Blackpool promoted to Premier League

[Adam Wrong]

no they are thuggish cocks who appreciate violence rather than football

[Ian "Wolfie" Trumps]

Millwall FTW!

Mate you support like 15 different teams. If you turned up at Millwall and spoke...they'd cave your head in. No knee strikes would save you from their firm!

[Cory]

I dont support 15 teams, I support Arsenal, and since I dont have roots to one club and im 500000000 miles away, I can/ try to pick teams from every league...cuz we get 1 epl game one week, and 1 german league the next, and the occasional FA cup match.

I said Millwall cuz of that movie with Millwall fans v/s West Ham Fans and football factories. I cant name a player, but their firms seemed intresting to watch, or something like that. I'm familiar with small(er) teams. MK Dons, Leeds, uhhh Charleton, and Layton Orient.

[Drama Queen]

but there is something about lower league football that guys like Cory and other non British folks should really try and embrace. Passion at its most raw form for football.

The problem is there is no promotion/relegation over here and that is what makes all the difference. In many ways a minor league baseball game is better atmosphere to attend than an MLB one... BUT the Brooklyn Cyclones are ALWAYS going to be minor league regardless of wins and losses. There is no fairytale ambitions for them like there are for Kidderminster Harriers. No promotion and there is no equivalent of the FA Cup.

I don't even understand how anyone can give a shot about the Yankees when no matter how bad of a season they have they will get to try again in the top league next year.

I have tried explaining the beauty of promotion and relegation to Americans but it's like trying to tell them that democracy should not be having to chose between a redneck and a tree-hugger every four years   

[Ian "Wolfie" Trumps]

I dont support 15 teams, I support Arsenal,

I will never let you live that Arsenal/Spurs comment down as long as you live my friend

[Ian "Wolfie" Trumps]

The problem is there is no promotion/relegation over here and that is what makes all the difference. In many ways a minor league baseball game is better atmosphere to attend than an MLB one... BUT the Brooklyn Cyclones are ALWAYS going to be minor league regardless of wins and losses. There is no fairytale ambitions for them like there are for Kidderminster Harriers. No promotion and there is no equivalent of the FA Cup.

I don't even understand how anyone can give a shot about the Yankees when no matter how bad of a season they have they will get to try again in the top league next year.

I have tried explaining the beauty of promotion and relegation to Americans but it's like trying to tell them that democracy should not be having to chose between a redneck and a tree-hugger every four years   

Personally I found with Americans they are more likely to be fair weather fans than the United Kingdom folks which includes a shit load of fans who are apparently United fans. To be honest its the one thing that winds me up a lot is fair weather United fans from all over the world that have absolutely no business claiming to be a United fan.

Back on the subject of fair weather fans I see it a lot with college teams and major professional teams in the USA and their weird allegiances to sides wihich really have NOTHING to do with them what so ever. For example I have no allegiance to any American college program cause well I never went to any American college...at a push seeing as I lived in Illinois and Virginia I guess I could pick up one of those teams to cheer or Georgia based on going over there a lot. Again...I got no real reason where as any American team I follow I have a reason to support them IE Bulls, Bears, Cubs and DC United.

Do you find as well DQ being over there teams like Blackpool are just plain ignored? I assume like me you have gone to the odd "American Soccer Bar"

[FXBlade]

I said Millwall cuz of that movie with Millwall fans v/s West Ham Fans and football factories. I cant name a player, but their firms seemed intresting to watch, or something like that.

Yeah because thats what teh firms are really like.  You can never compare the the film to matchday fighting.

[Duckman]

I've never understood any sports league that doesn't have promotion and relegation.  Unless it's the top league and you can't go any higher, but you know what I mean.

Peace

Duckman

[Jennifer]

Wow, that's completely alien to me. You can epic failures yet still be 'top flight'? Bizarre.

[Ian "Wolfie" Trumps]

I think it should at least be involed in MLS to be honest give them something to be slightly excited about.

[Drama Queen]

I've never understood any sports league that doesn't have promotion and relegation.  Unless it's the top league and you can't go any higher, but you know what I mean.

Peace

Duckman

Wow, that's completely alien to me. You can epic failures yet still be 'top flight'? Bizarre.

These were my initial reactions as well. And despite everything I've had to adapt to socially, economically and politically since I moved here, this is still one of my biggest gripes!

Ian, the porblem over here is that although you may complain about how money has corrupted the game in Europe it is NOTHING to how it influences sports over here.

Teams have moved location (as in to the other side of the continent) and changed their names purely for finacial reasons. My local soccer team is actually called the Red Bulls! I refuse to support an energy drink or any other consumer product. You want to talk about passion, how the hell can you be passionate about an energy drink?

Sure Chelsea might attempt to buy the premiership title by outbidding everyone for the best players in the world, but at least they are still named after their location and not changed their name to Sony or Marlboro or some shit.

But yes the passion is lacking. People will talk about the Yankees or the Giants in work but you can tell they wont lose any sleep over it. Sports seems to be purely entertainment as much so as American Idol or something. It is not considered something that should even remotely effect your personnal life.

I was fortunate to be living in Black Country in Brum when the Baggies got promoted for first time in something like 17 years. The entire city was in a much better mood after it, even people who don't follow football were happier. Nothing like this will ever happen over here.

I love New Jersey, but I have to find other ways to show that than following their sports teams (well... the Devils in Ice Hockey are the only ones with NJ in the name anyway... outside hockey folks here borrow NY's teams...lol) because sports over here will never appeal to me the way they are organized.

[Ian "Wolfie" Trumps]

You got the Nets...and ironically based on our convo their russian billionaire owner lol