U.E.F.A Ultra Extreme Fanatical Atmosphere

It is that sore cough from a sudden burst of screaming or yelling that lets me know just how much it all means to me. This past week I watched the final round of qualifiers for the 2013/2014 Champions League group stage. Personally, I had so much invested in this one since my side Legia Warszawa were playing. They were on the verge of qualifying for the first time in over 17 years, but fate made sure that number would only grow. With a 1-1 tie against Romanian side Steaua Bucharest away and then 2-2 at home we got knocked out by the away goals rule. I was down and couldn't come to terms with why this had happened. I mean with all our passion and support for the club I thought that the determination and drive would have finally taken us to the promised land. All this emotion led me to point out one major formula that plagues countless other sides apart from just my beloved Legia. A team's fans don't determine how successful the team truly is. Legia's fans put on a great show with a provocative Ultra display. The acronym U.E.F.A was displayed with the words Ultra Extreme Fanatical Atmosphere right underneath followed by a dazzling showing of soccer flares. Note: Legia will definitely pay for this one, but not even UEFA could put a price on that fanatical atmosphere the fans produced. I guess the only thing that consoles me at a time like this is the fact that so many other great clubs in Europe have great fans, but no results on the field. Take for example, Newcastle F.C. where St. James' Park holds, in my opinion, some of the most compelling English fans in the Premier League. However, not even the likes of the great Alan Shearer or King Kev could pull this club into the top of the league. It's a shame though that with the advent of the filthy rich owner investing unlimited sums of money, a club with the most passionate fans doesn't equate to a better performance on the pitch. Don't get me wrong though, a team like Manchester City and their fans waited long for their moment of glory two seasons ago, but still the formula for success doesn't rely solely on the fans. Just imagine if that was the case though. If a team's performance was based on the support they received from the fans. If instead of the twelfth man being some idea it became personified and in fact the team had the real advantage of one more talent on the field. Imagine the likes of West Ham United forever blowing bubbles on top of the league's mantle or how about St. Etienne finally returning as the green giants of French football. The list could continue on into every single league from Den Hague in Holland to Atalanta in Italy, but that's not the point I'm making. The point of this article is just to point out a sad truth. No matter how much passion and love fans have for their clubs it doesn't mean results. However, who needs results when you know you and you're kind are the roughest toughest most hardcore fans around. I guess getting the results are just the cherry on top.

Campeones Campeones Ole Ole Ole

This is it. This is the turning point in my life. I finally found the one thing I'm passionate about and really want to do with my life. Football, futbol, soccer, fussball, pilka nozna, calcio, whatever it's called this word symbolizes it all. However, it's more than just a sport or game that I grew up watching and playing. There's a depth to this phenomenon. There's no boundaries. It's taken a form that goes beyond the simple idea of a game. What I'm implying is that this is what we as people throughout history have tried so hard to capture. It's the simplest thing we all desire in life. Connection. Football connects us with who we are and where we come from. It's such a generic thing to say, but so complex once you really examine how much people invest in it. I can ramble on for days about what it means to me and how it affects my life, but then no one would care to spend so much time reading this blog. Therefore, I only want to make one point. Whatever club or country we support we as people can always say that football makes you get out of the ordinary and into the extraordinary. Football lets us enter our inner selfs, so we can experience adventure and risk at our control. The football match and everything around it provides a theme or feeling that promotes our inner self's adventure. Football is that crusade. It's the Robin Hoods of today. It's adventure and the most intense emotion felt by those who really support their team through everything. However silly or extreme people think I am for loving football, Deep down I will always be a fan. Even if the team I support is relegated to near extinction I will still be singing. Campeones, campeones, ole, ole, ole because I found the thing in this world that makes me feel like a champion and that is the best treasure I have ever found. To anyone who stumbles upon this blog I say thank you for first taking the time to read it. Second, I hope this blog helps other fans find passion in football because it's more than I can describe in one post. All I can say is eeeeaaaooo, eeeeaaaaooo for more than just 90 minutes.