Onion Bag: Manchester City Win FA Cup, Rooney Shaves Chest Hair to Celebrate Man U Title
By Ty Duffy
“Blue Moon Rising” ends its account of Manchester City’s 2009-10 season with the fans’ defiant lament: “34 years and we’re still here…34 years the end is near,” marking the time since they last won a trophy, the 1976 League Cup. The wait ended on Saturday. Just days after qualifying for the Champions League, Manchester City beat Stoke 1-0 on Yaya Toure’s second-half strike, winning the FA Cup, the first of many potential prizes bought with Abu Dhabi billions.
However it was funded, this was a sweet moment of relief for City fans, who had seen their rivals Manchester United win 27 trophies, as they muddled between Premier League mediocrity and League One. With so many sports it’s hard to qualify this degree of hurt for American fans. Red Sox fans could always turn to the Celtics. Even Cleveland fans have Ohio State.
Even for neutrals, this was a positive development. Yes, Manchester City unfairly opened their coffers, spending a crap load on transfer fees and wages. They did the same thing that’s given Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal an advantage for decades. New money is no less virtuous than old money. Our tastes just haven’t aligned with it yet.
Manchester City’s emergence will make it a legitimate question every year which four English teams will make the Champions League and cash ridiculous checks. This will make the Premier League, with three title winners since 1995, less complacent and hopefully more competitive. Even Arsenal and Manchester United may have to hold their noses and mingle with the unwashed.
A.C. Milan clinched the Scudetto last week, but waited until Saturday to lift the trophy before their fans. The undoubted highlight was Kevin-Prince Boateng who did not disappoint with his promised Michael Jackson imitation.
Ajax and FC Twente met on the Eredivisie’s final day with the title at stake. It went to Ajax who won the match 3-1 at home. The celebrations began with brisk, masculine bear hugs and progressed to a parade, where seemingly sure-handed goalkeeper Martin Stekelenburg pulled a Sergio Ramos with the trophy from the top of the bus.
Barcelona also held their trophy festivities, which included a hearty Ring around the Rosie session, David Villa singing and the throwing of peppers (the Catalan equivalent of “balls”) into the crowd.
Relegated: Sullivan and Gold hitched themselves to Avram Grant’s raft of skulls and went tumbling over the waterfall. West Ham blew a 2-0 lead at Wigan to lose 3-2, securing their relegation from the Premier League. They needed a win to keep their mathematical hopes alive. It’s their first trip down since 2003. The Hammers will need $65 million in loans to stay afloat next season. They were already $130 million in debt. Not the ideal time for an end of season party.
Goal of the Week: Rafael Van Der Vaart (Tottenham) vs. Liverpool