World cup!
You wouldn't have believed it, would you? And here I am, writing a post about actual Soccer World Cup.
I suppose because it's been such an emotional roller coaster I've actually started to care. *blush* I had not really believed I'd be able to take this sort of thing - I mean, it's only SOCCER - seriously - but there I found myself extra nervous and snappy the more the game stretched towards its inevitable end.
But I wanted to post some thoughts here, and they are - Slovenian team, you were GOOD. In fact, you were unbelievable. I want to say it here because I know it won't be stated anywhere else, and my American friends will never know. Maybe I have felt it wrongly, but all the spotlight Slovenia got was indirectly, through interaction with the bigger players. But I wish other people would understand it - the bravery, the undaunted will, the odds that were played against so that Slovenian team reached where it was today. I wish anyone had paid attention, while France and England quarreled and behaved like primadonas, this team worked like friends, in a true team spirit. I know Americans felt they were cheated of a victory against Slovenia in their game, but they overlooked the fact that the referee actually took mroe decisions against Slovenia than against US and overlooked a few blatant fouls, like the one in the first few minutes of the game that everybody who watched it and was not American agreed should have deserved a red card and expulsion of the American player out of the game. I think it was one of the attackers, and if this had happened, there likely wouldn't have been many further goals at all. Let's leave aside that Dempsey (I think) broke Nejc Pečnik's ankle and was never even carded for it. Likewise, in the game against England, the way one of our attackers were fouled against by the English player in the 16-meter space should get our team a shot on the goal, and that might have changed the matters entirely.
But whatever... when you look at the pure facts, it would be inconceivable for our team to actually reach the next round. The other two teams were bigger and, frankly, in the grand scheme of things, better - though I think I am not very wrong when I say that I think Slovenians showed better play in this competition than the advancing teams. Or at least as good, and that it would not have been shameful had they advanced. I am proud because they came to this cup as outsiders and because they gave a hard time to teams coming against them with patronising attitude and expecting an easy win. I am proud because they gave the whole world's patronising attitude a pause. They were a force to be reckoned with and they made the opposing teams sweat blood before conceding victory.
But in the end, in soccer, only goals count. I will be able to watch the rest of the cup calmly and with pleasure; and when the team comes home, I will cheer them on. I think Slovenians defended not only their honour, but the values of sporting spirit, with their game: with bravery, with fighting until the last second of the game, with team spirit. Go guys! You will not get much spotlight, but you should know how unforgettable you were for your country.
I suppose because it's been such an emotional roller coaster I've actually started to care. *blush* I had not really believed I'd be able to take this sort of thing - I mean, it's only SOCCER - seriously - but there I found myself extra nervous and snappy the more the game stretched towards its inevitable end.
But I wanted to post some thoughts here, and they are - Slovenian team, you were GOOD. In fact, you were unbelievable. I want to say it here because I know it won't be stated anywhere else, and my American friends will never know. Maybe I have felt it wrongly, but all the spotlight Slovenia got was indirectly, through interaction with the bigger players. But I wish other people would understand it - the bravery, the undaunted will, the odds that were played against so that Slovenian team reached where it was today. I wish anyone had paid attention, while France and England quarreled and behaved like primadonas, this team worked like friends, in a true team spirit. I know Americans felt they were cheated of a victory against Slovenia in their game, but they overlooked the fact that the referee actually took mroe decisions against Slovenia than against US and overlooked a few blatant fouls, like the one in the first few minutes of the game that everybody who watched it and was not American agreed should have deserved a red card and expulsion of the American player out of the game. I think it was one of the attackers, and if this had happened, there likely wouldn't have been many further goals at all. Let's leave aside that Dempsey (I think) broke Nejc Pečnik's ankle and was never even carded for it. Likewise, in the game against England, the way one of our attackers were fouled against by the English player in the 16-meter space should get our team a shot on the goal, and that might have changed the matters entirely.
But whatever... when you look at the pure facts, it would be inconceivable for our team to actually reach the next round. The other two teams were bigger and, frankly, in the grand scheme of things, better - though I think I am not very wrong when I say that I think Slovenians showed better play in this competition than the advancing teams. Or at least as good, and that it would not have been shameful had they advanced. I am proud because they came to this cup as outsiders and because they gave a hard time to teams coming against them with patronising attitude and expecting an easy win. I am proud because they gave the whole world's patronising attitude a pause. They were a force to be reckoned with and they made the opposing teams sweat blood before conceding victory.
But in the end, in soccer, only goals count. I will be able to watch the rest of the cup calmly and with pleasure; and when the team comes home, I will cheer them on. I think Slovenians defended not only their honour, but the values of sporting spirit, with their game: with bravery, with fighting until the last second of the game, with team spirit. Go guys! You will not get much spotlight, but you should know how unforgettable you were for your country.