I’m a futbol fan – say it with me, people – “fut-bol.”  I’m also an NFL football fan (with just a little college football mixed in), but I love the game USAmericans call soccer.  So, when I started out on my big trip around the world, I was really hoping to get a chance to see some high level futbol (I’m a Seattle Sounders FC supporter, but Major League Soccer in the USA is on a very minor league level compared with most of the world).  Unfortunately, things just didn’t work out with my schedule to see an English Premier League fixture while I was in the UK.  Happily, my time in Barcelona coincided perfectly with perhaps the top futbol team in the world, FC Barcelona, to be playing at home, and I was able to acquire a ticket.  I ended up kind of building a full day around this [...]

Like most dudes, I don’t spend a ton of time in Hallmark stores, just browsing the cards, so I honestly don’t know the answer to this question: Do they sell “Happy Super Bowl” cards there?  If not, they should.  Because tomorrow, we here in USAmerica (and many others around the world) celebrate one of the more prominent holidays of the year.  Despite the fact that it’s not an official holiday, more people do something related to this day than a lot of other holidays.  Sure, some people get a day off work for President’s Day or MLK Day or Veteran’s Day, and they may even attend some kind of gathering in honor of it.  But really, does it really compare to the number of people who gather with friends, make special foods, wear certain kinds of clothing, etc.?  You know I’m right. The big difference, of course, is that a [...]

I went through the whole weekend without any symptoms of withdrawal from the NFL season, which I suppose is a good thing.  I know, I know, there’s still one more game left.  But let’s just say I’m underwhelmed.  I know that the Patriots have a chance at making sports history here.  But quite frankly, I AM OVER the Boston vs. New York sports rivalry.  Like we don’t get enough of that kind of hype all year in baseball?  I know that the TV networks are loving this matchup for the ratings, but I have my serious doubts that anyone west of Dallas really cares much about this game.  I am quite certain that I’ll be watching the game next weekend, but I’ll definitely be more interested in the commercials than the game itself.  And for those sports haters who have been punished by my writing about all this, be assured [...]

It’s Friday morning as I write this. In about 48 hours I’m looking forward to sitting down in front of a television screen, and tuning in to see a professional (American) football game between my beloved San Diego Chargers, and their formidable foe, the New England Patriots. Very few people outside of San Diego are giving the Chargers a shot at being the first team to beat the Patriots this season – rightly so. As a fan, my hope for a miracle win flickers, but I haven’t exactly called Vegas to place my bet in that direction. I have to say, though, that for as much as I’m anticipating the big game Sunday, I do feel a degree of tension about this. The National Football League is big business . . . HUGE, HUGE, HUGE business. They’re a textbook model of how to build a brand, develop intense customer loyalty, [...]

O.k., three quick things about me:  1. I’m a low-grade NFL geek (not the kind that memorizes statistics or plays in fantasy leagues), 2. I’m a San Diego Chargers fan,  3.  I suck at trash talking, so I don’t do it. With the above things as my givens, I’m obviously quite pleased about the Chargers’ upset victory over the Colts, in a gutsy performance.  However, I’m quite certain that Colts fans have one thing to blame:  No, no, not the great play of backups when the Chargers’ star players went down.  Not the cool-under-pressure presence of Phillip Rivers.  Not the ridiculous interception that Eric Weddle made, or the one Antonio Cromartie ran back for what should have been ruled a touchdown. Peyton Manning lost the game for the Colts.  Look, the guy is legendary.  One of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game.  He made some mistakes during the [...]