BLEACHERS BREW EST. MAY 2006

Someone asked me how my blog and newspaper column came to be titled "Bleachers Brew". It's like this, it's an amalgam of sorts of two things: The bleachers area in the stadium/arena where I used to sit when I would watch baseball, football, and basketball games and Miles Davis' great jazz album Bitches Brew. That's how it got culled together. I originally planned on calling it "The View from the Big Chair" that is a nod to Tears For Fear's second album, Songs from the Big Chair. So there.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Probably the second best feeling in the world (the first would be watching in Anfield as Liverpool wins the Premier League)

Show your colors, man. Our group at the grandstand: back row: Palle who is from Denmark, Nicky, and Leah. Front: Song who is from Singapore, Carl, me, and Leo.


With some Singaporean fans here celebrating right before the match got underway.
At the western entrance of the National Stadium with Leo (SBC) and Carl (UP). Can you believe the nerve of some ManU fans who came over to chant their songs outside? So everyone got into a wild version of "Who the F are Man United?"


Those who watched in Singapore were treated to a better game as Liverpool really came to play (unlike in Bangkok where there was a lackluster effort) and the star players saw significant playing time. It was a close first half until a superb blast from Andriy Voronin at the 45th minute blew past Singapore keeper Hassan Sunny. When the second half kicked off, an Albert Riera stab from close range in the 55th minute deflated the Lions. Kriztian Nemeth scored in the 73rd and 83rd minute and El NiƱo Fernando Torres found the back of the net with a diving header at the 80th minute.

One of several booths selling LFC merchandise. A great way to remember this match. I wanted to get the

Bagpipes in Singapore! Oh yeah!

This massive banner was unfurled at the Eastern Kop and made its way all across their side.

With ESPN Asia's Premier League analyst John Dykes who sat with us in the Grandstand.

The eastern side of the Kallang Nation Stadium is pictured here. The above pic shows it packed with Liverpool fans and below is 40 minutes after the match as cleaners pick up the garbage. The stadium capacity if 55,000 and more than 45,000 fans packed the venue.

After the match, several thousand fans stayed above and around the players' entrance hoping for a glimpse, a photo op, or an autograph. It was a long wait. Forty-five minutes. But the players were in a bus headed for the Mandarin. Some fans gave chase in cars and motorcycles. Me and the guys? We had dinner at a nearby mall.



When I was in Jakarta recently, I made many new friends in the international media and one of them was Val Simanjuntak (he is to my right) who is from Indonesia. While in Jakarta, we got around to chatting and I learned he was an LFC fan. In fact, I posted a picture of us two others who are Liverpool fans. http://bleachersbrew.blogspot.com/2009/05/snapshots-from-20th-fiba-asia-champions.html

I was supposed to email him so we could meet up but I never got to send it. I did wonder where he'd be at and of all places, we bumped into each other while on the Green Line to Changi Airport on our way home. The Indonesian contingent was some 160 strong and the occupied the front of the Eastern side of the makeshift Kop. They were featured in the front of the Straits Times. Wow!
We caught up with one another en route to the airport. Anfield next time?
WILL POST PICS FROM THE TEAM'S RIVER CRUISE IN CLARKE QUAY.

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