The journey to find my inner Spurs

My journey into the vortex that is the unbridled passion of the English Premier League started innocently enough. I’ve always been a casual fan of football and played a number of years in youth soccer programs. I’ve watched world cup games over the past 16 years or so, but only those that were shown on ESPN or other networks that I had—even then I didn’t watch it religiously.

My indoctrination into club football started more in Serie A than it did anywhere else. My criteria for picking a team at that time was very simple. Being first and foremost a supporter of the Italian National Team, the team with the most Italian National Team members on it wins!!

After doing the research I easily fell in love with Juventus Football Club. Based in Turin, Italy this team sports not just players from the national team, but legends such as Gigi Buffon, Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio etc. This was a no-brainier and “The Old Lady” of Italian football became my team.

[linequote] Did she support AC Milan I wondered? Almost not wanting to know I asked who her team was: ‘Chelsea football club’ was her response[/linequote]

One day whilst I was flipping channels I found a free-per-view weekend going on with BeIn Sport America and, of course, they were showing Juventus versus Sampdoria. At halftime I picked up the phone and ordered that sports package along with FOX Soccer and any other channels I could get my hands on.

I wanted to be flooded with information, teams no matter how big or small, and leagues! One of the more difficult things for me to wrap around my brain as a novice fan was the cup matches. Wait! Cup matches? How does that tie into the league? Why are there so many?

I talked to one of my “online friends” who was from England but living in New York. I told her that if she could spare a minute that I had a few questions about football. Mind you, I had not even considered watching the EPL at this point. I was wanting to know about the cup matches in Italy and why there were so many that Juve were having to play and how they integrated into the fabric of the league.

After explaining them to me and my infantile mind wrapping around it all she blurted out un-apologetically, “You know, my team is in three extra leagues”! Her team? Three Cup League tournaments? Hmmm, did she support AC Milan I wondered? Almost not wanting to know I asked who her team was: “Chelsea football club”, was her response.

I had heard of them. “They play Champions League, FA Cup and Capitol One Cup football along with their English Premier League schedule”. She went on to talk about how the EPL was the best league in the world sporting, as a group, the best players in the world team to team, top to bottom.

I was doubtful.

I knew Spain, Germany, Italy and England were the big four of pro football, but surely the other leagues were better—weren’t they? Leo Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski, manuel Neuer, Franck Ribery, Mario Ballotelli all played in countries not named England! How could they be the best in the world?

[linequote] I decided that top to bottom, team to team, the EPL carried better players as a whole[/linequote]

After spending weeks looking at YouTube videos of EPL matches, TV coverage and reading article after article I decided that she was right—that top to bottom, team to team, the EPL carried better players as a whole. In Germany, Italy and Spain there are 2 or 3 teams that every year might win the league.

In the EPL there is a legitimate 5 or 6 with bottom suckers continually pulling off upset after upset over their big brother clubs from the top of the table. I then decided it was time to branch out and select an EPL team, but how would I decide?

My criteria for making a decision was simple but I vowed I would let it take its time and when I knew—I’d know! The criteria:

1) It had to be a team in a city that I would actually like to visit and enjoy on a pilgrimage to see a match live one day.

I’ve travelled to Europe twice (LOVE IT) so the possibility is extreme. I’ve been to a few places in England, but London and Liverpool were by far the most fun, most historic and most qualified to fall under this requirement. Sorry to Manchester and the Midlands!!

2) I wanted a team that wouldn’t soon be relegated!

The relegation system is, to this writer, awesome! There are multiple layers (leagues) in professional English football. At the end of every season the top teams get promoted to the next tier (league) above theirs and the bottom teams fall to the tier below.

This keeps competition flowing, it gives new teams a chance at making money in the Premier League and it penalizes those teams that are not “keeping up with the Jones-es”. I mean can you imagine how great it would be to relegate the Florida Panthers of the NHL and bring up the Manitoba Moose? Great stuff!!

3) I wanted a team steeped in history.

This one was a little difficult as most teams have a long history within the game. Most clubs fell “even” in this category as most have played in the same city or township for well over 100 years!!!

4) I definitely didn’t want to “Jump on the bandwagon”!

One of the first EPL matches I saw was Manchester City beating QPR to win the league over Man United on goal difference. I watched because my all-time favourite players, Ballotelli, was with Man City. They scored two goals in injury time, including the winner with 90 seconds of extra time remaining in the match.

I could have said to myself that it’s never going to get any better than that—quit while you’re ahead! Obviously, I was nowhere near done, but that match made it clear that I wasn’t going to be able to jump on the City Bandwagon. Loved the player, the atmosphere was off the charts electric after that goal. This was what it was all about. Too bad I wasn’t doing this the year before for all of my Man City friends.

5) The team itself-its players-manager-owner and fan base as a whole.

This is where the rubber meets the road! Video after video watching fan interviews, fan made YouTube spots, reading fan made pages on Twitter and Facebook and newspaper articles. I was, by nature, a blue collar guy working in a white collar job in the Aerospace industry so I wanted that “fit”.

I also was looking for a club that would line up with the American teams that I already support. The Texas Rangers, Dallas Stars, Texas Longhorns, etc… Hard-nosed teams that don’t always win or have a long history of championship after championship so that when it does happen, if it happens, it will truly be something to celebrate!!!

6) Narrowing it Down–Choosing:

When it came right down to it the teams left standing were the obvious: Newcastle, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool and Everton.

My friend was a Chelsea fan, but the fact that they were owned by a Russian billionaire benefactor didn’t strike me as something I wanted to be a part of. It’s bad enough that I have a Sicilian heritage that is in some ways tied to the Mob. That’s enough questionable karma to last me a lifetime!

Arsenal was eliminated rather easily too. My biggest fault with Arsenal was their supporters as a whole and the way they think. They have this, “We don’t spend all the money that other big clubs spend but we’re better than they are” mentality—and haven’t won ANYTHING in over eight (8) years. Being part of a delusional fan base? No thanks!

Everton, Liverpool’s other team; the “Peoples Team” as they are called, was a close second. Everton was a team I considered that fit the mold of the kinds of teams I liked. They have an American keeper in Tim Howard, but their biggest rival is Liverpool. When choosing a team, Everton came close and even though the rivalry is fierce I simply wanted a team I could just flat hate. I don’t hate Liverpool as a whole, even though I’m nowhere near a fan of Luis Suarez.

Newcastle was another team that I really liked. Alan Pardew is a fine manager and their hard-nosed, no nonsense tatted up players are right up my all, only problem is most of them are French! I don’t hate the French, but I’ve had “bad experiences” in previous international matches involving them;Namely, Zinedine Zidane’s head-butt on Marco Matterazzi in the World Cup final in 2006. For as great a player as Zidane was I will forever remember him for that one moment, but I digress. Great stadium, good owner, good (not great) fan base, like the players but it’s just not good enough to put all of my eggs into that basket. Not to mention that Sunderland is their fiercest rival.

Then there’s Tottenham Hotspur. The 125+ year history, the blue collar team in the white collar town that I love visiting, a team that if they win it all it will be so far beyond earned that it isn’t funny (Rangers or Stars anyone?). Not the richest team in dollars and cents or pounds and pence, but a team that spends generally wisely.

Mostly a cup type team that is working feverishly to acquire and maintain a Champions League type status. They have a hated rival in Arsenal, and by hated I mean loathed!

Both teams are currently located in North London although Arsenal moved north from south of the Thames River in 1913—a 100 year rivalry. I enjoy the Shakespearean tie in that the club is named after Harry Hotspur, a Henry IV character who was cavalier in his nature and wore spurs into battle. Bandwagon potential is invitingly low as they have only qualified for the Champions League once in the Premier League era (1993-present), but they also are one of six teams never to be relegated in that same time span. *Insert slow and steady wins the race here*.

This is my team. Tottenham Hotspur.

I know that being ridiculed for being a Spurs fan is part of the deal and that this team will tear my heart out more times that it will make me leap for joy, but I have made my choice. I can’t wait for the glory, glory nights yet to come. Hopefully, this first long kiss will develop into a loving relationship.

To a lifetime of happiness. COME ON YOU SPURS!