I am not a fan of sports, I never really have been. I can get into live sports, especially if there is drinking involved, but I absolutely can’t watch sports on television. This is not ideal for a person living in Britain. This nation loves their sports, and they are on all the time and when they aren’t on the television people are talking about them passionately. I feel lost and left out quite often, and I often make obnoxious remarks about football or else feign snoring but this will probably stop being cute the longer I am here.
It is really all just a misunderstanding between me and football. The first football match I attended was a Tuesday night game at Macclesfield vs. Hartlepool in very dreary weather. I know to most American Anglophiles, Macclesfield vs. Hartlepool probably doesn’t mean much to you, but when I tell a Brit this they will always start laughing hysterically. The second football game I went to was another Hartlepool game here in Victoria Park and I famously fell asleep during the second half. Football just didn’t make a good first or even second impression.
So, I have decided I have to give football another chance. I went to a Premiere League game this weekend, Sunderland vs. Hull City, and the atmosphere was electrifying. I enjoyed the game as much as I enjoy live American sports and it gave me hope that I could one day enjoy this very important part of British culture. The pre-game ritual and atmosphere around the pubs of Sunderland reminded me so much of Wrigleyville before a Cubs home game and the spirit inside of the stadium was like nothing I have experienced before.
I am not saying I will become a diehard football fan overnight, but I have decided that starting next season I will follow one team. Since the League One games have been disappointing in the past I have decided that whichever team wins the Premier League this year can add me to their fan roster. I am sure they will all be scrambling to win my allegiance.
Currently Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea are at the top of the league table but I should confess that I am secretly hoping for Liverpool to win the league. Manchester United is just too obvious and Chelsea is a bit too posh, so Liverpool seems like a natural choice for me. I will keep you updated on the progress of the league table as the season progresses!
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=403be6be-cd8d-4486-86e4-6e309429b522)
About Lisa
British Pound Exchange Rate
Anglotopia was founded by Jonathan and Jackie Thomas for people who love Britain - whether it's British TV, Culture, History or Travel - we cover it all. Anglotopia was started to get us back to the UK for a trip and it did that in 2009. Now, the goal is for Anglotopia to make our dreams of traveling to the UK whenever we want a reality.
I totally agree about watching sports on TV! It puts me straight to sleep, especially golf. Do they have golf on TV in the UK?
Why pick the number one team, Lisa? Surely you should give yourself the true British thrill of picking a team near the bottom, spending all season grumbling about how ‘they’re sure to go down this year.’ and then secretly being thrilled when they don’t.
At least, that’s my experience as a Sunderland fan.
-Will
If I wanted to do that I could just be a Hartlepool fan. I was considering becoming a Sunderland fan, but then I would be out of a taxi driver as my Uncle Colin is a Newcastle fan. I decided to choose a less local team to avoid serious conflict with my family and neighbors.
I haven’t picked a team to root for. So, I just root for England.
Ah, you have that right–picking a football team to support in Britain is not to be done lightly! you don’t want to get on the wrong side of your friends and family