[Milan Are Brilli...]

Recent Bundesliga Champions (Since '92)
92/93 Werder Bremen
93/94 Bayern Munich
94/95 Borussia Dortmund
95/96 Borussia Dortmund
96/97 Bayern Munich
97/98 1. FC Kaiserslautern
98/99 Bayern Munich
99/00 Bayern Munich
00/01 Bayern Munich
01/02 Borussia Dortmund
02/03 Bayern Munich
03/04 Werder Bremen
04/05 Bayern Munich
05/06 Bayern Munich
06/07 VfB Stuttgart
07/08 Bayern Munich
08/09 VfL Wolfsburg
09/10 Bayern Munich
10/11 Borussia Dortmund

Holders

Bundesliga: Borussia Dortmund

(IMG:http://www.ran.de/de/fussball/bundesliga/1105/Bilder/485/1c10f8449f79ad2af69ca5f7304bd3db61-hat-momentan-viel-grund-zum-lachen-juergen-klopp_485x364.jpg)


DFB-Pokal: Schalke 04

(IMG:http://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/img/15168536-1306088521000/topTeaser_crop_Der-FC-Schalke-04-ist-DFB-Pokalsieger-2011.jpg)


European Entries

Champions League
Borussia Dortmund
Bayer Leverkusen
Bayern Munich

Europa League
Hannover 96
Mainz 05
Schalke 04

Promoted from 2.Bundesliga:
Hertha BSC
FC Augsburg

Bundesliga 2011/12 team list
FC Augsburg, Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Borussia Mönchengladbach, SC Freiburg, Hamburg SV, Hannover 96l, Hertha BSC, 1899 Hoffenheim, 1. FC Kaiserslautern, 1. FC Köln, 1. FSV Mainz 05, 1. FC Nuremberg, Schalke 04, VfB Stuttgart, Werder Bremen, VfL Wolfsburg.

Top summer transfer: Manuel Neuer (from Schalke to Bayern, 18 million Euro)

Random facts:

Reigning player of the year: Arjen Robben (27 yo, Bayern Munich)
Reigning top scorer: Mario Gomez (25 yo, 28 goals)
Top scorer (all time): Gerd Müller (365 goals, Bayern Munich)
Most appearances: Karl-Heinz Körbel (602 games, Eintracht Frankfurt)
Youngest player to play: Nuri Sahin (16 years, 335 days; Borussia Dortmund)
Oldest player to play: Klaus Fichtel (43 years; Schalke 04)

[acid911]

I don't have a team, Milan are the closest to what I call almost being a fan. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy.gif) I don't even have a favorite player anymore, at least none that currently plays. The 5 I liked retired, and the club I was a fan of stopped being that club after Kaka, Maldini and Carlo left. And Brazil is another thing, but they too have more than a few thugs in disguise as players. Still, I watch Brazil NT matches anytime I can.

You can say that I've evolved. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) Outgrown the sports a bit maybe, yes. Your case is different, I've seen the highs of the past, and the present does not compare. So it's uninteresting to me. Even if we do win the CL next somehow, it still will not match the 2007 triumph for me, which will not match the loss at 2005, which will further not match the win in 2003 (that one was sweet). And so on.

Point being, I like the sports for what it stands. Little more than that now. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mellow.gif) I do like watching quite a few names, and always like seeing quality stuff on display, some tough neck-to-neck affairs, fair play, champion sportsmanship. That for me is the beauty of the game, and what sports stand (or stood for) in general. And I struggle to get that out of my head.

Granted you don't see that quite often now, what with the falling standards, but hey, I'm not complaining. Much. This new football is a dirty, dirty affair. And almost as worse is the falling standards in all departments. Give me one goalkeeper that can touch the heights of a Buffon or Oliver Khan. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) None come close.

Same goes for most strikers and midfielder. Can you see how much of a dearth (oh, I love using this word) we have now of really visionary playmakers. It used to be a glut a few years back. What we have now are either mechanical and military (like Emanusleon, or the type that Allegri likes), or the real creative ones are lazy basturds.

And so I do care, when I see teams like Leverkusen being clueless during a match. It's a small nail in the coffin for me when it comes to footballing standards. And it hurts like a small nail too. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) I mean, if we, with a weak, weak team hold Barcelona to 0-0 and go there without our first choice midfield, attack and more importantly defense, and hold them to 1 goal (those two penalties don't count for me), then Leverkusen should be doing better.

Long rant, I know, but that's that. It's the falling standards of the game that irks me the most. And I blame commercialism and the glut of money for it. Pretty soon the spirit of the sports will die (if it hasn't already), and I am not sure I'll be watching it as much then. Just like cricket after the advent of the money making events like IPL and Twenty20.