miércoles, junio 14, 2006
Alas! I feel that I owe all of you an explanation of all the groaning, sighing, rolling eyes, and grumpy or indifferent replies whenever the World Cup is mentioned. So here, for your reading pleasure, are my own personal
Reasons why I don't like or follow soccer, ESPECIALLY during World Cups (in no particular order):
1. I am an underdog-supporter. Whenever I see a game, I always imagine the feelings of the losing team (disappointment, sadness, etc.). Call it an overexpression of the sympathy gene, or perhaps the result of reading too many Peanuts strips. The Charlie-Brown depression of the losing team never fails to overtake me. And in soccer, nothing is more definite and harsh than the line between winners and losers.
2. In contradiction to the previous point, I have absolutely no interest (or faith) in rooting for "our team" (an underdog if there ever was one). From what I have seen of Mexican soccer, they rely on pure luck and some last-minute effort. I also strongly suspect that this has to do with the next point.
3. I am more contrary than Mary Mary. Perhaps in a misplaced effort to be "different", I am strongly opposed to doing whatever "the masses" are doing (of course, this is not an iron-clad rule, and probably only comes out in extreme situations)--and so, I deeply resent being told that: a) I should be excited about the World Cup and b) that I should "dream that Mexico wins", "support the team" or some such nonsense. I am not a soccer patriot. As a citizen of the world, all teams are mine and thus I favor none. Except the losers. If they win, they lose my support.
4. I hate that 95% of the population are paying attention to this at the same time (and forgetting about little ole me, the undisputed center of the universe). Everyone is "living the passion". I have tried to "live the passion". I have no "passion". Maybe I should drink more Coke, or more Pepsi.
5. Some women watch this to enjoy looking at handsome men. As far as I can see, soccer players are either crying like babies when they are knocked down or jumping up and down like monkeys when they score a goal. *Not attractive.* Although, all in all, I prefer the jumpers to the howlers.
6. I always start worrying about "irrelevant" stuff such as: how do they get the grass to order itself in stripes of different shades of green? I am also annoyed by the sport narrators and their style. Yuk!!! This makes me a terrible soccer-watcher, since I always break the concentration that is required to send energy-waves so that a team will win.
7. I get no joy from goals. Nothing. Maybe because I don't care who wins.
8. E-mails with "instructions for females" during World Cups.
9. There is very little scope for imagination in soccer, at least for me. It is a collective activity where a crowd of thousands yells at the same time. Crowds of thousands yelling are scary (Hitler-nightmare scenario).
10. I do admit, though, that I have enjoyed playing soccer with my friends occasionally. Playing is never the same as watching.
11. All in all, I think this is all about the feeling of missing out on something. I have tried, but I just don't get it. Everyone else gets it, and I feel completely left out.
12. Now that I'm on it, I might as well state my position on politics, which is similar, except worse. I am a political nihilist. I believe that for a candidate to become one, they have automatically left behind all their morals and common sense, as well as "Humor, Imagination, Eroticism, Spirituality, Rebelliousness, and Aesthetics". So I support no one (not even the losers). I could elaborate but I would bore myself --and you-- to death. I find talking about politics too much is in bad taste.
After this little exorcism, I hope I will be able to deal with soccer conversations with a better disposition. (No such luck for politics, I'm afraid)
Reasons why I don't like or follow soccer, ESPECIALLY during World Cups (in no particular order):
1. I am an underdog-supporter. Whenever I see a game, I always imagine the feelings of the losing team (disappointment, sadness, etc.). Call it an overexpression of the sympathy gene, or perhaps the result of reading too many Peanuts strips. The Charlie-Brown depression of the losing team never fails to overtake me. And in soccer, nothing is more definite and harsh than the line between winners and losers.
2. In contradiction to the previous point, I have absolutely no interest (or faith) in rooting for "our team" (an underdog if there ever was one). From what I have seen of Mexican soccer, they rely on pure luck and some last-minute effort. I also strongly suspect that this has to do with the next point.
3. I am more contrary than Mary Mary. Perhaps in a misplaced effort to be "different", I am strongly opposed to doing whatever "the masses" are doing (of course, this is not an iron-clad rule, and probably only comes out in extreme situations)--and so, I deeply resent being told that: a) I should be excited about the World Cup and b) that I should "dream that Mexico wins", "support the team" or some such nonsense. I am not a soccer patriot. As a citizen of the world, all teams are mine and thus I favor none. Except the losers. If they win, they lose my support.
4. I hate that 95% of the population are paying attention to this at the same time (and forgetting about little ole me, the undisputed center of the universe). Everyone is "living the passion". I have tried to "live the passion". I have no "passion". Maybe I should drink more Coke, or more Pepsi.
5. Some women watch this to enjoy looking at handsome men. As far as I can see, soccer players are either crying like babies when they are knocked down or jumping up and down like monkeys when they score a goal. *Not attractive.* Although, all in all, I prefer the jumpers to the howlers.
6. I always start worrying about "irrelevant" stuff such as: how do they get the grass to order itself in stripes of different shades of green? I am also annoyed by the sport narrators and their style. Yuk!!! This makes me a terrible soccer-watcher, since I always break the concentration that is required to send energy-waves so that a team will win.
7. I get no joy from goals. Nothing. Maybe because I don't care who wins.
8. E-mails with "instructions for females" during World Cups.
9. There is very little scope for imagination in soccer, at least for me. It is a collective activity where a crowd of thousands yells at the same time. Crowds of thousands yelling are scary (Hitler-nightmare scenario).
10. I do admit, though, that I have enjoyed playing soccer with my friends occasionally. Playing is never the same as watching.
11. All in all, I think this is all about the feeling of missing out on something. I have tried, but I just don't get it. Everyone else gets it, and I feel completely left out.
12. Now that I'm on it, I might as well state my position on politics, which is similar, except worse. I am a political nihilist. I believe that for a candidate to become one, they have automatically left behind all their morals and common sense, as well as "Humor, Imagination, Eroticism, Spirituality, Rebelliousness, and Aesthetics". So I support no one (not even the losers). I could elaborate but I would bore myself --and you-- to death. I find talking about politics too much is in bad taste.
After this little exorcism, I hope I will be able to deal with soccer conversations with a better disposition. (No such luck for politics, I'm afraid)
Comments:
Oh si, apenas lo entendí. Empecé apoyando al equipo de Suecia, sobre todo por Larsson, gran jugador. El caso es que a lo largo del juego el portero de Paraguay, Bobadilla, fué no menos que espectacular y faltando dos minutos para que el juego quedara empatado, los suecos meten gol y no podía dejar de rabiar del coraje porque el mejor de todos estaba ya triste porque su error le costó al equipo el mundial. La tristeza estaba presente en ése portero y entonces aprehendí su tristeza.
Nunca había leído aqui y por ende nunca había comentado, me parece muy atinado aunque a mí sí me agrada este asunto del Mundial. Pero concuerdo con los puntos 5,6 y 8, y en cuanto a política....ni se diga.
El mundial no sería tan soportable de no ser por las elecciones y las elecciones no serían tan soportables si no fuera por el mundial. Coincido en casi todo a excepción de que intento ser abierta, claro que mi intento solo me alcanza para 1 partido al día y 0 repeticiones. Mis condolencias querida.
Pues sí, todos ustedes tienen razón. Después de mi desahogo aquí ya puedo aceptar el mundial con filosofía (y hasta ver el partido de México de buena gana), aunque sí me puse muy triste por el portero de Paraguay.
Ya sé por qué el pasto tiene rayas.
Sigue sin gustarme mucho, pero lo bueno es que ya no estoy haciendo berrinches. :)
Ya sé por qué el pasto tiene rayas.
Sigue sin gustarme mucho, pero lo bueno es que ya no estoy haciendo berrinches. :)
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