All things begin somewhere. Some grand, some not. I leave it up to you to decide where this bit of nonsense will rate.

As the 2008 season ends, I have come to realize that although there are many Arsenal fans around the world, many of whom are quite vocal about their opinions, I find myself oftentimes in disagreement or out right shock in those opinions. As such, I am happy to add my own bit of perspective to the fray.

First and foremost, I would like to thank the Arseblogger for his most excellent blog. If you have not had the opportunity to read his daily dose of news and wit, you have missed out on the best (in my opinion) of whats out there. I am addicted to the weekly podcasts as my favorite guilty pleasure. And while I share many a view of the football world with the Arseblogger, I will do my best to not repeat his views here, but offer my own Yankee perspective.

So, as a visitor to London as a student in 1990, I had the fortune of attending University College in N. London and falling into a group of mates who were Arsenal fans. Now being a soccer player for 16 years at that point, growing up in Rochester, NY and being a staunch fan of the Rochester Lancers, I thought that I had a pretty good understanding of the game. I can hear you chuckling even as I write this. Well, needless to say, that I was to be set right upon my first visit to Highbury. The electricity, the pace of play, the sheer SIZE of the game literally blew me away.

After the game at the pub, I remember actually being angry. I mean spitting, wanting to throw my pint across the room pissed off. "What the hell " I thought (and I am sure yelled to anyone who would listen). What I had grown up with was a grain of sand compared to the Sahara. Upon returning to the US, I couldn't even explain it to anyone here who had never encountered it. I was back in the realm of the blind, trying to explain how red a sunset can be.

Enter Satalite TV!!! Can you hear the angels sing as I say that. I still can. Now you can find me glued to the games every weekend. What is still missing is the passionate, animated and rowdy pub conversation. I spent 9 years in Colorado and had to leave for work just as the Rapids got their new stadium. I love that they are on such great terms with Arsenal and that the clubs practice together. I am now in Florida. . Not too much animated discussion about the gunners here thank you very much. The few premier fans I do run into are generally Man U supporters. Not even good ones (ok, so there is not such thing), but more like Yankee fans (meaning, its the only team they ever heard of so thats the one they say they support).

Enter Ole Ole. Well, if you can't bring Mohamed to the Emeries.... well you get my drift.

So I will be here from time to time and offer up my humble opinion on this and that with the club and hope to spark some of that passionate pub conversation that I miss so terribly. I will hold out for other poor Yanks who have had a taste of the real thing and now look in the window at the feast.