Charity Shield (a bit late)

It's not like I really cared about it anyways. I mean it doesn't protect against dragons or anything cool like that. It's not even a real shield, just a flat plate, or so I think. I can't remember, who cares? Not I. And I'm not going to sour grapes it either.

This past weekend presented some interesting things, a warm-up for the season. Friday eve, I found myself seated in the Sidebar listening to some decent bands, along with ScouseDrummer. It was interesting to spy that the obscenely tall guitarist in one of the bands had a Leeds sticker on his guitar.

I have to admit it was a total distraction. I'd be listening to a song, bobbing my head along and then that LEEDS sticker would just pop into my view. I don't harbour any particular ill will to Leeds but I don't have any particular good will either.

Shortly, thereafter, another bloke comes strolling in the back door wearing a Chelski kit. I take note of him and his entourage and figured he was just a fly by night fan. ScouseDrummer and I gave each other a look as they walked by and both kind of chuckled. I think at one point he was daring me to go up and say something but I declined, let the boy enjoy his night, as I wasn't really in the mood for starting football trouble.

On Saturday, the Sheriff and the Deputy had a few of the locals over to celebrate pre-season/charity shield. I was thinking about just staying in but A Certain Scouser asked me for a ride up. So I swung around picked her up, we gathered some refreshments, then stopped by for Sheffield and gathered a few more refreshments.

We make it over to the wrong side of the peninsula and A Certain Scouser precedes to tell me how difficult parking is going to be, so me and infinite wisdom decided to listen. BAD MOVE. I parked my maybe 7 foot long car in a 7 1/2 foot long spot, not much room for error.

As we walked down towards the Sheriff's house, there were no less than 3 extremely large parking spots right in front. I cursed the wind and the seven seas as I walked back to my car to move it. A Certain Scouser, the whole time, assuring me that it was not like this the last time.

Anyways, the night goes on, the usual suspects arrive, Franco's Son, mentions that it's like returning back to school from summer break. I started trying to sing one of those sappy 60's surfer ballads but couldn't remember the words.

There came a time and no other glorious time in the history of being at a party when someone says, HEY what happened to the fridge magnet? Who stole it?

Everyone looks around, confused and waiting for the culprit to cough up the magnet. I hate to say that some stereotypes are hard to deny but, A Certain Scouser slowly raises her hand as she dips her head down, pulling the magnet out.

WOW!

I don't think anymore needs to be said on the subject.

We all kept the jokes going for the rest of the evening and had a wonderful time, getting back into the groove, singing songs and chants at each other, vibing on one another's affiliations and just enjoying the company of like minds.

Sunday morning saw myself roll into the pub on three wheels. It was a tricycle type of morning, as a combination of the weather, red stripe and bottle of wine from the previous night had taken a toll on my sinuses.

I sat in a half daze as Sheffield, Bayern, Klank and I watched the early Sheffield United match. It was a little lopsided on the referee's part but ended in a draw. By the time the Charity Shield started, my head was in a full uproar. I felt as if I was only half there.

I watched the first half, with not much interest and sauntered my way out of the pub and off to band practice. My head still feeling like it was 10 feet wide. I never had a migraine but I think this might have qualified for one.

So what is there to look forward to? Another season of EPL, some ups, some downs, good times and bad, with hopefully a nice piece of silver for the Arsenal.

~LeChat

Charity Shield

Aww it was a lovely Sunday. I can't complain either way, for a boring game and a just result. It really is a shame that more elbows did not fly. A mean a broken nose here and a fractured cheek bone there, would have held no complaints from me.

The atmosphere at the pub was nice. A few of the choice locals, chelski and mancscum, were in attendance. It was good to see some old faces, not many new ones but I am sure that will change as the season actually begins.

There was talk of the other place...which I will call by name for it is not forsaken but I do not wish to even give it credit. It has become more of a bad joke on the pub gooners than anything else. Let's just call it the bistro. And then one must ask themselves whether they can say with a straight face, "I am going to watch the football at the bistro." Yes do it in that drawn out posh accent because that is what you will need to make it sound right.

Now I am not one to judge, so I lie, but I can not see myself going there to watch a game. There is also the issue of the fair-weather factor of it and the lack of loyalty to an establishment that has dealt with football/soccer fans when there were only a few that would come. It is a shame to turn your back on a place that would open up it's doors so that an ex-pat could watch crummy united play fc whatchacallit in the nothing worthwhile cup quadra-quarter-semi-finals.

I don't know maybe I have some weird thing about it but it is how I feel about the whole situation. Sure the prices could drop a bit. Sure they could get some new stools. Sure whatever other complaint you want to make. It doesn't really matter though because at the end of the day it's home.

It's where you belong.

~LeChat