jeffk said:

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agsalaska said:

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PIcking a team is completely unnecessary. Seems almost counterproductive and somewhat artificial to me.

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I guess you could say this about any sport. I choose to invest my entire emotional well-being on them instead.

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HAHA.

While very true for me too, I put enough stress into Aggie and other Texas sports teams. I don't need to add to that a team across the pond.

I literally used this article to pick my team in 2006
COYS!
https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/060719

Wow. I remember reading that article 15 years ago (or maybe as its been reposted when we have these threads in occasion). Funny reading that from a historical perspective.

I miss Bill Simmons jn my life. Is he still a big Spurs fan? I was sure he was going to pick LFC for all of the obvious reasons.

I always found the concept of "picking a team" interesting. Why do people who live in DFW cheer for the Cowboys even if they have nothing to do with it, for example? They never played on or worked for the team. They don't own it. They happen to live near them.

My theory is that we have evolved to be tribal in order to survive. Joining forces with people who live near you helps save your live from marauders or invading armies. So we are naturally inclined to root for a local team. Why we'd root for a particular team in England? Who the hell knows.

I personally tend to root for particular people on those teams, not the team itself. If/when those people get transferred, I root for their new team.

aTmAg said:

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I always found the concept of "picking a team" interesting. Why do people who live in DFW cheer for the Cowboys even if they have nothing to do with it, for example? They never played on or worked for the team. They don't own it. They happen to live near them.

My theory is that we have evolved to be tribal in order to survive. Joining forces with people who live near you helps save your live from marauders or invading armies. So we are naturally inclined to root for a local team. Why we'd root for a particular team in England? Who the hell knows.

I personally tend to root for particular people on those teams, not the team itself. If/when those people get transferred, I root for their new team.

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Very true.. High school pride? You chose to live in that area and it was not because it was Flower Mound or Flower Mound Marcus, but you take pride in your school.

aTmAg said:

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I always found the concept of "picking a team" interesting. Why do people who live in DFW cheer for the Cowboys even if they have nothing to do with it, for example? They never played on or worked for the team. They don't own it. They happen to live near them.

My theory is that we have evolved to be tribal in order to survive. Joining forces with people who live near you helps save your live from marauders or invading armies. So we are naturally inclined to root for a local team. Why we'd root for a particular team in England? Who the hell knows.

I personally tend to root for particular people on those teams, not the team itself. If/when those people get transferred, I root for their new team.

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I think you answered your question from the first paragraph in your second paragraph.

I am a Cowboys/Rangers/Mavericks and a little bit of Astros fan. But I am much more enthusiastic about anything A&M over any pro team I'm sure because I have an A&M degree on my wall. I'd rather see any A&M team win an NCAA championship long before seeing the Cowboys win the SB.

But your right. It's just tribal loyalties on pro fandom. And to a certain extent college fandom for those that didn't attend the schools they root for, though in those circumstances they may have relatives or friends who went there or worked there.


I also go for players over teams in the EPL.

Well for me in 1982 I stated following Arsenal because I like the logo. Find your own reasons to follow a club. But always enjoy the game.

So has a team to support been selected?

The Seagulls or gtfo.

https://www.premierleague.com/usa-bar-finder


Additional question: when will this be updated? Closer to when the season starts?

Interested in finding a bar that shows the games.

It lists 7 for Houston but it won't pull up the map in my phone. Curious what they are.

That's the issue I'm having.

I tried mobile and on computer. Bars do not seem to load on either.

I can't promise that all of these are up to date or 100% correct as I've been out of the bar scene for a while, but following are the ones that I feel pretty decent about being correct.

Arsenal - Richmond Arms has always been the place I've known and gone to, but the official bar of the Houston Gooners is Public House Heights - also some connection to The Phoenix
Tottenham - Pimlico Irish Pub
Liverpool - Hugh O'Connors - I think Ron's Pub too, IIRC
Manchester United - King's Court
Manchester City - The Phoenix
Chelsea - King's Court or True Anomaly Brewery??
Everton - used to be Bar Munich but that's closed so not sure
West Ham - Nick's Place
Crystal Palace - The Phoenix
Aston Villa - The Phoenix

Realizing it's on the list quite a few times, I will say that The Phoenix on a Premier League day is a lot of fun. There are almost always supporters of just about every club, so it doesn't generally get completely taken over.

Hugh O'Connor's is the official LFC-Houston bar but Ron's is a proper fan bar for Liverpool.

I love The Phoenix

You'll see plenty of supporters of numerous teams every weekend match day. They brew a few of their own beers, too

1. Pick a city that you'd enjoy traveling to for a vacation: London.
2. Pick a team that you're sure will be in EPL: Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham.
3. Pick a team that's easy to get to on tube: Arsenal, Chelsea.
4. Pick a team that plays on it's historic grounds and not in a generic NFL stadium: Chelsea.

Done, welcome to the family.

ptothemo said:

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Everton - used to be Bar Munich but that's closed so not sure

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We use The Phoenix now too. Vu is usually cool about opening early if your group requests it.

Serotonin said:

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1. Pick a city that you'd enjoy traveling to for a vacation: London.
2. Pick a team that you're sure will be in EPL: Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham.
3. Pick a team that's easy to get to on tube: Arsenal, Chelsea.
4. Pick a team that plays on it's historic grounds and not in a generic NFL stadium: Chelsea.

Done, welcome to the family.

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Bumping this post to ask which EPL podcast recommendations do you have?

Men in Blazers is the lighthearted NBC podcast. Doesn't get too much depth outside of big 6 (plus Everton). I enjoy Two Robbies. And then I listen to a few Liverpool focused ones. I don't know if the Athletic has a general EPL one for the whole league but if they do I bet it's great like everything else they do.

I was in the same boat as you like 16 years ago. My first criteria was: I want them to play an entertaining style, I want them to have at least a chance to win big (a lot of clubs don't), and I want to like their uniforms (kinda silly I know). I also later settled for picking a team in London because that's where I would likely go when going to the UK. I started watching Chelsea but they had a bunch of ******bags on their team at the time. I eventually fell in love with Arsenal. They tick all the boxes that I've mentioned, and mostly because they played with a beautiful style.

Since then I've become a huge Arsenal fan. They have some great podcasts that I listen to several times a week that are informative and hilarious. Love following them at the Londoner in Dallas, and met some good friends through that. My favorite sport now right behind Aggie sports.

If it's Arsenal, I recommend Arsenal Vision and Arsecast. Both great.

Interesting topic. I used to watch only The Super Bowl, but one of my friends persuaded me to watch EPL together (I even found the needed apps here to watch the games on firestick). It will start in several days and I should say I feel excited. As for the team to follow, I haven't chosen yet. I decided that I'll decide when I see the games and players.

started watching EPL with interest back in '12 so I hopped on the light blue 'new rich' club.

I'm not a super fan or anything, and still a bit of a soccer idiot, but I definitely think it is more fun having 'a team'. and you also learn to really hate other teams, like I hate Tot and Chelsea