The Great American Soccer Pub Crawl: Antarctica

By Noah Davis

NEW YORK -- It's 2:30 p.m. in NYC, 7:30 in England, and 11:30 in Moscow. The second of these times is conducive to watching soccer on a Wednesday; the other two are not. For today's purposes, however, the other two are more relevant. I'm sitting in Antarctica, a Manhattan bar three doors down from the conference I'm ditching, awaiting the kickoff of the Champions League final between Manchester United and Chelsea that's taking place nine time zones away.

After writing a number of these columns, I've begun to realize that all these places look the same. The paneling on the too-low ceiling was new at one point, but never looked it. The wood floors were as well. Tables and chairs are arranged in the ad hoc manner of a frat house in March where the occupants who struggled for organization have given in to the inherent entropy of the situation.

At one end of the bar sits a scruffy, heavyset Manchester United fan, sporting a No. 7 "Eddie A" jersey. The sole Chelsea supporter sits at the other end. Nine people, including my friend Tom and I, fill the space in-between. We're here to watch the final important soccer match of the European club season. It's a small crowd but the smattering of languages in the room -- the bartender speaks Spanish to a couple from Barcelona; another group converse in something I don't recognize; the Manchester fan speaks drunk -- says it's a knowledgeable one.

The first 25 minutes disappoint, but just as the Tommy Smyth laments the game's tightness, Cristiano Ronaldo rises above the game -- a place he's become familiar with this season -- and heads home his 42nd goal of the year. Eddie A, finding our celebration lacking, direct connects to his Chelsea-fan friend, shouting, "You will lose," into his Nextel phone. This method of trash talk loses its charm almost immediately as he continues to blabber on until the ensuing kickoff.

Just before the halftime whistle, momentum swings to the other side of the bar, as Frank Lampard uses his left foot to knock a bouncing ball between the outstretched arms of Edwin van der Sar and the diving foot of Rio Ferdinand. As Chelsea fans celebrate at the end of the bar (where did they come from?), Eddie A's friend beeps in to return the favor. "You just got lucky," he responds, taking a pull from his third drink.

After an uninspired game of pool during halftime, Tom and I return to find the bar full and opt for a circular table on the other side of the room. To no one in particular, the bartender announces that there will be a red card in the game. (Forty-five minutes later, Didier Drogba is only too happy to fulfill this prediction. Eddie A. gives the double middle finger salute as the Ivory Coast striker walks off.) The suits who snuck away from work are decidedly for the Blues, although Eddie A. has gained a likeminded brethren in a No. 7 Catona jersey. The couple from Barcelona, unable to stomach a vodka y tonic this early in the afternoon, settle for dos Coronalitas.

Tension builds as the teams battle back and forth. Roars go up when Drogba drills the post in the 79th minute. Ryan Giggs, who replaces Paul Scholes in the 87th minute, gets a solitary clap. Lampard hits the crossbar in the 94th minute, but we know this game is destined for penalty kicks. They are the only appropriate way to end this game. Nothing in sports beats the drama of the "I scored, your turn" mentality of extra kicks.

When van der Sar guesses right, stoning Nicolas Anelka, the Chelsea faithful bow their heads while Catona runs down the bar to embrace Eddie A. Until this point, the two haven't even exchanged glances, but they bond instantly in the glorious light of a third European championship.

Today, their blood runs a bit redder than usual.

Noah Davis is a regular contributor to Goal.com USA. Fearing for his well-being, he will not name his team of choice. He can be reached at: noah.davis@goal.com.

Other pubs visitied:

April 2008: Fadó's, Annapolis, Md.

February 2008: Loki Lounge, Brooklyn, N.Y.

January 2008: Roggie's, Chestnut Hill, Mass.

November 2007: Nevada Smith's, New York, N.Y.

October 2007: 11th Street Bar, New York, N.Y.