Glory Glory Hallelujah

Lately I’ve been humming the melody to “Glory Glory Hallelujah.” I say the melody because the words I’ve been mumbling are actually “Glory Glory Man. United,”* A take off of the popular song replaced with the name of the world’s most known soccer team. (people not from the US or Australia can replace “soccer team” with “Football Club”  if that helps this blog go down smoother).The song’s been in my head ever since I saw Manchester United play the LA Galaxy in an exhibition match a while back.  Man U won 7-1. Suggesting that the gap between us and the rest of the world in Basketball is smaller that the gap between the rest of the world and us in soccer.

I’ve been paying more and more attention to soccer. I like the game and I wish I got into it sooner. That’s not one of my deep regrets, mind you. More like a passing thought like, “I wonder if Al Roker can skate? If so he’s gotta be an old school roller skate guy right? Or did he switch to blades in the early 90’s?” (I derive a modicum of joy from the fact that many of you reading this will now see Al Roker and think about roller skating)

I’m back. It’s never too late too be what you could have been so I’m becoming a soccer fan. This brings me back to “Glory Glory Man. United.”  I’ve always liked Man. U.  I haven’t become a full supporter because Manchester United are soccer’s evil empire.  They buy the best players from other teams and have won 20 league titles and 13 of the 22 Primer League titles. They are basically the Yankees of Soccer. Winning more than half of the championships since 1992 and being in existence since 1888 may make the Yankees the Manchester United of baseball.

My quandary? Watching any sporting event or any entertainment for that matter is more fun when you’re actively rooting for a side to win. I need to pick a soccer club to support. Thing is, I’m already a Yankee fan. I justify that by being a New Yorker and the Yankees being the 1st team I ever saw live at the age of five. They’re an evil empire but they’re my evil empire. Can I really also support Man. U? Would this be the equivalent of watching a tornado movie and rooting for the tornado? I would only be one team away from being that dude that likes the Yankees, The Lakers and the Patriots but lives in Minnesota.

Maybe I’ll hold off picking a soccer team to cliche up with. Just keep the LA galaxy for now. Which feels like Triple A baseball minus the zany mascots. Or maybe I’ll look to another country. A team from the Dutch league perhaps or maybe the Spanish, La Liga.   Manchester United in is a current downswing. They haven’t won in a year. Maybe I can hop on their wagon now during the “lean year.”

Win at all costs is not exactly my life motto. Maybe having passion about a sports team is just something you have to develop as a child. It’s not like life long fans of any team will graciously accept a Johnny come lately anyway.

I will hold off picking a soccer squad but please don’t mind me if you hear me humming…”Glory Glory Man. United…”