Peace of Mind

   I’m not so sure if indeed Pele (Edson Arantes
do Nascimento) was the one who said football is ‘the beautiful game‘ like many including him
claimed. I’m sure, long before ‘the greatest footballer on earth’ starts
kicking balls in his backyard in his hometown; the game has already been
beautiful, if not entertaining and dramatic as it is today.

   For whatever reason, more and more people are watching ‘the beautiful
game’ nowadays than they watch Baywatch. With all the big-money being invested
in the game for TV revenues and the emergence of satellite TVs, people as far
as Siberia may watch live matches back in their igloos.
With the league championships are gaining popularities from all over the world,
most notably the European leagues, it is safe to say that it’s an investment
well done.

   With the growing numbers of football followers in all parts of
the world, more and more people are talking football in their free time. More
people are playing football, more people are buying jerseys, more people are
surfing football websites, and more and more people are becoming football
supporters. The reason for supporting a team depends on multiple factors. Some
of them support a team because it gives them inspiration to play football,
some watch certain team play because their favorite player is there, and some
of them are there just to fill in the corium (so they don’t get isolated when a
bunch of friends are talking about their favorite team).

   Being a football supporter myself, I understand that some
people ‘need to support‘ at least a WINNING team. It doesn’t
matter if the team doesn’t know how to play football, or just because they have
a bunch of good-looking players, people will watch and cheers them as long as
the team are winning matches and trophies. But once their
so-called team isn’t winning, it slowly becomes an urgency
to keep talking in a higher pitch to maintain their LOYALTIES to their club, even
though they have to sacrifices their pride just to talk rubbish. Cold hard-facts being presented
times and times again, fictional assumption being tossed around like it’s
kindergarten compound, and most notably, insulting other football teams
(and fans). So, when their team are on a bad patch, ppl won’t notice the change
in their mood because they keep talking in a high pitch, even though the
content of their arguments are totally different in both period. Attacking is the best defense. You attack
other teams to protect yours. Got me?

   It’s appalling to me, that somehow, somewhere, people who
claims to be a FOOTBALL fan (or merely a supporter), pride
themselves for insulting other teams that obviously are playing FOOTBALL too
(maybe better than their team). People watch football because they love the game, if not in love with the
game. It’s the most popular sport in the planet for goodness’
sake. I was inspired to play football because the beauty of the game, the
excitement it offers, and the adrenalin rushes, that no other sports offers me.
Everyday I watch football, in TVs, magazines, newspapers, internets, and I believe
most of us do too. For whichever team we look for, we know we play the same
balls. So, with all the love and passion about football, how can you go around
insulting other teams (and fans as well) that are playing the same ball game?
And want respect and recognition for your ‘effort’? Indirectly speaking,
you’re actually condemning your own principles and dignity. Maybe they’re not a
football fan after all. But if they’re not, why in the world they talk and play
football? Are they a football fan or club lunatic? I hope it’s not the
satellite TV station’s fault for bringing ‘the
beautiful game‘ in front of their eyes while they’re still naive, so
they become incapable of making a good thinking. I can’t blame you for being a
club lunatic, but at least show some respect to the FOOTBALL FANS out
there, who loves the game more than you love your depleted club.

   Well folks, Germany
2006 are looming large. Yes indeed, it’s the World Cup I’m talking
about. For you people who are still new to this WC thing, it’s not club level
football. It’s no Champs League, it’s no FA Cups, it’s no domestic league
bullsh*ts. It’s much higher than what you can imagine, that your ‘undeniably-misleading-fictions‘
and provocative insults aren’t relevant in this competition
whatsoever. It’s the beautiful
game’s most beautiful. Gut wrenching tension, I can’t wait…..