Real Life FIFA 17/18 Thread

[MarkJFine]

I know of at least a couple of other people here that are thrilled the new football season has started, so it gave me the idea to begin a fanboy thread. BTW, that's real football, not throwball. Only rule is: subtle banter is ok, mean banter is not.

Thought it would be fun to start a discussion by asking a few questions:
1. Favorite side: The Arsenal (see the shirt in my avi?)
2. Favorite manager: Arsene Wenger
3. Favorite player: Santi Cazorla (we're both 5'6)

4. Second favorite side: Aston Villa

...

Feel free to add to the list.

[maratsade]

Arsenal and Arsene for me too.  Hm, I don't know about the other two questions....would have to think on them a bit.

[MarkJFine]

Gooners! In case you didn't know, the web site I administer (and sometimes write for) is Daily Cannon, which is why I slip in and out of real English every once in a while.

I tend to be a team-person to the point that I think fantasy games put too much emphasis on individuals. That's a bad thing in football, because 11 players have to communicate and be perfectly in synch as one for any system to work.

I single out Santi only because he's better than he thinks he is, extremely talented, always motoring, doesn't spout off and is always happy: The perfect team player. I also sympathise because he's height-challenged. lol

[maratsade]

"That's a bad thing in football, because 11 players have to communicate and be perfectly in synch as one for any system to work."

Word.

[maratsade]

Imo, the cult of personality has no place in football (maybe even in sports in general). It's a team, guys! Work as one.  I do agree though that if one team member goes above and beyond or is significantly talented, s/he ought to be recognized.

[MarkJFine]

The press has a big part in this because they love to single out players and drive readers into apopalyptic fits of rage in order to drive up readership.

[maratsade]

Yes, though granted, it isn't difficult to do -- at least in the UK, where people go completely insane at games, and where team support reaches ridiculous heights  (accidentally wearing a team's colors can cause a riot, for example).  I don't see the same level of insanity here in the US.

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@MarkJFine wrote:

The press has a big part in this because they love to single out players and drive readers into apopalyptic fits of rage in order to drive up readership.

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[MarkJFine]

The UK press is incredible. I have a list of all the fake newspapers:
Sun
Mirror

Telegraph
Star/Express (same owner)
Mail/Metro (same owner, I think)
Times

The amount of trolling those papers do is amazing (and they all bash Arsenal for fun and profit).

Real papers like The Guardian are going broke on priniciples.

[maratsade]

I still read the Telegraph and the Times, but I pick and choose. The Guardian is very good. I've actually subscribed to it to support it.

[MarkJFine]

I'm just surprised by the amount of cross-ownership of each paper.

We have syndicated news services, but it used to be you couldn't have one ownership of more than one outlet in the same media (AM, FM, TV, newspaper) and in the same market here. Not sure if that's been lifted or not.

You may know Murdoch (Sun) owns Fox News/Sports as well as NY Post and WSJ here - so, maybe not.

[Gwalk900]

Sorry to break it to you this way but .....

Footballs are not round, they have pointy ends.

Carry on.

[MarkJFine]

[maratsade]

Perhaps American football might be renamed handball? Eggball? Handeggball? (ducks)

[MarkJFine]

Most just call it NFL to avoid confusion

[maratsade]

I usually hear it referred to as football, so I've adapted to associate that with American football. One adapts to the colonials ways. LOL

[maratsade]

LOL, @Gwalk900!

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@Gwalk900 wrote:

Sorry to break it to you this way but .....

Footballs are not round, they have pointy ends.

Carry on.

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[GabeU]

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@maratsade wrote:

Yes, though granted, it isn't difficult to do -- at least in the UK, where people go completely insane at games, and where team support reaches ridiculous heights  (accidentally wearing a team's colors can cause a riot, for example).  I don't see the same level of insanity here in the US. 

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Insane isn't even the word for it.  You guys go absolutely out of your minds for your football (ahem...soccer 😛 ).  

We enjoy our football (or pointy-ended-oblong-you-can-carry-with-your-hands-ball), and a few people love it just a little too much, but the level of darn near national pride doesn't exist here for our football.  Heck, baseball doesn't even get that type of enthusiasm, and that's supposed to be "America's Sport" and our "National Pastime."    

[MarkJFine]

Actually, that is starting to change.

Not sure you remember the incident between the Dodger and Giants fan in 2011: San Francisco Giants Fan in Coma After Being Attacked by L.A. Dodgers Fans. Similar incidents starting across all sport here.

The funny thing is how we're just starting to get the violence, and Brits are just having to get used to the "moneyball" that we've had since the early 70's. And not just the UK - Europe in general. Neymar's transfer fee from Barca to PSG was disgusting.

[MarkJFine]

Took some liberties with a popular gif...

[maratsade]

I've always thought fans of American football were a lot more sedate, but it seems they're starting to catch up to the UK.  😞

ETA: kind of off-topic now, but here's John Cleese discussing football vs soccer.

[MarkJFine]

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@maratsade wrote:
ETA: kind of off-topic now, but here's John Cleese discussing football vs soccer.

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That's awesome