Please pardon my self-indulgence...

…but I have something to say.

When I was reintroduced to the best game on God’s Green Earth after too long a hiatus due to self-imposed ignorance and the time demands of military service, I became (ducking rotten vegetables) a Manchester United fan. Say what you will, but I grew to like their history. They have done a lot right and continue to do so, and events like last week’s anniversary show how much history and tradition they have.

So, I read a lot on United history, and tried to learn more about them than a standard front running fan. I bought a scarf with a big ol’ Nike logo on it, followed their players as best as I could -- and learned that Giggs and Scholes are pure class and if my son wants to be a soccer player, I will show him tapes of them and say, This is what you need to do to succeed. I followed them through their trials to win more silverware, cringed when I saw Ronaldo and his diving antics, and grew to very much respect SAF and how he has done it so well for so long. I greatly enjoyed it.

However, I am an American soccer fan, and I tried to follow the Americans overseas in addition to United. I even laughed when I heard the joke that they were going to take Craven Cottage and rename it Yankee Stadium. And I grew to admire Fulham and how they did business. Soon, I noticed that I spent a lot more time looking at Fulham articles online than I was looking at United. Hell, the W’s fans are certainly a lot friendlier than United’s. Sometimes it was like being in high school, I just wanted to say “Give it a rest already!!” I learned what a chav is through United message boards. Soon, I noticed that I spent a lot more time looking at Fulham articles online than I was looking at United.

This year I noticed a few other changes in my footy education -- like calling it footy! I already knew that Brian McBride takes a back seat to no one as far as toughness, to include football players 130 pounds heavier than him, but I really began to appreciate the opportunity that Americans had in the best and most accessible league in the world because of the Whites. And I noticed that I was paying a lot more attention to the W’s results (OK, losses and disappointing draws) that I was United’s latest 4-0 thrashing of Wigan or Newcastle. OK, I laughed like a hyena at their annihilation of Newcastle after Big Sam was shown the door. Newcastle is the Uncle Buck of the Premiership. But I digress.

Things came to a head on Super Bowl Sunday. When Jimmy the Bull knocked in that free kick after the Ws were looking to piss away another game, I was pumped all day I was a lot more pumped over the Fulham game than the United result that weekend. I think they tied Spurs. Whatever :| . I was so pumped, I stayed that way through the Super Bowl, and didn’t even care who won. Bullard's kick, not anything from United, not anything from the Super Bowl, was the last thing I looked at that night.

So, after looking at the matter a little more closely, and spending entirely too much time on sites like this one when I should be doing something constructive at work or school, I am now taking the plunge. I am officially trading in my fandom. I am foregoing another chase at silverware for a relegation battle. I still admire United and will always appreciate them for reintroducing me to the game of football. However, I am going to take my United scarf, fold it and put it in a box, and trade it for a black and white one with a little bit of red thrown in. The time has come to move on. Thank you United, but it is now time to say COME ON YOU WHITES!!!

I’m a Fulham fan now. Where’s my white crash helmet, it looks to be a wonderful, nerve-jangling, thrilling, bumpy ride.

 

Sounds like you and one of the founders, AmericanMike, may have a few things in common. A sense of Manifest Destiny being perhaps the most important.

Wilkommen!!

 

Have you decided to show your son videos of McBride and Bullard instead of Giggs and Scholes?

 

:lol:

I'll show him McB and Bully too. I can't cut Scholes out, especially -- I like everything about how he has done business.

 

Forget a thread, this post was worthy of a spot on the 'frontpage'. Glad to see you have chosen the road less traveled Steve, even if there a few potholes.

 

Thanks for the kind words all. PLEEEEEEEEEEASE let me have a team to watch in the top flight next year. COYW