There Are Two Groups Of Broken-Hearted Sports Fans
By Pejman Yousefzadeh Posted in Soccer — Comments (4) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
The first group of fans are those whose teams are beaten in a playoff-like atmosphere and then, as a consequence, root for the team that vanquished their favorite team to win the championship match in question. The thinking goes like this: "Sure, I'm upset that Team X beat my favorite team, but if they go on to be champions, I won't feel as bad because I can just say that my team lost to the eventual champions."
The second group of fans are those whose teams are beaten in a playoff-like atmosphere and then, as a consequence, hope that the team that broke the hearts of those fans get vanquished in turn. This allows the broken-hearted fans to enjoy (extremely) vicarious revenge.
Read on . . .
I belong in the second group of fans. That's why I loved reading this:
AC Milan lifted the Champions League trophy after grinding out a 2-1 victory over Liverpool on Wednesday that bore all the hallmarks of Italy's World Cup triumph last year.
Both Italian teams had gone into their competitions under the cloud of a match-rigging scandal that had tarnished their reputation and standing in the world game.
Just as Italy's players said at the World Cup in Germany they wanted to show a different image of their country, so Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said the club's points deduction for their part in the scandal had made them all the more determined.
In both cases, the Italian sides rarely played to their full potential but were ruthless when it counted and enjoyed a slice of good fortune when they needed it.A stoppage-time penalty earned Italy a 1-0 victory over Australia in the second round and Andrea Pirlo, the architect of his country's World Cup triumph, made the most of a 45th minute free kick against Liverpool in Athens.
Pirlo's shot took a wicked deflection off lone striker Filippo Inzaghi, leaving goalkeeper Jose Reina diving in the wrong direction as the ball hit the back of the Liverpool net.
Liverpool, of course, eliminated Chelsea from contention for the Champions League title.
Chelsea is my favorite English Premier League team.
I am (extremely) vicariously avenged.
Side Note
by hoyasaxa
I chose Liverpool as my favorite soccer team because they're consistently good but not Chelsea or Manchester United. And they have a song.
I really, really like team songs.
Sorry
by hoyasaxa
There was no need to bring Rex Grossman into this. That's really beyond cruel on my part.
Fear Not . . .
by Pejman Yousefzadeh
I just wrote off the entire intemperate comment thread to a bad day on your part. Hope things get better.
"At times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not cease to be insipid." --Friedrich Nietzsche
Stinks...
And Chelsea's accomplishments this year plus today's result leaving you avenged is like the Yankees winning the AL Wild Card, failing poorly in the first round, and being happy cause the Tigers lost in the World Series to the Cardinals.
Liverpool and Chelsea aren't arch rivals. Liverpool did beat you in the Champions League Semis for the second time in three years, but they haven't been a domestic nuisance like Man U or Arsenal since Chelsea became something to worry about in the past seven or so years.
And Chelsea spends so much more money that what they did this year is just completely unacceptable. All the top teams in England are involved in various cups/tourneys (Carling, FA and Champions League) so depth is at a premium for competing in league and elsewhere. Chelsea bought depth, but they still got smoked by Manchester United in their quest to win the Premiership.
Then in the only other truly important competition they choked against Liverpool at Anfield. They won one nil at Stamford Bridge, but for the second time in three years they blew it at Liverpool against an Liverpool squad (which next year will be much better since they were bought by rich Americans this season).
So today Liverpool lost to an Italian side involved in a MATCH FIXING SCANDAL cause a ball bounced in off a guy's arm and the ref allowed the goal and you are avenged. Nice.
Did I mention Rex Grossman quarterbacks the Bears?