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I try to arrange my life to maximize Newcastle United match viewing, but the vagaries of distance, time zones, and broadcast contracts can make it difficult. Such was the case Wednesday, when Newcastle's untelevised Carling Cup match against Blackburn Rovers fell in the middle of the American afternoon, during a course I teach at the University of Wisconsin. When class was over I had only a short breath to check the score on my phone before heading across campus with one of my students to staff the journalism table at a university-wide fair where freshmen can roam from booth to booth and "shop" for their future majors. The phone flashed 2-0 for Blackburn in the 89th minute. Sad, but a relief - a match worth missing.
At the moment I settled into my post at the fair, my phone buzzed with an exclamation-filled text from my friend Mark in Cincinnati. Mark is an English soccer neophyte - he was infected unwittingly with a raging case of Toon-itis when, with nothing better to do on a Tuesday night, he drove over to Columbus to join co-blogger Tom and me for Newcastle's preseason match against the Crew in July. "This would normally not be my sort of thing," he said, gazing with wonder at the roaring, singing pregame crowd in bar-code shirts packing the 4th Street Patio bar. By the time he left Columbus, with the help of patient instruction in the stands and taverns, he knew most of the players' numbers, all the key chants and could do a credible rendition of the Coloccini song in a faux-Geordie accent.
Mark was texting me to ask about the tiebreaking rules in the Carling Cup.
I looked up from my phone at an earnest freshman perusing a flyer, waiting for my attention. I said something like: "HAHAHAHA WOULD YOU CARE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR VERY EXCITING MAJOR?"
By a stroke of fortune the student alongside me was one of the few who share a passion for English soccer - an Arsenal fan, but otherwise personable and intelligent. I told him what had just happened, and he seemed to grasp instinctively there could be slack to pick up from what might appear soon to be an extremely moody teacher. A line of freshmen began to form - we are a popular department on our large campus - and by the time I had a break to open my laptop and check our blog's Twitter feed for an update, Blackburn had regained the lead. I reeled a profanity back into my brain before it hit someone. "Oh well," I said. "At least I can concentrate now."
My phone buzzed. Another text from Mark. It read, "Who is Lovenkrands and why do I love him so?"
I literally couldn't take anymore. Penalty kicks would be untenable for me in public. I shut the laptop and silenced the phone. By the time it was safe to look again, Newcastle's hopes, and mine, for one trophy were gone.
Walking back to my office, I pondered, why? Why is Newcastle like this? Why does this team, of all teams, have to make every match, every transfer window, every season into a soap opera? Do Newcastle fans really need melodrama? Why does the club with the most emotional following always pull on emotions so hard?
After an evening of beer and a night of sleep, an answer has come: the club doesn't just pull on the emotions. The emotions pull on the club. It's a synergy. What player, arriving at Newcastle from somewhere else, hasn't remarked almost immediately on the spirit? It isn't always enough to make the results positive. But it's always enough to make them compelling - even for someone connected only by a pixellated electronic signal, in a place where only a small, secret society can possibly understand, thousands of miles away.
Listening to the match on radio (there was no TV again) I nearly killed myself to end the sanity! All 3 Carling Cup matches we were involved in were amazing but we should have put Blackburn away quickly. I hope this was not our best chance at Europe that we let slip by.
Posted by: Rob Moyer | 10/27/2011 at 12:52 PM
Amen! My experience was sneaking peaks while hanging out with my girlfriend. Leaving at 2-0 to take her to work and coming back to jump on a radio feed this time to try and fix the obvious mistake on my computer of 2-2; to bury my head again at 3-2 and so on...
At the worst and most frustrating of times if I've ever considered supporting another team I have had to remind myself that I'm addict...NA: newcastle anonymous. I don't know too many other teams that can make me feel the way NUFC does. Course with its drama, highs and lows, pinch me if this real feelings it might just be the meth high of the fandom world... ;)
Posted by: Ocorious | 10/27/2011 at 12:54 PM
Bob- A really good article, comment and read. Thank you for expressing the emotions of following NUFC so well, even from so far away.
And best of luck with your 'other' job of teaching!
KBW. Manchester UK
Posted by: Kevin Wilford | 10/27/2011 at 03:07 PM
Well said Ocorious. And that's why I love Newcastle. Despite the highs and lows, there is something special about the club for me. I can't explain it, I don't know why, but I could never leave supporting Newcastle. Even if they were relegated to level 50 in English Soccer, I would still follow fanatically. Anyone can jump on a bandwagon of a team that wins all the time like Manchester United. Not just anyone can follow a team through thick and thin like Newcastle. It can be the highest of highs or the most depressing lows, but the team knows in the end, no matter what happens, the supporters will always be there. And THAT is what makes Newcastle the most fantastic club in the world.
Being in America, I too was at work during the match. I tried to follow via Twitter between calls/customer/tasks. And of course it always gets busiest in my day during the most exciting times of matches. So try as I might, from the Lovenkrands penalty through the rest of extra time, I couldn't check the score. I was itching to check and when I finally did, disappointment hit me fully. But, despite that, a great pride was also felt because the team never stopped fighting.
I will say this, being a fellow Cubs fan like Bob, plus a Newcastle fan, I regularly experience extreme highs of euphoria and lows of despair. It's like everyday of my sporting life is a roller coaster. Despite this obvious masochism of mine, I would have it any other way. Howay the lads!!
Posted by: Ryan | 10/27/2011 at 03:10 PM
My work computer keyboard got flung almost across the room when the 3rd goal went in for newcastle. thought we'd turn blackburn over; but thats cup competitions and supporting the toon.
However, with the teams still involved in this "meaningless" competition, it would be anything but a cake-walk to the final.
Posted by: Barry Ameobi | 10/27/2011 at 03:42 PM
Fantastic read, it's heart warming to hear from true fans in the States like this!
Posted by: Ryan | 10/27/2011 at 04:45 PM
Excellent article Bob, you sum up following the toon perfectly !
Consider yourself and all US toon fans adopted Geordies....
Howay the Lads !
Posted by: Horses Heed | 10/27/2011 at 05:31 PM
i constantly was finding 'reasons' to go and check the score online while at work. love the highs and yet lows this team gives us. whether its a 4 goal comeback against arsenal or a loss to blackburn or a key player sold on the last day of transfer window, they always make it interesting. can't wait to make the trip to england and watch the toon in person, hopefully for the league championship at st. james' ;)
Posted by: Jaeger | 10/27/2011 at 07:50 PM
I am away on business in Taiwan - got up at about 4.30am to catch the end of 90 mins - it is absolutely ridiculous that you can't listen to radio commentary of football over the internet - I pay my UK TV license so why can't I listen? Had to sit and watch the text service.
Posted by: Martin Rose | 10/27/2011 at 08:52 PM
I feel your pain mate. I work in China and also got up in the middle of the night to watch the bbc text updates - couldn't even find a sky sports news feed!
Posted by: M | 10/27/2011 at 11:51 PM
Cheers - I understand the reason for the restrictions but it seems to me if you hold a UK license then if you happen to be out of the UK you should be able enter your license number and be allowed to listen - looks like I'll have to investigate using a proxy server.
Posted by: Martin Rose | 10/28/2011 at 12:13 AM
you'll be able to catch most games online - the Premier League is extremely well covered by foreign TV and there'll be a multitude of internet feeds for u to try out for each game, especially if we're up against one of the 'big' teams. I live in Guangdong province and I'm lucky that GD Sports has the rights to the Prem - they show 4-6 live matches every Sat-Mon. If the toon aren't on the telly, i'll just find a web feed. We'll defo be on Monday nite (tues morn) tho..... 4am kick off, nice!
Posted by: M | 10/28/2011 at 01:43 AM
Fortunately 'M' I am going home this weekend so I'll be able to watch at a sensible time (jet lag permitting) but thanks anyway. You are right about the coverage - I was able to watch the Wigan match live on one of the sports channels here - much to my son's disbelief :-)
Posted by: Martin Rose | 10/28/2011 at 03:58 AM
Ny son Neil had a season ticket from 1996 - 2010 when he went to America. He now lives in Dallas and goes to extraordinary lengths to see the games on TV. I picture him sitting by himself thousands of miles away, a bag of nerves, shouting and screaming at the television and kicking every ball.
The highlight for him was taking his wife and three kids to Kansas in July to see United where they met several players and got some great photos.
Bob this is a super article which should be given an airing in the media it is so good. Carry on recruiting for the Toon Army but give each recruit a health warning- its a very serious emotional experience they are getting into.
Posted by: James | 10/28/2011 at 05:15 AM