As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
I knew virtually nothing about American sports before watching those documentaries but I have been glued to a lot of them. They havent made me want to follow the sport but I absolutely love historic stuff like that and probably enjoyed it far more for not having a clue what was gonna happen next. One of the best ones I saw was the 3 part Celtics v Lakers rivalry. Some great footage and history, even though I never watch basketball.
The consistent theme throughout them all though is how much better sport in general was in the past. The drama was less contrived and the stories and controversies far more gripping. Like with football, many Ice Hockey fans say their game was a much better spectator sport in the 1970s and early 80s and that the atmosphere isn't the same anymore. The greed and commercialism that has damaged football for many of us probably happened 15 years or so earlier in US sports. The Americanisation of our game is clear but I hadn't given much thought to how it all happened over there first.
I think David Dein was partly to blame for that, basically creating the PL and turning football into the commercial monster it is now, although it might have happened anyway if he hadn't have done it. I saw some website quote him a while ago, I don't think my words are an exact summary but it was something about how he wanted to overhaul the First Division into the PL, he mentioned that he saw how the Americans done it or something and he wanted to copy them, so that fits what you've said about the Americans doing it before us.
I wasn't around in the 70s or 80s, but I've understood that football was escapism then, no outsiders getting involved or milking the sport. Then the outsiders sunk their fangs into it and turned it into a cashcow, and now you have betting adverts depicting someone attending a 'match' as they call it sitting down and barely celebrating a goal, making it seem like football was always like that, or that what it's like now with the shit atmosphere and same old songs is so superior to before. Such a massive shame.
Nice post mate.
I think you're right about Dein too. That sounds exactly like the sort of thing he would say and try to do!
I knew virtually nothing about American sports before watching those documentaries but I have been glued to a lot of them. They havent made me want to follow the sport but I absolutely love historic stuff like that and probably enjoyed it far more for not having a clue what was gonna happen next. One of the best ones I saw was the 3 part Celtics v Lakers rivalry. Some great footage and history, even though I never watch basketball.
The consistent theme throughout them all though is how much better sport in general was in the past. The drama was less contrived and the stories and controversies far more gripping. Like with football, many Ice Hockey fans say their game was a much better spectator sport in the 1970s and early 80s and that the atmosphere isn't the same anymore. The greed and commercialism that has damaged football for many of us probably happened 15 years or so earlier in US sports. The Americanisation of our game is clear but I hadn't given much thought to how it all happened over there first.
I think David Dein was partly to blame for that, basically creating the PL and turning football into the commercial monster it is now, although it might have happened anyway if he hadn't have done it. I saw some website quote him a while ago, I don't think my words are an exact summary but it was something about how he wanted to overhaul the First Division into the PL, he mentioned that he saw how the Americans done it or something and he wanted to copy them, so that fits what you've said about the Americans doing it before us.
I wasn't around in the 70s or 80s, but I've understood that football was escapism then, no outsiders getting involved or milking the sport. Then the outsiders sunk their fangs into it and turned it into a cashcow, and now you have betting adverts depicting someone attending a 'match' as they call it sitting down and barely celebrating a goal, making it seem like football was always like that, or that what it's like now with the shit atmosphere and same old songs is so superior to before. Such a massive shame.
Nice post mate.
I think you're right about Dein too. That sounds exactly like the sort of thing he would say and try to do!
I knew virtually nothing about American sports before watching those documentaries but I have been glued to a lot of them. They havent made me want to follow the sport but I absolutely love historic stuff like that and probably enjoyed it far more for not having a clue what was gonna happen next. One of the best ones I saw was the 3 part Celtics v Lakers rivalry. Some great footage and history, even though I never watch basketball.
The consistent theme throughout them all though is how much better sport in general was in the past. The drama was less contrived and the stories and controversies far more gripping. Like with football, many Ice Hockey fans say their game was a much better spectator sport in the 1970s and early 80s and that the atmosphere isn't the same anymore. The greed and commercialism that has damaged football for many of us probably happened 15 years or so earlier in US sports. The Americanisation of our game is clear but I hadn't given much thought to how it all happened over there first.
I think David Dein was partly to blame for that, basically creating the PL and turning football into the commercial monster it is now, although it might have happened anyway if he hadn't have done it. I saw some website quote him a while ago, I don't think my words are an exact summary but it was something about how he wanted to overhaul the First Division into the PL, he mentioned that he saw how the Americans done it or something and he wanted to copy them, so that fits what you've said about the Americans doing it before us.
I wasn't around in the 70s or 80s, but I've understood that football was escapism then, no outsiders getting involved or milking the sport. Then the outsiders sunk their fangs into it and turned it into a cashcow, and now you have betting adverts depicting someone attending a 'match' as they call it sitting down and barely celebrating a goal, making it seem like football was always like that, or that what it's like now with the shit atmosphere and same old songs is so superior to before. Such a massive shame.
Don't think you can blame DD solely for that mate. Football TV money was peanuts back then compared to what it is today. ITV basically asked the 1980s big 5 (that's us, victims, manure, scum and Everton just to be clear) if they wanted a greater share from the TV money and surprise surprise they all said yes. The PL came about which allowed a degree of independence from the football league and FA so the new body could do their own TV deals - enter Sky and you know the rest. DD guilty of saying yes to more TV money.
Liverpool could wrap up their season by playing 3 games a week and still romp to the title. In terms of football, themselves & City are in a different league....I still see much better football from City when they are on song, they are just too inconsistent......And Liverpool seem to get the rub of the green, the bounce of the ball, the shrill of the whistle and everything else that is needed to win games.
How could Paulson let that foul on de Gea go unpunished, go to VAR only after vociferous protesting, book de Gea for protesting, then VAR upholds the protest and overturns the goal, yet the booking stands??? Can the Referees Association please explain