Ed. Note - Interesting piece here. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with athletes from all different sports (baseball, hockey, football, F1,etc.). It is a real buzzkill when you meet one of these guys and they are prats…
I wrote this on a thread before, but I want to write it again as a post. ‘Cos I really want to find out how many people would share this feeling with me…
I have heard a story: A Chester City fan was invitied to join up with his beloved team on match day. He joined in the dressing room before, during, and after the match. He was eager, looking forward to meet up with his “HEROS”…
Yet in the end he’s virtually being treated as an “INVISIBLE MAN” throughout. At one stage, when he was sitting at the bench alongside the subs, failed to get anyone bother to throw him a single chat line, he started to ENVY HIS PALS WHO’S WATCHING ON THE STAND…
In the end, he couldn’t wait to get out of there and declined the invitaton to join up the team after the match in the dressing room.
I truely can understand this feeling. Though i never had any similiar experience, I would NOT want to meet up with any Arsenal player, not even my favourite player Robert Pires.
Now i have always been told Robert is a nice guy, but I don’t want to FIND OUT…
I don’t want to get to know Arsenal from CLOSE RANGE. To me, Arsenal FC is like a FANTASY. Something that could inspire me, and allowing me to dream. But I would very much like to keep it the way it is - WATCHING THEM FROM A FAR DISTANCE. For afraid my DREAM may get broken…
That’s why i don’t like to link Football with REALITY. ‘Cos it is NOT, at least to me personally.
I wonder, how would that Chester City fan feel after his CLOSE CONTACT with his “heros”?… The next time he stands on the terrarce, will he still be able to cheer on them full-hearted like he once was?…
19 Responses to “When FANTASY meets REALITY…”
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January 23rd, 2006 at 8:15 am
Andez you have more excuses than Wenger. I will say when Reality meets fantasy. I?m trying to understand what you on here but for a minute get the emotional out of football and let talk like men debating the beautiful game. That is what football is all about - Men showing passion, pride and grit not excuses.
And before anyone comes here with that stupid and silly excuses like under GG we were not a great team think again. I asked you which players were playing for the Arsenal them days? They gave their all with lots of grit skills, passion and knew what is meant playing for Arsenal but here are so-called internationals players showing f all. And is you think Wenger had done enough for Arsenal so he can destroy you real needs help. That is where reality sets in.
If you are paying over ?70 to watch a team or paying huge sum of money on anything you want some return back and that is reality not fantasy. I was at Selhurst Park on Friday night to watch Palace against Reading paying only ?15 and tell me how many people will pay ?15 to watch two good teams full of commitment and passion or ?70 to watch dry paint that Arsenal is full of at the moment. Palace fans know they will not will the PL Reality.
I don’t care want Chester city fans thinks but what Arsenal FC players do or “you can called them Heroes” who are living in a comfort zone showing no respect for the kit they are wearing. I can say Chester fans are very happy with their team showing commitment but here is a club with so-called international stars who went undefeated in 18 months playing like they don?t care. Showing no form of desire or lack of urgency.
Clubs like Fulham, Charlton and West Ham will be living in the world of fantasy if they think they can win the premiership and on the other hand clubs like Arsenal, United, Chelsea and Liverpool are expected to win things and that is Reality.
January 23rd, 2006 at 8:30 am
Whether you play for Chester City or Arsenal football is still a job for these players. It is how they earn a living. A football career is limited to 15 years so it is in the interest if the players to be selfish and earn as much as they can and win as much as they can. Any human would do that.
For us fans football is a means of entertainment that takes us away from the norm of everyday life. It gives us that time away for us to enjoy a game and debate about other things less important in life.
We criticise these players and managers - but just for a second imagine how AW’s daughter feels when she reads how her father is being criticized? Imagine what Cygan’s family feels when they read the stuff written about him - after all they are only human! When we fans criticize each other we get all worked up about being judgemental - well take a look in the mirror I guess.
Arsenal has given us so much to cheer about and will so more in future I am sure. Lets enjoy being fans of this great club and help do our part and get them as high up the table as we can.
January 23rd, 2006 at 8:43 am
Well I get criticised each day from family and friends for things not working according to time or plan. Sometimes it have nothing to with my company but so far as the paying public are concerned you responsible for anything to do with your company even the cause of the incident was a huge fire. They don’t see the fire but the service. I can tell you what job but that is life.
My own mother called me on Tuesday past to say how useless our company is. I do understand her, she is paying for a service and wants better services not excuses.
Wenger is not above the law of criticise. He is in the world job then. Asked the PM or Sven and they will tell you it comes with the job.
January 23rd, 2006 at 9:34 am
Like in any work place… like in any part of the world… there are good people and bad, gracious people and jack-asses, classy people and jerks.
I haven’t met a whole lot of pro athletes, but have had the chance to mingle with some pro hockey players from the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens. Very good experiences. For the most part, genuine and friendly people.
I met my “HERO” after he had retired… Bobby Orr.
A hockey legend that many still believe was the best player ever, at least the best of his era.
He was extremely gracious… took time to chat with me for a few minutes and was pure class.
I would imagine Thierry Henry and Robert Pires to be pretty good guys. I’d expect Lee Bowyer to be an a-hole. But who knows.
They are just people. There are good and bad. Can be having a good day or bad day, just like me and you.
Life is like a box of chocolates (F.Gump)
January 23rd, 2006 at 10:53 am
For me, they are (in no particular order):
Paul Gascoigne
Robbie Fowler
Steve McManaman
Ray Parlour
Tony Adams
And I would have said Alan Shearer, but he seems like the type who might not be so much of a funny guy like the above, so it might ruin my opinion of him. I’ll steer clear of Alan.
January 23rd, 2006 at 10:53 am
For me, they are (in no particular order):
Paul Gascoigne
Robbie Fowler
Steve McManaman
Ray Parlour
Tony Adams
And I would have said Alan Shearer, but he seems like the type who might not be so much of a funny guy like the above, so it might ruin my opinion of him. I’ll steer clear of Alan.
January 23rd, 2006 at 11:18 am
Well it should come as little surprise…
Patrick Vieira
Thierry Henry
Ian Wright
Andy Cole
Arsene Wenger
January 23rd, 2006 at 11:51 am
I like to meet my heroes for these reasons alone, when you do you see they are made of the same flesh as you. They have flatulence, belch, have body odor, some times say stupid things, or ask dumb questions.
It is a good exercise because it shows you that you have the potential to be equally as human. If this person can do it, so can you.
As a young man, I met most of my heroes in the art world except Marcel Duchamp who died the year I had hoped to met him. When I met them, it conveyed to me that I had the same potential as them as I was equally as human.
It not only helped me in my career but allowed me to be myself as I met people who where heroes to others. I was no longer a deer caught in the headlights of stardom but just another individual who received success for what they do well.
It?s a good thing to meet your heroes if only for that.
That said, I always loved the song ?No More Heroes? by the Stranglers.
January 23rd, 2006 at 11:59 am
I would like to meet:
Elisha Cuthbert
Kirsten Dunst
Natalie Portman
Carla Gugino
oh yeah, and Thierry Henry.
January 23rd, 2006 at 12:15 pm
Of course it’s ridiculous to imagine that your heroes are any different to you whatsoever.
You have to understand that they do a job just like you. As with any job in the world, it is only a select few that earn the millions. The same can be said of any profession, entertainment or otherwise - the creme da la creme make all the cash.
I usually imagine that the majority of footballers are probably a little less intellectual than your average person, they usually drop out of school early and have rarely had much of an education or even a desire to learn, football is all-consuming for them.
When I walked past Patrick Vieira in the street about a year ago, I didn’t have the slightest inclination to want to talk to him. I just thought it was a nice moment to tell my friends about. Same as when I found myself walking past Nicholas Anelka in my local supermarket, except he was speaking to someone on his mobile through an earpiece. They were completely new at the time and I was on the wrong side of him, so I thought he was completely bonkers and talking to himself.
January 23rd, 2006 at 12:48 pm
You mean Anelka doesn’t talk to himself? Jeez, I thought we had something in common.
January 23rd, 2006 at 1:19 pm
I’ve probably met more musicians and actors that I’ve admired than athletes, and its been a mixed bag of experiences. When your “hero” starts to hit on your date, its a bizarre reality check!
The Chester City fan got a raw deal, as there should have been an effort to make him feel one of the squad. Not really the players’ fault, but the employee who dreamed up the promotion.
I’ve met almost all of the MetroStars through their ten seasons, and most have been very nice and generous (even Lothar Matthaeus), though I’ve seen a few (esp. younger players) act like jerks to others. It is very very hard to cheer for someone after you’ve seen them make fun of a pre-teen behind the kid’s back, that’s for sure.
Sometimes, though, meeting your “hero” can be a wonderful experience. The distance Andez desires does indeed preserve the fantasy, and there’s no chance of “buzzkill.” Still, it can be fun to shake hands and say hello. If they are jerks, you can be happy when they’re on the transfer wire.
January 23rd, 2006 at 2:45 pm
Man Love G, what has it to do with EXCUSE again?
It’s just an article from a fan’s experience i read, and I found myself quite can understand his feeling. Afterall, when i was a kid, i adored those players like Adams, Rocky. And in my mind they were PERFECT.
Of course i understand players are just like normal human being. But my point is, say, if i go on and meet a new friend tomorrow, i don’t have any EXPECTAION on them. If they are nice, great! If they are not, i won’t be too downhearted neither. But of the players who we viewed as HEROS, particular when we were growing up, you naturally would expect a little bit more.
I am not saying if i get a chance to get to know them, they would turn out to be a jerk. I just AFRAID to find it out, ‘cos if they are mean and rude, it would spoil their image in my mind forever.
It’s supposed to be a light article talking about something light and different. I can’t believe you applied the word EXCUSE on me AGAIN? EXCUSE? ON WHAT? Please, to me it sound if u don’t agree with other ppl’s opinion, whatever they say it become an EXCUSE. I don’t think I ever used this word on any ppl’s opinion here, even i don’t agree with them.
u don’t have to agree with everything other said, but at least try to RESPECT them.
January 23rd, 2006 at 3:08 pm
Poom signs a permanent deal with the Arsenal according to Arsenal.com
This guy hasn’t even seen the light of day?!
Based on what would we sign him permanently?
If he ever wants to play top flight footy, how can it be here with Almunia entrenched in the No.2 spot and Lehmann having an excellent year?
—————-
Also, our roster for tomorrow’s match has been released and its a STRONG roster of players, so it appears Arsene will be trying to WIN the match. RVP and Bergy are available.
We could use the victory. I hope we field our best possible squad… and win the match, and move on to the finals. Let’s not f around.
January 23rd, 2006 at 6:08 pm
Question is, do they give a sh*t. Didn’t against Everton.
It’s becoming clear to me that the senior players are now playing for 4th place and they think they can get it by just winning their home games. ie. certain matches they couldn’t give a stuff about.
Tomorrow they won’t give a stuff either. Anything could happen.
January 24th, 2006 at 12:32 am
Poom is a typical Wenger signing. A third-choice GK who doesn’t mind playing for the reserves and the odd game in the first team. If Lehmann signs an extension, it will ensure that we don’t have to sign a GK till 2007. On present form, we don’t need to. But Lehmann can easily go mad after the WC and Almunia is #2 at best.
If we don’t get to the Carling Cup final with such a strong side, I don’t know what hopes we can have for the season.
January 24th, 2006 at 3:54 am
Over the years I have been privileged to meet a fair amount of Arsenal?s players and staff and to be honest I have mixed feels about the people I call my heroes.
I have found Arsene Wenger, David Dean and especially Ken Friar to be very polite and pleasant company to be in.
On the disappointment side I would say Tony Adams did not come over as the colossus he is on the pitch, but then again when you expect to see a god and find a man it?s always going to be a let down.
Talking of let downs the biggest has to be Ian Wright, the same Ian Wright that says he loves the fans and love little kids. In the old days is was possible to visit the Arsenal training ground on a Saturday morning, if we were playing on a Sunday to watch the players train and as long you didn?t bother them too much you could wait in the parking area and get their autographs and have your pictures taken after they had finished. As a treat I took my two young children to meet their heroes, one by one the players made their way to their cars and nearly all were accommodating, Bergkamp, Vieira, Platt, Bould Petit but when the kids big hero come out he literally pushed them out of the way and it wasn?t until one shouted out to him in jest that if the cameras were there he would stop and talk to the fans. At that moment he reluctantly stopped to pose for pictures and sign a few autographs. Now you may say he was having a bad day but when he finished with the fans he went over to the other players and started laughing and joking with them. He well and truly fell from my estimation that day and made me realize that when the players talk about loving us as fans they are talking about us as a whole and not as individuals. But we must put ourselves in their shoes for a moment and ask how we would like it if a total stranger came up to us and said he really liked us and wanted to ask us loads of questions and be our friend, I know what I would do, run a mile.
Since then I have met most of the current first team and found them pleasant men but like Andez I will now keep my heroes at a distance.
As a footnote to this I have found players to be more obliging once they have hung up their boots and are not playing anymore. I have met Martin Keown and Steve Bould through work and they were really nice guys, willing to sit and talk football for as long as I wanted and before anyone asks it was not a corporate event I met them at, they just came to my work to by something for their house with their wives.
January 24th, 2006 at 8:42 am
Danny I have this feeling that the Old guard just wants to go into the sunset and move on or something - especially with Pires and the Valencia situation. Bergkamp is retiring so is just playing at jogging pace. Ljungberg seems to be injured and a step slower now and suffering from confidence or scoring. Sol is not colossus anymore. Gilberto is playing very untypical Brazilian that he was anyways. Probably the only veteren to play well is either Lehman or Lauren this season - what do you say?
January 24th, 2006 at 11:09 am
Teabag, i also read another story some other day: when Tony Adams was Wycombe manager, some fans complained that when they waited outside the training ground for Tony’s autograph (now u can understand, he’s probably the biggest “name” ever assoicated with a club like Wycombe), Tony just drove past and ignoring their quest.
That’s what i been trying to say. In my mind (at least my childhood mind), Tony is PERFECT. A role model for me when i was growing up. I really don’t want to risk any slighest chance to have the bubble broken.
i do believe there are some geniune nice guys among the ppl: Keown, Bould, Titi, Pires, Bergkamp, Kolo the likes, they don’t seem to be the one with an attitude.