Why We Do This

Funny enough this was intended to be a post about the negative tactics of David Moyes over the course of this season, but circumstances changed earlier today and we can debate the merits of TACTICS! another day. Instead I wanted to talk about why we care so much. Looking at Twitter over the past weeks Evertonians have worked themselves into a froth over the squads poor performance. By all accounts the world should be ending given all this hubub.

This game brings more highs and lows than anything else in my life. I remember cheering in a local bar when Landon Donovan brought the US back from the brink of defeat not once but twice over a year ago. The pain of losing a game you should win (Seems like a weekly occurrence these days), and the sense of accomplishment when beating the vastly superior team.

They say it is such a simple game, 22 players, 1 ball, 2 goals, and 17 laws are all you need, and let's be honest a lot of those laws are optional even to EPL refs. Yet every week there is a moment that takes our breath away, when the impossible becomes reality and all we can do is sit there and watch it happen.

Everyone has their own reason for loving the sport, and mine is simple. The creativity of soccer surpasses that of all other sports for me. This creativity creates our legends, the Pele's and Messi's of the world. Most players can improve their touch, shot, and passing, but only the great ones have the creativity to decide what they want to do with the ball.Even in the direst games there are moments of brilliance. It can be a simple run forward followed by a basic thru ball, to an amazing overhead kick that just misses the far post. Even amidst the crap there is beauty for me, and that is why I love this game.

So what brings all the sentimentality crap you may ask assuming you are still here of course. The first soccer site I stumbled upon is going through some changes. I stumbled onto Unprofessional Foul back in the summer of 2008 as a bored high school graduate wasting away the days till college. The combination of third-rate analysis and humor was too good to pass up, and I was hooked. Today UF is closing the doors, and after reading a few of the posts I got all sentimental about soccer. I will always be an Evertonian ever since Ferguson put that header into ManUres goal in 2005, but I also love soccer in all forms. I've coached and played, and even watched a Lithuanian Lyg A match for some unknown reason. It will always be my first love in sport, and maybe I'll experience some silverware because of it.

Enough of my rambling and being odd, your regularly scheduled Everton coverage will continue tomorrow as we take on Tottenham and Villa this week, it would be nice to get all 6 points wouldn't it? Until next time COYB!