Standing there knowing the score ...

Standing there knowing the score ...

So this past Sunday I went to the George and Dragon Pub to hang out with a bud, get some grub, and watch some EPL matches. There were back to back matches featuring Manchester United playing Manchester City and Liverpool playing Chelsea. Both matches had significant consequences for all the teams involved; that is worth the drive into Seattle.

On the way in I drop my doggie off with family; it's nice to let her run around outdoors sometimes. While there, I decide to check my messages and the sports news. It turns out the United versus City game was already over and I note that City won 2-1. I also see that the Liverpool game was in progress in the second half and is tied.

I am not one of those fans that needs to pretend that a taped game is live. Even when teams I have a vested rooting interest are playing I just don't see the point. But ... and this is one big butt ... that places me in a distinct minority while at the George and Dragon Pub.

Fine. If it enhances the experience for people watching a game that is already over to try and keep some suspense, who am I to ruin their fun? I can keep a secret. And, it is apparently good for business.

So, I am standing there wearing my international soccer stuff and David Beckham Instinct cologne (it was a Christmas gift from my brother) watching the first game from Old Trafford, already knowing that all the fans in red scarves are going to be brutally disappointed by the result. I make fun of Eurosnob fans a lot, but just because one is there and rooting for a team it does not make them one of those beasts. No, a Eurosnob is about much more than simply that. A number of the people there are expatriot Brits who just prefer the games from home. And, many of the people there watching also are into US National Team games. Since I cannot simply tell the difference at a glance, I decide to keep my secret.

Plus, there's a big rule in place that says, THOU SHALT NOT RUIN THE GAME FOR OTHERS BY REVEALING THE SCORE ... which is a good rule ... I can play along ...

I know that City will score around the 25th minute and near halftime and that United will get a late goal to make it interesting ... as the build up to the first goal comes I watch the United fans sitting glumly and I almost feel sorry for them for a moment, but it passes ... I decide to order breakfast ...

Here's the other thing ... a lot of people hate United ... just because they are United ... the pub erupts when City scores ... the United fans sit there looking even more glum ... people who really couldn't care less about City cheer for them, apparently on principle, which I can respect. My breakfast arrives early in the second half and I chow down, chatting with Jorge, knowing that it won't get interesting again until second half stoppage...

Okay, I don't hate United. I do cheer mostly for Liverpool in England, but even then my rooting interest is not that of the expatriot Brits from London that support Spurs or whoever. I like good games. Frankly, the United versus City match was a good game. Since it would have gotten me kicked out and likely 86'd from the G & D I resisted the urge for 90 minutes to just tell them, "Go home, it really doesn't matter." I was good.

Now, given that I do support Liverpool the second game was far more interesting for me ... and I did not know what the final twelve minutes of the match would bring. So, Jorge and I continue our ongoing dialogue. I realize I am wearing a blue Adidas jacket and not red. The tee underneath is green, which is no help. See, I was standing next to mostly Chelski supporters in blue, so I looked like one of them. IT WAS MY OWN DAMN FAULT.

As the 79th minute passed, I too did not really want to know the end result, so I was glad that I had chosen good karma over bad karma and had not spoiled the United versus City match for the suffering United fans near me. Of course, since the match ended in a goalless draw, maybe that would not have been so bad...