To paraphrase John Nicholson of football365:
Football can encompass every emotion known to man. The worst of games still contains elation, despair, rage, fear, crippling tension and relief. If a film ever did any of this half as well it would be a shoe-in for the academy awards.
The worst of games was Limerick 0-0 Athlone early on this (last?) season, and it contained none of those things. It contained nothing at all.Originally Posted by peadar1987
Sounds like my bedroom technique...
Stupidness.
A man can have no greater love than give 90 minutes for his friends.
Because Daddy gives you a ball and wonders if your right or left footed, the first day you walk. He then brings you to the local club and explains the difference between right and wrong - basically all other clubs are wrong and were the only ones that are right and that our neighbours have in fact been in league with the devil and bought every ref since 1986 and that most of them are decendents of the tans. After that its a doddle!
Identity, unity, pride, passion, emotion, opinion, the twelfth man, the banter, a meaning and struture to your life.
Despite all this, football is still only a game; a temporary respite from the trials and tribulations of daily life but never a substitute for having a life. It can be a gloriously enthralling, passionate, unpredictable and utterly intoxicating game, but a game of two halves is all it can ever be
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum
Aaah Derry City. Remember when they used try and look down upon us.
Didn't know you were a Blues fan too
That question was less stupid, though you asked it in a profoundly stupid way.
Help me, Arthur Murphy, you're my only hope!
that is like asking why is the sky blue
It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.
Muhammad Ali
Because i hate G.A.A!!!!!!!!!!
hey i was 5 at the time of euro 88 but i cannot for the life of me remember it.
my first memory of watchin football was the cameroon v argentina game world cup 1990 opener, it was on a friday night after paino lessons which i flipping hated!! then roger milla's celebrations is what got me interested as well as the ireland factor. im sure i was kicking a ball about at school before this but this is my first vivid memory of football. although i was told i was at harps games in the 80's i dont remember that either, maybe i hit my head somewhere along the way
It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.
Muhammad Ali
I think I've answered your question here.
http://foot.ie/threads/134612-Why-I-love-football
No matter what team it is, from your local team in the park to Sporting Fingal, Barcelona or Ireland, it is a form of madness which usually punishes us but occasionally, just occasionally, gives you that high, that moment of ecstacy. As I said, a bit like marriage.
Last edited by OwlsFan; 29/04/2010 at 9:25 AM.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
I love the game itself - first and foremost. Thats the important thing. I love watching most sports. I enjoy the tactics involved, I enjoy the decision making, the techniques required etc, everything about the game. As a result of loving the game - I love to see the game played to the highest possible level locally - which is why I've loved Cork City from such a young age. I've always had an unexplainable passion to see them do well - from when I dragged my Dad to a Cup game 20 years ago, to this day. Weather I'm playing, coaching, learning, watching, in person or on TV, betting or being involved in any way with football, I'm happy.
The cameraderie, the emotional highs and lows and songs etc - all that stuff while great - I've always felt I could take it or leave it, because people come and go - players come and go and even these days clubs come and go. The game is what's important.
And thats another reason why i love the domestic game so much - its a much purer form of the game. Money seems to have corrupted the top level with gamesmansship, cheating, greed and sterility - and while watching the premiership and the champs league etc is still enjoyable ( last night was a cracker btw ) some of the heart and soul has gone out of the game.
For example - look at the race for 4th place in England these days - can you imagine such a clamour for 4th, 10 odd years ago. - When I think of 4th - I think - losers - yet there is glory in 4th these days because of the money involved.
Followers of TV football don't count. its just different. Not saying you can't enjoy it, and I don't mind anyone doing it but its 100% different. My missus can watch Barcelona play and enjoy the spectacle. The movement, the artistry, the technique. She doesn't understand football though
I love everything about supporting Pats. From getting the fixtures and planning holidays around it. Getting excited at each rumour linking us to a top player. Trying to convince myself the donkey we've signed "will do a job". Going to pre-season games infront of 100 people and being genuinely excited to be "back". Proclaiming someone who scores in that pre-season kick about as "the new Gormley". 25 minutes later calling the same lad "the new Sean Mannion" and apologising to Gormley. Being anxious to see what the new kit looks ike and praying it doesn't have a big green blob on it. I love the lead up to the opening game of the season. Collecting my season ticket. First pint in Mcdowells with friends you haven't seen in months. Getting the programme and realising that a player you hate has signed for "them". I love being in Richmond Park despite its obvious flaws. I love the feeling of relief everytime the keeper catches an "up and under". I love the banter. I love screaming abuse at a player because 6 years ago he scored against us and stuck his fingers up at Pats fans. I love my centre midfielders clattering into tackles. I love a winger beating 2 and whipping a ball to the back post. I love handy victories. I love my stomache being in knots for the week leading up to big games. I love getting the bus to away games and drinking until I'm stupidly drunk, I love overnighting in towns around Ireland. I love watching Cup draws. I love getting a home draw. I love getting an away draw and convincing myself it'll be a great trip. I love the feeling of unity as fans walk towards turnstiles. I love last minute winners, I love last minute equalisers more. I love wearing a Pats t-shirt or jersey abroad and having great conversation with random Europeans about football. I love that Paul McGrath played for Pats. I love biting my nails when we have our backs to the wall defending a lead. I love seeing a guy in a Rovers top the day after beating them and having a smug grin on me. I love knowing he knows why I'm smiling too. I love going to places like Riga, Berlin, Gothenburg, Odense. I love reading old programmes. Ilove re-watching Pats goals on the internet over and over again. I love watching Soccer Saturday on Sky and seeing players who played for Pats pop up as scorers in the Scottish first division (and similar). I love knowing that even when we're **** we're still the best club around. I love boring the pants off people on the internet writing long winded love letters to Pats and football. I love being a part of a footballing community. I love being a football fan.
54,321 sold - wws will never die - ***
---
New blog if anyone's interested - http://loihistory.wordpress.com/
LOI section on balls.ie - http://balls.ie/league-of-ireland/
1882, bennocelt, Bluebeard, brayfan08, Ciaran W, crc, De Town, Doomofman, Ezeikial, gustavo, Hulsey, John83, KevB76, Kingdom, Lamper.sffc, Longfordian, Magicme, marinobohs, Martinho II, Mr A, osarusan, Paddyfield, PartySaint, passinginterest, Pauro 76, peadar1987, ped_ped, pineapple stu, shep, Sunny Jim, SupaJon, superfrank, the-blue-harp, thischarmingman
Sweet.This. Football is the most devastatingly unfair thing in my life. All it does is make me upset, annoyed, frustrated,
I could still almost cry when I think about things like losing the league in Cork in 2005, losing it on goal difference the following year, and losing the cup on penalties last year not to mention all the defeats and disappointments in between. Even Limerick winning the League Cup in 2002 still annoys me. It's a toxic relationship...
In answer to the question because of nights like that.
It is the world game. It is played absolutely everywhere and the whole world watches. Nothing even comes close in this country or others to major football matches.
Our World Cup appearances were far far bigger than things such as Heineken Cups, Grand Slams, Padriag Harrington, Stephen Roche etc with all due respects to their fantastic achivements in their sports.
Great post!
Any sport anywhere that generates passion like that quoted has got to be special. The fact that most of us on here understand 100% what Dodge posted and agree with it (and that it may sound mad to non believers) thats what I love about football
I always liked the Nick Horby quote
On being a football fan: "I am aware of the downside to this wonderful
facility that men have: they become repressed, they fail in their
relationships with women,their conversation is trivial and boorish, they
find themselves unable to express their emotional needs, they cannot relate
to their children, and die lonely and miserable. But you know, what the hell?"
Nick Hornby
Dodge, superb summary ! I just found myself nodding in agreement at every point you mentioned....substituting Bohs for Pats of course.
Beautiful post Dodge
Posting Permissions
Quote
Bookmarks