Curious Yank

I hate you Heh. I did say "all perspectives," didn't I. Thanks for all your responses so far. I see you found my thread on RTG as well. They certainly had a lot to say. Thanks for keeping the Yank-bashing to a minimum as well. I know most of us are painfully ignorant when it comes to "soccer," but I try to be different.

Hello Magpies. I'm new to the board, so be gentle. But I come with questions. First off, I'm an American history student in Los Angeles (yeah, I'm a Yank), and I'm working on my senior history project. I've become a huge football fan over the last eight years or so that I'm doing part of my senior thesis on the historical precedents behind Newcastle & Sunderland's football rivalry. I'm fairly familiar with the centuries of antipathy between the two cities; I've researched the coal competition and both sides' respective roles in the English Civil War, and I know they're bitter because they think you've gotten better funding from the municipal government in recent years. But what I'm really curious about is this: how does the average Newcastle fan feel about Mackems and Sunderland in general? Do you feel like this derby is a continuation of age-old battles between your city and theirs, or is it just about football for you? More succinctly, do you hate Sunderland, or just Sunderland AFC? While I know both sides joke about the other being illiterate and having questionable hygiene, do you really see Sunderland residents and supporters as being fundamentally different from Geordies? What are the differences today? I'm curious to hear any and all perspectives. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.