First Random Soccer Fandom Blog Post – 4/9/14

Not all of my posts on here have to be self-congratulatory music posts or additions to my professional portfolio. From time to time I’ll add to my “random” category and blog about something unrelated that I care about. Most people that know me personally are aware that I’m a huge sports fan. I think that’s clear with the songs we’ve made for SIU, the Bears, and the Bulls. However, this post will be about my first sport which I still follow as much as any other, Soccer.

2014 is a big year for soccer, but it doesn’t get the same love as the major sports here, so it’s harder to find people to really talk about our teams, debate, and generally be the same kind of fan as you can be for everything else. I mean it’s a World Cup year! Hell, Chelsea just came back against PSG in a nail-biter of a second leg to move on in the Champions League yesterday! Yet around the water cooler I know to stick to the NCAA games and the Bulls upcoming playoff run because NOBODY CARES. So this post is just to show some love to some of the areas I go to to talk soccer, while ESPN spends hours covering LeBron whining about a foul in a meaningless game.

First and foremost – reddit is king. Go on reddit now. Then subscribe to r/soccer. Great match threads, .gif’s, and important news. Obviously if you have the club you already support, I’m sure you know how to follow news for them as well.

I grew up playing for a traveling team around Chicago called CF Royale, man those were the days. Our coach was friends with a player on the Chicago Fire, and invited him to our practice once. I didn’t really follow them at the time and wish I could remember who it was shooting knuckleballs at our goalie. I do remember my first Fire game though at Soldier Field, when Carlos Valderrama (my favorite player at the time) came to town.

From that point on I followed the MLS a little more and have finally returned back to giving the league another chance this year, now that Michael Bradley (my favorite player now) is back among other noteworthy MLS squads.

Some Chicago Fire resources and blogs:

• On The Fire – In depth look at Fire game analysis and a lot of other good posts.
• Hot Time in Old Town – SB Nation blog.
• MLS Videos – The MLS does a great job of making videos/highlights very accessible.

Speaking of Red, yeah I’m a Liverpool fan. Great year to be one right? I believe I jumped on before I would fall into the bandwagon category. My Fifa Ultimate Team is filled with the likes of Suarez, Sturridge, Sterling, and Gerrard (PSN id – Covelliproductnz). Hopefully they take the league from Chelsea/Mourinho or even my boy Yaya and City. The EPL is where it’s at if you want the most competitive and talented league in the world.

OH MY GOD! Champions League sidebar: Manchester United just scored to take the lead on Bayern Munich. Yea what was I saying about the most competitive teams? Champions League is actually where it’s at. To longtime soccer fans – duh I know (aaaaand there it is Bayern Munich just scored to tie it up on aggregate and away goals). OK back to the Premier League for now, Liverpool will be there next year.

Thankfully, I’ve watched more Premier League Soccer this year than ever before, much to the annoyance of my wife. NBCSN has skyrocketed up my important channels list now that they are showing EPL games. Match of the Day is a must record show in my house.

Liverpool is coming to Chicago in the summer too! They are playing Olympiakos at Soldier July 27th in the International Champions Cup, and hopefully they will field the star players even just after the WC.

If you’re interested, join me there, and follow this Liverpool Supporters of Chicago group I found: here.

Last but certainly not least, the USMNT.

As we get closer to the opening of the 2014 World Cup, I’ll give more in-depth thoughts on our squad’s chances in the “group of death”. Here’s a hint, I think with Bradley running the show, we have a shot to do anything, but our back line will need to do their part to help Howard.

If you follow USA Soccer, JOIN THE AMERICAN OUTLAWS – http://www.theamericanoutlaws.com/. It’s 25 bucks for all the perks and it includes a shirt and bandana. More info here.

*Edit: I want to add in a site for following American Soccer players that a coworker just informed me of. – http://www.americansoccernow.com/

This ends my first iteration of random soccer blogging. Just wanted to let my fandom be known. Thanks for reading? Now go listen to some Covelli Productions.