Monday, September 17, 2012

Premier

With Gameweek 4 of the Premier League in the books, I was pleased to find my Southampton jersey arrived in the mail today.  I won the jersey on eBay about a month ago and waited.  After a week, I learned the wrong jersey was sent to me, but the seller made good and sent me the right jersey.  The wrong jersey was an AFC Bournemouth jersey two sizes two small, but probably bodes well for their chances in joining the Championship next season.

I own about 12 soccer jerseys, with the majority of them representing teams in the Championship (second division).  As a Blackpool fan, my team of choice resides there after a heartbreaking loss in the playoff for the premiership.  This accounts for five of my jerseys.  But it doesn't end there, as I also own a Blackburn jersey (Relegated 2012) and a Cardiff City jersey (awaiting promotion).  I figure given Southampton's poor start and my ability to by jerseys for relegated teams, they should be well on their way to the Championship at year's end, no matter how good they have looked at times.

Photobucket

Looking for another Sir Stanley Matthews Blackpool tobacco card for my collection, I found the above card from Sport Kings.  I was shocked to see Matthews in a modern American card set, but knew I needed to own this card.  For a very small price later, likely because he is almost certainly the least well-known Sportsking, this card was on its way.

Part of me is offended, because Matthews is wearing the red and white of Stoke City instead of the Tangerine of Blackpool.  What Matthews is most famous for is the 1953 FA Cup, which is a competition between teams at all levels of British football contested in a knockout format.  In the finals, Matthews provided the critical crosses (assists) for three goals in the last 35 minutes, including 2 in the last five minutes, leading to the biggest win in Blackpool history.  Given that, I would have thought he would have been depicted in tangerine, but instead is wearing the colors of Stoke.

I suspect since Blackpool is the only team I follow with any fervor at this juncture of my life is why this bothers me, even though I was quite overjoyed to see Sir Stanley Matthews given the respect he deserves in an American card set.   


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