Ameritoon Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I'm lucky enough to have three friends seriously interested in the sport, as well as a few others on their way. For a while it was just me and my friend, every season since we've been adding one person. Everyone I know goes nuts for the World Cup too, so that's cool. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Shaun Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I'm from South Norwood, the closest I've been to Newcastle was Blackpool. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brummie Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I accept fans from regions other than the club's own, mind. I still think they'd be better served if tYou dislike us because as a kid we were cheaters in your eyes (I think I know the game you are refering to, the 1982 European Supercup? I have always had a slight irrational distaste for Villa since losing it), I was at that game. Your goalkeeper kicked Gordon Cowans into the back of the net after he'd had the temerity to score a penalty. It didnt make me dislike Barcelona, though. Just your goalkeeper. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colocho Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Easy when you're an American, the whole mentality of their society is based of materialism and disposable lifestyles. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brummie Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 People honestly think Americans are plastic fans? Seriously? We're fucking nutcases when it comes to sports. I think it is a different definition of the word "plastic". The plasticity is not the lack of dedication to following sport - not at all. It is the looseness and changeability of allegiance to a team. Like the reprehensible, spineless turds who emerge from god knows where when Man U win the league, talking about their "beloved" United, when they've never been anywhere near Old Trafford. I could talk about this for hours, it winds me up so much, but I can probably explain it all via the use of a photograph, so here you go: http://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Tim-Lovejoy-001.jpg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 "What is a club in any case? Not the building or the Directors or the people who are paid to represent it. It's not the television contracts, get out clauses or the marketing departments or the Executive boxes. It's the noise , the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city" - Sir Bobby Robson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Consortium of one Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I just think that because the US has so many more people that a lot of those people have little interest in sports and are out on the fringe. Also have to factor in that even hard core sports fans have so many different teams in different sports to choose from where as Europe has football and...? I have friends that don't care about sports and I have friends that are like me: don't miss a game of their favorite teams and can stop on a dime to analyze a game or their team. I know of not a single Newcastle fan though od even one that watches football on a regular basis. Have some online friends who follow it very closely. One even edits BarcoLoco which is a newsletter for Barca fans in the states. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottledDog Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 "What is a club in any case? Not the building or the Directors or the people who are paid to represent it. It's not the television contracts, get out clauses or the marketing departments or the Executive boxes. It's the noise , the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city" - Sir Bobby Robson What a spot on quote. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superior Acuña Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I'm sure there are very dedicated fans in the US, but I think the whole culture of sports their seems more like entertainment than passion, and this breeds the plasticity. The franchise thing for a start, that's beyond our comprehension, that a team can just move to another city, and with it the fans change. Also just the mental commercialism of it. I went to a baseball game - hardly anyone was watching, people were going for pizaa, they kept stopping it for pizza adverts and there was a constant stream of people on the concourse - the lack of away support also made the atmosphere extra shit. It had it's own charm, but it was more like a fair than a battle between fans. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEMTEX Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 No different to cricket tbh Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bmoregeordie Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 There are plenty of footie fans in the States. Half of my friends support an EPL club. But it isn't woven into the fabric of society. That being said, it's changing. I watch 6-8 Premier League matches on a given weekend. And if I've recorded them, I can't watch the ticker on ESPN if I don't want to know the scores, because they're now including soccer in their regular updates. I played the game growing up. And in the mid-90s, we started getting a Premier League match here and there on TV, and a weekly round-up show. That's when I started following the EPL. My English friends are always confused as to why an American would choose Newcastle. And the reasons were twofold: 1) The passion of the fans, and 2) Shearer. That combination hypnotized me. I started watching games and following the sport online with regularity maybe a year after Shearer signed with Newcastle. Whenever I talked to a knowledgable fan (from England) back then, I'd ask about different clubs. They warned me off Newcastle with regularity if I wanted to root for a champion (it was always ManU, Liverpool, Arse, etc.), but there was a respect for the passion and commitment of Newcastle fans. That, in combination with Shearer, drew me in and I've been committed ever since. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I'm sure there are very dedicated fans in the US, but I think the whole culture of sports their seems more like entertainment than passion, and this breeds the plasticity. The franchise thing for a start, that's beyond our comprehension, that a team can just move to another city, and with it the fans change. Also just the mental commercialism of it. I went to a baseball game - hardly anyone was watching, people were going for pizaa, they kept stopping it for pizza adverts and there was a constant stream of people on the concourse - the lack of away support also made the atmosphere extra shit. It had it's own charm, but it was more like a fair than a battle between fans. I'm sorry man, but this is crazy. You're nuts if you think there isn't any passion. When you were at this game, did you stop to watch the fan as the ball was being pitched, or while the ball was in play? Are you sure you're not just talking about the long stretches of time where absolutely nothing is happening? As for away support, who was playing? I wouldn't expect 5000 Dodgers fans to make their way to NY for the Mets game. What month was it? Was it a game with playoff implications or was it one of those relaxed day games? Just because we don't sing doesn't mean we don't care. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 People honestly think Americans are plastic fans? Seriously? We're fucking nutcases when it comes to sports. I think it is a different definition of the word "plastic". The plasticity is not the lack of dedication to following sport - not at all. It is the looseness and changeability of allegiance to a team. Like the reprehensible, spineless turds who emerge from god knows where when Man U win the league, talking about their "beloved" United, when they've never been anywhere near Old Trafford. I could talk about this for hours, it winds me up so much, but I can probably explain it all via the use of a photograph, so here you go: http://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Tim-Lovejoy-001.jpg We call them bandwagon jumpers and their opinion never counts. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Swift Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Mike is right (first time for everything) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Swift Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I'm sure there are very dedicated fans in the US, but I think the whole culture of sports their seems more like entertainment than passion, and this breeds the plasticity. The franchise thing for a start, that's beyond our comprehension, that a team can just move to another city, and with it the fans change. Also just the mental commercialism of it. I went to a baseball game - hardly anyone was watching, people were going for pizaa, they kept stopping it for pizza adverts and there was a constant stream of people on the concourse - the lack of away support also made the atmosphere extra shit. It had it's own charm, but it was more like a fair than a battle between fans. I'm sorry man, but this is crazy. You're nuts if you think there isn't any passion. When you were at this game, did you stop to watch the fan as the ball was being pitched, or while the ball was in play? Are you sure you're not just talking about the long stretches of time where absolutely nothing is happening? As for away support, who was playing? I wouldn't expect 5000 Dodgers fans to make their way to NY for the Mets game. What month was it? Was it a game with playoff implications or was it one of those relaxed day games? Just because we don't sing doesn't mean we don't care. Yep. Go to an NFL game and the noise will be as loud as a derby in the Premiership. It's not as 'hostile' in terms of the potential of violence because there aren't that many away fans (tough to travel), but it's definitely loud and intimidating. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Damn! If I knew you were reading I would have told brummie we call them Apisiths. Brummie, we call them Apisiths. Get your Steelers and Packers jerseys yet mate? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Fans of Man U or Chelsea, or the NY Yankees or LA Lakers, who have never know anything but first or second place etc will never truely know what it's like to really support a team. You have to experience the lows to truely comprehend how high the highs are. I know that if/when Newcastle are Premier League Champions then I will celebrate the achievement across many more levels than Man U or Chelsea will the next time they win it all. Madness, man. You think I wasn't devastated in 2004? You think I just shrugged that off because we always do well? I support one great team, and several shit teams. I can tell you one thing. Getting nowhere near the promised land is a hell of a lot better than nearly getting there. A hell of a lot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foluwashola Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I'm sure Americans do care about their sports teams but , from the outside, there doesn't seem to be much passion displayed inside a stadium. Sure, it does get loud at NFL games on opposition 3rd downs etc, but that seems more down to the fact that there are always 60k+ at the game. I'm probably wrong but it always appears that touchdowns are welcomed by a little cheer and pleasant round of applause. I'm fully aware I'm making ignorant observations from afar Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Consortium of one Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I'm sure there are very dedicated fans in the US, but I think the whole culture of sports their seems more like entertainment than passion, and this breeds the plasticity. The franchise thing for a start, that's beyond our comprehension, that a team can just move to another city, and with it the fans change. Also just the mental commercialism of it. I went to a baseball game - hardly anyone was watching, people were going for pizaa, they kept stopping it for pizza adverts and there was a constant stream of people on the concourse - the lack of away support also made the atmosphere extra s***. It had it's own charm, but it was more like a fair than a battle between fans. I'm sorry man, but this is crazy. You're nuts if you think there isn't any passion. When you were at this game, did you stop to watch the fan as the ball was being pitched, or while the ball was in play? Are you sure you're not just talking about the long stretches of time where absolutely nothing is happening? As for away support, who was playing? I wouldn't expect 5000 Dodgers fans to make their way to NY for the Mets game. What month was it? Was it a game with playoff implications or was it one of those relaxed day games? Just because we don't sing doesn't mean we don't care. Yep. Go to an NFL game and the noise will be as loud as a derby in the Premiership. It's not as 'hostile' in terms of the potential of violence because there aren't that many away fans (tough to travel), but it's definitely loud and intimidating. Wear a Jets jersey to Foxboro or a Dolphins jersey to the Meadowlands or any visiting jersey to an Eagles game. You'll see hostile I do get the pooint about franchises moving, though Mike, I take it your're a Yankees fan? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Or wear a Bills jersey anywhere, apparently. Yep. There are a lot of shit Yankee fans, but for every one of them, there have to be around 10 that are absolute nutcases. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Consortium of one Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 The problem here in the states, and specifically NYC is that it costs so damn much to go to a game. Tickets get into the hundreds, parking can cost up top $50 and you can drop a hundred on food and drink easily. That cuts a lot of real fans out and the seats are scooped up by corporations who are there more for the experience. American football is a little more reasonable than baseball. I'll stand by the passion of the american sports fan as I know it but I will say that before I die I want to sing in St. James Park. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toon Hoser Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I am a lifelong fan of the Chicago White Sox -- no championships from 1917 until 2005. Believe me, all the frustration, the lows, and the lower lows all get erased when your club win it all. HANG IN THERE AND HOWAY! They're my team too. Except, I hasten to add, I can't name a single player. The Magpies-White Sox Alliance is born! http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/707/huggq.gif Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diggining Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 As a Sacramento Kings, San Francisco Giants, and NUFC fan, I have had to endure a combined 150 years of futility until the Giants won it all this past year. I really don't think that a ManU fan will derive as much joy from winning the League as I did when one of my teams finally won something, and in a fairly unexpected manner. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedro111 Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I just think that because the US has so many more people that a lot of those people have little interest in sports and are out on the fringe. Also have to factor in that even hard core sports fans have so many different teams in different sports to choose from where as Europe has football and...? I have friends that don't care about sports and I have friends that are like me: don't miss a game of their favorite teams and can stop on a dime to analyze a game or their team. I know of not a single Newcastle fan though od even one that watches football on a regular basis. Have some online friends who follow it very closely. One even edits BarcoLoco which is a newsletter for Barca fans in the states. Well, England has Rugby and Cricket as well as footy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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