WORLD CUP OF WHOOP ASS
Most of you know by now that I am a sports fan. More importantly, I’m a loyal sports fan, I mean to a fault, even backing to the very end the man or team that never wins; (I also pick a few others to follow to at least feel like a winner on occasion. See, I’m loyal, but not stupid!). In saying this, I’m always a bit amazed by the fans that idolize one moment and crucify the next. And oh my, are there are many that fall into this pack.
In fact, living in England for as long as I have, I can confidently say that English fans are as fair weather as they come (I know I will receive death threats for this one, cousins, do not picket my house!). It’s the truth. Handle it!
In short, I’ve never seen a country (helped by the trusty media of course) build up an athlete or team quicker only to then turn around and plot their demise, or even worse celebrate it. David Beckham is of course a perfect example of this – and yes I agree the skirt-wearing god is an easy target (when you’re that hot you’re bound to incite anger and jealousy). In the past, when he was playing well and king of the corner kicks, he was everyone’s darling. But as soon as the red card fiasco struck – for those of you not in the know, just google Beckham red card and you’ll get the whole breakdown – there were cries to take that damn sarong and string him up like a rag doll.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that currently World Cup is in full swing. And if I were to say the name Robert Green, a groan of sympathy (or loud grunt of anger) is passing through your lips right about now. All I can say is that POOR SOD. For those of you that find football (soccer to you Yankees) about as stimulating as a Geri Halliwell video, I will catch you up to speed. During the English/America match, a mistake on Green's part led America to equalize. I won’t lie, it was a dreadful screw up as the ball was in his hands, and then wasn’t and the poor guy scampered after it on his hands and knees like an 80 year old dog, knowing it was time to tell the wife to start packing their belongings. And oh did the floodgates open. Overnight he became the most reviled man in England.
But saying all this, it was a mistake. Let’s say it slow together for those of you that are still burning this man in effigy, IT WAS A M-I-S-T-A-K-E. He didn’t kill anyone, he is not a pedophile, he messed up on a goal. And in his defense, his lovely teammates weren’t playing that great to begin with – again, sorry guys, but it’s true. All this forecasting of a 4-1 victory, well, we saw how it ended. And more importantly, if this man saves a goal in his next few games that turns the tide of the game, oh how quickly he will be forgiven. So forget about cornering his parents at the local shop and giving them a bollocking about their good for nothing son.
My point is, if you support the team, support the team, screw-ups and all. If Green develops a bad case of butter fingers in the next few games, fine, kick him to the curb like a bad habit, but until then, think of the England team like 11 of your kids. You wouldn’t kick them out for making one mistake would you? (For those of you that just said yes, you better not be procreating!). Right now, our 11 children need our unwavering support and belief to get through this.
…Especially as they’re never getting past Argentina. Oops. Sorry, did I say that out loud?