NPR: Make Me Care: The Champions League Final

Make Me Care: The Champions League Final

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Listen to Alison's conversation with BPP listener Drew Johnson -- Did Drew make you care?

Liverpool fans cheer on their team prior to kickoff during the UEFA Champions League Final match between Liverpool and AC Milan at the Olympic Stadium Wednesday in Athens, Greece.

Credit: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

Here at Bryant Park Project World Headquarters, we are not ashamed to admit that many of us are big sports fans. But even this collection of sports fans issued forth a collective yawn at the mention of the UEFA Champions League Final, European soccer's Super Bowl, which takes place Wednesday.

Of course, there's no shortage of interest in Europe, especially in Liverpool and Milan, where the two teams facing each other today reside. It's a rematch of the David (Liverpool) vs. Goliath (Milan) matchup in the 2005 Final, which saw Liverpool execute an improbable comeback from a 3-0 deficit to win on penalty kicks.

And while interest stateside is sparse, there are certainly some Americans out there who really dig soccer, as we found out when we mentioned it in a blog post yesterday. Listener Drew Johnson, a 33-year old software engineer and devoted soccer fan from Saint Paul, MN, posted to this blog yesterday, and his passion for soccer earned him a guest spot today. (We presume the lesson here won't be lost on the rest of you.) Take a listen to Drew's conversation with Alison, then submit your comment below and tell us: Did Drew make you care?

And if you want a little taste of Liverpool's theme song "You'll Never Walk Alone," which helped inspire Drew's fandom, check out this video. The song starts about one minute in, after the game ends and Liverpool wins.

Dan Pashman

12:48 PM ET | 05-23-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

How odd. I'm hearing the Lebanon segment.

Sent by Drew | 3:16 PM ET | 05-23-2007

I love listening in (or reading in, I guess) on your editorial meetings...

Hey here's an idea: New York magazine does this great back-of-the-book feature called "Is This Book Worth Getting?" They review books you've heard buzz about and rate them 'buy it,' 'skip it,' or 'wait for the paperback'... what if you did this not only with new releases, but also the most popular book-club choices?

Sent by sharon | 3:55 PM ET | 05-23-2007

This reminds me of the time when I was door knocking in Australia (that's a story in itself) during the 2002 World Cup. An African man was watching a game when we knocked; he quickly opened the door and motioned us to come in. He didn't even care who we were. Obviously, we didn't have his attention since the game was on.

I have two other thoughts:

First, why is soccer so popular among American youngsters while this passion quickly fades as they age?

Second, I would attach or follow up this segment with a story about hooligans. They are rabid fans who easily resort to violence in the name of their team; their actions are quiet dangerous at times. Why does the sport inspire such passion?

Sent by Steve Petersen | 7:06 PM ET | 05-23-2007

Drew -- all fixed! We were having an MP3 problem. Should be fixed in iTunes too...thanks for talking with us -- you were great. I, personally, love soccer -- I even got the digital sports package on my cable system so I could watch the Fox Sports Channel. My colleagues still aren't convinced...

Sent by Matt Martinez | 8:44 PM ET | 05-23-2007

The hooligan phenomenon is getting less and less prevalent in England. Something about the football stadiums getting respectable. Mind you, going to Liverpool and wearing Everton Blue (the rival team from across the street) in certain areas might get you roughed up on game-day, but it's gotten a lot better. For a decently-written explanation of the evolution of football supporters, I recommend Fever Pitch by Nick Hornsby, which tracks Hornsby's life through the ups and downs of Arsenal FC (the Gunners). More and more families are starting to show up in stadiums that were at one time very male and very macho.

Sent by Drew | 10:46 PM ET | 05-23-2007

Americans will get on the soccer jaggernaut once American Exceptionalism is gone, which is never...there has never been any american soccer stars, there has never been any success, hence there will never be any interest.

Sent by Billy Tomson | 10:22 AM ET | 05-24-2007

Billy -- do you think David Beckham will help spur interest?

Sent by Matt Martinez | 10:31 AM ET | 05-24-2007

Also...there is never, ever going to be a promotion/relegation system that's going to work here. And that's a damn shame, because I love what it does to the dynamic near the bottom and top of the table.

Sent by Drew | 10:43 AM ET | 05-24-2007

Beckham won't do too much. He'll be confined to a few Sportscenter highlights with a set piece goal or two, but it isn't enough.

I was also in Europe during a World Cup, but it was the '94 WC that took place over here. My family and I were staying at Lake Como in northern Italy. I was just 9 then, but I vividly remember watching the flag waving and chants throughout the day. When Roberto Baggio knocked his shot high in the penalty shootout of the Finals and Brazil won, everything was deathly quiet. You could literally feel the entire country just sink. Pretty amazing.

And, in regards to the last question Drew answered, I'd have to agree. Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain made us care about women's soccer. Lance Armstrong made us care about cycling, for goodness sake. Simply put, we just have to win on the international level on the biggest stage.

Great piece though. Sorry about Liverpool, Drew. I'm a Spurs fan, you know, but I always root for English football in international play. Unless, you know, it's the Gooners, Chelski or Man U. An opposing team would have to be convicted of war crimes before I rooted for those three.

Sent by Shawn Shahani | 3:13 AM ET | 05-25-2007

I've lived on and off in Switzerland for the past 5 years, and I have one thing to say. Soccer is LAME! I have a number of friends here who love the game, and have huge parties, where they sing (the singing thing throughout the game has got to go!, how annoying!) and cheer for teams that are not even their own. My question is, why aren't more(interesting) US sports broadcasted on a regular basis here? There is a demand for other sports here, or wait, you could watch Cricket or Billards, or even Formula One Racing, WOW! LAME!

Sent by Krunk | 5:12 AM ET | 05-25-2007

Krunk, there may be a bit of a grass-is-greener phenomenon here. My friends could care less about gridiron football and baseball, but bought the higher cable tiers to watch Formula One racing, and desperately care about the new regulations each year that subtly change the sport each year.

Shawn, the Spurs were the other team that we watched this season. I wish like hell that Jol would have a slightly more offense-oriented strategy. It seemed like they controlled the midfield, but couldn't send a ball to a wing or striker to save their lives. That said, it's a better set of tactics than a lot of the rest of the EPL, but I was a bit surprised - with their caliber of player - to not see them press a little harder against the Gooners.

Well, hell...there's next year. Berbatov isn't going anywhere, and maybe they'll get rid of pretty-boy Egyptian Mido. Have you heard any of the rumors on Davids coming to play under the Beckham Rule of MLS?

As to cricket...well, I wish I understood it better.

Sent by Drew | 9:36 AM ET | 05-25-2007

I'm from Albania, and I'm a fan of The best team (LIVERPOOL). I cryed when Liverpool lost against Ac Mlan but two days ago I steel to be a fan of Liverpool. I hope Liverpool will gon on another final any time, or in this season. I'm so sory for Liverpool's lose but I'M PROUD TO BE A FAN OF LIVERPOOL because what Liverpool made two years ago is imposible to make any other team. (I'm sory for mistake in writing this text but I hop you will andersend me because I dont know english language good).
Good bye.

Sent by Valmir Bajraktari | 10:17 AM ET | 05-25-2007

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