Summer gives us soccer fans many things: time for reflection on the season past, unfounded rumors (rumours) linking our teams with all of the best worldwide talent (Guardian reports Liverpool are looking at Wambach as a replacement for Carrol), sneak peaks at hideous new third kits and lucrative friendly matches against teams in the far east, US or UAE. However, most significantly, it gives me the opportunity for hope. Blind, auto-manufactured, intoxicating hope.
Fanhood is derived from many things: location, family loyalties, iconic players, political leanings or any number of different factors, but explaining my commitment to a team 6,000 miles from my birthplace-in a sport that up until recently was difficult to follow live- is problematic. Hi, my name is Scott Chandler and I'm an Arsenal fan. I sweat during their games, know their youth team prospects and say things in all seriousness like, "We played a nice match today." In order to justify these irrational feelings I have created my own personal fanhood founding myth. In quasi-nostalgic or spiritual terms I explain my immediate attraction to the fluidity of Bergkamp and Henry, the leadership and strength of Viera. This attraction solidified into devotion with the Invincibles team of 2003-2004. This story sounds reasonable, but is a convoluted way of saying, "Ehh... I dunno, I just like 'em." I like the way they play, I like their kits, I like Arsene Wenger's sleeping bag cape.
I even like them when they lose. Arsenal have not won a trophy in nearly 2 millennia... not even the crappy carling cup. Sometimes I think I like them because they lose, yet refuse to change their style or accept the reality that winning now costs money. I don't believe it's a masochistic desire, but rather an expression of an inclination that rarely plays out in my everyday life--pulling for the irrational, the impractical or the radical. I cannot base my loyalty on the exaltation of hard-fought victory, but rather on the aesthete's pleasure of purity of style. I know it's stupid and I know others would say that style without substance or payoff is a pointless exercise in self-congratulation (or another type of -ation...) but sports are there for us to attach our own meaning. So I will support the infuriating ideologues, because I consider myself overly-practical and moderate and would rather pull for radicals in soccer than become one myself (I really don't want to light myself on fire or start a revolution.)
Before everyone makes fun of me being dramatic, please know that I understand that this post captures why people think Arsenal fans are annoying.
But, back to hope. While the transfer window remains open I will follow the rumors and actually believe that Arsenal will buy more than they sell. That they will capture Llorente, Kaka, Nuri Sahin or Santi Cazorla. After the transfer window closes I will convince myself that Coquelin or Ramsey will lead us to victory in style and vindicate our fanatic attachment to young (cheap) players. I have already talked myself into an Arshavin renaissance and have considered buying a Diaby jersey.
So yeah I am irrational and I can't stop myself, but just let me have the summer.
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