The Soccer Education of Trey Daubert: Chapter 3 – Finding a Team
Well, we’re back with another chapter – read Chapters 1 and 2 to get caught up – in the semi-eagerly anticipated Soccer Education of Trey Daubert. I apologize for the delay, I just got behind on some stuff, but we move forward nonetheless. With the season just around the corner, I figured it best to help Trey find a team. While having a great appreciation for a sport is wonderful, the inner kid in us always needs someone to root for. Full disclosure, I have already spoken to Trey about this, and I have been given some determining factors regarding any prospective teams that he may choose to support. The criteria is, but not limited to, kits, the ability to watch the matches in the United States, possible success, talent, and knowing the players. If I missed anything Trey, my bad. With all that being said, let’s get into it. The evolution of Hockey Guy Trey into Soccer Guy Trey continues.
A Quick Parisian Sidebar
When I jumped on an interview call with my boss, and the guy we were supposed to be interviewing was a no-show, it gave us the opportunity to discuss more about soccer. As we joked about this series and events happening in the sport, Trey showed me his PSG jersey. Now, this is the 2020/21 fourth kit that Jordan Brand gave the Parisian club. The shirt has pink and purple splotches with black detailing. It is phenomenal. Take a look below if you haven’t seen it.
Anyways, due to Ligue 1’s television rights airing solely on beIN Sports in the U.S., we jokingly, or seriously, decided that Trey could support PSG while they are playing in the Champions League because CBS owns the airing rights to Europe’s premier club competition. If Paris Saint-Germain lands Lionel Messi – with reports indicating that the move is likely – I might suggest that Trey buy beIN Sports and just watch a front three of Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe dominate the world. That would be fun to watch.
So with Trey’s Champions League allegiances cleared up, we move on to finding a team.
A Team Like the Red Sox
“You’ll Never Walk Alone” and “Sweet Caroline.” Two iconic sports anthems, two iconic franchises, and two teams that know curses and title droughts all too well. Let me introduce you to the club I believe compares to Trey Daubert’s beloved Boston Red Sox and, in turn, makes his allegiance clear: Liverpool F.C.
I’ll have to admit that when I was brainstorming teams to compare to the Red Sox, it took me a minute to get to the comparison. Let’s get into why the comparison fits.
Example 1: A Slip and A Dip, The Mistakes that Haunted Both Franchises
Titles are hard to win in sports, and Red Sox and Liverpool fans know that reality all too well. Two moments, however, are synonymous with the brutality of their respective sports and still serve as haunting reminders of how close these two franchises were to drought-ending titles.
Exhibit A: Bill Buckner
If you’re an American sports fan, you likely know of this. If you do not, here’s a clip:
And now Exhibit B: Steven Gerrard
Both of these moments helped delay the Red Sox and Liverpool’s respective hunts for a title that had eluded them for years. Buckner’s error saw the 1986 World Series extended to a seventh game where the Sox ultimately lost to the Mets as the curse of the Bambino continued for another 18 years. Steven Gerrard’s slip saw Chelsea’s Demba Ba dribble past and score a goal that killed Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes in the 2013/14 season, and it took another 6 years for Liverpool to claim their first EPL title. But it’s okay now because both franchises have broken their respective droughts. Just trying to be positive.
Reason 2: Both Teams Are Contenders
This explanation is quite simple. The Red Sox are in the playoff hunt with a 2.5 game lead on the first Wild Card position. Liverpool will be back to compete in both England and Europe after a turbulent 2020/21 season. Both appear primed for postseason games and have talented squads.
Reason 3: Cultures of Winning
Despite only winning one Premier League trophy since the league’s inception in 1992, Liverpool is no stranger to winning. The club has won two FA Cup trophies, two Champions League trophies, and two UEFA Super Cup titles since ’92. They also dominated English football throughout the 70s and 80s. I don’t have to remind you (Trey) that the Red Sox have won four World Series in the past 17 years. Cultures of winning, but it’s not like you’re deciding to be a fan of Manchester City, the Yankees, or Lakers in 2021, so it’s all well and good.
Reason 4: The Kits
You knew this was coming. This is an important aspect of Trey’s soccer fandom, so time needed to be taken to find the right club. And I think I hit the jackpot in this area.
For whatever reason, Nike decided to do right by Liverpool this season. Both the home and away kits are very good, and as a Chelsea fan who has been upset with the brand that just can’t seem to do it with our kits, it’s nice to see Nike do something good.
This is the home kit:
This is the away kit – my favorite of the two, in case anyone cared.
The third kit will likely be coming out sometime later this month or in September. All I know for certain is that Trey could have an array of soccer shirts to pick from in Vegas in a couple of months.
Reason 5: TV Rights on NBC and CBS
Liverpool will be playing on NBC, NBCSN, Peacock, and any other of the many NBC-affiliated channels. Champions League games will be shown by CBS and Paramount+. Both are accessible in the United States and should make it easy to watch.
I hope this suffices. I feel that the Liverpool-Red Sox comparison is apt and good. The kits are quality, the team is talented, the culture is apparent, and there is a damn good anthem to sing after a victory. If you want to cheer or support any more teams, I would suggest cheering for an Italian Serie A squad, but make it Napoli or Fiorentina, not Juventus or Inter Milan, because then it looks like you’re just a bandwagon. And if you (Trey) decide that PSG is the team you want to support, at least consider buying one of the Liverpool kits so that I can feel like this chapter wasn’t a waste of time.
This has been another installment of The Soccer Education of Trey Daubert, and I will look to have this back on schedule next week.
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