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Happy Anniversary to Me!

October 26th, 2007 | By: Laurie | 12 Comments »

I’ve been writing this blog for a year as of today. It’s been great fun and a great team. Here’s to wonderful things to write about in Euro ‘08 and beyond.

And this is not really relevant, but I was tickled pink just now to discover that the player profile I wrote on Karim Benzema nearly a year ago is still showing up as one of the top four hits when you googld “Karim Benzema.”

(The other eighteen-year-old referred to in the post was Gonazlo Higuain. Argentinian loser.)

Tags: Off the field

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Comments

By glatisant | October 27th, 2007 at 4:10 am

Happy anniversary, dear. As a longtime lurker, thank you for writing this blog.

re: Higuain
I know you were kidding, but I still think it’s silly to call him a loser for choosing Argentina. He really doesn’t have a connection to France except for place of birth, either in upbringing or footballing education (and thus probably doesn’t feel as much of a personal connection either). Which, if he did choose les bleus, would have made him more like the oriundi who played for Italy during the 1934 and the 1938 World Cups, than any of our guys… (Except maybe Trez? And I wouldn’t have blamed him either, whichever side he picked when he had the choice…)

Posted from United States

By Thierry | October 27th, 2007 at 4:11 am

Happy Anniversary to you, Laurie. Your Posts are always great and very sympathical to me. I like the passion, humour and intelligence you make in its.

Posted from France

By Laurie | October 27th, 2007 at 11:33 am

Okay, okay, Glatisant, you’re right. Higuain made the right choice and this does not make him a loser.

(But we still got the better deal with Benzema.)

Posted from United States

By Doumé | October 27th, 2007 at 6:35 pm

Happy Anniversary to you!
I’m fairly new here but I really enjoy the posts. The atmosphere is great and respectful, very different from the tone of some of the French sites! I like that!

By Brandon | October 28th, 2007 at 1:25 am

thanks very much for all the articles! i check regularly and always find it interesting. Vive la France.

Posted from Canada

By Brandon | October 28th, 2007 at 1:26 am

question for you though – what draws you to the French team? do you consider yourself to be of French descent? or are you drawn to them based on their skill and their world class players?

Posted from Canada

By Laurie | October 28th, 2007 at 12:39 pm

what draws you to the French team? do you consider yourself to be of French descent? or are you drawn to them based on their skill and their world class players?

Good question. A little of the first and a lot of the latter. I’m actually only 1/8 French — my great-grandmother came from France. But I think that was enough to predispose me to like all things French — I took French starting in junior high off and on up till college, and I adore things like Impressionist paintings. (I spent many happy hours in the Musée d’Orsay when I was in Paris.)

So I was probably predisposed to like the French team, but I don’t think it would have taken root if I didn’t find their style of play so beautiful. The precision and accuracy and cerebral nature of the game grabs my heart. I could watch games like France-Brazil over and over and over again, the way you’d watch a ballet. In my mind, the French style of play is a bit like chess, where other teams/leagues which shall remain nameless are more like…oh…gin rummy. Or checkers. Make sense?

Posted from United States

By Inara | October 28th, 2007 at 12:52 pm

Happy Anniversary Laurie!!

It’s because of your blog that I eventually found the offside, and then I found Sam’s blog, and then I started my own blog, which prompted the Marseille, Lille, and Caen blogs to start. So really, it’s all you!

Thanks so much for a great year of reporting and bringing us the news on the EDF. I’m not French and am close to illiterate at the language, so I know I can always rely on you for English information.

And anyone who has Benzema loves is my friend.

Posted from United States

By Rach | October 28th, 2007 at 1:10 pm

Hey Laurie

Haven’t posted in a long time, but I wanted to wish you Happy Anniversary since starting this blog. I think you’re doing a great job, and always look forward to reading your posts!

Posted from Australia