Bring on the "Sputnik Moment"

The Sputnik Satellite

It was on October 4, 1957 that the Soviets launched the first ever satellite into orbit, and thus took the lead in the Space Race. This event inspired our nation to go above-and-beyond our competition, create NASA, and on July 20, 1969 land a man on the moon. We won the space-race thanks to inspiration from global competition. Today we face a very similar challenge as President Obama addressed tonight in his State of the Union.

A Civil Tone

It was a new type of speech tonight. First there was no longer the enthusiastic Nancy Pelosi in the backdrop, yet the newly established speaker of the house, Republican John Boehner. He along with his Republican congress received an early congratulations and standing ovation from the president. However he hardly shared the energetic enthusiasm that Pelosi once showed, and was clearly agitated all throughout the speech.

Congresswoman Giffords, who had recently been the victim of an Arizona shooting, was the inspiration of the night. The entire chamber wore pins to support her recovery. The chamber was also quite different, and was assembled in a mixed-seating, to avoid Republican and Democratic blocs. This seemed to be a very effective approach to create unison within the chamber. It could have been due to Republican outbursts in the past, such as Joe Wilson's infamous "You Lie" interruption in 2009 .

The setting thus made for a very civil tone to the President's address. Some may even argue that the setting and the speech itself were a bit too civil. It lacked Obama's usual charismatic energy, and a significantly low amount of standing ovations. It was quite clear from the beginning that President Obama had once again taken the middle ground, in an attempt to compromise with the Republicans.

Key Points

The basis of his speech seemed to center on global competition. He did this by applying a historical metaphor of the Sputnik Satellite, as a motivation for our current situation. He emphasized the importance of moving our nation forward through infrastructure, technology, and overall unison. He focused on Education, Energy, Immigration, and especially on the National Debt.

For Education Reform he encouraged a new system of hearing new ideas and plans of how to improve the education system and that the federal government would pay for the best idea. He compared our system to other nations, such as South Korea, where the teachers there were considered heroes. He emphasized the importance of the future of our school system and encouraged young people to pursue careers in education.

One of the highlights of his speech was the mention of a 5-year budget freeze, to cut the nation's deficit. This seemed to be received with low and mixed reactions within the chamber. Pundits may argue that he is doing this to appease the Republicans, however it has become quite necessary to cut government expenses in order to ensure our economic future. With this 5-year budget freeze, it will be especially interesting to see what programs are cut, and how and if the country will be able to progress.

He somewhat skimmed over Foreign Policy, yet did mention his intentions to bring back troops from Iraq by July. He also stated his support for the people of Tunisia, against the dictatorship there. He especially skimmed over Health Care, and jokingly mentioned that he would be willing to work with Congress, as long as there were no earmarks in their proposals.

Many pundits, most notable former Governor Ed Randell, commented on his lack of mentioning Gun Control Policy. It was the perfect opportunity to capitalize on the recent Arizona shooting.

The President's Rationale

All-in-all it was a moderate speech, with an intent for compromise and especially re-election in 2012. President Obama stands at a defining moment in his first year term, and has entered the second phase of his presidency. He has already accomplished a great amount in his first two years, however will now face more oppisition than ever. In order to secure his approval ratings and potential for re-election he has decided to find common ground with the Republicans. Although the next two years will be quite difficult, he does have one good thing going for him. The Republican party seems to be in the midst of total dissension, thanks to Michele Bachmann and the wonderful Tea Party.

The Nominees are in...

It's without question the greatest honor in cinema to be recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science. It's one of the oldest film organizations in the business, dating back to 1927. Even to be nominated is a major achievement. As a huge film admirer, I consider the selections of the Academy as the ultimate quality in film (what can I say, I enjoy quality drama films). And it's the Academy that best recognizes these films. So here are the nominees,the snubs, and some predictions for 2011...

Best Picture
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids are All Right
The Kings Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone


Best Director
Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan)
The Fighter (David O Russell)
The King's Speech (Tom Hooper)
The Social Network (David Fincher)
True Grit (Joel and Ethan Coel)


Best Actor
Javier Bardem (Biutiful)
Jeff Bridges (True Grit)
Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network)
Colin Firth (The King's Speech)
James Franco (127 Hours)


Best Actress
Annette Bening (The Kids are All Right)
Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole)
Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone)
Natalie Portman (Black Swan)
Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine)


Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale (The Fighter)
John Hawkes (Winter's Bone)
Jeremy Renner (The Town)
Mark Ruffalo (The Kids are All Right)
Geoffrey Rush (The King's Speech)


Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams (The Fighter)
Helena Bonham Carter (The King's Speech)
Melissa Leo (The Fighter)
Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit)
Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom)


The Snubs

Best Directors:
Christopher Nolan (Inception)
Sofia Coppola (Somewhere)

Best Actors:
Ryan Gosling (Blue Valentine)
Paul Giamatti (Barney's Version)
Matt Damon (True Grit)

Best Actress:
Mila Kunis (Black Swan)
Julianne Moore (The Kids are All Right)


Total Film Nominations:

The King's Speech (12)
True Grit (10)
Inception (8)
The Social Network (8)
The Fighter (7)
127 Hours (6)
Black Swan (5)
Toy Story 3 (5)
The Kids are All Right (4)
Winter's Bone (4)
Alice in Wonderland (3)
Biutiful (2)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows (2)
How to Train your Dragon (2)

The award ceremony will take place on February 27th, 2011.

Camp Chief Little Turtle

This past weekend, I went on a random impulse to join my little brother Andres, on his camping trip with the Boy Scouts, in the freezing cold temperatures. The campsite was at the infamous Camp Chief Little Turtle in Angola, a place I had not visited since back in 1996. That year I spent an entire week there with troop 19, along with Philip and Jhormy, to partake in a very memorable summer camp. Although I was only in the scouts for 2-3 years, it was perhaps in those days, that I got my greatest appreciation for the outdoors.

So on Friday evening, I eagerly packed my warmest clothes to return to this famed campsite, with my dad and Andres. We arrived to the site, very late, and were faced with the first challenge of setting up our tent in the pitch dark and in the freezing cold. Luckily I had a flashlight, and my dad and I quickly set up our tent. The next phase was to get a fire going. Of course we had to back off and let the scouts take the lead, however in such freezing conditions, we had to take a little bit of initiative. Luckily there was a large pile of firewood, already chopped up in the woods, and all we had to do was make a short hike to carry it.

The fire took a bit to get going, and my dad and I had to do our best to stay back and let the scouts do the work. Once the fire was finally cooking we had spam for dinner. There was also a warm cabin inside, yet the only time I went inside was to say the rosary with the rest of the scouts. We spent most of that night, huddled by the fire, trying to stay warm. Inside the tent, was quite cold, however I had three layers of sleeping bag, which kept me quite warm throughout the night. That night it got to -4 degrees! However I stayed warm inside my three sleeping bags. The next morning, getting out of the sleeping bag, was without question the hardest part of the trip. We stayed for breakfast, and helped cook some sausage and pancakes. (Pigs in a Blanket) as the scouts call it. My dad and I left after breakfast. All-in-all it was a memorable one-night camping trip, and will go down in history as the coldest camping trip I've ever been on.

Recently Seen Movies

Up in the Air (B+)

A film that takes a dive into the life of a frequent-flyer. George Clooney nails this part, as a traveling professional, who specializes in firing people. Although his job is extremely depressing, he is able to overcome it, and actually enjoys his life in the air. Things suddenly take a turn when the company plans to cut back it's traveling agents, and have them work from their base in Omaha, Nebraska. To complicate things even further for Clooney, is his growing fling with a fellow frequent flier played by Vera Farmiga. The two develop a unique relationship of no-attachment, until finally it gets too serious. However the film has an icnredible twist at the end, when he drops in on Farmiga in Chicago. Major props to this film for not taking a cliche route and avoiding predictability.

A Serious Man (C)

The Coen brothers have began to specialize in their black comedy genre always mixing laughter with discomfort. This film falls perfectly into that category, about a Jewish man who simply cannot get a break. After having troubles at work, with his wife, with his neighbors, and with his kids, he decides to seek counsel from several rabbis. However even the rabbis advice does not help him. Finally he decides the best thing he can do is keep going, and he is able to recieve a boost of happiness at the end at his son's bar mitzvah.

The Damned United (B)

A great film about English futbol, that tells the story of famed coach Brian Clough, known as the greatest manager the English national side never had. Michael Sheen does a phenomenal job as the cocky and ambitious English manager. The film focuses on his rise as the head manager of Derby County, and as his collapse as the manager of Leeds United. In the beginning of the story, Clough develops a rivalry with the popular Don Revie, coach of Leeds United. In the early 1970s he is able to lift Derby County up the ranks, who are then able to beat out Leeds United for the championship. However he is sacked from Derby County, and granted the position in Leeds United. Blind by his rivarly with Don Revie he is unable to win the respect of the Leeds United players, and after 40-some days he is fired from the position. A great film, with a historical insight on English footbol in the 1970s.

Adventureland (B-)

Jesse Eisenberg, star of The Social Network, stars as this college student trying to raise some summer money to attend Columbia University. He lands a job at a theme park called Adventureland, where he finds friends, enemies, and a love-interest. Similar to Superbad or Waiting, the film has a solid cast of funny actors, as well as some good situational humor.


Bottle Shock (B-)

This is a very interesting Indie Film about the 1976 wine competition known as the Judgment in Paris, a competition that put American wine-on the map. Alan Rickman plays the sophisticated sommelier in France, looking to expand his wine collection. After rumors of California Wine, he travels to Napa Valley to get a taste himself. He is especially amazed at the taste and culture of the valley, and takes several bottles with him back to France. In the wine-tasting competition America is thus able to beat out the French. The story especially focuses on the vineyard of Chateau Montelena, which would eventually end up winning the overall competition.


Captain Corelli's Mandolin (C+)

There was once a time, that Nicolas Cage was my favorite actor. This was back in the mid 90s when he did awesome action films like The Rock, Con Air, and Gone in 60 Seconds. They he began making terrible career decisions and the rest is history. However in 2001 he starred in this WWII drama about an Italian captain who falls in love with a Greek woman. The story itself was quite awe-inspiring. In the backdrop of the Italian invasion of Greece, Captain Corelli is an extremely passionate lover of music. He falls for the daughter of the local Greek doctor, played by the stunning Penelope Cruz. The setting of Greece is incredible. The only downside to the film, was sadly Nicolas Cage's terrible Italian accent, which discredited the film as a whole.


Green Zone (B-)

This one was surprisingly quite informative and extremely controversial. Matt Damon plays an ambitious commander in the aftermath of the invasion of Iraq, on a search for Weapons of Mass Destruction. After several failed missions, he begins to doubt his intel, and question the overall operation. In search of answers, he begins to disobey his authority, and manages to track down the General of the Iraqi army. This general informs him that their WMD program was dismantled in 1991, and the entire thing was a giant farce. Infuriated by this discovery, Damon reveals to all the major press sources that there aren't any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. My only complaint was that the filming, was extremely shaky and dark at times. However it still is a very commendable film, for bringing up this extremely controversial topic, of the Bush government lying to us, which many people seem to overlook.

The Great War of Inan

Here is a clip from a film we made back in 2004. The film was called The Great War of Inan.
The premise was of a barbarian who had lost his wife to the armies of Inan and thus organized a massive rebellion against the kingdom. The inspiration of the story/film was drawn from Homer's Iliad. It was a massive epic, about 20 minutes long, with over 30 actors (friends and family) and took about a month to film.

A Study of Viticulture and Oenology

I've always enjoyed drinking wine ever since my first communion. Its also always been my dad's drink of choice (even though it's usually from a box of Franzia). During my time in Chicago, I went through a brief wine phase, trying to explore and understand the basic flavors. It's a more sophisticated drink, that can be quite heavy at times, and must be sipped and never, under any circumstances, be chugged. I once learned this the hard way in San Diego 2008. There's quite a study behind the many aspects of wine, known as oenology. There is also a study on the grape-harvesting, the foundation of wine-making, known as viticulture. I want to look at both studies, in this article, in order to better understand wine.

The Origins of Wine

So when considering the origins of wine, I can't help but think of the stories and paintings of ancient Greek mythology. The Greek god Dionysus, was considered the god of grape harvest, and wine-making, and was worshiped from 1500-1100 BC. According to archeological evidence it was actually around 4500 BC that the first fermentation of grapes began in sites such as Greece, Armena, Georgia, and Iran. Yet today, by some crazy coincidence, there was actually a major discovery about these origins. Archeologists found a new wine-making facility in Armenia dating back 6000 years ago. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12158341) I would like to add that I discovered this major news, after embarking on this article, which I find extremely coincidental. However whether wine originated in Armenia or Greece, one thing is clear, it's the most ancient alcoholic beverages known to mankind.


Types of Grape

There are over 5000 types of wine grape, categorized as either red grapes or white grapes, and sometimes a bit of both, however I'm going to focus on the most popular types of grape...

Red Wines

• Barbera: Red Grape with a tarry flavor, quite similar to Merlot; Grown in California and Piedmont, Italy
• Cabernet Franc: Red grape that is known as the father of the Cabernet Sauvignon, however is normally used as an additive for other grapes; Grown in Bordeaux France
• Cabernet Sauvignon: Red grape, that is properly aged, with a strong taste; Grown in Bordeaux, California, and Australia
• Gamay: Red grape that produces a light red taste; Grown in France and the United States
• Gewurztraminer: Red grape that is known as the spicey wine; Grown in Germany, Italy, California, Canada, and Australia
• Grenache: Red grape, that is the second most planted seed in the world; taste tends to be sweet and fruity; Grown in France, Spain, and California
• Merlot: Red grape, that is especially common in the states; it has an early ripe, and provides a strong taste of cherry, honey, and mint. Grown in Bordeaux, Italy, Australia, California, Washington, and Long Island.
• Nebbiolo: Red Grape with a pure, tannic, tarry, and chocolate taste; known for being extremely difficult to grow; Grown in Piedmont, Switzerland, California, and Australia
• Pinot Noir: Red grape that is soft and quite sensitive to the environment; Grown in Burgundy, Australia, California, Oregon, Italy, and Germany
• Pinotage: Red grape that produces a hearty, fruity, and spicy taste; Grown primarily in South Africa
• Zinfandel: Red grape that can produce both red and white wine, depending if the skin is removed; the taste can be quite fruity or spicy; Grown primarily in California and Southern Italy

White Wines

• Auxerrois: White grape that creates a neutral soft taste; Grown in Canada and Luxembourg.
• Chardonnay: White grape that is one of the most common and easiest to make; normally tastes like melon or peach; Grown in Burgundy, California, Champagne, Australia, and South Africa.
• Chenin Blanc: White grape that produces a light and fruity taste; Grown in the United States, France, and South Africa
• Muller-Thurgau: White grape with a floral aroma; Grown in Germany, Austria, New Zealand, and the United States
• Muscadet: White grape, from a series of "Musc" grapes; strong grape flavor; Grown in Bordeaux and Australia
• Muscat: White grape also from the "Musc" series of grapes; Does not ripen easily, yet also known for it's grapey-flavor. Grown in Italy
• Pino Blanc: White grape that is similar to Chardonnay; Grown in Italy, Austria, and California
• Pino Grigio: White grape and clone of Pinot Noir; one of my favorites, thus far. Grown in France, Germany, Austria, and the United States
• Riesling: White grape known as a dessert grape, but can also produce a crisp and musky flavor; Grown in Germany, France, Australia, California, New York, and many other countries
• Sauvignon Blanc: White grape that creates a crisp light flavor; Grown in California and France
• Scheurebe: White grape used for aromatic white winds; Grown mostly in Germany
• Semillon: White grape that ripens early and produces a grassy flavor; Grown in Bordeaux, Australia, and California
• Sylvaner: White grape that produces a light spicy flavor; Grown in Alsace, France, Germany, and Central Europe

The Best Wine in the World

1. France
Valleys: Burgundy, Champagne, the Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Alsace, Chateaneuf du-Pape,
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Syrah
Claim to Fame: Traces it's history back to the ancient Roman times of the 6th century, and has today become the most largest wine producers in the world.

2. United States
Valleys: California, Napa Valley, Washington, Oregon, New York
Grapes: Chardonnay, Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon
Claim to Fame: With it's golden gem in Californa, of the Napa Valley, American Wine has risen to great global recognition over the past century.

3. Italy
Valleys: Tuscany, Piedmont
Grapes: Nebbiolo, Barbera, Pino Blanc, Pinot Grigio
Claim to Fame: Home to some of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world, and along with France is one of the world's largest producers. Vineyards were developed as far back as the 2nd century.

4. Spain
Valleys: Priorat, Jerez, Galicia, Catalonia, Penedes
Grapes: Grenache, Cabernet Savignon, Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Tempranillo
Claim to Fame: Located on the Iberian Peninsula it has the largest vineyard area in the world, and is the third largest producer in the world.

5. Argentina
Valleys: Mendoza, San Juan, La Rioja
Grapes: Malbec, Bonarda, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Tempranillo
Claim to Fame: Put great emphasis on their quality over quantity, and 90% of the wine they produce is drank within the country. They have many distinctive grapes brought long ago from France, Italy, and Spain.

6. Germany
Valleys: Mosel, Baden, Palatinate, Rheingau, Wurttemberg
Grapes: Riesling, Muller-Thurgau, Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, Gerwurtztraminer
Claim to Fame: In the southwest of Germany, along the Rhine River they have some of the oldest plantations dating back to the Roman era. They are best known for their white wine, especially their Riesling.

7. Australia
Valleys: Coonawarra
Grapes: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Semillion, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc
Claim to Fame: They are the fourth largest producers of wine in the world, and is a significant contributor to their economy.

8. Chile
Valleys: Los Carneros
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenere, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc
Claim to Fame: Dating back to the 16th century, with the arrival of the conquistadors, Chile has rose to prominence in the cultivation of wine. They have now become the 5th largest wine exporters in the world.

9. South Africa
Valleys: Paarl, Stellenbosch, Worcester, Constantia, Overberg
Grapes: Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Colombard, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinotage
Claim to Fame: Dates back to 1659, however in 1973 the Wine of Origin system was created to organize and encourage South African wine production.

10. Portugal
Valleys: Douro Valley, Pico Island
Grapes: Alvarinho, Touriga Nacional, Semillon, and many other distinctive Portuguese grapes
Claim to Fame: The first ever wine-producing region in the world was created in the Douro Valley in 1758. It has many native grapes, giving it's wine a distinctive character

Good Movies about Wine

• A Walk in the Clouds (1995): Set at the end of World War II, Keanu Reeves plays a war veteran returning to America, where he falls in love with a Mexican-American woman, on a wine vineyard in Napa Valley. I use to love this movie growing up as a kid!
• Sideways (2004): Follows the road-trip of two wine admirers, Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church, as they journey through southern California's vineyard of Santa Ynez Valley. The trip ends up being a ridiculous, hilarious, and dramatic adventure.
• A Good Year (2006): Russell Crowe plays a British stock-trader, who must travel to France, to sell his uncles' vineyard. However he eventually falls in love with the area, especially the beautiful local cafe owner, played by Marion Cotillard. I have not yet seen this movie fully through, yet hear it received bad reviews.
• Bottle Shock (2008): Based on the historic 1976 wine tasting competition known as the "Judgment in Paris", where American wine managed to beat out French wine. This story demonstrates the emergence of American wine as a well-respected wine producer.

Best Food to Go with Wine

• Seafood (Grilled fish, salmon, trout, shellfish, crab, etc, go best with white wines such as Sauvignon Blanc)
• Beef (Steak or lamb go best with red wines such as Cabernet or Merlot)
• Chicken (Parmesan could go with lighter reds such as Barbera, Grenache, or Burgundy, while most forms of chicken such as cordon bleu, should go with white such as Chardonnay)
• Salad (Such as a Greek or Caesar Salad go best with whites such as Pinot Grigio, Chablis, or Sauvignon Blanc)
• Bread (such as Bruschetta or baguettes)
• Soups (Vegetable or Minestrone soups go best with red winds such as Merlot or Cabernet)
• Pasta (Red or white wines, depending on the sauce, such as Zinfandel, Pinot Blanc, Pinto Grigio, and Chardonnay)
• Asian Cuisine (Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Thai could go well with either red or white wine, depending on the sauce and spiciness)
• Cheese (goat cheese, gouda, hard cheese, and smoked cheese go especially well with red reds such as Burgundy, Sauvignon Blanc, or Chardonnay)
• Appetizers (artichokes, olives, asparagus, anchovies, crackers)

The English Football League

Trying to Follow Soccer in America

For me it began as a great admiration for international futbol; the World Cup of 94 and 98. This eventually expanded into an appreciation of professional futbol. However being born and raised in America my whole life, I knew nothing about professional soccer. Instead I knew far more about the NFL, MLB, or NBA. It wasn't until 1993, that the MLS was formed and it's to this day the biggest joke in soccer (in my opinion!). So being a keen admirer of the game of futbol, I eventually turned my attention to Europe where the game of futbol reigns over everything. However I still find myself, ill-informed on the overall structure of the leagues...

I must confess that it's not very easy to follow European Soccer leagues here in the states. It's rarely covered in the mainstream media, and hardly ever brought up in a social environment. Instead it is almost always covered up by news of the NFL playoffs, College drafts, Nascar Races, MLB trades, NBA controversies, and so forth. It seems the only time our country really pays attention to soccer whatsoever is for the World Cup, which only comes once every four years... And that's just not enough for me!

So I intend to write this blog, to help me better understand and look into the structure of European Professional Futbol. The only real glimpse of it I get is when playing Fifa Soccer... However this is hardly enough to follow and understand the league on a day-to-day basis. Some of my favorite leagues are the Spanish Liga, the German Bundesliga, and the Italian Serie A; however I have chosen to focus on the English Football League for this entry. It may be perhaps, because I am most familiar with it, however after watching the film, "The Damned United" I recently realized how little I actually know.

A Brief History of English Football

It was first founded in 1888 as the Football League with 12 original clubs. Preston North End won the first two titles against Aston Villa in 1888 and Everton in 1889. The league managed their own season, while still participating in the annual FA Cup, that was started in 1871.

By 1892, the league expanded with a Second Division from the Football alliance. Sunderland became the first champions of this new expansion. While Aston Villa followed with several years of dominance and five championships before 1900. By 1905 both divisions had 20 clubs a piece, and new champions arose such as Liverpool, The Wednesday, Manchester United, and Newcastle United. The league was suspended for four years during World War I (1915-1919)

By 1920, a Third Division was formed from both the South and the North. This began a new system of club promotions and demotions through the three divisions. Teams such as Arsenal, Huddersfield Town, and Everton found great success in these years leading up to WWII... The league was once again suspended during World War II (1939-1946)

By 1950, the Third Division had expanded to 24 teams a piece, bringing a total of 92 clubs in the Football League. During this time Portsmouth, Tottenham Hotspur, and the Wolverhampton Wanders were the power clubs. By 1958 the league was restructured, and a Fourth Division was added. Both North and South Divisions merged into one Third Division. The league was now nation-wide. In 1960 the Football League Cup was created to welcome clubs from all divisions into a large tournament. Aston Villa became the first champions of the cup. However this Cup has been deemed the "Worthless Cup", under the legacy of the FA Cup.

Throughout the 1960s, clubs such as Manchester United, Liverpool, and Everton began to dominate the league. By the 1970s it was Leeds United, Derby County, and once again Liverpool who had great success and multiple titles.

By 1980 the Football League had grown substantial in size, and had turned into a booming profitable business. Owners began to invest big money in their clubs, through player transfers, better managers, and better facilities. It was only a matter of time, before the smaller clubs would fade away, unable to compete financially.

By 1992, the First Division resigned from the Football League, and created their own Premier League. They would now operate as their own single division, while the Football league operated with three divisions. However promotions and demotions through each division still remain on the same terms, for all divisions.

The Barclay Premier League

Over the past few years, the Premier League has grown to international prominence, with status that rivals other major super leagues such as the NFL, MLB, or NBA. With such recognition, the Premier League has become a super-entity, a booming business sector. It has become more of a "Business-League" than an actual "Football League". For starters look at the title of the league itself, the Barclay Premier League. It is sponsored by the largest bank in the United Kingdom. Each team within the league are sponsored by other corporations, that are printed all over their stadium, the jerseys, and the merchandise. It has sadly become one giant business, quite similiar to NASCAR...

With its system of promotions and relegation, the premiere league changes every season depending on the club's previous performance. There are only 20 clubs allowed into the Premiere League. There have been a total of 44 teams in the league since it's establishment in 1992, and only 7 of those clubs have remained each year for 19 seasons. (Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur). I have never understood this process until now, and have come to really admire English futbol for this setup. It's gives practically any team the chance to rise up the ranks.

The Current Premiere Clubs

• Manchester United (18 Division titles, 11 FA Cups) (19 seasons)
• Liverpool (18 Division titles, 7 FA Cups) (19 seasons)
• Arsenal (13 Division Titles, 10 FA Cups) (19 seasons)
• Everton (9 Division Titles, 9 FA Cups) (19 seasons)
• Aston Villa (7 Division Titles, 7 FA Cups) (19 seasons)
• Sunderland (6 Division Titles, 2 FA Cups) (10 seasons)
• Chelsea (4 Division Titles, 6 FA Cups (19 seasons)
• Newcastle United (4 Division Titles, 6 FA Cups) (17 seasons)
• Blackburn Rovers (3 Division Titles, 6 FA Cups) (17 seasons)
• Wolverhampton Wanderers (3 Division Titles, 4 FA Cups) (3 seasons)
• Tottenham Hotspur (2 Division Titles, 8 FA Cups) (19 seasons)
• Birmingham City (7 seasons)
• Blackpool (1 FA Cup) (1 season)
• Bolton Wanderers (4 FA Cups) (12 seasons)
• Fulham (10 seasons)
• Manchester City (2 Division Titles, 4 FA Cups) (14 seasons)
• Stoke City (3 seasons)
• West Bromwich Albion (1 Division Title, 5 FA Cups) (5 seasons)
• West Ham United (3 FA Cups) (16 seasons)
• Wigan Athletic (6 seasons)

The Former Premiere Clubs

• Barnsley (1 season) (1 FA Cup)
• Bradford City (2 seasons) (1 FA Cup)
• Burnley (1 season) (2 Division Titles, 1 Fa Cup)
• Charlton Athletic (8 seasons) (1 FA Cup)
• Coventry City (9 seasons) (1 FA Cup)
• Crystal Place (4 seasons)
• Derby County (7 seasons) (2 Division Titles, 1 FA Cup)
• Hull City (2 seasons)
• Ipswich Town (5 seasons) (1 Division Title, 1 FA Cup)
• Leeds United (12 seasons) (3 Division Titles, 1 FA Cup)
• Leicester City (8 seasons)
• Middlesbrough (14 seasons)
• Norwich City (4 seasons)
• Nottingham Forrest (5 seasons) (1 Division Title, 2 FA Cups)
• Oldham Athletic (2 seasons)
• Portsmouth (7 seasons) (2 Division Titles, 2 FA Cups)
• Queens Park Rangers (4 seasons)
• Reading (2 seasons)
• Sheffield United (3 seasons) (1 Division Title, 4 FA Cups)
• Southampton (13 seasons) (1 FA Cup)
• Swindon Town (1 season)
• Watford (2 seasons)
• Wimbeldon (8 seasons) (1 FA Cup)

However politics aside, I cannot deny that this is without question the most enjoyable leagues to follow, with some of the greatest teams, players, and most devoted fans the world has ever known. The league has become extremely integrated over the years, with foreign players from every corner of the world. It has become an English stirring-pot of international superstars, great rivalries, and exciting futbol. It is no wonder the Premiere League has become known as "The Greatest Show on Earth". It is the most watched sporting league in the world, and with such a global appeal, it's no wonder why. I suppose the business aspect is merely inevitable, and I must overlook that fact. Especially when the business provides some of the best teams and players in the world, all playing the beautiful game at it's fullest potential. So here's to England, for creating one of the first, and now one of the best professional leagues in the world!