If you’ve been reading AS for any length of time, you’ve seen my screeds about rules, kit, players, matches, parking, spooning, turf vs. grass, boots, and much more. I’ve stamped my feet and cried about common courtesy regarding banners and standing up in the stands. I feel as if I’ve approached all of these earlier topics with some panache and grace. But today that ends. Today, I am upset. Today, I want to peel back the smiles and faux trophies and accolades. I WANT TO STOP THE MADNESS. Can somebody tell me, and speak to me like I’m an irritable two-year-old, what is the rationale behind a “football friendly” in a sport saturated with matches and injuries?

READ MORE: My UK Football Quest by Jeff Cutler
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What’s The Point?

Seriously, why add games and minutes to an athlete’s career by manufacturing events? Are we the circus? Have we begun trying to find more and more ways to have trapeze artists fall to their deaths?

Think about it. Ozzy Osbourne passed away recently after a ridiculously long career. His concerts and public appearances were off-the-hook. High-energy events have been happening all over the world for decades.

How did he do it?

Ozzy was, as I’ve heard from a lot of friends, the consummate athlete when it came to concerts. He could actually be compared to marathoner Bill Rogers, pro-basketball’s Larry Bird, skating’s Kristi Yamaguchi, and darts professional Luke Humphries.

There is, well, there WAS no quit in Ozzy’s game. And therein lies the problem. Athletes of any era and genre are dedicated. So dedicated that they will push beyond reasonable limits to achieve a win.

And a win can be defined however you want. For Ozzy, a win might have been a standing ovation or a bowl full of treats in the green room. For modern EPL players – specifically LFC’s squad – winning can be trophies, wins, solid performances, and more.

But, to get to the level where winning trophies and posting personal bests happen, you can’t be beaten down and worn out before the season even begins. It’s ludicrous to have additional seasons within seasons until it’s a Möbius strip of matches that never end.

AMERICAN SCOUSER TAKES ANFIELD

First, that is likely the first time anyone other than the science teacher with the BO said anything about a Möbius strip. You’re welcome.

Second, there are too many games.

The only redeeming quality friendlies have is that they help you sort out line-ups. You can see who responds favorably to pressure and who freezes up. I mean, at this level, there’s no real panic in the players, but a game situation is a good spot to figure out your strengths.

Though I contend that risking injuries and adding wear and tear to young bodies is not a good strategy. If teams want to win long-term, there’s got to be some coddling.

OMG HE SAID CODDLE THE PLAYERS

Well, yes, I did. Imagine you’re waiting for the bus as a seventh grader. You’re using your science and history books to obscure your groin, and you’re running a slightly shaking hand through your greasy hair.

YOU HAVE LITTLE IN COMMON WITH THE PROSPECT AT FOOTBALL CAMP

While you might feel the same angst and growing pangs and pains, that’s about where it ends. The prospects are eating scientifically balanced meals. They have personalized workout and study plans. They have already signed binding contracts about their future.

I’m not poo-pooing your experiences in grade school and middle school. But I’ve been there too. We grew up most likely without the added pressure of developing our little bodies into super athletes playing the beautiful game.

We played kickball and dodgeball, and we climbed some ropes. The kids in camp are learning how to ping and check and slide tackle and chip, and run FOREVER.

SHOP THE AMERICAN SCOUSER COLLECTION TODAY

We are not the same.

A semi-concise way to wrap up this diatribe is to point out how much physical and mental stress is piled on our LFC heroes. They are going non-stop from adolescence until they figure out the dance, or they get flushed out.

So, why do we do this to them? Why do we burn up our talent? Is it the need for entertainment? Is it just the money? When did we lose sight of our literal natural resources?

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m championing people today, our youth, our future, the world’s future. And I’m doing so because I see the football community as one that cares about humans. Other humans. Athletes. Performers. Public servants.

And because we care, shouldn’t we ask why we do this? How much money do we need? How much entertainment do we need? Does it ever end?

The elephant in the room is that we have all the entertainment we ever need. We have it archived and on discs and in the cloud and streaming and broadcast and rerun and and and and….

If all we are looking for is a fun match and some exciting play, then why not just rerun all the historic, amazing matches? Why not compile and show these matches again and again?

Sure, video quality has increased to the point that it’s almost as good as Mike Teavee Wonkavision. But there’s something else causing us to continue using up bodies for entertainment.

It’s the outcomes. Betting depends on unknown outcomes. And betting runs sports. It does….there’s no rational being on this planet that can say it doesn’t. Our goal and our hope is that the money pushing people to play more and more matches does not cross over into outcomes.

Remember about 741 words ago when I was talking about friendlies not being friendly. Now you should understand. We are wiping out our best athletes for the almighty dollar and for some fleeting spectators’ buzz.

Since we’re not going to change the attitudes of millions/billions or renovate the system to benefit players, we might as well cheer with our souls. As deep as we can, as loud as we can.

We never walk alone, and I contend we should spend a little more time appreciating the team, the matches, and the humans that make it all possible. We never walk alone; let’s make sure that we’re aware of the individuals who allow us this levity, as they take the game so seriously.

Know that season is here, let the true footy commence…

YNWA