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Banter Bar exclusive interview with Borussia Dortmund legend Patrick Owomoyela

By Brian Szlenk Straub

DORTMUND, GERMANY - MARCH 17: Patrick Owomoyela of Dortmund is seen after winning the Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and SV Werder Bremen at Signal Iduna Park on March 17, 2012 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Lars Baron/Bongarts/Getty Images)
DORTMUND, GERMANY - MARCH 17: Patrick Owomoyela of Dortmund is seen after winning the Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and SV Werder Bremen at Signal Iduna Park on March 17, 2012 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Lars Baron/Bongarts/Getty Images) /
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I got the chance to interview Borussia Dortmund legend Patrick Owomoyela during his recent visit to New York.

It’s hard to put into words what sports mean to the general population of viewers and fans alike. Every fan, or group of fans, has their own reasons for following the team they follow, and supporting the colors they sport. For fans of the beautiful game this is no different. Every single one of us has a reason for why we love and support the team that we do, and sometimes, this love makes us go to extreme lengths to show our support and passion.

MARBELLA, SPAIN – JANUARY 06: Marcel Schmelzer, Lukasz Piszczek and Patrick Owomoyela, ambassador of Borussia Dortmund talk during a sponsoring action as part of the training camp on January 06, 2019 in Marbella, Spain. (Photo by Alexandre Simoes/Borussia Dortmund via Getty Images)
MARBELLA, SPAIN – JANUARY 06: Marcel Schmelzer, Lukasz Piszczek and Patrick Owomoyela, ambassador of Borussia Dortmund talk during a sponsoring action as part of the training camp on January 06, 2019 in Marbella, Spain. (Photo by Alexandre Simoes/Borussia Dortmund via Getty Images) /

For those that are part of the Brooklyn Borussen fan club, this means waking up extra early to travel and watch games with those of similar allegiances. It means following a schedule many in the United States are baffled by and question the rationale of. In many ways, the lifestyle football fans in the U.S. lead has been parodied as an alternative lifestyle, a niche existence that often leads to raised eyebrows. If I didn’t follow it myself, I too would question the logic of waking up early on a weekend to flock to a bar, sing songs, and support a team thousands of miles across an ocean from a city in northwest Germany.

And yet to those of us who partake in this ritual, it makes perfect sense. To the most diehard fans, the act of waking up and following your team despite time zone and cultural differences is almost an afterthought, because it has become so natural, and so ingrained in your DNA, which is what makes every game, no matter the hour or location, extra special.

On this particular Saturday, our weekly ritual was made even more memorable by the presence of one of Dortmund’s club legends: Patrick Owomoyela. “Owo”, as the Dortmund faithful call their former defender, played for the club between the years 2008 and 2013, winning multiple pieces of silverware in the process.

More recently, he has been one of Dortmund’s brand ambassadors, which has allowed him to act as a link between the fans and the club. We were lucky enough to have Owomoyela watch the game with us against Werder Bremen, and I got the chance to discuss the season and a few other interesting tidbits with Dortmund’s cult hero.