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Sneak-peak: 'The Southampton Way' - 1 hour doc on Saints on NBC in the USA on NYD


Saint-Armstrong

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What I don't understand is how this documentary is made in the US and not over here (yeah, yeah, CB Fry, before you bite my head off, I know there's no media conspiracy against us). You'd think, in a football obsessed country like ours, we'd be going over board with the Southampton story. I know we get decent coverage in the papers now (though it took them a while) but this is an amazing rags to riches story, and actually not far from creating a revolution in football. Yet I've given up watching Football Focus as there's barely a mention. Maybe we're just too blasé about this sort of thing in this country, or maybe we're too cynical about success. Or maybe TV is too obsessed with numbers game so feel the pressure to feature the big clubs all the time. But the fact the US find us interesting enough to make a documentary about us, while we're sitting at home in rainy England twiddling our thumbs, is beyond me.

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What I don't understand is how this documentary is made in the US and not over here (yeah, yeah, CB Fry, before you bite my head off, I know there's no media conspiracy against us). You'd think, in a football obsessed country like ours, we'd be going over board with the Southampton story. I know we get decent coverage in the papers now (though it took them a while) but this is an amazing rags to riches story, and actually not far from creating a revolution in football. Yet I've given up watching Football Focus as there's barely a mention. Maybe we're just too blasé about this sort of thing in this country, or maybe we're too cynical about success. Or maybe TV is too obsessed with numbers game so feel the pressure to feature the big clubs all the time. But the fact the US find us interesting enough to make a documentary about us, while we're sitting at home in rainy England twiddling our thumbs, is beyond me.

 

because I yank TV station has decided to make it?

 

everyone over here knows we have a great academy...who will learn much from it?

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What I don't understand is how this documentary is made in the US and not over here (yeah, yeah, CB Fry, before you bite my head off, I know there's no media conspiracy against us). You'd think, in a football obsessed country like ours, we'd be going over board with the Southampton story. I know we get decent coverage in the papers now (though it took them a while) but this is an amazing rags to riches story, and actually not far from creating a revolution in football. Yet I've given up watching Football Focus as there's barely a mention. Maybe we're just too blasé about this sort of thing in this country, or maybe we're too cynical about success. Or maybe TV is too obsessed with numbers game so feel the pressure to feature the big clubs all the time. But the fact the US find us interesting enough to make a documentary about us, while we're sitting at home in rainy England twiddling our thumbs, is beyond me.

 

It's really not that much of an "amazing rags to riches story" is it?

 

We didn't start with rags, we started with a Premier league stadium and already strong academy/training facilities. And we got bought by a billionaire and shot up two divisions like Norwich did the season before. And then we finished in eighth place in the league like WBA did the season before.

 

If you want rags to riches try Swansea City.

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because I yank TV station has decided to make it?

 

everyone over here knows we have a great academy...who will learn much from it?

 

Not entirely. Would also say it reflects differences in how TV's done over there. Sports documentaries are a much larger part of US programming than they are in the UK.

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It's really not that much of an "amazing rags to riches story" is it?

 

We didn't start with rags, we started with a Premier league stadium and already strong academy/training facilities. And we got bought by a billionaire and shot up two divisions like Norwich did the season before. And then we finished in eighth place in the league like WBA did the season before.

 

If you want rags to riches try Swansea City.

 

You're underplaying it because your a Southampton fan, and that's what we do. But the story is phenomenal. From administration, to Premier League. From the kids that eventually become world stars. To the turmoil of the summer to sitting 4th in the league at the end of 2014 - you couldn't make it up. Christ, CB Fry, you don't need me to tell you this. Swansea and WBA don't have that story. If I were a TV producer, living in a country obsessed with football, I'd be wanting to tell that story.

 

Plus it's pee-ing me off that a documentary about Southampton isn't being shown in Southampton!!!

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You're underplaying it because your a Southampton fan, and that's what we do. But the story is phenomenal. From administration, to Premier League. From the kids that eventually become world stars. To the turmoil of the summer to sitting 4th in the league at the end of 2014 - you couldn't make it up. Christ, CB Fry, you don't need me to tell you this. Swansea and WBA don't have that story. If I were a TV producer, living in a country obsessed with football, I'd be wanting to tell that story.

 

Plus it's pee-ing me off that a documentary about Southampton isn't being shown in Southampton!!!

 

it is not phenomenal when we destroyed the transfer fees in league 1 and had a huge wage bill in the NPC

we have a great academy but spurs would also say that they have as much credit for bale today as we do

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it is not phenomenal when we destroyed the transfer fees in league 1 and had a huge wage bill in the NPC

we have a great academy but spurs would also say that they have as much credit for bale today as we do

 

You can pick it apart, but it's a phenomenal story, no matter how many caveats you add.

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You're underplaying it because your a Southampton fan, and that's what we do. But the story is phenomenal. From administration, to Premier League. From the kids that eventually become world stars. To the turmoil of the summer to sitting 4th in the league at the end of 2014 - you couldn't make it up. Christ, CB Fry, you don't need me to tell you this. Swansea and WBA don't have that story. If I were a TV producer, living in a country obsessed with football, I'd be wanting to tell that story.

 

Plus it's pee-ing me off that a documentary about Southampton isn't being shown in Southampton!!!

 

Swansea have a far more phenomenal story than we do. They've got silverware to their name which kinda outranks "look, we're doing well halfway through a season".

 

Clear the fu cking schedules. Football team on same number of points as Arsenal after half the games have been played. It's up there with My Left Foot as the feelgood story of the year.

 

 

We've done great but it is not rags to riches and it isn't phenomenal.

 

Who are the "kids that became world stars?" Bale (several years at Spurs pre world stardom)? Walcott? (when are you starting this story?) The world stars Shaw and Lallana?

 

Our they've-sold-everyone-but-it's-turned-out-okay-after-all has been flogged to death in every media outlet in the country. Almost to a sickening amount.

 

But sure, lets pretend Football Focus have ignored it. Boo hoo.

Edited by CB Fry
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You can pick it apart, but it's a phenomenal story, no matter how many caveats you add.

 

It is. They also have the angle of Ralph Kruegar to push to their viewers, no doubt he's someone quite familiar to US sports fans.

 

Interesting that the clip features a lot about the Academy. The whole structure was shot to pieces when Liebherr took over and I hope they spend some time focusng on the hard work which got it rebuilt to its current state.

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Swansea have a far more phenomenal story than we do. They've got silverware to their name which kinda outranks "look, we're doing well halfway through a season".

 

Clear the fu cking schedules. Football team on same number of points as Arsenal after half the games have been played. It's up there with My Left Foot as the feelgood story of the year.

 

 

We've done great but it is not rags to riches and it isn't phenomenal.

 

Who are the "kids that became world stars?" Bale (several years at Spurs pre world stardom)? Walcott? (when are you starting this story?) The world stars Shaw and Lallana?

 

Our they've-sold-everyone-but-it's-turned-out-okay-after-all has been flogged to death in every media outlet in the country. Almost to a sickening amount.

 

But sure, lets pretend Football Focus have ignored it. Boo hoo.

 

If you pick everything apart to that level, then everything is average, and no story is worth telling.

 

The Southampton story is phenomenal (no question about it), whether your cynicism can recognise that or not. A bit part of the Southampton story is an emotional story - but you only seem able to analyse the nuts and bolts.

 

But the guy above already answered my question - they have more space for sports documentaries in the States. That's it in a nutshell. Boo hoo to you too.

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It is. They also have the angle of Ralph Kruegar to push to their viewers, no doubt he's someone quite familiar to US sports fans.

 

Interesting that the clip features a lot about the Academy. The whole structure was shot to pieces when Liebherr took over and I hope they spend some time focusng on the hard work which got it rebuilt to its current state.

 

Not really. Certainly, not outside of Hockey.

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Well anyway, if we ever do see it, it'll be better than any of the sh*t that's been on television recently. Mrs Brown's Boys anyone?

 

Well, not having a telly I see it only on visits to rellies, but it's basically panto, with old jokes, played live and over the top: just right for this time of year.

 

CB Fry plays the panto villain all the time: he's so unpleasantly, cynically negative that he's ideal for the role.

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It's surely a much more exciting story than Swansea.

 

Because the trajectory of our ascent is so much greater/faster. They steadily worked their way up. Good for them. But they weren't days from liquidation or at the bottom of the third division with a ten point penalty 5 years ago.

 

They also didn't have the summer of Armageddon. And then the incredible, pundit-defying rebuild. Nor do they have the academy success.

 

If CB Fry thinks an hour-long documentary entitled "How Swansea City beat Bradford City 5-0 and thereby won more silverware than Southampton in recent years, assuming you don't count the Johnstone Paint Trophy" would make more gripping viewing, then I'd advise against a career as a commissioning editor in television....

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It's surely a much more exciting story than Swansea.

 

Because the trajectory of our ascent is so much greater/faster. They steadily worked their way up. Good for them. But they weren't days from liquidation or at the bottom of the third division with a ten point penalty 5 years ago.

 

They also didn't have the summer of Armageddon. And then the incredible, pundit-defying rebuild. Nor do they have the academy success.

 

If CB Fry thinks an hour-long documentary entitled "How Swansea City beat Bradford City 5-0 and thereby won more silverware than Southampton in recent years, assuming you don't count the Johnstone Paint Trophy" would make more gripping viewing, then I'd advise against a career as a commissioning editor in television....

 

I would greenlight it.

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What I don't understand is how this documentary is made in the US and not over here (yeah, yeah, CB Fry, before you bite my head off, I know there's no media conspiracy against us). You'd think, in a football obsessed country like ours, we'd be going over board with the Southampton story. I know we get decent coverage in the papers now (though it took them a while) but this is an amazing rags to riches story, and actually not far from creating a revolution in football. Yet I've given up watching Football Focus as there's barely a mention. Maybe we're just too blasé about this sort of thing in this country, or maybe we're too cynical about success. Or maybe TV is too obsessed with numbers game so feel the pressure to feature the big clubs all the time. But the fact the US find us interesting enough to make a documentary about us, while we're sitting at home in rainy England twiddling our thumbs, is beyond me.

 

I think you’ve made some interesting points, particularly the one I’ve highlighted.

 

I’ve never been to the USA, so I’d be interested to read people’s views on whether they think there is any truth in the perception that American audiences are keener on success stories, whereas, here in the UK, we much prefer programs that chart the demise of teams or individuals?

 

Personally speaking, if I’m honest, taking Saints out of the equation, I’d probably be more interested in watching a documentary about another team’s downfall rather than their successes – perhaps this is just me, or perhaps this is an example of the cynicism to which you refer, Lou?

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Lets get something straight. The documentary is playing in the states because it will make money...I.e. from sports product advertising in the breaks. The Yanks love their success stories and this one that works well to draw in advertisers. If it pulls in any interest in Saints that will be a good thing, particularly if there's product branding involved somewhere.

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I think you’ve made some interesting points, particularly the one I’ve highlighted.

 

I’ve never been to the USA, so I’d be interested to read people’s views on whether they think there is any truth in the perception that American audiences are keener on success stories, whereas, here in the UK, we much prefer programs that chart the demise of teams or individuals?

 

Personally speaking, if I’m honest, taking Saints out of the equation, I’d probably be more interested in watching a documentary about another team’s downfall rather than their successes – perhaps this is just me, or perhaps this is an example of the cynicism to which you refer, Lou?

 

I think that you are right about the basic difference in the mentality towards success that exists between us and the Yanks. The analogy is well known that in America, if somebody sees a Rolls Royce on the street, their response is to vow that one day they will own one. Over here, the response is to go and key its paintwork.

 

But one can't generalise to the extent that all Americans think one way and all the Brits another. Witness the response on here to hearing about how the Americans are celebrating our success story and contrast that to how some of our own fans receive the news, trying to denigrate our success as being nothing very spectacular by comparisons to Norwich and Swansea. Those misguided Yanks, eh? They've obviously chosen the wrong success story to feature. Mind you, much the same denigrators had indicated just a few years ago that when Cortese had laid out ambitions for us to one day play in the Champions League, he was seen as barking mad to believe that we could usurp any of City, Chelsea, Arsenal, United, Liverpool, Everton or Spurs. Yes, it is only halfway through the season, but the upward progression towards that goal appears to be continuing; we march on.

 

I celebrate our climb from the depths of the third division to the giddy heights of the top few in the PL and welcome the recognition of it by the American Sports stations, but I accept that there are those on here who are only happy when they are looking for dark clouds rather than silver linings.

 

Apart from any other considerations, we will raise our profile considerably in the States, which already has ownership of clubs in the PL. It might occur to those owners that there is a viable alternative to just throwing money towards buying the best players by developing their own through investment in their academies. Alternatively, it will do us no harm in the eventuality that the Liebherrs give up on owning us, as we will be seen a shrewd acquisition with the infrastructure we have in place already.

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It's surely a much more exciting story than Swansea.

 

Because the trajectory of our ascent is so much greater/faster. They steadily worked their way up. Good for them. But they weren't days from liquidation or at the bottom of the third division with a ten point penalty 5 years ago.

 

They also didn't have the summer of Armageddon. And then the incredible, pundit-defying rebuild. Nor do they have the academy success.

 

If CB Fry thinks an hour-long documentary entitled "How Swansea City beat Bradford City 5-0 and thereby won more silverware than Southampton in recent years, assuming you don't count the Johnstone Paint Trophy" would make more gripping viewing, then I'd advise against a career as a commissioning editor in television....

That's right. The Swansea City story would be told entirely through the perspective of a Southampton fan.

 

Love the breathtaking myopia on this forum.

 

Face facts, Swansea have a true rags to riches story. We don't. Get over it.

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What I don't understand is how this documentary is made in the US and not over here (yeah, yeah, CB Fry, before you bite my head off, I know there's no media conspiracy against us). You'd think, in a football obsessed country like ours, we'd be going over board with the Southampton story. I know we get decent coverage in the papers now (though it took them a while) but this is an amazing rags to riches story, and actually not far from creating a revolution in football. Yet I've given up watching Football Focus as there's barely a mention. Maybe we're just too blasé about this sort of thing in this country, or maybe we're too cynical about success. Or maybe TV is too obsessed with numbers game so feel the pressure to feature the big clubs all the time. But the fact the US find us interesting enough to make a documentary about us, while we're sitting at home in rainy England twiddling our thumbs, is beyond me.

This +1

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I celebrate our climb from the depths of the third division to the giddy heights of the top few in the PL and welcome the recognition of it by the American Sports stations, but I accept that there are those on here who are only happy when they are looking for dark clouds rather than silver linings.

 

 

Oh yes, I do too. Grumpy pessimistic people are half the charm of the English. It would be dull if we were upbeat all the time! (I don't include Lawro in that, as he's an irritating git). There's a definite oddity when supporters of a club downplay their success. If I were a psychoanalyst I would be able to pull together reasons why this happens. But I'm not, so I won't attempt it.

 

Are you from the States then Wes?

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You do realise their stadium was built by Swansea Council, who still own it, don't you? I guess not having to outlay £30m yourselves to build a ground is quite helpful.

LOL. Okay then. Saints 100% rags to riches then. Help me out and define "rags" for me.

 

And, err, just so we're clear - we'd be better off if the council owned our ground yes? I mean Swansea have such an advantage over poor old rag-ridden paupers Saints, yes?

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LOL. Okay then. Saints 100% rags to riches then. Help me out and define "rags" for me.

 

And, err, just so we're clear - we'd be better off if the council owned our ground yes? I mean Swansea have such an advantage over poor old rag-ridden paupers Saints, yes?

 

I was just pointing out that Swansea had their own helping hand along the way. I don't personally think we've done anything overly exceptional. We're doing very well, yes, but clearly it would never have happened without the backing of the Liebherr's.

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That's right. The Swansea City story would be told entirely through the perspective of a Southampton fan.

 

Love the breathtaking myopia on this forum.

 

Face facts, Swansea have a true rags to riches story. We don't. Get over it.

 

Breathtaking myopia is 100% the DNA of a fan - they're both great stories of arriving in a (currently) good place in the PL after difficult times.

 

Comparison and sneering shouldn't denigrate either clubs' struggles, we got lucky in one way, they in another but ours is more watchable in the context of how much of our past and our rise and, hopefully, our future revolves round our academy. Not sure how many ex-Swansea players commanded the fees ours have, nor, because I'm basically myopic, do I know how many players in their current first team squad were produced in their academy.

 

Fan=myopic or you're doing it wrong...the rest of your life can be logical!

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Breathtaking myopia is 100% the DNA of a fan - they're both great stories of arriving in a (currently) good place in the PL after difficult times.

 

Comparison and sneering shouldn't denigrate either clubs' struggles, we got lucky in one way, they in another but ours is more watchable in the context of how much of our past and our rise and, hopefully, our future revolves round our academy. Not sure how many ex-Swansea players commanded the fees ours have, nor, because I'm basically myopic, do I know how many players in their current first team squad were produced in their academy.

 

Fan=myopic or you're doing it wrong...the rest of your life can be logical!

 

It's at times like this I thank the Lord we have Batman and CB Fry to keep our feet on the ground. Wouldn't want to get carried away with the team I support being 4th in the freakin' Premier League and Johnny Foreigners getting all frothy over our achievements or anything.

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It's at times like this I thank the Lord we have Batman and CB Fry to keep our feet on the ground. Wouldn't want to get carried away with the team I support being 4th in the freakin' Premier League and Johnny Foreigners getting all frothy over our achievements or anything.

 

I don't think he's saying don't enjoy it or be proud, i think the point being made is a valid one. That we're not unique in our rise from league one/admin, that Swansea's story is arguably more impressive and that we've spent a lot on the way to achieve what we have.

 

None of that takes away from our enjoyment or successes (nor the fun of the ride to get here), but if we're not to be hypocrites when we call the Skates Portsmyth then we shouldn't profess myths ourselves.

 

Like it or not we were a very well set club before our admin, we got bought out by a billionaire, outspent most sides in the lower leagues when we were there, invested more than nearly every club in the league in our academy and training ground and outspent all bar the top 5/6 in our three season back in the premier league (admittedly pulling back in more due to phenomenal sales).

 

That doesn't denigrate what we did achieve, or the roller coaster to get here, but it ain't a rags to riches story in anyway shape or form. Much more a club rising back to it's correct level based on intelligent funding, good planning and a re-structure that put us ahead of the curve.

 

Still a great story for Saints fans and no need for the myths that i'm sure our friends to the East would add into it.

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NBC execs are gonna be furious when the find out they wasted their dollars making Southampton documentary, when they could have made one about Swansea! Heads will roll yo!

 

If one of our Amercian bros records this white elephants & puts it on youtubes pls, I will be v.grateful pls.

 

Edit: If you do put it on youtubes don't call it NBC Southampton Way Documentary or anything like that cos the NBC bros will find it & you will get it in trouble. Call it codename like "The Lesser Tale of Moderate Success", or something like that pls

Edited by Bearsy
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That's right. The Swansea City story would be told entirely through the perspective of a Southampton fan.

 

Love the breathtaking myopia on this forum.

 

Face facts, Swansea have a true rags to riches story. We don't. Get over it.

 

You're free to go somewhere else if you don't like it. Get over it!

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I don't think he's saying don't enjoy it or be proud, i think the point being made is a valid one. That we're not unique in our rise from league one/admin, that Swansea's story is arguably more impressive and that we've spent a lot on the way to achieve what we have.

 

/QUOTE]

 

And I'm not saying there isn't a story to be told about Swansea. Maybe it's a wider story about how smaller clubs have achieved success in the PL. I don't know, I haven't examined it to that level of depth. I'm just saying, it staggers me that the US recognises there's something interesting to audiences in the Southampton story, that hasn't been milked over here. That's not my fan myopic view at play. That's me sniffing out something entertaining.

 

I think it's partly because everyone is waiting/expecting us to eventually fail. But even if we do fail, it's still a bloody amazing story.

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I think the interesting part of the story to the outsider isn't just the story of buying success but how the money is being used to create something more "organic" and hopefully more sustainable. It remains to be seen if it can become a template for a medium size club to gate-crash the billionaire's exclusive party which in the last 15 years has stifled English football. Time will tell.

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I don't think he's saying don't enjoy it or be proud, i think the point being made is a valid one. That we're not unique in our rise from league one/admin, that Swansea's story is arguably more impressive and that we've spent a lot on the way to achieve what we have.

 

None of that takes away from our enjoyment or successes (nor the fun of the ride to get here), but if we're not to be hypocrites when we call the Skates Portsmyth then we shouldn't profess myths ourselves.

 

Like it or not we were a very well set club before our admin, we got bought out by a billionaire, outspent most sides in the lower leagues when we were there, invested more than nearly every club in the league in our academy and training ground and outspent all bar the top 5/6 in our three season back in the premier league (admittedly pulling back in more due to phenomenal sales).

 

That doesn't denigrate what we did achieve, or the roller coaster to get here, but it ain't a rags to riches story in anyway shape or form. Much more a club rising back to it's correct level based on intelligent funding, good planning and a re-structure that put us ahead of the curve.

 

Still a great story for Saints fans and no need for the myths that i'm sure our friends to the East would add into it.

Absolutely this. Cheers.

 

Let's enjoy our success on its merits. I sure am.

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NBC execs are gonna be furious when the find out they wasted their dollars making Southampton documentary, when they could have made one about Swansea! Heads will roll yo!

 

If one of our Amercian bros records this white elephants & puts it on youtubes pls, I will be v.grateful pls.

 

Edit: If you do put it on youtubes don't call it NBC Southampton Way Documentary or anything like that cos the NBC bros will find it & you will get it in trouble. Call it codename like "The Lesser Tale of Moderate Success", or something like that pls

 

:lol:

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