Step up Wayne Rooney and show your class, thank you very much. With Rooney slotting home the winner as the end of the Manchester United away match against Fulham at Craven Cottage loomed menacingly, the Red Devils opened up a 10 point lead over their closest chasers: Manchester City.
And, Chelsea lost, so it’s going to be a good day today.
Tomorrow morning (7:30AM my time here in California) I’ll wake up and watch the “game before the game” as the networks are billing it: Manchester City against Liverpool. “The game” is, of course, the Super Bowl. Which I will only be watching if I have nothing better to do, though I do always feel some pull to watch it because it is such an expectation, a social norm – it is just what is supposed to be done. But, I don’t really care about the outcome… perhaps I will root for the 49ers because they are from California.
In the game before the game, I do care about the outcome. Will City win and reduce that gap back to 7 points, will Liverpool win and keep City pointless, will the two sides draw? I don’t really want either team to win… but since there will be points awarded at the end no matter what, I think I’m leaning towards a City loss or a draw.
That is a testament to viewing City as more of a threat and definitely as the only team out of the two who has a chance of giving us any trouble on the run in this season. Gone are the days when Liverpool was challenging. I think they will turn things around in another season or two, but will they ever reclaim their past glory? Will they ever go on a run of succesful seasons like United has put together in the last 20 years? I doubt it.
But, those are thoughts for a different day. Today I’m going to bask in the glory at the top of the Premier League knowing our competition is falling away behind us. I’m going to revel in the fact that at the end of the game we had four strikers on the pitch: Rooney, Van Persie, Welbeck, and Chicharito (Javier Hernandez). I’m going to be smiling about the great saves that DeGea came up with in goal for us today and the clean sheet he was able to keep.
Yep, it’s going to be a good day.
The Matticus Kingdom 
We don’t touch the Super Bowl here. No one is really interested in football–big baseball family instead. Both of my boys are gearing up for the new season. One will be playing in the 13 yo rec league while the other will be playing in the high school rec league. I think that’s when I’m going to start my blogging from the ballpark series since that is where I will be all spring. Wouldn’t miss it for the world though.
Grew up in a baseball family too! The only football (american) we watched was college bowl games. (Go Bruins! – my dad is an alum.)
Do you mean UCLA? I am an alum of the University of South Carolina. (Go Gamecocks!)
Yep, UCLA Bruins. 😀 I went to UC San Diego, who don’t have a football team. Halfway decent women’s soccer team, and that’s about it.
My youngest brother graduated from UCSD, and I graduated from high school out in San Diego. Gorgeous campus!
Fun! Yes, the campus sold it for me when I was touring colleges and trying to decide where to go.
I have never miss a Super Bowl. Whatever Super Bowl number it is, that is my age in the coming year. I am unfortunately connected to that game. Also unfortunately I am a life long Patriot fan, and since they are not playing things are a bit subdued here. At least they can’t lose. I know nothing about European Football, unfortunately. Enjoy the European Football and then the American version.
Hah, thanks I will. Sorry your beloved Patriots didn’t have the best season this year… but, they can’t win em all. 😉
What about rugby…a real sport?
I’ve always felt like Rugby would be a sport I could get into… I just don’t know enough about it, and never seem to find it on TV.
Rugby! Rough sport!
A hooligan’s sport played by gentlemen… If you haven’t wached the movie “invictus” (Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon), I’d recommend it.
We are a family of football fans, ever since we started to call the United States of America our home. And no matter where we are, we will watch the Super Bowl, even if we have to be up before dawn to watch it live. Right now, we’re in Asia and there is a 12 hour difference!
I’m a Man U fan too!! We’re top of the league, we’re top of the league, we’re man utd, we’re top of the league!! 🙂 I also have RVP in my fantasy football team as my captain. Get in!!
I tried the fantasy football thing a couple years ago, and didn’t do very well because I didn’t have time to tinker with my team every week. And that was before I was blogging. Maybe after we win the league this year I’ll be inspired to get in next year from the start.
I must admit, I am not doing very well and it is for the same reason. I often go weeks without updating it because I either run out of time, or forget altogether, but it’s still fun! Especially when you have the oh so reliable RVP on your team!
I think I’d waste all my money on Rooney and RVP and wouldn’t have any left to field a decent team… I think that was another one of my problems last time – I spent all my money on CR7 and had to fill in gaps in my lineup with unknowns.