FA Cup Football

Geeking out on a little English FA Cup action today. Barrow AFC vs. Rochdale FC.

Wait...who? Exactly. It's the third round of the FA Cup tournament, a knockout tournament that involves basically every level of English professional football. It is an opportunity for football junkies to watch teams they've never heard of, composed of players they don't know, playing gritty, loose, desperate football on muddy pitches in the middle of nowhere with "stands" that hold less than 2,000 people.

The FA Cup runs throughout the regular football season and -- like this weekend -- interrupts regular season play. It's basically a chance for the Davids to take on the Goliaths and occasionally triumph, as when Chelsea were beaten by Bradford FC in 2015 and have a moment in the sun, but eventually a Premier League team usually wins.

The number of soccer tournaments in existence is absolutely staggering. Right now, for example, being contested simultaneously (just off the top of my head) there is: the regular season, the FA Cup, the UEFA Champions and Europa Leagues, the African Cup of Nations, not to mention World Cup Qualifying, all of which involve players at the top level of English Football. How does this all go off successfully? No bloody idea, but it's fun to watch.