The Wall Street Journal has published an article by a British expat asserting that American football is a better game than ‘soccer’. No surprise there, you might well say. He even manages to get in a pop at Canada’s favourite game, [ice] hockey.
The Wall Street Journal has published an article by a British expat asserting that American football is a better game than ‘soccer’. No surprise there, you might well say. He even manages to get in a pop at Canada’s favourite game, [ice] hockey.
What was a surprise was a comment that my own team Charlton Athletic had a ‘crumbling, violence infested stadium’. The stadium once housed Premiership football and the only crumbs you will find is from biscuits [cookies] enjoyed at half time. As for the violence, whatever else you say about Charlton their record of community work in some of the most deprived areas of South London is second to none.
The writer also has a pop at Coventry City, a team which he appears to follow. With their troubles on and off the pitch, the Sky Blues are an easy target at the moment. Many of the people at my hockey club, Coventry Blaze, are also Sky Blues supporters. However, in the comments box someone has already pointed out that if you follow them, a certain disillusionment about soccer is possible. Probably if the writer had been in Coventry city centre in heavy rain, as I was yesterday, he would have compared it with a city in Russia.
I’ve lived and worked in the States and I have many American friends. But this kind of arrogant celebration of American exceptionalism is uncalled for. Of course, expats are known to over identify with the countries they move to. But that is no excuse. Unfortunately it represents a more general trend towards triumphant isolationism visible in the States.