To me, it serves as one more example of football disappearing up its own arse. By turns, it amuses and irritates me that the more cynical and materialistic football becomes, the more the advertisers and marketers emphasise "passion" and "spiritual" values.
If fans singing and cheering is insufficient to provide a sense of occasion prior to the start of games, I'd suggest clubs blast out a loop of that character from the Fast Show, whose catchphrase was, "I am considerably richer than yow." That would incapsulate the spirit of European competition far more usefully the pseudo-religious nonsense we have to suffer now.
Mind you, the UEFairTotoropa Inter Cities League Cup anthem is even worse.
To me, it serves as one more example of football disappearing up its own arse. By turns, it amuses and irritates me that the more cynical and materialistic football becomes, the more the advertisers and marketers emphasise "passion" and "spiritual" values.
If fans singing and cheering is insufficient to provide a sense of occasion prior to the start of games, I'd suggest clubs blast out a loop of that character from the Fast Show, whose catchphrase was, "I am considerably richer than yow." That would incapsulate the spirit of European competition far more usefully the pseudo-religious nonsense we have to suffer now.
Mind you, the UEFairTotoropa Inter Cities League Cup anthem is even worse.
Basically multiply this post by ten fold. I agree with everything you have said.
Take the EPL as another example. A very powerful and wealthy league (and they know that), but they don't go out and decide to justify their power and importance by creating a stupid anthem that brings nothing new to the sport. UEFA is showing me, "well look at me, I get huge ratings and money from sponsorships so we are going to force all the teams in our tourney to listen to this 50 second anthem and played to our stupid rules".
Quote:
it amuses and irritates me that the more cynical and materialistic football becomes, the more the advertisers and marketers emphasise "passion" and "spiritual" values.
Absolutely! Every day they mention those words, every day those words mean that much less to the game of football.
What is this talk about munich not playing their starters LOOOL, when we never had lukas, jack, our captain and starting goalie out... Anyways i hate the away rule... We may have let 3 goals at home... Buy we also scored one and we shutout munich in germany... (which is much harder)
Last edited by TML g u n n e R s*: 03-14-2013 at 03:57 PM.
To me, it serves as one more example of football disappearing up its own arse. By turns, it amuses and irritates me that the more cynical and materialistic football becomes, the more the advertisers and marketers emphasise "passion" and "spiritual" values.
If fans singing and cheering is insufficient to provide a sense of occasion prior to the start of games, I'd suggest clubs blast out a loop of that character from the Fast Show, whose catchphrase was, "I am considerably richer than yow." That would incapsulate the spirit of European competition far more usefully the pseudo-religious nonsense we have to suffer now.
Mind you, the UEFairTotoropa Inter Cities League Cup anthem is even worse.
Heh, well the fact that fans can't create an atmosphere anymore is not UEFA's fault, but rather the fault of the clubs that didn't want their fans in the stadium and thus got rid of them via pricing policy, and b) by fans that take matches at the highest level for granted. For the real clubs which are still the majority (everyone except Bayern, Barca, Real, and the english clubs, the latter saying **** you to their fans every chance they get) the anthem is nothing more than a plus.
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Originally Posted by S E P H
Basically multiply this post by ten fold. I agree with everything you have said.
Take the EPL as another example. A very powerful and wealthy league (and they know that), but they don't go out and decide to justify their power and importance by creating a stupid anthem that brings nothing new to the sport. UEFA is showing me, "well look at me, I get huge ratings and money from sponsorships so we are going to force all the teams in our tourney to listen to this 50 second anthem and played to our stupid rules". (...)
"Play our stupid rules?" The two leg tie is standard in football. Do you hate the NHL too? They let fans sit through sometimes two anthems which 90% of the players don't care about, and then forces them to play after "their stupid rules", such as divisions, small rinks and best of seven playoff series. Where is the difference?
And I don't paticularly care for the away goal rule. It would probably be better to bring in a home goal rule, because nowadays home teams are the ones playing like they want to avoid. The fact that home teams are happy with a 0-0 draw because "they have to score in the return leg" is emberassing. Although it used to be worse, about 5 years ago. The bottom line is that you will always have people complaining, the majority of complaints coming from the team that faced negative consequences of the rule.
I would actually take it a step further. The anthem has existed for quite a while now. I'm in my late 20s now, and as a Bayern fan (no real team, customer, and all the other ironically arrogant things thrown at such big clubs for varying reasons), I have heard that anthem many times during my childhood. It's just human, actually, not just human, but general nature, to attribute things that correlate in such ways. Hearing that anthem is linked with the big European football nights in my mind, and whether I like it or not, whether I realize that's the calculated idea behind such anthems, that's rather irrevocable. And with that conditioning, and the memories tied to the big European nights, I can confidently say that I enjoy hearing that anthem on those nights. I don't care what others attribute it to, frankly.
I would actually take it a step further. The anthem has existed for quite a while now. I'm in my late 20s now, and as a Bayern fan (no real team, customer, and all the other ironically arrogant things thrown at such big clubs for varying reasons), I have heard that anthem many times during my childhood. It's just human, actually, not just human, but general nature, to attribute things that correlate in such ways. Hearing that anthem is linked with the big European football nights in my mind, and whether I like it or not, whether I realize that's the calculated idea behind such anthems, that's rather irrevocable. And with that conditioning, and the memories tied to the big European nights, I can confidently say that I enjoy hearing that anthem on those nights. I don't care what others attribute it to, frankly.
I got a notification for a quote haha, you seemed to have decided to delete it, but I wanted to say that I didn't mean to take a shot at Bayern fans with the sequence you originally quoted. It's just my perception that Bayern fans get excited for teams they play for, not for the occurence. For example a few years ago, they played a semi final against Olympique Lyon, I was underwhelmed by the atmosphere and it was much more when they played their round of 16 matchup against Inter Milana year later.
And I agree with your points. Obiously the anthem is an attempt from UEFA to create a brand, but I think it's a brilliantly composed thing that has a feeling of epicness. When you hear it you know that it's high level football, just like you know it's the highest level of hockey when you hear Jack Edwards' voice
Last edited by Schalkenullvier: 03-14-2013 at 02:56 PM.
I got a notification for a quote haha, you seemed to have decided to delete it, (...)
What the...? I didn't even know you can do that. Mod fail.
Anyway, yeah, deleted it because I did get to my senses about it probably being not meant quite like I took it at first glance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Schalkenullvier
(...) but I wanted to say that I didn't mean to take a shot at Bayern fans with the sequence you originally quoted. It's just my perception that Bayern fans get excited for teams they play for, not for the occurence. For example a few years ago, they played a semi final against Olympique Lyon, I was underwhelmed by the atmosphere and it was much more when they played their round of 16 matchup against Inter Milana year later.
That's certainly true. But like anything in life, perception changes when you get used to things. A team qualifying for CL every few years certainly will enjoy the occasion of whatever game it is a lot more than the average Bayern fan - no argument from me on that. And I certainly won't try to sell anyone on the atmosphere being close to par to other German clubs like Dortmund or Schalke.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Schalkenullvier
And I agree with your points. Obiously the anthem is an attempt from UEFA to create a brand, but I think it's a brilliantly composed thing that has a feeling of epicness. When you hear it you know that it's high level football, just like you know it's the highest level of hockey when you hear Jack Edwards' voice
Yeah, well said. Not so sure about the Edwards thing, but he's certainly a brand of his own, alright.
I would actually take it a step further. The anthem has existed for quite a while now. I'm in my late 20s now, and as a Bayern fan (no real team, customer, and all the other ironically arrogant things thrown at such big clubs for varying reasons), I have heard that anthem many times during my childhood. It's just human, actually, not just human, but general nature, to attribute things that correlate in such ways. Hearing that anthem is linked with the big European football nights in my mind, and whether I like it or not, whether I realize that's the calculated idea behind such anthems, that's rather irrevocable. And with that conditioning, and the memories tied to the big European nights, I can confidently say that I enjoy hearing that anthem on those nights. I don't care what others attribute it to, frankly.
I agree with this. They performed it live one year with some choir and I wasn't a fan, not to mention the lyrics are a bit... I don't even know. Still I like it, I like ending, and I'll always associate with the CL. I think people are making too much of it really.
Now, if someone wants to complain about the this season's Heineken commercials...
LOOOL, when we never had lukas, jack, our captain and starting goalie out... Anyways i hate the away rule... We may have let 3 goals at home... Buy we also scored one and we shutout munich in germany... (which is much harder)
Mod fail. 
