Premiership Ties

I have observed that in my little area of the world (i.e. the United States), to be a fan of Premiership soccer creates a bizarre bond amongst the unlikeliest people. Example, three summers ago (possibly it might have been four, my summers have kinda blurred together) I was on the beach with my brother and cousins and we encountered a girl wearing a Tottenham shirt. I approached this "Tottenham" girl and started chatting about her shirt and the past season and instantaneously we're friends...because after all, to love Prem. in the States is a bit of an anomaly...or so I had originally thought.

Next example, sitting in class at SVSU almost two years ago, I walk in one day sporting my new long sleeve Newcastle United shirt. I go quietly to my desk and start pulling out my books only to look up and find a guy and a girl smiling at me. I hadn't talked to these two all semester and now they are smiling at me. Hmmm. At the break the girl approaches me, asked me where I got my shirt and we start chatting and I find out they are devoted Man. City fans. The rest of the semester whenever I'd see them in class or in the halls we'd express condolences or congrats on various games that had occurred the previous weekend. I've run into those two so many times that now we typically sit down and chat about soccer and catch up on life when we're together.

I have tons of other examples, but I'll turn to more recent examples. A much appreciated Prem. fan is one of the history professors whose office is on the floor I work on at SVSU. He is always e-mailing me classic goals, getting tapes of games to me when I missed one because of homework and provides a steady stream of break-room commentary on the games. And even though he is an Arsenal fan while I am now a devoted Chelsea fan, we don't hold this against one another, because after all, a love of Prem. nullifies all such childish tendencies.

And of course, my supposition that Prem. fans are few and far between was completely abolished when I started attending Midland Free. I have met Liverpool and Everton fans and people who watch it once in awhile, but have yet to form an allegiance to any one team. This has been really encouraging. Well, there is my short commentary on Premiership ties. Oh and I have to dedicate this post to my friend Ciaran who was the one who got me really addicted to Prem. back in 2001. Thanks Ciaran. :-)