Okay, we don't really care too much about the Premiership - one, it is too early to watch games on Saturday morning at a bar (they aren't easy to find on TV, and I'm not shelling out dough for the package), and two, we don't like England in general. But with the West Ham franchise signing not one, but two Argentines this past season - illegally, it seems - we now have a legit rooting interest. Especially since Carlos Tevez is the truth, the perfect partner for future legend Messi in the next World Cup (2010).
Well, despite the addition of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano, West Ham is in 19th place (out of 20th) in the Premiership, and the bottom three teams get relegated. So today's game against Wigan is huge. Wigan is currently at 35 points, in 16th, just three points ahead of West Ham (32 points). With this win today (West Ham just scored to make it 2-0), West Ham would tie Wigan in the standings, with two games left.
It's still an uphill battle, as the last two games are against two of the top teams in the league - 5th place Boltan, then first place Man United on May 13th. But as this is the first time we have taken an interest in the Premiership, we are hoping that West Ham can stave off relegation - if they do get dropped, then you can bet Tevez and Mascherano will get transferred.....
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It sounds great until you realize that the Knicks would have been relegated after last season... ugh.
The Hebrew Hammer! Who knew Barnesgasm was up on the soccer... we might have to hire you to be our Premiership updater....
"up on my soccer" = "occasionally watch the Champions League in order to have something to talk to my British and weed-smoking friends"
But would the Knicks have gotten relegated? You can't tank a season if you won't be allowed back in the league the next year. Larry Brown might have been out the door by halfway through the season. And if they had, a throwaway season might have saved the Knicks salary cap situation if nothing else, because all the players would've wanted out. This year, the Knicks would have rebuilt and started 5 young guys from the last two drafts, and dominated some D-League ass, courtside seats would've been like 50 bucks, and next year we'd be back in the show again, with a new youth core. The next year would be all about the fight not to get relegated, and maybe in three years we'd be a serious contender.
Actually, when I think about it, that sounds like it would've sucked, but you get my point. And imagine how intense the end of a season would be if instead of playing against the just Bobcats in April, YOU'RE PLAYING THE BOBCATS TO STAY IN THE NBA!
Oh, don't get me wrong... I love the idea of relegation. I think it's fantastic, it keeps thing competitive. Look at the Royals in baseball. They need to go....
But, the downside, as you see from my West Ham post, is that as a fan it kinda sucks if your team get relegated.
The Hammers not only paid a huge transfer fee to Brazil (Corinthians, I believe) for Tevez and Javier, but they just paid a 5.5 million pound fine. Damn, that's a lot of money down the drain. If relegated they then have to transfer or sell Tevez and Javier (who isnt really all that important, granted), and their fans don't get to see them next season. It kinda sucks for a fan.
On the hand, let's be honest - I never cared for West Ham before the transfer, so who am I to act like a representive Ham fan? The true fans, they'll keep rooting, hoping to get back into the Premiership again. They'll still be there. Fans adapt to the worst conditions.
I like West Ham more for Yossi "The Hebrew Hammer" Benayoun. I also think American sports would be way cooler if there was a relegtion system. A team makes too much money through TV, ads, stadium sponsorship, and the 10000 fans that show up every game for some teams to even try winning, so I think relegation would be sick, but no American sports league would ever do it.