That's what I call progress...

So in order to help motivate Jess, I have been using the chalkboard in our kitchen to track our planning progress.  A few days ago it read, "25 days 'til London/0 Hotels.  After booking her first hotel, she was very happy to let me know by updating the board.

We had a slight blip in the planning process when we tried to see if we could squeeze in a trip to Liverpool for a football match.  I've probably already said this on here before, however, I'll say it again.  I love Liverpool Football Club.  I wish we had a viable soccer league here when I was growing up.  There is no way for me to explain the amazing feeling I get from being able to watch the game that I can say I love more than our football, baseball, hockey, etc.  I guess it's because I played when I was younger.  Somehow, I think you end up supporting the club that holds many of the same values that you do - even when you don't know that they do.

I remember being younger and watching any soccer I could find.  Usually it was the Seria A on Sundays, in Italian or the Mexican league - obviously in Mexican.  I started following the LFC in college - barely.  It was 95-96 (holy shit, I'm old) and the internet was really just starting to become something.  I had to walk to the Lowell Thomas building at Marist, uphill both ways, in the snow, with two left shoes just to get internet access.  

I knew about the existence of the leagues, but didn't know anything about them.  I found a page that would update the Premier League Table each week.  Literally, I think I pointed at the screen and said "I'm going to follow them."  They were somewhere in the middle of the table and they slowly moved up throughout the season.  They eventually finished third and though I followed on the internet, my love was rekindled when we finally got FoxSoccer here a few years ago.  Yes, I followed the Champion's League when it was on on ESPN - but really, you couldn't get weekly games here until a few years ago.  Since then, as Jess can attest, I would say that 75% of the time either FoxSoccer, FoxSoccerPlus, or GolTV is on the television at our house.  A lot has changed since then, within the league as evidenced by the teams that have been relegated and are no longer in the current table.

When we went on our Europe trip in 2007 we were able to go to Liverpool and take a tour of the team's stadium, Anfield.  The place is legendary.  It's where the singing and chanting that you hear now originated.  The atmosphere during games is supposed to be unrivaled, especially on European nights, when they play in one of the European leagues (I won't go in to all of that now).  Anyway, we did the tour, it was amazing - but we couldn't see a game because it was their summer break.  

We have been trying to get tickets while we are going on our trip.  First, we were foiled by a move in their match with West Ham.  Jess being Jess, and not to be deterred, took a look and realized that we were playing against Sparta Prague in Europa League play on Thursday Feb 24th.  So, we tried to get tickets and couldn't because you need to have a "Fan Card" in hand three days before tickets went on sale.  We didn't realize it so we didn't get one.  Anyway, they offered some other special where you get access to the bar in the stadium, get some extra stuff I guess and it costs 80 pounds rather than 29.  So, I told Jess yesterday while I was playing soccer (almost losing a lung - but that's another story), fuck it!  Buy them, I don't care about the price and quite frankly, I was willing to pay 300 bucks a ticket, so get 'em.


Of course, they go on general sale on Monday for more than less than half of 80.


But I don't care, we're goin' to ANFIELD!!!!

Above:  Money grubbing bitch Torres now in Chelski blue - the guy in the suit is John Henry, owner of the Fenway Sports Group, they also own, you guessed it, the Boston Red Sox.

Well we got 'em.  We're goin' to Anfield.  No Torres, fucking traitor, but that's ok.  We sold him for 50 mil pounds after he requested a transfer - to one of our biggest rivals, something he said he would never do. We've bought two new strikers to take his place - and one, Luis Suarez, scored within 16 minutes of taking the pitch for the first time.   If you're even slightly interested in just how hurtful all of this was, take a look at this article.  His actions personify the exact opposite of what the club stands for and does.   I'm happy that in the end, the club values many of the same things that I do and I suppose that's why I have been drawn to it and fins so much pride in supporting it.  I don't think you can say these things about sports organizations here.

Anyway, the board has been updated again - I more than happy to add a new category: