A Foot in Both Camps

[UTB Blade]

A Foot in Both Camps...


For personal reasons - completely unrelated to football - I spend quite a lot of time on one of the main Sunderland boards (RTG/SMB).

It's a brilliant place - lively, busy and spirited, and the posters, with very few exceptions, are sound.

I enjoy pretty much every moment I spend on there, and sometimes, when it gets a little fractious on here, it's my little bit of online refuge and respite, away from the tumult of tensions and disagreements between fellow Blades on here.

Then the thirteenth of May happened - up popped Dan Ballard with his last-gasp winner, and upended my world a little in the process.

Don't get me wrong, I wanted Sunderland to win their semi - I can't stand Coventry, I have a soft spot for Sunderland, as a result of my connection with the area, and I thought a final between our two clubs would be a fantastic occasion - much more so than had we ended up with Coventry.

All of these things remain true.

But during the last week a funny thing has started to happen.

I don't usually spend much time on the football part of their board - as I say, that's not my interest in Sunderland (the area), nor the reason I'm on the board. But as a football fan, it's only natural that I do have a quick glance at the football section to see what's going on, and usually, that's all it is, a quick glance - 'oh, yeah, they're doing well/okay/badly'; 'oh, right, they're moaning about / gushing over the manager/owner/particular players again' - then off I toddle, back to the non-football parts of the board, and all is well in the Sunderland part of my online world...

...except this week:

"Blades aerial threat" - 'Why are they on about aerial threat? Why do they think we're a team of giants who play hoof ball all day long? Why does everyone think we're stuck in the 1990s?'

"Anyone think we won't win?" - 'What do you mean, anyone think you won't win, like it's guaranteed you're just gonna stroll up and win just by turning up - we finished 14 points ahead of you, ya know. Arrogant sods!'

"Why Aren't They Sheffield South End?" - 'What the hell's this now? Sheffield South End? Wtf?' Opens thread 'Oh, right, just because you've "looked it up" and discovered that the pigs are "the older club by far", you think you can judge our name, and dictate to us what you think we should have called ourselves back in 1889. It's to do with the cricket club, moron, and besides, we were the first to call ourselves United - we're the original United - everyone copied us! Bet you didn't know that, either, did you, ignorant sods!'

And on it goes...

Bear in mind, that I've actually tried to avoid threads about us, mindful of the 'eavesdroppers only ever hear bad things about themselves' mantra, and I've still come across enough nonsense about us to send my blood pressure sky rocketing.

I must admit that it's not just the things I'm reading about us that makes me feel uncomfortable, it's also that I feel a bit odd being on their forum at all at the moment, as if I shouldn't really be there, even on the non-football parts of the board, which is where I spend most of my time.

I'm wondering as well, how I'm going to feel on Saturday night, whether I'll want to go back on there, or whether I'll feel I need to take a break.

So my question to others is: does anyone else have a foot in both camps?

Or has anyone had any experience of this in the past, with other clubs you have a bit of a soft spot for?

I'd be interested to hear others' thoughts and experiences.

 

[Plymouthblade]

No

 

[Northernsoulblade]

I look at owls mad now again better than Prozac cheers u up no end

 

[UTB Blade]

No

Very helpful - a well thought out and erudite reply!

Made me laugh, anyway.

 

[Pittsburg Blade]

it's only natural that I do have a quick glance…. to see what's going on, and usually, that's all it is, a quick glance

I’m wondering if this is the same as a quick glance over at the Lady Boy section…?

 

[Snowflake]

A Foot in Both Camps...


For personal reasons - completely unrelated to football - I spend quite a lot of time on one of the main Sunderland boards (RTG/SMB).

It's a brilliant place - lively, busy and spirited, and the posters, with very few exceptions, are sound.

I enjoy pretty much every moment I spend on there, and sometimes, when it gets a little fractious on here, it's my little bit of online refuge and respite, away from the tumult of tensions and disagreements between fellow Blades on here.

Then the thirteenth of May happened - up popped Dan Ballard with his last-gasp winner, and upended my world a little in the process.

Don't get me wrong, I wanted Sunderland to win their semi - I can't stand Coventry, I have a soft spot for Sunderland, as a result of my connection with the area, and I thought a final between our two clubs would be a fantastic occasion - much more so than had we ended up with Coventry.

All of these things remain true.

But during the last week a funny thing has started to happen.

I don't usually spend much time on the football part of their board - as I say, that's not my interest in Sunderland (the area), nor the reason I'm on the board. But as a football fan, it's only natural that I do have a quick glance at the football section to see what's going on, and usually, that's all it is, a quick glance - 'oh, yeah, they're doing well/okay/badly'; 'oh, right, they're moaning about / gushing over the manager/owner/particular players again' - then off I toddle, back to the non-football parts of the board, and all is well in the Sunderland part of my online world...

...except this week:

"Blades aerial threat" - 'Why are they on about aerial threat? Why do they think we're a team of giants who play hoof ball all day long? Why does everyone think we're stuck in the 1990s?'

"Anyone think we won't win?" - 'What do you mean, anyone think you won't win, like it's guaranteed you're just gonna stroll up and win just by turning up - we finished 14 points ahead of you, ya know. Arrogant sods!'

"Why Aren't They Sheffield South End?" - 'What the hell's this now? Sheffield South End? Wtf?' Opens thread 'Oh, right, just because you've "looked it up" and discovered that the pigs are "the older club by far", you think you can judge our name, and dictate to us what you think we should have called ourselves back in 1889. It's to do with the cricket club, moron, and besides, we were the first to call ourselves United - we're the original United - everyone copied us! Bet you didn't know that, either, did you, ignorant sods!'

And on it goes...

Bear in mind, that I've actually tried to avoid threads about us, mindful of the 'eavesdroppers only ever hear bad things about themselves' mantra, and I've still come across enough nonsense about us to send my blood pressure sky rocketing.

I must admit that it's not just the things I'm reading about us that makes me feel uncomfortable, it's also that I feel a bit odd being on their forum at all at the moment, as if I shouldn't really be there, even on the non-football parts of the board, which is where I spend most of my time.

I'm wondering as well, how I'm going to feel on Saturday night, whether I'll want to go back on there, or whether I'll feel I need to take a break.

So my question to others is: does anyone else have a foot in both camps?

Or has anyone had any experience of this in the past, with other clubs you have a bit of a soft spot for?

I'd be interested to hear others' thoughts and experiences.

Perhaps you would benefit from a stroll tomorrow in an area with no mobile or wi fI signals ?

 

[BladeInIreland]

Not that I particularly liked them but I often wanted the local (not Wednesday or Barnsley) teams to do well. Then we dropped down to their level and they were absolute bellends. Happy to see them all lose now. (Maybe not Rotherham).

 

[Cheeky Blade]

No split loyalty apart from going to some local non-league teams over the years…even fucked England off a bit for now and I used to enjoy the big tournaments.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Blades aerial threat" - 'Why are they on about aerial threat? Why do they think we're a team of giants who play hoof ball all day long? Why does everyone think we're stuck in the 1990s?'

Most fans think this of us. We have an image as dirty northern hoofball cloggers. I can’t even be arsed to correct people anymore that we actually fanny around with it far too much and don’t do nearly enough hoof.