If you don't follow Premier League, you're missing out

Photo creds to timbersarmy.org

For the first 16 years of my life, I didn't just "not like" football. I despised it.

I looked at "the beautiful game", and I saw ugliness. From the low scores to the diving, to the rioting, all I saw was ugliness. Not only did I dislike football, but I also had a problem with people who did like it. When World Cup fever hit in 2010 and 2014, I couldn't care less, and didn't know why there were people who did care.

Then a funny thing happened. Sometime around the end of February last year, I thought about how all my life, I'd been watching the same sports over and over, and decided that it might not be a bad idea to shake things up a little bit. After talking to my friend Colin, who is an avid fan and currently plays at St. Francis University, I decided to give the English Premier League a try.

The next step in my conversion was finding a team to get behind. I wanted to root for a team that was not quite at the top of the standings, but good enough to be interesting. Liverpool F.C. was in 5th place at that time, so I thought they would be a perfect fit. The next day, I watched my first game. It was between Chelsea, who was on top of the league and on their way to winning the title by a wide margin, and West Ham United, who was, as usual, mediocre.

It was an exciting game. Chelsea's Diego Costa scored the lone goal, and their goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, made several clutch saves to preserve a 1-0 win for the pride of London. From then on, I was hooked.

Years after his passing, '"Shanks'' is still a Liverpool Icon. Photo creds to www.telegraph.co.uk

It wouldn't be long before I began to fall in love with the history of my new club. I learned that Liverpool was arguably the most successful club in the history of English football. I found out about legendary managers, Bill Shankly, and Bob Paisley, as well as legendary players like Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, and Steven Gerrard, who was in his final season with the club to which he belonged for 27 years (counting his time with the youth team).

Photo creds to www.chroniclelive.co.uk

I also took an interest in the history of the game. To me, loving a sport while not understanding the history of it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. So I did my research and learned about the greats of the game such as Johan Cruyff, Bobby Charlton, and nearly the entire 1970 Brazil squad. I learned that Zinedine Zidane was about far more than that headbutt, as he is arguably the greatest midfielder of all time. I felt empathy for the English national team, as aside from their World Cup title in 1966, they have been incredibly snake-bitten. There was no greater example than that of 1990, and the image of England's Paul Gascoigne bursting into tears after receiving a yellow card that meant he would be suspended for the World Cup final should England qualify (they didn't).

I learned about the managing brilliance of Sir Alex Ferguson and Brian Clough, who were able to become legendary with different personalities, as Clough was arrogant and outgoing while Ferguson was more reserved.

Last summer, I should have been 100% focused on my beloved Pirates and their pennant chance. But truthfully, I was almost equally as interested in Liverpool's pursuit of Aston Villa striker, Christian Benteke (the signing thus far has been a bust). I never envisioned by conversion would be this extreme, but I'm glad it is. That's my story of becoming a fan of real football, and here is why you should too.

Now, I also follow, to a lesser extent, other leagues in Europe as well as the UEFA Champions League, but the tradition and passion of the English Premier League is, in my opinion, second to none. Therefore, the EPL will be my focus in this article.

Also, please don't take this article as me bashing American sports. That is not what I am doing, just trying to promote the EPL.


The Passion
It's no secret that plenty of us Pittsburgh sports fans think that we are extremely devoted and passionate, and we have good reason to see things that way. However, if you want to see passion taken to a whole new level, get on your internet and do some research on the fans of Europe. Just go to the web and type in ''Liverpool F.C. chants''. You will get an incredible variety of chants created by the fans and the fans only. No cheerleaders with megaphones. No scoreboard messages. No signals commanding to ''get loud''. Just fans yelling with no script. That is just one example of the passion that English football fans have for their clubs and the game.

It is no secret even to non-football fans that the sport is pretty close to  religion. When you watch a game, very seldom in the 90-minute contest will you not hear fans singing. The word singing is important. In America, fans just yell ''ooooooooooooooooo'' over and over again and jump up and down. That's all well and good, but I prefer the creativity of coming up with songs to show the love of your favorite club any day of the week.

Some classic lyrics include:
"He scores a goal, and the Kop go wild, and I just can't seem to get enough of Suarez do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do Louis Suarez!- Liverpool

A song *to the tune of "Hey Jude."
"Na na na na na na na na na na na (Oliver) Giroud"- Arsenal F.C.

While Steeler fans are incredible, the most creative chant that we have ever came up with was extending Heath Millers first name. The video above is just an example of something that no American sport can quite capture.

Relegation 

The politics of world football are neat as hell. How the relegation process works is that the bottom three teams in the premier league are not permitted to return to the top flight the next season. Their spots are promptly filled by the top 3 teams from the second division, which is known as the Football League Championship. For example, in 2014-15, the bottom three teams in the top flight were Burnley, Hull City, and Queens Park Rangers while AFC Bournemouth and Watford finished 1st and 2nd in the Championship. Teams placed 3-6 in the championship compete in a short tournament for the 3rd spot in the Premiership, and that place was earned by Norwich when they defeated Middlesbrough to earn the final promotion.

But wait, it gets better. There are six divisions of English football, and the same process goes for every league. Two teams that have had the coolest stories, in my opinion, are Portsmouth and AFC Bournemouth. In 2010, Portsmouth was riding high in the Premier League. Now they are laying low in league 2, which is the fourth division.

In 2009, AFC Bournemouth was in league 2. Now, they are enjoying their first ever season in the Premiership.

Now picture a world where in baseball, a single A affiliate can work there way up to the big leagues and vice versa. I don't know about you, but I'd love to see the Erie Seawolves as a major league team.

No Playoffs/Fluke Champions 

Tom Coughlin's Giants would not have fared well in the English format. Photo creds to New York Daily News

Don't get me wrong, the postseasons in sports are awesome. However, they often lead to champions who aren't the best teams in their sport. In the Premier League, the title is decided by what you do in the regular season. It's a simple concept. A win gets you 3 points while a draw gets you 1. Whoever has the most points at the end of the regular season is that champion. In this case, championships are decided by what team is the best from August till May, and "getting hot at the right time" is not nearly as prevalent.

Teams like the 2007 and 2011 New York Giants would have never experienced glory if they played European Football, as they were far from the NFL's best team in both of those Super Bowl years. I'm not trying to say that other sports should change their playoff systems, but the idea of the team that was the best all year long being rewarded with the ultimate prize should be appealing.

Misconceptions
Here are some common misconceptions that my fellow Americans have about the beautiful game

It's boring 

Photo creds to turtleboysports.org

I'm not going to tell anybody that every football game is thrilling. Like all sports, football has contests of athletic skill that are snooze worthy. However, the generalization that the sport is boring is false

It's called the beautiful game for a reason. To appreciate the game, you need to think about the poetry of what is going on. Reflect on how beautiful an offensive possession can be even when the team that is holding the ball does not score. I love American football, but watching a possession where there is crisp pass after crisp pass that ends with a ball being shot wide is to me, much more entertaining than watching an off-tackle run for 5 yards.

Think of the game in terms of ballet. The way 11 people cooperate with their feet is not much different from a beautiful dance. Grace and Finesse are the name of the game, and there is no more graceful sport than football.

Players are soft

Brazilian sensation Neymar's broken back in a World Cup match against Columbia is an example of what can take place on the pitch

While the game is all about grace, there is also an element of physicality. Whenever there is a ball in the air, the sacrifice that the players who jump up in an attempt to head the ball needs to be appreciated. Plenty of outsiders are of the belief that footballers lack the masculineness of the men who play our football, and that is a misguided generalization.

Sure, finesse is a huge part of the game, but so are tackling and playing in the air. Any midfielder who is trying to make a run will have a hard time doing that without and opponent going for the takedown.

In the air is where the toughest of tough play, and heading the ball is the perfect combination of athletic ability and mental toughness. You have to a brave soul to try to hit a ball with your head at the risk of, oh I don't know, being knocked out by a flying cleat.

So football players have to deal with getting either tackled or kicked in the shin regularly, risk a severe head injury any time they jump for a ball, and for goalkeepers, having to stop shots that sometimes clock at 95 miles and hour. Yeah, sounds like a sissy sport to me.

Hooligans 

Photo creds to photoblog.nbcnews.com

Riots. Rowdiness. Putting players in harms way. Riots. Insanity. Riots.

Yes. These are all qualities that fans possess. But regardless of what you have read or seen, English football fans are not a whole lot different from the sports fans in the United States of America.

There was a time when the hooligans of English football were out of control. The 1980's were a time when the inexcusable actions in the stands often overshadowed the brilliance on the pitch, and everything climaxed on April 15th, 1989. On this day, a barricade collapsed due to an overflow of people trying to get in and see the FA Cup match between Liverpool F.C and Sheffield Wednesday. The result was the tragic deaths of 96 Liverpool supporters.

It was at this time that security began to crack down, and while nothing is perfect, the number of hooligans has decreased since then. While I have never been to an English football match and cannot attest first hand, I've read enough accounts to believe that things have cleaned up. As for places like Egypt and Turkey, the reputation is far more warrented

You can tell me that English football games are more dangerous to attend than NFL games, but knowing what I know about the amount of alcohol consumption in the stands in my county as well as the alcohol regulations in England compared to in America, I am positive that it is far fewer in London than it is in Pittsburgh or Cleveland.

So, if you are reading this and can never imagine loving, argggg.... soccer, I assure you that I know what your thought process is, and I urge you to give the sport a chance. The reasons I have given you to watch this sport only scratch the surface of things to love about this game and the only way you can find that out is by putting your pride aside, picking a team to follow for no real reason at all, and letting the game take you in.

I mean, have I ever been wrong before?

Super Bowl Preview/Predictions

It's Super Bowl Sunday. It's Manning vs. Newton. It's Denver vs. Carolina.  Nothing more needs to be said. Here are some of the many important questions that will be answered today. 

Important Question: Will CJ Anderson's momentum carry over?

Although Peyton Manning grabbed the headlines after the AFC Title game, the guy who made the Broncos offense go was there running back, CJ Anderson. Anderson gained 72 yards on just 16 carries against New England and played a key role in Denver's triumph. However, it must be said that Anderson was going up against a very banged up Pats front seven. Although the heart and soul of Carolina's defense, linebacker Thomas Davis, is nursing a broken arm, he says he is ready to go. Aside from Jared Allen, The rest of the Panthers front 7 is healthy, and I think it will be very tough for Anderson or Ronnie Hillman to find the holes needed to gain a lot of yardage. I predict that Shaq Thompson, Luke Kuechly, and company will hold the Broncos to under 100 yards rushing, as the Panthers defense is too good for Anderson or Hillman to carve up. 

My important answer: No 

Important question: What is the #1 match-up to watch 

There are a few options to choose from, such as Manning vs. Newton, Newton vs. Wade Phillips or Carolina's read option vs. Denver's league best run defense. All of those are important, but I think the most important match-up to watch will be between Carolina corner back Josh Norman against Denver receiver Emmanuel Sanders. The two men have had somewhat of a war of words this past week, and it's time for them to either put up or shut up. Sanders is a fine receiver, but Norman is the best corner back in the NFL right now. If he can shut down top receivers such as Juilo Jones and Dez Bryant, then I don't think Sanders will be too much of a factor.

My Important Answer: Norman vs. Sanders, Norman wins. 

Important Question(s): What will Wade Phillips run, and will it work?

Two weeks ago, Denver defensive coordinator Wade Phillips had an ultra- conservative game plan, relying heavily on a mere 3-man rush to stifle Tom Brady. The plan worked to perfection, but there is a big defense between the pass-happy Patriots and the Panthers, who run the read option, which relies more on running the ball. Phillips has a few options to choose from to stifle Cam Newton and company 

A. Have his best outside linebacker, Von Miller, guard Carolina's best- receiving threat, tight end Greg Olson.

B. Use the QB Spy extensively, which would require Denver to watch Newton's every move, or 

C. Keep Miller and DeMarcus Ware on the outside, forcing running back Jonathon Stewart to go inside, where Malik Jackson and company will be waiting.

All 3 of these options make sense, but I think Phillips should and will choose option B. Newton is the one player Denver does not want to have beat them, and I think Denver's game plan will center on watching his every move in an effort to neutralize him at all costs. But will it work? I think that Newton will be confused at times early in the game, only to make the necessary adjustments as time goes on. Denver's defense was awesome against New England, but the Patriots had no running game or offensive line. Carolina has both, and they will do what they need to do to stop Denver's vaunted D from taking over the game. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. 

My important answer: The QB Spy, won't work well enough

Important Question: Is Cam up to the task?

Cam Newton is a polarizing athlete. Either you love him or you hate him. Newton's team is the favorites to win this game, and he is the leader, so if they do not get the job done, he will take a lot of heat from fans and haters alike. Add all of this to Newton being an outspoken man who is not afraid to stir up some controversy, and you can say that "Superman" has a little bit of pressure on him. Does Joseph Arthur Smeltzer think that Cam can handle it? Absolutely. 

Cam will not succumb to the pressure . Say whatever you will about him, but nobody works harder, and he has won at every level of the game. I am confident that he will be more than up to the task, and I think that his comments recent comments on how people see him will be used as self-motivation. Cam will throw 2 TD's and run for another. Believe that.

My Important Answer: Yes

Important Question: Is this the end for Peyton Manning?

Peyton Manning is one of the greatest players ever to grace a gridiron, and he is also an honorable man. However, I think that ole #18 is all used up. If the Broncos win this game in spite of Manning, then Peyton will be able to retire into the sunset. If Denver loses this game, Manning will not want to risk declining any further by playing another year. So, win or lose, this is the last time you will ever see Peyton Manning play an NFL game. Cherish the time you have left watching him. Unfortunately, I see no fairy tale ending for Mr. Papa John's Pizza....

My Important Answer: See you in Canton, Peyton

The most important question: Who. Will. Win?

Joe: Last year's match-up between Seattle and New England was dead even. This years is not. Carolina is the better team. They have one of the best offenses in the NFL and a defense that is just as good. Denver has had a good ride, but they are hardly a dominant football team. Carolina is. I expect this to be a close game when halftime rolls around, with a touchdown pass from Manning and a short TD run from CJ Anderson. But Manning will throw two key interceptions late: One for a pick-6, another setting up a Carolina score, and the Panthers will pull away for a 34-21 victory. The game's MVP will be none other Newton because it just has to be that way. It's Carolina's year, and nobody stops them. 

Panthers 34, Broncos 21

MVP: Cam Newton

Now, what's see what my family thinks? 

Bradley Stewart:  I am picking the Broncos to win this game 21-20.  The Panthers have not faced as good of a defense as the Broncos all year, and I see the injuries to Thomas Davis and Jared Allen hurting Carolina.  They are playing, but they will be limited, and I don't see how being limited will help your team.  Peyton Manning has two large receiving threats in Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders as long as a defense that can pressure the quarterback fast and furious.  The Patriots did not prepare well with arguably the best Head Coach-QB combo in NFL history in Bill Bilichick and Tom Brady.  The Panthers are inexperienced, and that's why I see the Broncos pulling out an improbable Super Bowl victory. 

David Rutz: Panthers 27, Broncos 14. The Carolina defense will swarm Peyton Manning and make his life miserable. While Denver's D might make a few big plays, Cam Newton and the Panthers offense will eventually break it open in the second half. 

Jeff Stewart: Panthers. They have a great offense with a great QB. They are well balanced. If you try to stop Cam with the run, he'll beat you with the pass. The same vice versa. There defense is truly elite and will over power the Broncos offense. 

Ryan Stewart: Panthers 21, Broncos 10. The Panthers defense will hold Manning at bay for the most part, giving up a limited amount of big plays. Denver will do a good job of draining the clock as much as possible to keep the game low scoring, and they will also be helped by the young Panthers taking this game more lightly than they should. That said, the Panthers are a far better team with better skill players. They will pull out the win.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for reading all of our NFL previews! It's been a fun ride, and as always, credit to Bradly W. Stewart for the awesome job he did of creating all of our graphics.