Super fan? Me? If you say so.

It’s been a long time since I updated. I got lazy. I'm getting older and possibly trying to be oh-so middle class as I find myself playing golf as often as possible. I even did the unthinkable recently and didn’t watch the Wigan match because I wanted to play golf instead. I did have my mobile with me (a big golfing faux- pas)and was checking the score so technically I’m still a super fan.

Super fan. What a weird term. On one of the forums I use, I am routinely referred to as a super fan and it isn’t meant in a good way. Why? I’m not totally sure, there certainly isn’t a logical reason behind it.

One of the reasons seems to be that I question the club and don’t accept everything that the club (and specifically Ferguson) does as perfect. This always seems to be fellow Man Utd fans who follow this line and often those who don’t go to matches. Why? I can only assume they personally feel inferior because they don't go. I’ll clarify my stance on that one right away: people who go to the match are NOT by virtue of their attendance better (and better is an entirely subjective term here in any case) fans and I would NEVER try to use the fact that I get to some games as furthering my point, although very many people do. On the contrary, I seldom voice opinions on any games I’ve been to in detail until I’ve seen the entire game back on TV. Only then can you really dissect the game and see things up close. I actually hate people who try and say you see more if you’re at the game. Simple fact is that you don’t and that’s pathetic football snobbery at its worst. Anyway, it’s strange that people use this against me, I’ve only started going in the past couple of years when it become financially viable and I’ve only been to one game so far this year because it’s become largely unviable again. Life responsibilities, eh? Getting too old.

Another reason I get called it is that I’m not shy in voicing my views and stating them as fact. There’s a horrible little trend online of people suffixing almost everything with “in my opinion”. Things aren’t always opinions. When Tevez was shocking for us for the majority of last year, that wasn’t an opinion, that’s fact. Saying that Mascherano isn’t as good as Fletcher isn’t an opinion, it’s fact. Saying that we aren’t better in any shape or form for Ronaldo leaving isn’t an opinion, it’s as stone cold true as a fact can be!

People are so slow to change their minds in football and they let big names go to their head. How can Darren Fletcher be better than Mascherano? One’s Scottish and was crap about five years ago, the other’s the Argentinean captain, cost multi-million pounds and is continually linked to big clubs. Well then, we’re sorted. No need to watch them actually play the bloody game, we can easily state Mascherano’s the better player without needing to see so much as a highlight reel!

I had a online “discussion” with an avid Argentina supporter who fails to accept that Tevez was rubbish last season and, by virtue of being a Chelsea supporter, he also claimed that Mikel is a better player than Fletcher. Given that Mikel is barely even a football player, it’s safe to say that certain people can’t see past their bias, eh?

So yea, I’m a super fan. You know people are struggling for arguments when they feel the need to say “No point discussing it with him, sure he’s always right” in that fun little way that they do. If I’m lucky, they’ll tack on one of those eye-rolling smilies for good measure. Sometimes people need to walk away from their keyboards, it’s clear they are getting worked up over what they read. You can tell when they’ve reached critical mass as the profanity starts to fly thick and fast. Or asterisks if the particular forum is pleasant like that. Would these same people, frantically smashing away at their keyboard in anger, get so testy if they were down the pub chatting about the game and someone stuck hard and true to their opinion? Nah, course not. Or at least I’d hope not. This is the internet though. Best to get wound up first and figure out if there was any need to later.

“Why… this guy has said a different thing than I felt and has worded it strongly… I can’t possibly not call him a colourful metaphor!”

That’s a great expression, colourful metaphor. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Go watch it, you’ll be a better person for doing it.

In all honesty though, once I see someone get wound up I tend to let them run with that particular stick. It’s good to sit back and watch the fall out.

Sunderland this weekend. It’s an evening game, so my golf won’t impact on that. To leave Darren Bent in my Fantasy League team or not? Ah, decisions, decisions.