This week on Not A Football Podcast, we're answering two questions: what feels like a personal attack but isn't, and what feels like therapy but isn't?

For personal attacks, Ritika talks about imprinting on Sam Kerr, who now plays for Chelsea (3:44). May discusses political memes of the Watford-Leicester Championship semifinal playoff (6:26). And June tries to get to the bottom of Toni Kroos' inexplicable dislike for spice and Arsenal players (9:40).

For therapy, Ritika brings us a heartwarming tale of social media power (16:05). May walks us through the wild and wonderful world of folks who think liking Rooney is a personality (17:22). And June admits to watching old football games for emotional support (21:12).

Finally, we wrap with a round of "what made you happy this week?" (28:05), in which we talk video games and why June's Nintendo Switch is named Cesc Fabregas.

Episode cover image by Ritika. Intro: "Hotshot" by Scott Holmes (CC BY NC). Outtro: "No Control" by Jahzzar (CC BY SA).

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This week we have a hybrid episode.

There's the usual waffle to start (0:00), with an extra dose of technical difficulties. Then we go back in time to bring you an episode we recorded in July, in which we discuss faith and football. We talk Eid greetings and public expressions of faith among footballers (6:35). May and Ritika delve into the effect that Mohamed Salah has had on islamophobia in the UK (16:00).

In a podcast classic, we get wildly side-tracked by Nadiya Hussain and cricket (20:52)—but it's all part of the same conversation on representation, stereotypes, and how nominally secular spaces are not, in fact, secular and carry all kinds of assumptions about who is assumed and allowed to exist in those spaces.

We circle back to religion by talking about how football is both steeped in religion and in and of itself a religious experience (37:38). Ritika has some questions about Christianity, May talks about Michael Ballack, and June has a mini rant about communism. And finally, we wrap with a lightning round of "what made you happy this week" (48:39).

Episode cover image by Ritika. Intro: "Hotshot" by Scott Holmes (CC BY NC). Outtro: "Waltz for a Memory" by Meal (CC BY SA).

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Aaaaaaaand we're back! After an unexpected hiatus, we're back to talking about football—but not really.

In our 10th episode, Ritika reacts live to the Aston Villa vs. Liverpool game (00:10), while we discuss sports being back in countries that have failed to deal properly with the covid-19 crisis (02:58), and the exhaustion of being a sports fan in this context. We also talk about what happened during last week's USL game between Phoenix Rising and San Diego Loyal, and why we now respect Landon Donovan (17:01). Finally, we wrap up with what made us happy this week (28:57)—and assign some homework for anyone interested in great TV.

This episode was recorded on Sunday, October 4th.

Intro: "Hotshot" by Scott Holmes (CC BY NC). Outtro: "6 a.m. Taxi" by Jahzzar (CC BY SA).

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This week, we're deconstructing Gareth Southgate's waistcoat literally and metaphorically. We discuss the 2018 World Cup and the origins of the man's waistcoated mystique. There's a quick tour through the history of the waistcoat. And of course we talk about Southgate himself: is it the waistcoat, or is it his comments on dismantling white privilege that make him look good?

Episode cover image by Ritika. Intro: "Hotshot" by Scott Holmes (CC BY NC). Outtro: "Heliotrope" by Blue Dot Sessions (CC BY NC).

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Content warning for discussion of sexual assault, domestic violence, and media/fandom treatment of survivors.

Football fandom is notoriously bad at talking about allegations of sexual assault against football players. In the context of recent allegations against Naby Keita, as well as the unresolved specter of Kathryn Mayorga's case against Cristiano Ronaldo, we discuss how football fans uphold rape culture, center privileged identities, protect assaulters, and silence and criminalize survivors (00:40). We talk about the difficulties of navigating these conversations in fandom, and how it affects our interactions with fellow football fans on a daily basis.

To formalize a thing we've been doing for a couple episodes now, we end by talking about some things that made us happy this week (20:31). There's also a sneak peak of next week's episode and all the friendly yelling that you can look forward to (32:09).

Episode cover image by Ritika. Intro: "Hotshot" by Scott Holmes (CC BY NC). Outtro: "Hachiko (The Faithful Dog)" by The Kyoto Connection (CC BY SA).

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We're tidying up our week in football, Marie Kondo style. Does Dejan Lovren spark joy? Do quarantine hairstyles spark joy? How about Marcus Rashford, the DFB, or whatever that is growing on Mason Mount's chin?

This episode was recorded on Sunday, June 21st. If you're interested in joining our Discord server for NWSL watch parties, please message one of us on Twitter: @mostlyinane / @tldrjune / @matchdaymay.

Episode cover image by Ritika. Intro: "Hotshot" by Scott Holmes (CC BY NC). Outtro: "Ice Cream" by Jahzzar (CC BY SA).

You can find us on Twitter with the hashtag #NotAFootyPod.

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This episode was recorded on Monday, June 12th. We're all very tired this week, so rather than attempt any structured discussion we just had a chat and shared some things that annoyed us as well as things that made us happy. Ritika talks about Liverpool Women. May discusses the discriminatory consequences of institutional decisions. And June, predictably, goes off on Schalke.

You can follow @footymasks1 on Twitter and buy a mask at etsy.com/shop/footymasks.

Episode cover image by Ritika. Intro: "Hotshot" by Scott Holmes (CC BY NC). Outtro: "The Flowers Are Still Standing" by Jahzzar (CC BY SA). You can find us on Twitter with the hashtag #NotAFootyPod.

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This week we're talking about participatory fandom. During the on-going Black Lives Matter protests, K-pop fans made headlines after crashing police surveillance apps and taking over counter-protest social media trends. May explains K-pop idol fan culture and contrasts it with the exclusionary nature of (men's) football fandom, especially in the policing of fan legitimacy. June argues that K-Pop vs. Fascists is in keeping with a tradition of solidarity and community mobilization found in young, queer, women-dominated fandom. And Ritika reminds us to examine the ways in which capitalism alienates fans from each other, weakens the bonds of community, and shuts out voices of dissent. Also, we discuss why you should give to mutual aid projects, unfollow JK Rowling, and be the best fan you can be.

Click here for a list of resistance funds, legal help, and community aid compiled by Claire Watkins. Twitter and Tear Gas by Zeynep Tufekci is available online and in bookstores.

Episode cover image by Ritika. Intro: "Hotshot" by Scott Holmes (CC BY NC). Outtro: "The Flowers Are Still Standing" by Jahzzar (CC BY SA). You can find us on Twitter with the hashtag #NotAFootyPod.

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The one where June gets roasted for saying Xabi Alonso isn't all that attractive, Ritika wants Paul Pogba's bomber jacket, and May brings us a true gem from the Chelsea TV archives. In this slightly extended episode, we talk about how nonwhite bodies are viewed by mainstream media, who is allowed to be attractive, and what even constitutes attractiveness in the frameworks of narrative, aesthetics, and emotional connection. And finally, we try to answer the all-important question: is Xabi Alonso attractive?

You can find us on Twitter with the hashtag #NotAFootyPod. Episodes are now available on Spotify and Google Podcasts.

Cover image by Ritika. Intro: "Hot Shot" by Scott Holmes (CC BY NC). Outtro: "Hopeful Journey" by Scott Holmes (CC BY NC).

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June convinced May and Ritika to watch the German Bundesliga over the weekend, and frankly, the two of them want their money back. In which we discuss the devaluation of labor, performative security theater, and the weirdness of ghost games in a league famous for its fan support. Also, May accidentally steps on a landmine from June's past, and we unintentionally preview next week's episode on Xabi Alonso.

Cover art by Ritika. Intro: "Hot Shot" by Scott Holmes (CC BY NC). Outtro: "Bumbling" by Pictures of the Floating World (CC BY NC SA).

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