El Clasico

[mike412]

It’s been a while since I enjoyed one, but I enjoyed this one. 0-4 Barcelona at the Bernabeu in Madrid.

I wasn’t confident Xavi was the answer when he was hired, although Koemann needed to go. But, Xavi has been a revelation. And, it’s fun to be a Barcelona fan again.

I will be there again in April. This is the first year I haven’t ordered tickets in advance. I probably won’t be able to convince Masha to join me at another game (she went to one when I promised her we would go to dinner at the top-rated paella restaurant in the city; Barca won but the paella was mediocre), but I will be heading to the Camp Nou two or three times. Maybe catch my first Europa League game. I have seen two Champions League matches there: They beat PSG 3-1 and PSV Eindhoven 4-0.

Life is good again.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

It’s been a while since I enjoyed one, but I enjoyed this one. 0-4 Barcelona at the Bernabeu in Madrid.

I wasn’t confident Xavi was the answer when he was hired, although Koemann needed to go. But, Xavi has been a revelation. And, it’s fun to be a Barcelona fan again.

I will be there again in April. This is the first year I haven’t ordered tickets in advance. I probably won’t be able to convince Masha to join me at another game (she went to one when I promised her we would go to dinner at the top-rated paella restaurant in the city; Barca won but the paella was mediocre), but I will be heading to the Camp Nou two or three times. Maybe catch my first Europa League game. I have seen two Champions League matches there: They beat PSG 3-1 and PSV Eindhoven 4-0.

Life is good again.

Happy you can spend time focusing on the important stuff now. I was thinking about you while watching the match. What an ass kicking. Madrid was a mess, and Xavi has your club inspired. Looks like you might qualify for Champions League two different ways this year by finishing top 4 and winning Europa.
Madrid is who my club faces in April and I know they’ll be much different with Benzema in the lineup. Watching him and Modric tear apart PSG a couple weeks ago felt like I was watching history.

 

[anon_d97v9o3a8b6xr]

Happy you can spend time focusing on the important stuff now. I was thinking about you while watching the match. What an ass kicking. Madrid was a mess, and Xavi has your club inspired. Looks like you might qualify for Champions League two different ways this year by finishing top 4 and winning Europa.
Madrid is who my club faces in April and I know they’ll be much different with Benzema in the lineup. Watching him and Modric tear apart PSG a couple weeks ago felt like I was watching history.

I’m no Barca fan, but man was I excited to see that beat down of PSG. Nothing says beat down like a complete fan meltdown and booing those extremely well paid PSG players.

 

[mike412]

Happy you can spend time focusing on the important stuff now. I was thinking about you while watching the match. What an ass kicking. Madrid was a mess, and Xavi has your club inspired. Looks like you might qualify for Champions League two different ways this year by finishing top 4 and winning Europa.
Madrid is who my club faces in April and I know they’ll be much different with Benzema in the lineup. Watching him and Modric tear apart PSG a couple weeks ago felt like I was watching history.

Yesterday showed what speed can do to Modric though. He is 37 years old I think. Pedro is 19 and DeJong is 22. When Gavi went in, he is 17. Modric was two steps behind the entire game. He can eat a “crafty” midfield alive, but he cannot keep up with a fast one. And, they made him run all the time with side to side passing.

Without Mendy in there, Madrid’s backs were just too slow. Xavi obviously saw something in looking at videos of them because those semi-long diagonal balls are not a part of Barca’s normal game. But, they tore Madrid’s defense apart with them. I’m sure Tuchel was paying attention.

It was a brilliant tactical game plan by Xavi. Usually, Barcelona’s left and right backs come forward and attack. Yesterday he started 3 Center Backs with Araujo on the right to play Vinicius Jr. He never went forward and Vinicius had trouble dealing with his size. Jordi Alba went forward as usual from left back, but he played in the center on the offensive end, effectively giving Barca four midfielders. Casemiro usually gives Barca fits as the defensive MF but yesterday he was lost. With Alba in the center, Carvajal had no one to mark and he almost never got involved in the action. He acted like it would have been illegal to mark Torres.

Vinicius Jr. and Valverde simply don’t get back in defense and Xavi took full advantage of that. When Madrid did win a ball deep in their defensive end, Barca pressured them. Vinicius and Valverde were too far up the pitch to be useful and Modric or Alaba had nowhere to go with the ball. It was really a masterful plan.

I didn’t know if he was experienced enough for this job and I’m sure he spent longer preparing for the mortal enemy than he does on most game plans — probably weeks, but he showed me a lot.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Yesterday showed what speed can do to Modric though. He is 37 years old I think. Pedro is 19 and DeJong is 22. When Gavi went in, he is 17. Modric was two steps behind the entire game. He can eat a “crafty” midfield alive, but he cannot keep up with a fast one. And, they made him run all the time with side to side passing.

Without Mendy in there, Madrid’s backs were just too slow. Xavi obviously saw something in looking at videos of them because those semi-long diagonal balls are not a part of Barca’s normal game. But, they tore Madrid’s defense apart with them. I’m sure Tuchel was paying attention.

It was a brilliant tactical game plan by Xavi. Usually, Barcelona’s left and right backs come forward and attack. Yesterday he started 3 Center Backs with Araujo on the right to play Vinicius Jr. He never went forward and Vinicius had trouble dealing with his size. Jordi Alba went forward as usual from left back, but he played in the center on the offensive end, effectively giving Barca four midfielders. Casemiro usually gives Barca fits as the defensive MF but yesterday he was lost. With Alba in the center, Carvajal had no one to mark and he almost never got involved in the action. He acted like it would have been illegal to mark Torres.

Vinicius Jr. and Valverde simply don’t get back in defense and Xavi took full advantage of that. When Madrid did win a ball deep in their defensive end, Barca pressured them. Vinicius and Valverde were too far up the pitch to be useful and Modric or Alaba had nowhere to go with the ball. It was really a masterful plan.

I didn’t know if he was experienced enough for this job and I’m sure he spent longer preparing for the mortal enemy than he does on most game plans — probably weeks, but he showed me a lot.

That’s good stuff. You have to be thrilled with Xavi. I’ll add that another impressive thing that he’s likely doing behind the scenes that we don’t see is him brilliantly keeping aubamayang and Dembele in line.

by the way, I wasn’t too sure about Dembele. I know because of his situation Barca was shopping him. But as a fan of another team I wasn’t too interested in him and wouldn’t want to inject a primadonna or a cancer into a locker room. But man, he tore up Nacho on Sunday. His pace and ability to play with both feet is exquisite.

 

[anon_4dfwm2pijbr0a]

It was an El Beatdownico

 

[Pitt79]

The thing I find funny about the way US TV promotes it, is they just say "El Clasico" as if the average American sports fan knows what that is? It's like flashing "The Backyard Brawl" across the screen in Madrid to some degree. Sure big time soccer fans know what it is, but I'd bet the average schmuck has no idea.

 

[mike412]

Dembele has as much potential as any wing in the world, especially with his ability to use both feet. But, I doubt he ever will come close to realizing it. What I really don’t understand is his unwillingness to take on defenders and try to beat them. Instead, he almost always goes wide and tries to cross. Especially from the right. From the left, he sometimes will cut inside and shoot but I can remember him only doing that a handful of times from the right. I actually almost felt bad for Nacho. He is a fairly solid CB but such a plodder. Might be slower than John Stones which I didn’t think possible

Apparently, at least temporarily Xavi has gotten him to train better. People around the club blame a lot of his injury problems on lackluster training. If Fati comes back, I think Barca will be fine without him. But, I’m sure Xavi salivates about having them on the wings with a true striker in the middle. Reports are Lewandowski wants to leave Bayern for Barca and the three of them in the front would be unreal.

The other big news for me is that Masha is considering going to the Frankfurt match with me on April 14. She is making up a list of what she wants in return, which I’m sure will be long. If we go, I will have seen La Liga, Copa del Rey, Champions League and Europa League matches at Camp Nou.

 

[mike412]

The thing I find funny about the way US TV promotes it, is they just say "El Clasico" as if the average American sports fan knows what that is? It's like flashing "The Backyard Brawl" across the screen in Madrid to some degree. Sure big time soccer fans know what it is, but I'd bet the average schmuck has no idea.

True. And yet, around the world it draws many more viewers than the Super Bowl. It was the lead sports story on the BBC over all of the Premier League matches and it was telecast in 36 languages. In Italy, a couple paused their wedding party so the guests could watch the match.

Part of it is the history of two very different teams. Real Madrid was Franco’s team. Barcelona was founded by Catalans, its colors are Catalan and Barcelona was the center of the republicans and anarchists in the Spanish Civil War. It’s still the case that many upper class Europeans and South Americans are Real Madrid fans while working class members support Barcelona.

I became a Barcelona fan in 1974 because of politics. I became a huge Dutch and Cryuff fan after watching him in the 1974 World Cup. After it was over, Ajax sold him to Real Madrid. He refused the move, announcing he would not play for fascists. Then Ajax sold him to Barcelona, where he made history.

 

[Pitt79]

True. And yet, around the world it draws many more viewers than the Super Bowl. It was the lead sports story on the BBC over all of the Premier League matches and it was telecast in 36 languages. In Italy, a couple paused their wedding party so the guests could watch the match.

Part of it is the history of two very different teams. Real Madrid was Franco’s team. Barcelona was founded by Catalans, its colors are Catalan and Barcelona was the center of the republicans and anarchists in the Spanish Civil War. It’s still the case that many upper class Europeans and South Americans are Real Madrid fans while working class members support Barcelona.

I became a Barcelona fan in 1974 because of politics. I became a huge Dutch and Cryuff fan after watching him in the 1974 World Cup. After it was over, Ajax sold him to Real Madrid. He refused the move, announcing he would not play for fascists. Then Ajax sold him to Barcelona, where he made history.

I don't doubt any of that, just saying, the name "Classico" and the rivalry itself, i doubt has the recognition here, I've become a soccer fan over the years, a combination of being Greek and spending significant time there, and then having a daughter that played for 12 years, I even had the experience of playing in an adult rec league for like 4 years which really helped me appreciate it (as a GK) and adopting the USMNT, DC United and MLS when that started. So I'm a soccer fan and it has zero to do with England or Spain, so I never knew what "Classico" was until the last couple years, so I imagine your typical Yinzer soccer hater has no idea

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

so I imagine your typical Yinzer soccer hater has no idea

That is surely true, but your typical Yinzer soccer hater isn't watching that game no matter what they call it.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

That is surely true, but your typical Yinzer soccer hater isn't watching that game no matter what they call it.

Lol. They could strap steeler logos on their uniforms and play Renegade before every set piece, and yinzers aren’t watching.

now, put Cowher on the touch line, Troy in at center back, and fast Willie Parker as your #9, and maybe we are onto something.

 

[Pitt79]

That is surely true, but your typical Yinzer soccer hater isn't watching that game no matter what they call it.

I'm a soccer fan and won't ever watch it either, What do I care about two teams from Spain?

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I'm a soccer fan and won't ever watch it either, What do I care about two teams from Spain?

Because you aren't really a soccer fan, as in a fan of the sport, you are a fan of a local team that happens to play soccer. And there's nothing wrong with that. But someone who is really a soccer fan, as in a fan of the sport as opposed to a fan of their local team, would certainly like to see two of the best teams in the world playing the game.

 

[Pitt79]

Because you aren't really a soccer fan, as in a fan of the sport, you are a fan of a local team that happens to play soccer. And there's nothing wrong with that. But someone who is really a soccer fan, as in a fan of the sport as opposed to a fan of their local team, would certainly like to see two of the best teams in the world playing the game.

In every sport, American football, basketball, soccer, hockey, you name it. 99.9% of the games I watch are based on MY FAVORITE TEAM being involved. I do watch some NFL games not involving the Steelers, or March Madness games, but to be honest, you're right, I care very little to watch the greatest teams in the world, I DESPARATELY NEED a rooting interest, and great quality play isn't a priority. And I beg to differ, I am a fan of the sport, or it would be like baseball, where even having a favorite team, I still can't watch 10 seconds of it. If I can sit and watch an entire game from beginning to end, like I often do with soccer, then I am a fan of the sport. But why does it matter if it's DC United vs. two Spanish teams that there is absolutely no reason I should care about.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

In every sport, American football, basketball, soccer, hockey, you name it. 99.9% of the games I watch are based on MY FAVORITE TEAM being involved. I do watch some NFL games not involving the Steelers, or March Madness games, but to be honest, you're right, I care very little to watch the greatest teams in the world, I DESPARATELY NEED a rooting interest, and great quality play isn't a priority. And I beg to differ, I am a fan of the sport, or it would be like baseball, where even having a favorite team, I still can't watch 10 seconds of it. If I can sit and watch an entire game from beginning to end, like I often do with soccer, then I am a fan of the sport. But why does it matter if it's DC United vs. two Spanish teams that there is absolutely no reason I should care about.

Hey man I get it. If AC Milan is playing Inter in a Serie A match on ESPN+, I’m likely not watching unless I have a player I like who’s in the match. Like an Olivier giroud or Zlatan.

now if Dortmund were playing Bayern Munich in a Bundesliga match, I’m probably watching that because of a Gio Reyna, Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland for Dortmund, and a lewandowski and Davies for Bayern.

but Real Madrid vs Barca is a bit different because the match up does carry more gravitas, and they have more world class players in the game that we are all familiar with.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

In every sport, American football, basketball, soccer, hockey, you name it. 99.9% of the games I watch are based on MY FAVORITE TEAM being involved. I do watch some NFL games not involving the Steelers, or March Madness games, but to be honest, you're right, I care very little to watch the greatest teams in the world, I DESPARATELY NEED a rooting interest, and great quality play isn't a priority. And I beg to differ, I am a fan of the sport, or it would be like baseball, where even having a favorite team, I still can't watch 10 seconds of it. If I can sit and watch an entire game from beginning to end, like I often do with soccer, then I am a fan of the sport. But why does it matter if it's DC United vs. two Spanish teams that there is absolutely no reason I should care about.

At some level it doesn't matter. That's why I said "there's nothing wrong with that". But you readily admit that you aren't really a fan of the sport, that you are a fan of the local team that plays the sport, and then you say that you really are a fan of the sport. You contradict even yourself.

There's nothing wrong with being a fan of the local team. But if you want to say that you are a fan of the sport then it needs to go a little beyond "well I watch the local guys on tv sometimes and I even go to their matches on occasion". It's like someone saying they are a football fan because they go to the local high school's games on Friday, but they don't really watch college football or the NFL. That person isn't really a football fan, they are a fan of a local team that plays football.

If you desperately need a rooting interest then you aren't a fan of the sport, you are a fan of the team that you have a rooting interest in. Edited to add, and like I said, there's nothing wrong with that.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

At some level it doesn't matter. That's why I said "there's nothing wrong with that". But you readily admit that you aren't really a fan of the sport, that you are a fan of the local team that plays the sport, and then you say that you really are a fan of the sport. You contradict even yourself.

There's nothing wrong with being a fan of the local team. But if you want to say that you are a fan of the sport then it needs to go a little beyond "well I watch the local guys on tv sometimes and I even go to their matches on occasion". It's like someone saying they are a football fan because they go to the local high school's games on Friday, but they don't really watch college football or the NFL. That person isn't really a football fan, they are a fan of a local team that plays football.

If you desperately need a rooting interest then you aren't a fan of the sport, you are a fan of the team that you have a rooting interest in. Edited to add, and like I said, there's nothing wrong with that.

I think that’s where I am with the Penguins. I don’t watch any NHL hockey anymore, unless it’s them. And even then it’s not great enjoyment.

 

[Pitt79]

Hey man I get it. If AC Milan is playing Inter in a Serie A match on ESPN+, I’m likely not watching unless I have a player I like who’s in the match. Like an Olivier giroud or Zlatan.

now if Dortmund were playing Bayern Munich in a Bundesliga match, I’m probably watching that because of a Gio Reyna, Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland for Dortmund, and a lewandowski and Davies for Bayern.

but Real Madrid vs Barca is a bit different because the match up does carry more gravitas, and they have more world class players in the game that we are all familiar with.

I'll watch every Olympiacos game that is televised, Greek NT too. I get it, it's a BIG GAME, but I never watch Ohio State/Michigan or Alabama/Auburn either, but I would watch Pitt/New Hampshire, and then rewatch it. The fact that I don't want to watch the NAME BRAND teams, doesn't mean I am not a fan of the sport.

 

[Pitt79]

If you desperately need a rooting interest then you aren't a fan of the sport, you are a fan of the team that you have a rooting interest in. Edited to add, and like I said, there's nothing wrong with that.

I guess I'm not a fan of any sport then? My DVR is set to record all games and replays of games for my favorite teams in each sport, and that's 99% of what I watch. Steelers, Penguins, Pitt basketball and football, DC United, Olympiacos, USAMNT, Greek MNT.

But I do love really obscure, alternative oddball things, I won't have rooting interest, but I'll likely watch all the USFL games, just because it's out of the mainstream. I already have my DVR set to record every USFL game.

But I must be a fan of the sport itself to watch it even at all. I hate baseball, I can't sit through an at bat, unless the Pirates are in the playoffs. But soccer I do watch a lot of, but my personal favorite teams play enough games that it covers my appetite.

Why does being a fan mean watching THE BEST teams? That makes no sense. I find it odd, that people claim to be big soccer fans and refuse to follow local teams in their city and only watch teams on another continent 7-8 hours away? I must be a BIGGER soccer fan, because I'm willing to watch my lesser quality local team. I don't get your concept of watching better quality teams makes you a better fan?

 

[Pitt79]

I think that’s where I am with the Penguins. I don’t watch any NHL hockey anymore, unless it’s them. And even then it’s not great enjoyment.

I've always been that way with hockey, never grew up with it, the first game I ever watched was The Miracle on Ice, then I never started watching the Pens at all until after Mario got there, I was a bandwagon jumper, never really a "real" hockey fan, I always stop following the NHL playoffs the minute the Pens are eliminated. I'm 100% certain, that other than Olympics, every hockey game I've every watched included the Pens, A typical hockey season for me, I might watch a dozen Pens regular season games, all Pens playoff games and that's it, period.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Why does being a fan mean watching THE BEST teams? That makes no sense. I find it odd, that people claim to be big soccer fans and refuse to follow local teams in their city and only watch teams on another continent 7-8 hours away? I must be a BIGGER soccer fan, because I'm willing to watch my lesser quality local team. I don't get your concept of watching better quality teams makes you a better fan?

The number of times that you completely miss someone's point is astounding.

Where did I ever suggest that if you watch better quality teams you are a better fan?

What you are, what you admit that you are and yet in the next breath refuse to admit to is that you are a fan of the local team and not the sport itself. I don't get why you are willing to simultaneously say that that's true and deny that it is so. Again, there is nothing wrong with being a fan of the local team. But if the only way you can watch a game is if the local team is playing then you aren't really a fan of the sport, you are a fan of the local team.

A fan of the sport watches the sport. A fan of the local team only watches the local team. Why does me saying that bother you so much? The reason that you can't watch two really good teams from a different continent play a game is because you aren't really a fan of the game.

 

[Pitt79]

The number of times that you completely miss someone's point is astounding.

Where did I ever suggest that if you watch better quality teams you are a better fan?

What you are, what you admit that you are and yet in the next breath refuse to admit to is that you are a fan of the local team and not the sport itself. I don't get why you are willing to simultaneously say that that's true and deny that it is so. Again, there is nothing wrong with being a fan of the local team. But if the only way you can watch a game is if the local team is playing then you aren't really a fan of the sport, you are a fan of the local team.

A fan of the sport watches the sport. A fan of the local team only watches the local team. Why does me saying that bother you so much? The reason that you can't watch two really good teams from a different continent play a game is because you aren't really a fan of the game.

I don't watch only "the local" team, I watch my favorite teams mostly, two of which are in Greece. So you are saying, to be a fan of the sport, you need to watch any and all games? You can't pick and choose the games you watch? I say I'm a fan of the spot, AND I AM, but I pick and choose the games I watch, you pick "The Classico" while I'd pick DC United vs. NYCFC, still a fan of the sport, watching the sport. I'm a fan of college football too, but never watch the CFP. I watch the college football games that interest me. So you're telling me, YOU, fan of the sport, watch every "big game" as determined by the sport or TV networks? Even if the teams are ones you dislike, you dutifully feel obligated to watch because these are games "fans of the sport" much watch?

 

[Pitt79]

The reason that you can't watch two really good teams from a different continent play a game is because you aren't really a fan of the game.

Why? Must it be THOSE two teams? Like I'd never watch Alabama vs. Auburn ever, But I'd watch Army vs. Temple or something like that, it's still watching THE SPORT, why must it be the mainstream name brand teams to be a fan?

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I don't watch only "the local" team, I watch my favorite teams mostly, two of which are in Greece. So you are saying, to be a fan of the sport, you need to watch any and all games? You can't pick and choose the games you watch? I say I'm a fan of the spot, AND I AM, but I pick and choose the games I watch, you pick "The Classico" while I'd pick DC United vs. NYCFC, still a fan of the sport, watching the sport. I'm a fan of college football too, but never watch the CFP. I watch the college football games that interest me. So you're telling me, YOU, fan of the sport, watch every "big game" as determined by the sport or TV networks? Even if the teams are ones you dislike, you dutifully feel obligated to watch because these are games "fans of the sport" much watch?

Well you also aren't really a college football or a pro football fan either. Or really, any other sport. Like I said, you are, and you admit it, a fan of the local team or the team that you have a rooting interest in and you don't care about anything else.

You can't say "I'm a soccer fan" but then only watch DC United or Olympiakos and basically no one else. You can't say "I'm a college football fan" but then only watch Pitt games. You can't say "I'm a pro football fan" and then only watch the Stillers.

Well, I mean you can say that but it just makes you look silly. If you are a soccer fan, by definition you care about more than just the local team. If you are a college football fan, by definition you care about more than just your favorite team. You are a fan of your favorite teams and nothing more. And that's OK, but there's no reason to pretend otherwise.

 

[Pitt79]

Well you also aren't really a college football or a pro football fan either. Or really, any other sport. Like I said, you are, and you admit it, a fan of the local team or the team that you have a rooting interest in and you don't care about anything else.

You can't say "I'm a soccer fan" but then only watch DC United or Olympiakos and basically no one else. You can't say "I'm a college football fan" but then only watch Pitt games. You can't say "I'm a pro football fan" and then only watch the Stillers.

Well, I mean you can say that but it just makes you look silly. If you are a soccer fan, by definition you care about more than just the local team. If you are a college football fan, by definition you care about more than just your favorite team. You are a fan of your favorite teams and nothing more. And that's OK, but there's no reason to pretend otherwise.

You're absolutely wrong, if I wasn't a fan of the sport in the first place, I couldn't sit and watch any games at all. Being a fan of soccer or football doesn't mean you have to watch every game or the games acclaimed as the best. just being able to sit and watch entire games from beginning to end makes you a fan of a sport. I don't get why you think you can't just watch the teams you choose to watch, if I watch the Steelers and Pitt every weeked, that's like 7-8 hours dedicated to that sport every weekend IMO that makes me a fan. How many games per week do you watch? are you watching wall to wall college football every Saturday Noon-Midnight? Is that what it takes to be a "football fan"? I actually want to do other things besides watch sports.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Being a fan of soccer or football doesn't mean you have to watch every game or the games acclaimed as the best.

You keep saying this, as if anyone has ever made that point.

I don't get why you think you can't just watch the teams you choose to watch

I'm pretty sure I have said, over and over again, that there is nothing wrong with being just a fan of your local team. But for some reason that concept seems to elude you.

Like I said, the number of times that you completely miss the point is astounding.

 

[Pitt79]

I'm pretty sure I have said, over and over again, that there is nothing wrong with being just a fan of your local team. But for some reason that concept seems to elude you.

Like I said, the number of times that you completely miss the point is astounding.

What you don't get is, even if you watch only the teams you care about, that doesn't mean you aren't a fan of the sport as a whole, I still say that even to sit through entire games of your home team, you need to love the sport as a form of entertainment.

 

[Pitt79]

You keep saying this, as if anyone has ever made that point.

I do think you insinuate that "IF you're a soccer fan, you should care to watch El Classico"... I totally disagree, that's just one matchup of teams, on the whole planet, you could be a soccer fan like me, that watches MLS and never watches EPL or La Liga, in which case, the BIG GAME is likely SOMETHING ELSE.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

in which case, the BIG GAME is likely SOMETHING ELSE.

Tells us all that he's not really a soccer fan without saying that he's not really a soccer fan.

 

[Pitt79]

Tells us all that he's not really a soccer fan without saying that he's not really a soccer fan.

Being a soccer fan has nothing to do with following EPL, La Liga or watching El Classico, nothing at all, there are literally hundreds of other leagues you can follow as a soccer fan.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

there are literally hundreds of other leagues you can follow as a soccer fan.

That's right, there are. And you admit that you don't follow any of them.

Which is why you aren't really a soccer fan.

 

[Pitt79]

That's right, there are. And you admit that you don't follow any of them.

Which is why you aren't really a soccer fan.

I do follow MLS very closely, watch almost every DC United game and sometimes other games, I would follow the Greek League if it was on TV here, I also follow the indoor soccer league, I've been a fan of the Baltimore Blast for years. They broadcast games on YouTube and I often watch those games, I also watch the games of the CONCACAF WCQ and also always watch stuff like the Gold Cup in the summer. I also watch every USAMNT game friendly or whatever all year every year for maybe a decade. So clearly, I am closely following a lot of soccer leagues and competitions, just not the ones that you think a soccer fan should. So clearly, you are wrong, and you are nobody to judge who is a soccer fan and who isn't.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I do follow MLS very closely, watch almost every DC United game and sometimes other games, I would follow the Greek League if it was on TV here, I also follow the indoor soccer league, I've been a fan of the Baltimore Blast for years. They broadcast games on YouTube and I often watch those games, I also watch the games of the CONCACAF WCQ and also always watch stuff like the Gold Cup in the summer. I also watch every USAMNT game friendly or whatever all year every year for maybe a decade. So clearly, I am closely following a lot of soccer leagues and competitions, just not the ones that you think a soccer fan should. So clearly, you are wrong, and you are nobody to judge who is a soccer fan and who isn't.

I must admit, one of your strong points is the way that you can completely change what you say you do or think at the drop of a hat if it suits your current argument.

 

[Pitt79]

I must admit, one of your strong points is the way that you can completely change what you say you do or think at the drop of a hat if it suits your current argument.

I didn't change anything, just because I say I watch only my teams games, doesn't mean I don't watch another game or part of another game, doesn't mean I don't follow their league or standings, you take every comment so anally literal it's sick. Yes I DVR and watch all my teams games, then if I'm watching TV, I might randomly watch part of another game. I only have SPECIFIC PLANS to watch MY TEAMS, anything else I watch just happens if I have nothing better to do. Is it hard to understand? I also do watch some EPL on Saturday mornings, but just randomly, and I doubt I ever watch more than 5-10 minutes of any game. I haven't said anything inconsistent -I NEVER SAID I don't follow any league or competition. For example, I actually love the Gold Cup, I watch every minute of every USMNT games and maybe parts of others if I turn the TV on, But I am following the overall standings and bracket. It's you that treats this casual conversation like a Logic Class, nitpicking for inconsistency.