St Louis review

[kenzie115]

Watched the highlights on the OS and it looked like a much more fluid attacking performance, even if it was only a friendly. Micah displayed much better movement and positioning as a striker for the final goal than he did defensively for their third and in the game vs Norwich last week.

 

[Rösler von Stretfordbömber]

I live in the US now and Chavski has had a pretty big run-up in support over the decade since Bond Villain Abramovich took over. They also come here every year in the summer.

Now that said, there have always been a comparative lot of City supporters in NYC from the Reyna days with us. We seem to have had some decent support in Boston (though they've gotten a bit Liverpool-infested since the idiot owner of the Red Sox took over.)

What is crazy is that as recently as 2006 or so you would be SHOCKED to see anything in the US in general other than rags/arse/red dipper kits. And I have NEVER seen a City shirt on sale in a store - even the ones specialising in "soccer." Been getting mine shipped over every year from kitbag/the OS since I've been here.

Say what you will about Nike. I hate them in general. But I expect the days of needing to pay trans-Atlantic shipping for my City merchandise are over for good. We have supporters clubs popping up every which place over here now. And I suspect all those sporting goods stores which usually only stock rags/Barcelona/Chavski are going to need to make some room on their racks.

Some people deride these new US supporters as "plastics." Well, whatever. I'm glad to have them. Better their dollars go to us than to Chavski or the fucking Evil Empire. We need to keep in mind that "soccer" and the EPL are really only now exploding in popularity and accessibility here. Every year, tens of thousands of people discover the beautiful game. And when they see our beautiful colours and the exploits of 13 May (not this most recent one) and the general awesomeness of everything City they cannot help but to want to be part of it.

 

[Peoria Blue]

3) American commentators really are piss-poor but it may just be a cultural approach for the most part. The biggest difference between, for example, a Martin Tyler and a Gus Johnson … other than Martin knows the game inside out and Johnson approaches it like a dog that has just discovered its tail … is that we are used to commentators who can provide a little insight, colour and nuance. American commentators, without exception, confine themselves to stats … which is the hallmark of all US sports coverage. So rather than any tactical insight or informed commentary, what you get is a meaningless litany of "Tottenham Hotspur is the fourth-winningest EPL team at Goodison park in the last seven years" and that they have "gained the highest percentage of cornerkicks of any EPL team in the last 15 minutes of normal time" … and other such distracting drivel. Plus all that "good D," "on frame" and "top of the 18" lingo that well, quite frankly, just isn't British:)

Cheers!

Excellent post, Steve...

I myself have found some incredible parallels between baseball and soccer on radio, and prefer listening to a radio broadcast while muting the tele or computer stream. The reason being, unlike basketball or other sports...in baseball and soccer, on the radio they really need to and have time to paint the scene as well as describe the activity.

On TV, everything is too "packaged" for presentation and informing the viewer which, perhaps, is necessary (especially to a largely novice American audience).

That is also a good observation on statistical content. Hadn't really paid attention to that. I do know that media notes packages are stat heavy and the talking heads pretty much just fill with regurgitating that info.

 

[Beezer]

Since there isn't a regional affiliation with EPL teams in the US, the main reasons Americans will choose a club is 1) They are on TV more than the competition, 2) They are entertaining (usually that means winning in style). Americans love watching the "Best". 3) An American plays for the club. Americans follow Dempsey, but he isn't big-time enough to greatly influence shirt sales.

City's stock is going up in the US; however, there is a long way to go before we compete with the established clubs. Winning in style, or with a good work-ethic will do alot to overcome stereotypes (Like beating chelsea from 3 down in a friendly) Playing like the FA cup final will only reinforce stereotypes.

 

[TonyM]

PS. Just remembered a fourth peeve. There's a bloke called Tommy Smyth who contributes to ESPN .... "professional Irishman" with a thick "Lucky Charms" accent that you suspect might be exaggerated for effect seeing as he's lived here since 1963 apparently! ... and his comments are beyond inane. His worst crime is that he has adopted a catchphrase that I hadn't heard since Neil Young commented on his goal in the 1969 cup final and I assumed had been consigned to history after that - Smyth insists on describing each and every goal as "putting a bulge in the back of the old onion bag," even if the fucking thing has merely rolled across the line and has quite clearly not even rippled the net, let alone bulged the bastard.

He does my head in too. When I lived in the US he was an embarrassment but thankfully not on the forefront. since the ESPN new world he's following me over home. It's like a nightmare.

 

[Anonymous]

glad i stayed up to watch the match i really enjoyed it.

is it just me that thought when either city or Chelsea had a chance or scored a goal the whole stadium of fans cheered?

I watched the game and when the City goals went in the cheering DID appear to be as loud as it was for the Chelsea goals ..... certainly for the last three City goals anyway ..... i think the neutrals thoroughly enjoyed the comeback !

 

[dom]

PS. Just remembered a fourth peeve. There's a bloke called Tommy Smyth who contributes to ESPN .... "professional Irishman" with a thick "Lucky Charms" accent that you suspect might be exaggerated for effect seeing as he's lived here since 1963 apparently! ... and his comments are beyond inane. His worst crime is that he has adopted a catchphrase that I hadn't heard since Neil Young commented on his goal in the 1969 cup final and I assumed had been consigned to history after that - Smyth insists on describing each and every goal as "putting a bulge in the back of the old onion bag," even if the fucking thing has merely rolled across the line and has quite clearly not even rippled the net, let alone bulged the bastard.

He does my head in too. When I lived in the US he was an embarrassment but thankfully not on the forefront. since the ESPN new world he's following me over home. It's like a nightmare.

This tw@t was interviewed on talkshite today about the game and about NYCFC

He only talked about Chavski in the game.. no metion of our amazing comeback
his comment about NYCFC were sneering and implied that they would never get a support base... citing Yanks problems with Abu Dabi 'human rights recors...

this from a plastic paddy in the land that gave us drones, illegal invasions , waterboarding and guantanemo bay...
FFS

Alamost certainly a (not so) closet rag.. ended up wringing his hands regretting that this shouls have been Rag project as evryone loves them

Fook off plastic paddy

 

[ChicagoBlue]

I would take the issue a step further with a Club like Real Salt Lake. My question would be "just who is this American king that dubbed Salt Lake as his football team?

I believe that was a fan vote, and an attempt to emblematically imitate.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

3) American commentators really are piss-poor but it may just be a cultural approach for the most part. The biggest difference between, for example, a Martin Tyler and a Gus Johnson … other than Martin knows the game inside out and Johnson approaches it like a dog that has just discovered its tail … is that we are used to commentators who can provide a little insight, colour and nuance. American commentators, without exception, confine themselves to stats … which is the hallmark of all US sports coverage. So rather than any tactical insight or informed commentary, what you get is a meaningless litany of "Tottenham Hotspur is the fourth-winningest EPL team at Goodison park in the last seven years" and that they have "gained the highest percentage of cornerkicks of any EPL team in the last 15 minutes of normal time" … and other such distracting drivel. Plus all that "good D," "on frame" and "top of the 18" lingo that well, quite frankly, just isn't British:)

Cheers!

Excellent post, Steve...

I myself have found some incredible parallels between baseball and soccer on radio, and prefer listening to a radio broadcast while muting the tele or computer stream. The reason being, unlike basketball or other sports...in baseball and soccer, on the radio they really need to and have time to paint the scene as well as describe the activity.

On TV, everything is too "packaged" for presentation and informing the viewer which, perhaps, is necessary (especially to a largely novice American audience).

That is also a good observation on statistical content. Hadn't really paid attention to that. I do know that media notes packages are stat heavy and the talking heads pretty much just fill with regurgitating that info.

Good observations all.

My pet peeve on US coverage is the need to TALK ALL THE TIME!!

In the UK, the "colour commentator" is there to "add colour," but in the US, he is trying to improve his TV profile, get more airtime and just talks crap! Some of the color commentary in the US is, frankly, comical and nonsensical IF you know the game!

 

[unlikelyfan19]

3) American commentators really are piss-poor but it may just be a cultural approach for the most part. The biggest difference between, for example, a Martin Tyler and a Gus Johnson … other than Martin knows the game inside out and Johnson approaches it like a dog that has just discovered its tail … is that we are used to commentators who can provide a little insight, colour and nuance. American commentators, without exception, confine themselves to stats … which is the hallmark of all US sports coverage. So rather than any tactical insight or informed commentary, what you get is a meaningless litany of "Tottenham Hotspur is the fourth-winningest EPL team at Goodison park in the last seven years" and that they have "gained the highest percentage of cornerkicks of any EPL team in the last 15 minutes of normal time" … and other such distracting drivel. Plus all that "good D," "on frame" and "top of the 18" lingo that well, quite frankly, just isn't British:)

Cheers!

Excellent post, Steve...

I myself have found some incredible parallels between baseball and soccer on radio, and prefer listening to a radio broadcast while muting the tele or computer stream. The reason being, unlike basketball or other sports...in baseball and soccer, on the radio they really need to and have time to paint the scene as well as describe the activity.

On TV, everything is too "packaged" for presentation and informing the viewer which, perhaps, is necessary (especially to a largely novice American audience).

That is also a good observation on statistical content. Hadn't really paid attention to that. I do know that media notes packages are stat heavy and the talking heads pretty much just fill with regurgitating that info.

Good observations all.

My pet peeve on US coverage is the need to TALK ALL THE TIME!!

In the UK, the "colour commentator" is there to "add colour," but in the US, he is trying to improve his TV profile, get more airtime and just talks crap! Some of the color commentary in the US is, frankly, comical and nonsensical IF you know the game!

That's whats so hard right now. Major networks are still in this World Cup 94' mindset about football where they feel they are still trying to "sell" the game. Sadly, for most true fans in the States, feel we know more than the commentators in the booth. We have been listening to broadcasters from Europe for longer than we have to commentators in the states. So it's frustrating and feels like you are going backwards when you listen to these guys. Sometimes I feel like football has grown in this country in spite of the networks here.