Fleet Foxes

Do you know someone from England, or perhaps a sports fan with an interest in international sports? Are you confused as to why they're suddenly raving about some guy named Lester? Allow me to explain:

In European soccer leagues, there are usually several divisions, in a hierarchy. At the end of each season, the top few teams in each division are "promoted" - allowed into the next division up next season. The bottom few teams are "relegated" - moved down to the next lowest division for the next season. To win the overall championship, you have to finish first in the top division - there are no playoffs.

Also, in sharp contrast to American sports leagues, there are no measures to help teams that are unsuccessful either on or off the field. Revenue sharing, salary caps, drafts, limited free agency, luxury taxes, tampering rules - they've got none of them.

So generally, each country has a small number of teams that stay at the top of the top division because they have all the money. Take for instance, England's top division, the Premier League. Over the last 24 years, only four teams have won it.

And this is why this year has been so remarkable. Leicester (pronounced "Lester", nicknamed "The Foxes") was only just able to avoid relegation last year. Coming into this season, they were 5,000 to 1 longshots. As many people have been pointing out, British bookies will give you the same odds that the Loch Ness Monster will be found. But they had a miraculous year, leading most of the season. When second place Tottenham failed to beat Chelsea today, Leicester clinched first place.

This title is being listed among all-time upsets

This could be a new era of competitiveness in English soccer. At the very least, everyone has some hope today. Now your wildest dreams have some foundation, as you know an underdog really can break through. But it's bittersweet for me. See, at the same time I'm cheering on Leicester righteously slaying the game's elites, I'm also mourning my family's team.

Aston Villa, the dominant team of England's West Midlands, is going to be relegated. Since the modern creation of England's Premier League in 1992, they were one of only seven teams that had never been relegated to the lower divisions. But no more. They're in last place, with no mathematical chance getting high enough to avoid relegation this year.

Blue, the Aston Villa bear, says wait 'til next year

An unwillingness to spend on players, an inability to groom young players fast enough, and a revolving door of coaching has caught up with them. After years of being mediocre, or just "not terrible," the bottom fell out and they won just three games out of thirty-six. Yes, we should have seen this coming when the team was bought by the guy who owns the Cleveland Browns.

So at a time when my family should be optimistic, we're feeling hopeless. At a time when the whole world is looking at the Premier League standings, we're right there at the bottom. If the league were Good Will Hunting, we'd be Ben Affleck to Leicester's Matt Damon. So we'll just have to use this new optimism to believe that we'll be back to the Premier League again soon. Or we'll just resort to the usual dream, for a new billionaire owner who'll spend his way to the top.