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Matchday Pitchside for NERMS


Fish Folk
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OK... you started this, so prepare yourself for a bit of a story...

To start, I have been involved in football since birth. My father and grandfather, both long left this realm, were big into the sport. My grandad was born in Portree, Isle of Skye, Scotland and grew up in the Catholic area of Glasgow, a die hard Celtic supporter. My father was a FIFA/CONCACAF official and officiated many international/club matches. He was the governing official of the US Indoor Soccer League at its inception in the early 80s. As far as myself, I played for 19 years before taking a career ending injury in my 3rd year of Uni. I played and was invited regularly to U13/U15/U17 USA camps, at one time was regarded as one of the brightest up n coming Center Mids in the country. I played club ball with several bigger US players that are now retired....I am old FYI lol. 

Now, to my true love, more so than fish...Manchester United. I have followed United for now what is going on 30ish years now. Been a One United member since its inception and have been to over 20 matches in my lifetime...not including other clubs not United(FYI, my first ever big match was the Old Firm Derby in Glasgow when they had to separate fans with 20 ft bobwire fencing...the hate is real there). As far as message boards, I was the first American moderator of Talking Reds, the official message board that was on the United website and created The United Lounge with other former mods from there that ended up at its peak with over 250K members. If I could tell you how much the high and lows have been for me, its insane. To think when I started following United we hadn't even won a English title in ages and Fergie was about 2-3 years into his management career there. To go from there to domination and now back to barely top 4 finishes hurts my soul endlessly. I just pray daily that the Glazers sell my club so we can once again regain our status among the hierarchy of the World Elite. 

Kit wise...I am obsessed with all kits not just United. Prob own 200ish different kits and training kits. About to start a full wall in my bedroom of shadow boxes with legend kits inside. I could go on and on...but the love is real. This upcoming year will be the start of my United football half sleeve tattoo as well. So they will be permanently on my body to death. Can't wait!

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On 7/29/2023 at 10:36 AM, Shadow said:

My grandad was born in Portree, Isle of Skye, Scotland and grew up in the Catholic area of Glasgow, a die hard Celtic supporter.

SCOTS WHA HAE!!!

On 7/29/2023 at 10:36 AM, Shadow said:

OK... you started this, so prepare yourself for a bit of a story...

To start, I have been involved in football since birth. My father and grandfather, both long left this realm, were big into the sport. My grandad was born in Portree, Isle of Skye, Scotland and grew up in the Catholic area of Glasgow, a die hard Celtic supporter. My father was a FIFA/CONCACAF official and officiated many international/club matches. He was the governing official of the US Indoor Soccer League at its inception in the early 80s. As far as myself, I played for 19 years before taking a career ending injury in my 3rd year of Uni. I played and was invited regularly to U13/U15/U17 USA camps, at one time was regarded as one of the brightest up n coming Center Mids in the country. I played club ball with several bigger US players that are now retired....I am old FYI lol. 

Now, to my true love, more so than fish...Manchester United. I have followed United for now what is going on 30ish years now. Been a One United member since its inception and have been to over 20 matches in my lifetime...not including other clubs not United(FYI, my first ever big match was the Old Firm Derby in Glasgow when they had to separate fans with 20 ft bobwire fencing...the hate is real there). As far as message boards, I was the first American moderator of Talking Reds, the official message board that was on the United website and created The United Lounge with other former mods from there that ended up at its peak with over 250K members. If I could tell you how much the high and lows have been for me, its insane. To think when I started following United we hadn't even won a English title in ages and Fergie was about 2-3 years into his management career there. To go from there to domination and now back to barely top 4 finishes hurts my soul endlessly. I just pray daily that the Glazers sell my club so we can once again regain our status among the hierarchy of the World Elite. 

Kit wise...I am obsessed with all kits not just United. Prob own 200ish different kits and training kits. About to start a full wall in my bedroom of shadow boxes with legend kits inside. I could go on and on...but the love is real. This upcoming year will be the start of my United football half sleeve tattoo as well. So they will be permanently on my body to death. Can't wait!

Amazing!! I shall don a ManU kit just for you.

My son plays midfield. No delusions of grandeur here, but he has good taste in midfielders IMHO.

My personal favorite, now retired, is Andres Iniesta. My eldest son loves Pedri. My middle boy… he likes forwards… talks most about Robert Lewendowski probably.

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On 7/29/2023 at 10:30 AM, Fish Folk said:

SCOTS WHA HAE!!!

Amazing!! I shall don a ManU kit just for you.

My son plays midfield. No delusions of grandeur here, but he has good taste in midfielders IMHO.

My personal favorite, now retired, is Andres Iniesta. My eldest son loves Pedri. My middle boy… he likes forwards… talks most about Robert Lewendowski probably.

My all time favorite player is a forward, Eric Cantona. My new vehicle dons a personalized plate for him MNUTD7...seriously I adore him. My all time favorite midfielders are Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, Andrea Pirlo & Zizou. My football kit collection def has a lot of differing teams and players. I recently just purchased 15 more, my very first Messi kit the Inter Miami black one. I am not a fan of Barca, respect the players, but as we lost two European titles in 3 years to Barca...never will like them. More of a Real fanboy honestly in that sense...their midfield right now might be the best I have seen in ages. Its absolutely bonkers that they have two elder stars with 4 of the best young players in the world not to mention the Brazilian forwards they have...they are going to give everyone fits for decades. 

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On 7/29/2023 at 2:36 PM, Shadow said:

as we lost two European titles in 3 years to Barca

Understandable.

 

On 7/29/2023 at 2:36 PM, Shadow said:

More of a Real fanboy honestly in that sense...their midfield right now might be the best I have seen in ages

We respect Los Blancos. Moderic especially…

 

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El Classico Americano, 07/29/2023. A wonderful night in Arlington, Texas for FC Barcelona fans…

Pedri pass to Dembele on 1st goal ❤️

Frenkie de Jong with bench-clearing tackle 1st half 👊 

Some new guy for Barça deciding to open his account with a bang 💥

Vini Jr. giving Sergino Dest a night to forget 😂

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 8/10/2023 at 8:23 PM, Fish Folk said:

FIFA WWC, ESP 🇪🇸 vs NED 🇳🇱 happening now. Dangerous teams! I like Spain a lot…

I am just hyped that the Prem is back tomorrow...also so much happening in the transfer market as well. 

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I absolutely don't mean this as criticism of people who enjoy futbol (or soccer, as we refer to it in the US), because I know not everyone enjoys baseball as much as I do, but when I hear it mentioned I'm often reminded of a comic strip I saw in the newspaper years ago during the World Cup.  Two of the characters were sitting on the couch watching television when a third person walked in the room and asked what they were watching.  One of them replied "The World Cup."

"What's the score?"

"It's tied at zero, but they've only been playing for six hours."

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On 8/11/2023 at 8:51 AM, JettsPapa said:

I absolutely don't mean this as criticism of people who enjoy futbol (or soccer, as we refer to it in the US), because I know not everyone enjoys baseball as much as I do, but when I hear it mentioned I'm often reminded of a comic strip I saw in the newspaper years ago during the World Cup.  Two of the characters were sitting on the couch watching television when a third person walked in the room and asked what they were watching.  One of them replied "The World Cup."

"What's the score?"

"It's tied at zero, but they've only been playing for six hours."

I do get that! It can take a lot of patience to focus through an equally matched game. There are some sports I cannot bear watching for one reason or another. Golf comes to mind…

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On 8/11/2023 at 7:59 AM, Fish Folk said:

I do get that! It can take a lot of patience to focus through an equally matched game. There are some sports I cannot bear watching for one reason or another. Golf comes to mind…

I've been known to turn the TV to a station showing a golf tournament on Sunday afternoon.  The announcers relatively low key commentary is nice background noise for naps.

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On 8/11/2023 at 7:51 AM, JettsPapa said:

I absolutely don't mean this as criticism of people who enjoy futbol (or soccer, as we refer to it in the US), because I know not everyone enjoys baseball as much as I do, but when I hear it mentioned I'm often reminded of a comic strip I saw in the newspaper years ago during the World Cup.  Two of the characters were sitting on the couch watching television when a third person walked in the room and asked what they were watching.  One of them replied "The World Cup."

"What's the score?"

"It's tied at zero, but they've only been playing for six hours."

Its just football, its futbol in Hispanic countries but known as just football in the rest of the world. Also, fun fact...soccer was invented, the word, by the British. Hence the reason we adopted it and it also is used in Australia as well. Also, I dont think I have ever seen a 6 hour match. LOL, maybe in baseball or american football but never in football. 

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On 8/12/2023 at 3:50 PM, Fish Folk said:

@Shadow whaddya think of hey-Jude Bellingham today so far??

Didn't get to watch any La Liga, I usually spend most my mornings watching the Prem. I did watch the replay and no surprise he scored on his competitive debut. They prob have the best midfield in the world atm in Bellingham-Modric-Kroos-Tchouameni-Camavinga-Valverde. The youth players are just too good to keep benched, so you see goated players like Kroos and Modric getting close to their end there. I have a feeling they win the CL this season, not City. Maybe even Bayern. The Prem will be beating each other up the entire season, so I don't think anyone else other than City will challenge, even my lads. 

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