The 31st Premier League season wraps up today, as teams play their final games and determine what kind of trajectory they’re on. The champions have already been predictably crowned, as Manchester City won their third consecutive title and their fifth in six years. Arsenal, who led the league for most of the season, bumbled their way through the final few games, losing focus and missing out on their first title since 2004.
As a proud Liverpool fan, this season has been a mixed bag of disappointment. On one hand, the Reds finished the season in fifth place, not a great showing and not enough to earn a spot in the Champions League, the ultimate competition of the best European teams. But the season had its bright moments, namely the historic 7-0 humiliation of Manchester United in March. We bid farewell to Bobby Firmino, a living legend in Liverpool, and the team looks set to introduce a few new talents this summer.
For next season, I’m toying with the idea of making a brief video summarizing each game in the 38-game season. I got the idea from Rob Perez, a die-hard fan of the New York Knicks who does the same, but for the significantly longer NBA season. I think these videos can provide a humorous window into the often-foolish mind of a sports fan. Join me as we traverse the highs and lows of a soccer season, or feel free to let me know that this is a terrible idea!
Side Items
Motorcycle Rally Shooting: Three people were killed and five more were wounded when a shooting broke out at the annual Red River motorcycle rally in New Mexico. The shooting occurred between rival biker gangs and caused a local mayor to issue an emergency curfew from 10 pm Saturday until 4am today with an immediate prohibition on alcohol sales. Because we can’t stop people from shooting their guns at one another, but we can try to stop them from doing it drunk
Bayern…Again: The top-flight German football league has been ruled by Bayern Munich for most of the last 20 years. The German giants have dominated the league, and yesterday they took home their 11th consecutive German title, cementing their status as rulers of Germany. Borussia Dortmund, the rival and only real competition to Bayern this season, were actually well positioned to win the title, but still found a way to fumble their first shot at winning the league in over a decade. Apparently, Dortmund were so well positioned to win, they actually had the trophy in their stadium to celebrate. But because it’s a cruel game, Bayern were the ones celebrating, albeit with a replica trophy for now
Speaking of Historic Collapse: The Miami Heat are one loss away from becoming an all-time punchline. After taking a 3-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Heat have now dropped three games in a row, forced to a deciding game 7 by a pesky Boston Celtic squad that refuses to give up. Personally, I consider these two fan bases among the worst on the planet (Philadelphia fans, y’all are still top 3), so I’ll find a way to take pleasure in whatever the final outcome is. If Boston get sent packing, it’s always nice to see obnoxious Boston fans humbled and sad. If Miami gets bounced, they become a laughingstock for all eternity, the first team to ever blow a 3-0 series lead