to do with the developpemnt of virtual football game on computer.
The arsenal fans who are commited virtual footballer must find hard to be happy when the official computers don’t allow full capacity for certain functions aimed at winning the CL as Arsenal didn’t win it yet.
The only thing that matters now for these virtual fans’ happiness as testified by their constant painfull and humiliating moaning, is a “win in Europe”.
They are ready to demolish everything to get a CL : from sacking Wenger to selling key players in the “hope of making more money and buying the success” as they think it’s the way it always happens. They bought they virtual game to get their managerial skills right for the CL. Wenger has become but a decent tactician or coach. Baysley becomes better than Tierry Henry.
My impression is that they have lost the feeling of the real football where there’s pain, blood, death.
They can be nice to other teams and players as you can buy the players or become the manager in the virtual world for just the price of the software.
Buy Zidane to win the CL final is a saner managerial choice than giving Henry a chance in the virtual world as Titi has still to win his first CL. You cannot be Wenger and win the CL with a “deserved respect and credit” in the virtual world as he still has to win his first CL.
It’s a very nice game, but you miss the sense of reality if you forget the need to get your head down before you show what you think you’ve got right about a real football team or game.
The real world is different and is far from perfect.
Passion will help us more than any plastic classy one man show.
What if the “classy” respect more the ordinary arsenal fan desperated to read nice things on his “GREAT TEAM”.
That will be great. But I am just dreaming.
I know Rick’s post as usual was meant to prepare our mind for a more “focused” analysis of “WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID OR CHANGED”.
All Wenger fans will have to go an another planet if they don’t want to see “shocking” headlines on “NewsNow” before our first CL win.
I will be “classy” to show him some more respect from his fellow “classy” managers or football experts.
The team needs all his fans.
Let Cheslki or our rivals alone.
They don’t need our respect, but our team does.
April 15th, 2005 at 8:47 pm
You are not classy fans but I am like you.
Classy fans are cold blooded experts who know better than the managers and the players.
They aare stars, while ordinary fans like myself love the star players and the whole team because they play for us and make them happy as explained by Andez and you.