It took a couple years to learn the game and the appreciate its majesty. The most professional and talented athletes in sports.

The business side can be a bit dodgy, in part because each club is its own financial entity, unlike the NFL or NBA or MLB where league commissioners have the power. My other beef is that the players do not have enough of an off season to recuperate. It’s a grueling schedule between league play and other tournaments to include playing for one’s national team.

The announcers are terrific. One can learn a lot from watching games.

Early on, I figured out that I needed a team to follow and root for. I picked Chelsea only because I knew the neighborhood after living in London for 4 months in 1988. Went to a game at Stamford Bridge in 2019, which was a terrific experience.

It’s a beautiful game. And a two hour commitment vs 3.5 hours.