Sports: Watching Live or Watching on the TV?

Soccer: I'd rather watch it on the television.

Baseball: So much better live.

Softball: Rather be playing it than watching it, but if I'm watching it it's on television. 

Football: Eh, depends. College football is great live. NFL I probably prefer on tv. 

Basketball: Definitely tv for NBA. Live for college basketball. 

Hockey: Live but watching it on television comes a close second. 

The Big Ten Conference and Expansion: Rutgers and Maryland should be rejected for two others.

A change of subject for now. Football. American football.

Originally the Big Ten conference had, well, ten universities. Then it expanded to 11 and then most recently to 14. The new additions from the 11 were Nebraska, Rutgers and Maryland. 

I said it before that Maryland and Rutgers were mainly added to for financial reasons - to expand a majority Midwest market to the East Coast, delving into the Boston-DC corridor. So far the fruition of more money has sorta kinds paid off but not to the effect that the powers that be would hope so. This expansion to 14 universities was done around the 2010-2011 seasons. 

People will point out that the state of Pennsylvania as a non-Midwest. Okay, they have a point. But there's Penn St. and Penn St. has the "feel" of a Big Ten university that Maryland and Rutgers do not who are too far east to have any meaning sports wise to those in the Midwest. Nebraska, from its first day as a conference member, felt like it truly belonged (more so than Northwestern).

Realignments of sports conferences happen though not frequently. If I were the Big Ten Commissioner I'd send a hard push to get University of Pittsburgh and the University of Missouri. University of Kansas could be a back up. Geographically Pitt and Missouri makes sense. If we let go of the "not enough marketing money" talking point I believe these two universities make the most sense. They're also strong academically. 

I'll be the first one to say it in public: Rutgers and Maryland are just cash cows for the Big Ten. There really hasn't been any meaningful rivalries that have grown from the Rutgers and Maryland basketball-football additions. Nebraska brings volleyball and football; sure their basketball team isn't strong but so what. Penn St. is equally as horrific. The same goes for Northwestern sports save for football. Nebraska football is plain awesome and to have that be part of the Big Ten makes the conference even more amazing. 

Missouri would be a safe pick and that's okay. I can see the rivalry between Missouri and Illinois basketball become even more heated and tense. Missouri's football team is rock solid and would also add to the Midwest Big Ten football vibe. 

Pitt's football, like Missouri, has also been solid. Volleyball they're okay and basketball I can see them getting better at recruiting. The rivalry between Pitt football and Penn St. football would be great to broadcast on the Big Ten. Out of the two, Pitt is the most well-rounded school to add to the conference.

Academically Pitt is stronger than Missouri, but Missouri is currently ranked at #124 on the national university list by US News (if we use them as the standard). It's fine by me. What's the real difference between the undergraduates at Michigan St. (ranked around the 80ish mark) and Penn St. (ranked around the 60ish mark)? Not much. Missouri's undergraduate academics are not of a concern (they have a Phi Beta Kappa society) since they still bring in solid medical and law schools at the graduate school level. When people bring up the talking point that Missouri isn't "strong enough" academically, I'll point to Nebraska who's currently ranked at #133 as far as public universities goes.

Let's say the Big Ten stays at 14, with no newly added universities leaving, I'd still want Pitt and Missouri to be considered heavily given talks to expanding to 16 members was on the table when 14 was on the table. 

I'd also like to see the Big Ten divisions to be scrapped. It's not entirely needed. 

Big Ten Conference Members Wish List

Dismiss: Rutgers and Maryland

Invite: Missouri and Pitt

Illinois

Northwestern

Wisconsin

Minnesota 

Iowa

Indiana

Purdue

Michigan

Michigan St.

Ohio St.

Penn St.

Nebraska

Pittsburgh

Missouri 

Keep it at 14 members. There's no true need to be bloated like Big East or, even, the ACC. The Big Ten creates better rivalries and keeps a strong academic profile as a whole (thank you Northwestern being ranked in the top ten).

Of course there's Notre Dame to consider, but they're too in love with themselves and their Independent status for football. It would be great though. 

I like your sport, not your fans.

I enjoy sports. Being a spectator is awesome (depending on the weather) and participating in organized and non-organized sports has been a favorite pastime of mine. But remember I like sports, not so much its fans or whatever politics snags the shoes of its players.

Out of the major sports played in the States the following ranks how liberal/regressive each fanbase is.

 

1. Soccer (MLS): Simply the most liberal and there's no other way to go about it. I have a good feeling that many, many liberals found a sport to attach themselves to since the MLS is still fairly new and soccer (or football) is most popular sport worldwide, so it's where they saw fertile land to insert their politics. Growing up I'm quite sure the MLS was never this liberal, but in the past decade liberals have felt empowered to watch the sport while wearing scarfs of their favorite team when it's 65+ degrees outside. They probably couldn't make enough in-ways in American football, baseball, hockey and basketball, so they chose soccer.

Note: I for one loved the old MLS logo. Get ready to cringe: The new logo has symbolism to it.

2. Baseball (MLB): I read that baseball has liberal fans but conservative players. I think this is somewhat accurate. I've been on the receiving end of arguments where I basically was swarmed by 4 or 5 fellow baseball fans who disagreed with me. Irregardless of my arguments the spectators tend to keep politics out of the game.

3. Basketball (NBA): Yep, there are liberals here. I akin the liberalism within the basketball fanbase as the liberalism found in the parents whose kids are involved in Boy Scouts of America. Not a majority of liberals, but when the moment strikes they'll express views that would forever change the organization if not the game (e.g., had parents admit that they wanted to make BSA co-ed as far back as the 90's and while whole fully supporting openly gay scout leaders in).

4. American Football (NFL): There are liberals here, but they're more so about the game. You'd be surprised how many fans support Colin Kapernick and the kneeling as they express how racist cops are. You'll even get vets who gives zero shits about the flag.

5. Hockey (NHL): I bet there are fair amount of liberals it's just I never really saw an argument where liberals were in full force.

The English like to use "shit" a lot.

I'm a supporter of Aston Villa FC and today was their opener against Hull City, a club that was recently relegated to the second tier of the English professional pyramid, the Championship (not to be confused with the Champions League). The match started off with AV attacking and moving the ball through the midfield, bottling a few good changes but also scoring one goal. The second half was night and day. There was a lack of attacking and AV allowed Hull to have their way in the first 15 minutes of the second half. Eventually the opposition scored. It was tied 1-1.

Only in the last 15 or 20 minutes of the match did AV resembled their first half self. A few point blank chances bottled. At least they were getting chances now. Too late. The ref blows his whistle and both clubs have to settle for a point each in the table.

The disappointment on the reddit forum was understandable, but I can't help but bring up one word that kept coming up. Shit.

Comment from discussion [Match Thread] Aston Villa Vs Hull City.

Comment from discussion [Match Thread] Aston Villa Vs Hull City.

Comment from discussion [Match Thread] Aston Villa Vs Hull City.

Comment from discussion [Match Thread] Aston Villa Vs Hull City.

I've noticed the same thing on youtube's comment section when I'm watching vids about English clubs.

"Newcastle is shit."
"Birmingham City is shit."
"X manager is shit."

Etc. etc.

I just find it amusing. In the States there tends to be a plethora of words to express extreme disappointment. I'll even say it can be quite tame but the amount of words used is greater.

"X baseball manager is horrible at his job. He should be fired."
"X professional player is just not talented enough to play at X position as a starter."

Or it can be less gentlemanly.

"That fucking dumbass. He can kiss my sour ass for all I care."

There's also much more optimism when it comes to Americans and a disappointing opener. Take for instance the Chicago Cubs. The darn club just recently won their first World Series after 108 years. The saying "There's always next year" became a Chicago Cubs thing that would define the optimism of the fans despite no real evidence of things getting better. Then again the culture is different in American sports - there is no relegation/promotion battle found in the MLB or any in major league. In the case of AV the mentality is, given the squad and the time the manager had to settle in, a win today against a not so great Hull City squad would've been the start the club wanted to build of off for push towards the top of the division for an automatic promotion. Ever since the birth of the Premier League (1992), AV has been a staple until a year ago where the club made a record, a horrible once, for the least points scored in the history of the top flight: 13. Pride is at stake as well as the manager's job. (In the world of Western soccer/football, managers are fired as frequently as teenagers go through girl/boyfriends -- basically every three to six months. If you last a year consider yourself a rare gem.) Fans want the club out of the second tier and back into the top flight were they think it belongs. They just want to get back "home." I do too. I want AV to be promoted.

Next up is Cardiff the upcoming Saturday. Three points would be great. At least I'm hoping that's the case.

But as a Chicago Cubs fan, I'll say this - "There's always next match."

So you're a Cubs fans and from Chicago, huh? Me too.

I'm a Cubs fan. My maternal grandfather watched the Cubs and with the help of my college roommates my Cubs fandom blossomed.

I can't say I didn't mind the club's losing ways before the Ricketts bought them and the hiring of Epstein. It was baseball and and as long as I could be at Wrigley Field watching the Cubs it made the pain of supporting a losing team all the more bearable. Baseball was Americana as cheerleaders and cast irons. I wanted to experience Americana and I did.

Now, it's pretty interesting to learn that every other person expressing their joy of the Lovable Losers Winners winning the World Series is "from Chicago" and a "life long Cubs fan." Oh really? How very interesting.

The fandom of the Cubs is wide reaching but I can't help but question the authenticity of these out-of-the-woodwork fans. Take this video for instance, taped at Joe's Brewery in Urbana, Illinois, where many Illinois students were celebrating the Cubbies' win.

How many are actual Cubs fans? Do they even know that there's another MLB team in Chicago called the White Sox? Trivia: What does "full count" mean? And you're from Chicago? What neighborhood?

Anyways, this all sounds petty and part of it is, but damn, it never bothered me before but since it's full-out Cubbie blue in the past few days I now understand the annoyance.

Tradition? What's that?

Person A: I think it's crap that the NCAA removed that university's mascot on the grounds of "racism." It'll only be time before other sports traditions are scrapped.

Person B: Look, I understand the bitterness of some fans. The traditions that are still there have no connections to the mascot, so I think they'll stay. What you're doing is an appeal to emotions and has a smell of NCAA conspiracy theory. It's silly.

Person A: How does a slippery slope equates to a conspiracy theory?

Person B: It's over. I've moved on, and IMO the rest of our fanbase ought to do the same.

Person A: So what you're saying that an image, once an integral part of this university's public image, scrapped, and the future students should just not give a damn? What if, one day, the songs used by the marching band that have taken some heat due to its loose connection to the now band mascot are banned? Now what?

Person B: Like the mascot, they should get over it.

Person A: I get it. You're the type that really doesn't give a damn about tradition. How's the shitty block letter of the university in replace of the mascot's face? It's looks like crap. You're the kind that will be totally fine with corporate take over and when new "traditions" are started, you'll be there saying it's 'just as good' as the old ones.

Person B: It's just a silly tradition.

Person A: No, it's not a "silly" tradition. Tradition gives character. It gives life. 

American soccer fans.

There are many things I admire about my fellow American soccer fans. There are many things I do not like about them as well.

One thing that I don't like is them obsessing over whether a player should play in the Premier League or the Championship, the latter being the second tier of the English soccer/football system. My thinking goes like this -

If the player is a starter in any Premier League team then that's fine. If he isn't and finds himself on the bench more than a season then it's better to move to a club that gets you playing time in order to develop, even if that means going to the Championship.

The Championship is a fun league to fun and it's hard to get promoted from due to there being 40+ games. If it helps, many notable players and managers like the second tier of the English system because they see it as more "pure." Take that as you will. Nonetheless the little brother of the top flight has its fans and it's well-deserved. 

Americans' holding of the mentality of "top flight or nothing" is like a parent obsessing over whether or not his kid will be accepted into a top ranked university. It's understandable but at times it can get very irritating.

If the player is a Championship caliber player, playing in the top half of the table, then so be it. It's better than being an MLS starter and not getting on the national team.

Another thing I don't like their protectiveness over American players. I simply don't give a crap if an American player is trashed if their play is crap. What I don't like is American players being hated simply because they're American when they play overseas or if they're used as a scapegoat for a poor season (see: Brad Guzan when he was at Aston Villa). I'll defend a player if someone says he's shit when he's not, and I'll be nice about as well, not defensive.

There are other things I do not like, but those are for another day if I feel compelled to rant about them.

Note: MLS is slowly getting better; I'm a support of the league.

AC Milan vs FC Bayern

I just purchased my tickets and I'm rather excited for the game.

Which team am I rooting for? AC Milan, of course.

EDIT: (7.29.16)

FC Bayern 3(3), AC Milan 3(5) - penalty

The weather near Lake Michigan was humid. It was a bad day to wear jeans and within five mintues of walking to find food before the game I my back was sweating as if I was in a sauna. As I walked towards Shake Shack I saw various soccer jerseys, ranging from Bayern Munich, Milan, USMNT, a couple of Bundesliga teams, LA Galaxy, Chicago Fire, Arsenal to Manchester United.

The walk towards Soldier Field was even worse, but once inside the stadium the climate dropped significantly. The stadium wasn't packed, just filling out near 40K people, but for an international soccer match in the US it's a good showing.

A vast majority of those who  came for either team were Bayern fans - practically 1 out of 10 were Milan fans as one Milan supporter put it. That was fine with me.

For whatever reason Bayern has a huge following in Chicago. Maybe it's because many in Chicago have German blood in them. Maybe they have family in Munich. Who knows. Whatever the reason, the fact that some woman dressed up as a German Beer Girl made my night (besides being the minority Milan fan surrounded by Bayern fans when the shootout came to an end). Honestly, it was funny, sexy, and a little strange.

Overall it was good game. Milan needs to strengthen their midfield and add some attacking power. I believe the team can finish in the top five since they already have the players to do it. Of course, the roster can be better (especially the reserves). It is what it is. Winter transfer will be crucial.

Besides a Milan win the city of Chicago, the city had much going on. Lollapalooza was starting the next day, so workers were putting any last minute barriers, and Cubs won over the White Sox later that night. As I boarded the train home I saw a sprinkling of Cubs and Sox apparel.

And yes, women who wear sundresses with high heels in the city at night look damn amazing. Don't stop what you're doing. Just don't walk on cobble stone.