Football Mania.....

 

 

 

 

I had taken the above shots from my television screen some time ago, when it showed some penguins playing football! No, I am not exactly a football fan. In fact, till now I have not watched a single match. The last time that I was somewhat crazy about football was when my sister Ean Ean was in Singapore, and we watched the game together with her family members at a more earthly hour of around 9.00p.m.

Soh Wah and I could certainly feel the heat of the football craze when we were recently in Barcelona. Still, we both did not watch any game as we were more keen on shopping and it was quite amusing to see the sales staff trying to rush home to watch the game.

Here I am, writing this article, just 30 minutes before the final is played. I had gone to bed at 11p.m. and put my alarm at 1.30a.m. so that I could wake up and watch the final on television.

Earlier today, I was at the bus stop at Tekka Market, and I was looking out for Mani, the parakeet. Poor parrot. It must have gone into hiding after having made the wrong prediction that Germany would lose. I hope that Holland will win, for the sake of the poor parrot. But then, if Holland were to win, Paul the octopus will be in for a grilling!

Why must sports lose its real meaning? And how on earth did we get poor Paul and Mani involved? How on earth did football become a gambling event for some.? I don't know how one plays the game of betting, but I know that a person could even lose up to hundreds of thousands over football bets, like in the article about the teacher who had to sell his car and take up a bank loan to repay his football bets.

I remember that as a secondary school student, someone would urge, "Hey! Be sporting man.....it's only a game". The essence of sports is to just try our best, and to lose graciously and with dignity, and if we should win, to win with humility.

So wishing both Spain and Holland footballers all the very best. Whoever loses is still a winner - a runner up, and to be in the top three position is already a feat!

Gan Cao