Season’s Greetings, Favorite Kit and El Gordo

By: Cesar | December 24th, 2008

I wanted to take this opportunity to wish all the readers of the Valencia Offside the happiest and healthiest of holiday seasons. BON NADAL to you all!

It is all of you that have made the Valencia Offside blog the success it has become this year … it’s great fun to write the blog and even more fun to read the feedback and debate Our Beloved.

Whether you are one of the many commentators or one of the many stopping by the site several times daily, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Who knows what the second half will bring for Valencia CF, but no matter what it’s on me to keep you engaged in the blog. Here’s an idea – I’ll make up some transfer rumors! Just kidding.

My hunch is that we’ll do better than we think. No matter what, there’ll be plenty to write about. Stick with the blog and we’ll do our best to earn your clicks.

The quantity and quality of comments, the emails, the links from fellow bloggers, the sheer volume of numbers of visits, the great people I’ve met because of the blog … my gratitude to all of you is endless.

From my family to yours, Happy Holidays!

Ok, so what’s your favorite all-time Valencia CF kit? My links yesterday sparked some debate …

For my money, the old Senyera is simply to die for … I adore it.
I own the 2005 version, but it’s a bit clunky, the ‘Toyota’ stamp on the front a bit too rigid for my tastes.

Right behind those is the 2000-2001 home kit, the one we wore in that year’s Champions League final, elegantly sported by Juan Sanchez in the accompanying picture to the left …

After that come two shirts from the same campaign.

First, the blue away kit … I love the black lines on the dark navy background. I own one, but I bought it outside the Mestalla one drunken evening for approximately $2. Not a great fit, but I sport it every now and again.

The next one is also from that year, the kit we wore when Rivaldo and FC Barcelona knocked us out of the 2001/02 Champions League with a hat trick in the last game of the Spanish season at the Nou Camp, a mere 4 days after our loss to Bayern Munich.

Want to cry? Watch it here …

Ruben Baraja, 85, scored two in that game. He also looked much better than Rivaldo in the light blue kit. I’d love to see us wearing that one again …

Anyways, last story of the day …

Take a look at this!!

Numancia midfielder Mario Martinez won 150,000 euros ($210,000) in Spain’s Christmas lottery, Spanish media reported on Tuesday.
The player, who Marca newspaper said earned around 200,000 euros a year, said he could not believe his luck.
“I never play the lottery except the Christmas one because it’s especially exciting,” he told the paper, adding that he did not have any special plans on how to spend the cash.
The lottery success caps a fine year for the 23-year-old. He scored the winning goal in Numancia’s 1-0 victory over Barcelona on the opening day of the season, the only defeat the Catalans have suffered this term.

150,000 euros is about what Thierry Henry makes in a WEEK!!

Martinez also happens to be the poorest player in La Liga … Good for Mr. Martinez. Spend the money wisely …

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!! AMUNT!!