Birthday Greetings from the Azkals lads

Thanks to my college cheatmate, Peter, for this wonderful surprise.

Daddy Rob, my CB crush. :D

Thanks fellow Gooner, OJ Porteria!

Ayee! The YH brothers!

One of my favorites, Manong Chieffy!

Hey Patrick! Thanks! Make us Bisdaks proud!

It's not everyday (or in my case birthday) that members of your national football team greet you. :D

HIBAG: How I Became a Gooner

I am celebrating my 9th year as Arsenal FC fan today. So in honor of such milestone, I am writing this blog for the curious.

THE BEGINNING
Way back in high school, I already exhibited signs of my fangirlism. Most of my high school friends often associated me with basketball, that they even predicted that I'll be the first female coach of the Cebu Gems of the now defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association. But unknown to them, I was secretly rooting for the likes of Barcelona (because of the original Ronaldo) and Liverpool (because of Michael Owen), during the time where David Beckham was the crush of football. 

Back when David Beckham was the girls' word of mouth when it came to football, I find this baby-faced Scouser cute.

The things was I did not watch most football matches then. I only relied on the results being broadcasted via Sportscenter, Sport Today and World Sport. I did tried to watch an Italian Serie A (which was shown on cable back then), but I fell asleep in the half-hour mark. The first (not-so full) match that I saw was the 1999 UEFA Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Manchester United, in which Teddy Sherringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored at Fergie time to win the club's second CL crown.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stunned Oliver Kahn and Bayern Munich  enroute to the Red Devils' treble that year.

When I moved on to the much provincial setting for my college degree, I was kind at lost of my basketball and football (news) fixation. Back then only the affluent families had access to cable television with huge satellite dish. I became accustomed to Filipino soap operas and such...

PRELUDE TO GOONERDOM
Before I graduated on my first course (My state run school had a ladderized system for the DVM degree.), cable TV in the province is readily available in the masses and even in some dormitories. Every June, upper class men (and women) of the DVM degree would flocked into Banahaw Dorm (aka the Vet Dorm) to watch the NBA playoffs and finals. This was in 2003. The San Antonio Spurs where the NBA champs and my apple of the eye was Tony Parker.

REMOVAL EXAMINATIONS, LUNCH, FARM REPORTS, SEMESTRAL BREAKSWhile waiting for my housemates to finish their removal examinations, I was eating lunch alone in our hangout, The Honeycomb. One of my housemates boyfriend, Justin, joined me for lunch. We initially talked about basketball, then we started talking about football. He was merely raving about Barcelona's (I being a Barcelona admirer back then.) latest acquisition, the great Ronaldinho ( Ronaldinho was a revelation during the World Cup 2002. That was what I've read.), and at the same time he was talking about Tony Parker's BFF, a guy named Thierry Henry who plays for Arsenal. Justin encouraged me to watch any Arsenal match during the semestral break. I agreed.

When I got home, Justin texted me that Arsenal had a match on the weekend I arrived home for my semestral break. But the kick-off was late night. That was Oct. 18, 2003 at around 10 in the evening or so.

I did not paid much attention to the match back then. All I wanna watch was that guy named Henry and check if how good he was since Justin was comparing him with Ronaldinho. The only thing I could remember during that match was the date, the venue, Highbury, and Thierry Henry scoring. By 12 midnight, I was convince that I'll follow the progress of this club in the Premiership. By May 15, 2003, Thierry Henry and his teammates (by now I already knew all their names), were crowned the Premier League Champions without conceding a loss.
 

The Invincibles. Played 38. Won 26. Drawn 12. Lost 0.

It was just recently that that Oct.18-19, 2003 match was against Chelsea, their runners-up for that season. But who cares. On that night, I fell in love with the brand of football Arsenal played. It was an attacking style of football, and I swear I never fell asleep on an Arsenal match, EVER!

I will forever be grateful to Justin for introducing me to Arsenal! Take a bow, Jus!