follow the trail of drunk British ex-pats
since Arsenal wrapped up the Premiership title ages ago, playing the first undefeated season in 115 years, it's high time to have a game that means something. enter the FA Cup final, this Saturday at 10:00am EDT, that pits filthy eternal powerhouse Manchester United against a plucky first division Millwall side whose fans have a history of hooliganism. it could be a blowout but surprises can always happen in a single game, as they did in 1973 when Sunderland beat Leeds 1-0 (check out the yellow ball they used). i would love to root for the upset in person, but this game isn't available live on any channels that i get, so if anyone has plans to watch somewhere, or knows of a good bar that will be carrying the game, let me know.
if you should find yourself in front of a TV tomorrow at 2:30pm, you can also watch the UEFA Cup Final between Marseilles of France and Valencia of Spain live from Gothenburg, Sweden on Fox Sports World. featuring a special appearance by everyone's favorite referee and lead singer of Midnight Oil, Perluigi Collina.
seriously, how scary is this?
meanwhile, the IOC cut the number of cities up for consideration for the 2012 Olympic Summer Games down to 5: London, Paris, New York, Madrid and Moscow. how the hell do you choose between all of those? i'm pulling for NY, even though i know the preparations would probably make things even more of a madhouse around here than usual with all the construction and security. the NYTimes had an article yesterday on an architect who is one of the finalists for the design of the Olympic Village in Long Island City (which would be right near my office, should i [shudder] still be here then). the model on display in the picture looks pretty damn cool.
Comments
Gotta go with Valencia here. Any truth to the rumor that the Marseilles side has already surrendered?
Posted by: jake | May 18, 2004 02:04 PM
Did you become a European all of a sudden? Or maybe just a citizen of the world. I don't know nuthin' 'bout 'nuthin you gots to have cable to see.
Signed,
The Analog Kid
Posted by: jim | May 18, 2004 11:34 PM
I'm told that a place called Nevada Smiths (3rd Ave., b/t 11 and 12th in Manhattan) is an NYC soccer haven. I've never been, but seeing as how the Euros are coming up, I think I'll soon be getting acquainted. Check out this slate: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/euro_2004_draw/default.stm
Posted by: Christian | May 19, 2004 12:57 AM
i've been to Nevada's before. it's an OK place, but i was hoping for something a little more Brooklyn-centric. i thought one of the places on Atlantic Ave (the Brazen Head maybe?) showed games regularly but i'm not sure. i'll do some digging.
the Euros should be very exciting. i'd love to be able to watch that Holland vs. Czech Republic game the day of my wedding (i bet we could get Alena all worked up). and the final is even on July 4th - nice.
jim - the interest in the Premiership is relatively recent, but the love for soccer runs back to the 1990 World Cup held stateside. surely you remember World Cup 2002 and all the sleep that was sacrificed?
Posted by: jamie | May 19, 2004 10:54 AM
1994 WC held stateside. Ooh, that's gotta hurt, apes. 1990 was in the homeland of Perluigi Collina. Azzurri!
RE Czechs v Dutch, there must be a soccer bar in Dublin, right?
Posted by: jake | May 19, 2004 11:11 AM
nevada's smiths is also known for being an NYU white hat bar.
Posted by: sujan | May 19, 2004 11:29 AM
ooh that does hurt. well, 1990 was the first one i watched regardless - i could have sworn i remembered Cameroon playing in the Silverdome (with grass!) that year, but i suppose that just shows how unreliable my memory is.
Posted by: jamie | May 19, 2004 12:12 PM
Jamie: While I did hear about those all-night soccer-watching episodes, I was clear on the other side of the country, finding myself. While staying at the home of my friend Jeff and his Danish wife Nana, however, I did stay up all night myself to watch one of Denmark's games. I think it was against South Korea. And to be honest, I fell asleep halfway through, having drunk too much port on top of taking mushrooms.
Posted by: Jim | May 19, 2004 06:53 PM
I'm thinking of boycotting this year's Cup final (the first one i will have missed since I was forced to work the afternoon shift in a bakery in 1988-Liverpool 0 Wimbledon 1)
I despise Utd for all their cash fuelled dreams of global domination but more than anything I just really really hate Millwall. Here is a neighborhood in South East london that prides itself on a political history of racism and neo fascism. I just can't really stomach the prospect of watching these two in a crowded bar full of Utd ex pats and tourists getting shit faced at 10am.
Having said all that I would piss myself until god knows when if Utd actually got beaten !!
Posted by: Bowles | May 20, 2004 09:22 AM
OK, Maybe I am judging Millwall by my own harsh, liberal standards. Perhaps that neighborhood has been gentrified and Millwall do field Black and Asian players. But i still don't like them.
Posted by: Bowles | May 20, 2004 09:29 AM
OK, FA Cup on Saturday? I'm in.
(Nevada joes is awful, brazen head may be showing it)
Posted by: Bowles | May 20, 2004 08:02 PM
Found your site from another blog and wanted to see what this was all about
Posted by: MingHo | November 7, 2004 11:42 PM