September 2009
8 posts
“England keeper Robert Green has blasted his team-mates - and put himself at odds...”
– Oh, I totally know the feeling, Robert Green, from back in the day when I was the keeper of the McGill Biology Student Union Women’s B-League football team. I would stand in the goal and squeal, ‘come on, guys!’ and then when the ball came at me and I failed to smack it away it was...
Football on the radio
Now, one of my favourite things to do is listen to the radio. I especially like the National Public Radio programme ‘This American Life’ which is something about which I get almost as emotional as some people get about football; at least, sometimes it make me cry and then I have to lie down for a little a while until I feel better.
So in some respects I got a lot of pleasure from listening to...
On the radio: Hammers vs the 'Pool
The Liverpool Fan is at a weddng today (poor excuse, methinks) and I am too shy to go watch the game at the pub on my own (scared of pub-based football-related violence), so instead I am going to try another new experience and listen to the game on the radio. This seems like it will be very boring, but what do I know?
A true test
On Saturday, West Ham is playing Liverpool, which will permit me to have an essential new football fan experience: what happens when your beloved team is playing against the team adored by one of your best friends? Will The Liverpool Fan and I be able to watch it in the same place? Will we throw beer (or in his case, orange juice) at each other in fits of rage? Will he ever invite me over to eat...
I watched Match of the Day
It’s almost not worth discussing West Ham’s performance this weekend. They were beaten by Wigan. Wigan? Where the hell is Wigan? Anyway. It would almost have been enough to put me off football if not for the extent to which I found myself enjoying Match of the Day on Saturday night. Yes, I said that. I enjoyed Match of the Day. I think I like Match of the Day because it boils out all...
“Richard Burgum, 29, said he was an “absolute idiot” for running onto the pitch...”
– ‘I was stupid… but I am not one of the hooligans’, says fan who invaded pitch | News
I am still in transit, so to speak, but have taken time to inform myself about the latest West Ham news - and am interested in the idea that being ‘banned for life from following the...
August 2009
9 posts
So, I'm in Chicago
It’s not a city which makes following West Ham particularly easy, not just because the Tribune doesn’t cover it, but because there is no one for me to talk about football with.
But yet - there are people to talk about FOOTBALL with. My grandfather, for example, who at the age of 91 was able to tell me all about the new quarterback that the Chicago Bears have acquired this season and...
“A man has been stabbed and violent battles have broken out between rival fans in...”
– Man stabbed as trouble erupts at West Ham v Millwall Carling Cup game | Football | guardian.co.uk
This is what I am not able to understand, and likely never will.
“The Queen is rumoured to have begun following West Ham after meeting their...”
– Showbiz - News - The Queen ‘supports West Ham’ - Digital Spy
Why have I invited this sadness into my life?
It’s the most gorgeous sunny day in London, so I could only bring myself to sit through the second half of Spurs v. West Ham (remember, I am taking this slowly). But I saw the part where the West Ham lost, which was the important bit, because it made me feel really dejected.
‘Why have I invited this sadness into my life?’ I said to Jodie as I slumped in my seat and James (a real...
Next up: Hammers v Spurs
Phew! Being a football fan is quite time-consuming, isn’t it, when you have a full-time job and a freelance career and an interest in things other than football? Anyway, I am all caught up now on what the Ham is up to now and am avidly awaiting Sunday’s match against Spurs, which is apparently a ‘London derby’.
Now, this game is taking on particular resonance for me since this week I have been...
Rivalries
Three days into my declaration of allegiance to West Ham, I already managed to provoke serious angst in other football fans (although you’ll be pleased to know that I’ve yet to get punched). Most piqued, perhaps, was my friend who shall henceforth be known as The Liverpool Fan.
Every year TLF’s mother gives him a Liverpool calendar for Christmas and he hangs it in his kitchen....
Game 1: 2-0
Well, it seems that my beloved West Ham acquitted themselves well in their season opener yesterday, defeating Wolverhampton 2-0. Whoop! You will notice that I say ‘seems’ because as I am easing my way in to the obsession (don’t want to shock my system too much, you see), I didn’t actually watch the game, but rather read about it afterwards. The reading was very interesting,...
And the winner is...
West Ham! Following a number of rigorous arguments - on which, more later - I was ultimately persuaded by my dear friend Jodie, who pointed out that they are reasonably local, have pretty colours (what colour is ‘claret’, exactly? Scarlet? More of a maroon?) middling in quality, and that I could watch the games in a pub in Victoria Park with her boyfriend (whether he’s happy...
Due to protests from some lovely readers...
…who are, like me, not really interested in football, and don’t want to read about it on my blog, I’m starting this new one for the duration of my football experiment.