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Being a philosophical Everton fan

I'm a Blue and an ex-pat and so have plenty of time to reflect at a distance on the team (not much football here in Hawaii). I'm also a philosopher and writer and I thought I'd let you know about an article I just published about life as a football fan and Evertonian.

It's in a book entitled "Soccer and Philosophy", in the Popular Culture and Philosophy Series published by Open Court Publishing. I wrote the article because I wanted to explain what makes being a football fan worthwhile in a world that is now very different from the one in which football was first popular as a spectator sport. But I also wanted to make the book's readers aware of the history and standing of Everton Football Club.

The book is very different from the usual mindless punditry that fans are subjected to by the popular media. All the articles are written by professional philosophers and so they offer a much deeper level of insight into what makes the game beautiful and what makes being a fan both a blessing and a curse.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that the name of Everton is being brought to an ever-wider audience (the book has already been published in the USA and UK, and is scheduled to be published in several other countries). If you're interested in a more thoughtful and philosophical treatment of football, then feel free to check out the book. You can find it on Amazon and elsewhere.

Andrew Lambert , Honolulu, HI, USA Posted 29/05/2010 at 11:25:03

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Christopher McCullough
1 Posted 29/05/2010 at 17:07:18

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Andrew- Your book sounds brilliant. I'll definitely buy it. My degree was also in philosophy; can't wait to read this book. Thanks.

Marc Williams
2 Posted 29/05/2010 at 17:23:22

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Book him Danno ! - Shameless advertising code one.

Cue music - DDDD DD DDD DD

Ciarán McGlone
3 Posted 29/05/2010 at 18:53:39

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I like that job description - "professional philosopher" .... Rab C Nesbitt will be stoked..

Sounds like an interesting read.

Tony McNulty
4 Posted 29/05/2010 at 19:12:17

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There’s some potential here:

“The unexamined penalty miss is not worth reliving” (John Terry)
“The grannie who does not kill me makes me stronger” (Wayne Rooney)
“I think therefore I’m not Steven Gerrard” (Steven Gerrard)
“My goals are never a real event in the world for me” (Gary Birtles whilst at Man U)

Brian Hill
5 Posted 29/05/2010 at 19:22:18

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Andrew, perhaps you will one day fit in to this list of legends:

Immanuel Kant was a real pissant
Who was very rarely stable.
Heidegger, Heidegger was a boozy beggar
Who could think you under the table.
David Hume could out-consume
Wilhelm Freidrich Hegel,
And Wittgenstein was a beery swine
Who was just as schloshed as Schlegel.

There's nothing Nietzsche couldn't teach ya'
'Bout the raising of the wrist.
SOCRATES, HIMSELF, WAS PERMANENTLY PISSED...

John Stuart Mill, of his own free will,
On half a pint of shandy was particularly ill.
Plato, they say, could stick it away;
Half a crate of whiskey every day.
Aristotle, Aristotle was a bugger for the bottle,
Hobbes was fond of his dram,
And Rene Descartes was a drunken fart: "I drink, therefore I am"
Yes, Socrates, himself, is particularly missed;
A lovely little thinker but a bugger when he's pissed!

Derek Thomas
6 Posted 29/05/2010 at 21:30:39

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Marc Williams; spot on. I would be more impressed if he shared some of his words of wisdom with us.

But we now have our own Davie Moyeses Pearl...how true it is and some of us have been saying it for years in one form or another. Bet you never thought you'd hear it from Moyes eh Marshy??

4th is NOT the new 1st

James Flynn
7 Posted 30/05/2010 at 05:48:39

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Ciaran - Neat pick-up on "professional philosopher". First time I've seen or heard those 2 words put together, never mind connected to soccer.

I mention this because I too am a philosopher, which comes in handy as I own a pub. Above the entrance to my pub (the Maybe I'm Wrong) is my philosophy on life and alcohol's place in it, "I drink, therefore I am".

Worked well so far. Haven't had a single patron dispute it, anyway.

Duncan McDine
8 Posted 30/05/2010 at 19:22:46

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Shameless advertising! But it's more interesting than talking about who Citeh are buying off us this week.

I must be a professional football pundit, because most of the time that I'm paid to work, I'm giving my 2 bob on here!

Andy Crooks
9 Posted 31/05/2010 at 00:45:12

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This thread is one of the best I've read on the site for a long time. "Professional philosophers" is a phrase to savour indeed.

Tony Cunningham
10 Posted 31/05/2010 at 11:51:38

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If you're a professional philosopher does that mean that you finally have a job? I'll defo buy the book both so as to see what Laz et al have to say about footy and philosophy but also so that I can look a bit more pretentious on the bus.

I do agree with the blatant plug comments. How about an exclusive extract to whet our appitites? Will the book also explain why us Everton fans spent money going to watch meaningless midweek Zenith Data cup matches?

James Flynn
11 Posted 01/06/2010 at 00:49:44

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Want to read a good book about the game? Try "Soccernomics".

Derek Thomas
12 Posted 02/06/2010 at 10:45:25

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We are all part Rab C Nessbit at heart... see you, see me, I will tell you this:

Book for sale on Amazon?

I ain't got no book for sale on Amazon.

I ain't got to show you no stinkin' book for sale on Amazon!!

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