Man U vs Chelsea

I had to spend a little time this afternoon out of the office, and was watching my son...he was napping (or at least laying in bed, supposed to be napping) ...and I was watching the Champions League Final on ESPN2 between Manchester and Chelsea. The crowd was awesome. I saw about 30 minutes of play...and they didn't stop singing once. I'd love to hear NFL fans sing Hail to the Redskins or that Eagles song...whatever it is...throughout the game. We could also use some Scottish announcers doing play-by-play for the NFL...just sounds really cool to listen to the game with that voice.

What struck me about watching that level of soccer...the footwork is amazing. In the few MLS games I've watched, I've never seen people move the way Ronaldo did today...or the passing...it's phenomenal. He scored the first goal of the game. It was off of a long pass from the right side of the goal box, and he elevated and got his head on it, and guided it just inside the far post. An amazing shot. All the netminder could do was watch as it flew past him, out of reach. These guys are good. I also saw a bloke (soccer term) from Man U break his damn face on one of the Chelsea players' head. Um...that's why we wear HELMETS in American Football!...and to boot, this cat (Paul Scholes) got a yellow card for the play after his nose was busted. Bad day, brother.

I don't exactly understand why the soccer equivalent of the Super Bowl, between two teams from England is being played on a Wednesday Night in Moscow. Work night. As I write this, there's about 15 minutes left in the game...it's 4:22 here...so it's about 9:22 in England. It'll be about 9:45, 10:00 at night there when this game wraps up. You have to figure the majority of Chelsea and Man U fans didn't make the trip to RUSSIA to see the game...so most of them are at pubs and are just FACED. Yeah...it's going to be a rowdy one in Old Londontwone this night. United wear Red, Chelsea wears Blue. It'll be like Crips n' Bloods, the UK edition. I forsee a lot of fighting and partying tonight...and NO ONE going to work on Thursday in the UK.

From my very basic understanding...Manchester U is the Yankees of European Soccer...so my guess is that most people should be pulling for Chelsea? I'm not even a casual soccer fan. I watch little bits here and there. If Beckham is on in an MLS game here, I'll watch some. I've never been to a DC United game, but hear it's an insane environment. I'd like to go sometime. I think that the popularity must have something to do with the viewing atmosphere. You got to a pub, get a couple pints down, and guys are singing soccer songs and going bat-shit crazy...I'd imagine that would make anything fun to watch. Maybe for the 2010 Winter Olympics, we'll try that at the local pub for curling or figure skating.

Update: Ok. It's 5:00 (10:00 in the UK). Game ended in a 1-1 tie (I know, SHOCKER, right? A 1-1 soccer game?) so they go to OT (extra time). They've played 15 minutes and are at the half of OT right now. Here's my problem with soccer. If they complete this next half...they go to shoot-out, right? Shootouts are bullshit. It's bad enough in hockey where it's a 4X6 goal and the goalie has a chance to challenge the shooter. In Soccer, the goalie is standing in front of a damn ROOM, and it' spretty much a guessing game, not a contest of skills. And in hockey...they only shoot-out in the regular season...in a playoff game or a championsip situation, they play until someone wins on a goal. No shootout. Talk about taking 2 hours+ of excitement and flushing it down the sh*tter...that's what a shootout is. It means everything you just saw means shite. (yet another soccer term) We're going to settle it with the equivalent of a coin toss. I hope for the fans sake that it's settled in the second half of the OT.

Update: So Drogba, one of Chelsea's best players, got red carded, and is gone. So now Chelsea is playing the equivalent of four corners...and is trying to kill out the clock to send the game to a shootout. "Penalties" as the live blogger on ESPN calls it. See...it's crap like this. This is why soccer isn't bigger in the US. Every time I think..."hmm, maybe I'll give soccer another shot" this happens. I waste a couple hours of my attention on a hard fought games that ends in a lousy shoot-out. Screw you soccer! This is why then NFL kicks your ass! That's all I have to say about that. That's the best you can do? Your equivalent of the Super Bowl being settled by what amounts to a free-throw contest. This is why you NEED to be pissed (English for drunk) to watch this sport!