Final musings on World Cup before the final match

 

My neighbourhood coffee shop is a lifelong Argentina supporter as seen from their uniform's colour combination. Luckily it wasn't green & yellow

 
The best World Cup teams in each continent are Germany (Europe), Japan (Asia) and Mexico (Americas)... which are judged purely on the design of their cool jerseys decked on toned torsos under the sweltering heat. The matches have evolved into a 90min catwalk for me looking at the next jersey to buy while the legions of female fans would wait for the jerseys to come off at the end of the match for the real show to begin.

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At least one advantage of being jet lagged is that I have no trouble waking up at 4am to catch the World Cup match since my body has no trouble thinking it is 4pm.

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Please be more forgiving on the train if a fellow passenger is dozing on your shoulder. Most likely this person is holding a temporary month-long contract work as a World Cup fanatic which will end on Monday. Those fresh-faced people without dark eye bags are either not soccer fans, or supporters of England or Spain.

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Semi-final match Netherlands vs Argentina
First time I'm disappointed at a World Cup result. Penalty shootout is such a cruel 'anti-soccer' gesture and should be abolished. Might as well do a coin toss to save the time and trouble. The Beautiful Game should be played until there's a result no matter how long it takes, even if a player decides to score an own-goal to end the nonsense.

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First post on World Cup:
http://winstonchongsingapore.blogspot.sg/2014/06/more-on-world-cup.html 

Second post on World Cup:
http://winstonchongsingapore.blogspot.sg/2014/06/more-on-world-cup_22.html 

More musings on soccer:

http://winstonchongsingapore.blogspot.sg/2014/02/musings-on-soccer-english-game-not.html 

 

More on World Cup

This ad featuring World Cup hot favourites is fast becoming outdated just 10 days into this amazing tournament even before you can say 'tiki-taka'. Half of the teams here are on their early flight home. History will really be made if the eventual winner is not any of those teams which already have at least one star above their crests. Go Oranje!

Looking at the heroics of the World Cup teams, it make me wanna join them on the pitch and bring a smile to the millions of fans around the world. As a good sprinter, I can be a medic or physio rushing to where I'm needed, but I think my best option is to be a streaker.

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With the last 16 teams emerging at the World Cup Finals, we have now entered what I'd call the Game Of Thrones stage. This is where the hot fan favourite 'House' which survived all previous battles will fall at the last minute by a single controversial goal scored by an unmarked assassin. And it is anybody's guess which House will sit on the Iron Throne since there's no guarantee of a happy ending. The excitement and suspense are what make this The Beautiful Game.

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First post on World Cup:
http://winstonchongsingapore.blogspot.sg/2014/06/more-on-world-cup.html

On World Cup (soccer, not football)

The World Cup opening animation sequence is rather amusing. While I can accept that these people were watching an old school 4:3 TV in 2014 without any power cable, this guy came and knocked over the poor TV set and nobody noticed it. Since it is a magical TV, I'm sure it will be fine.

After watching all the World Cup teams in action, I'm now a fan of this great outfit that commands respect and strikes fear on the pitch. Though they are most often older than the other players, they have superb stamina and are shrewd enough to see past the theatrics of play-acting. So why can't I find a single referee jersey in the stores to show my support?

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It surely is a visual treat this World Cup season with an explosion of colours and hues on the pitch and I'm not talking about the players' jersey. While the sky is the limit on any creative design, each country is compel to use only their official colours since time immemorial for fear of incurring the wrath of their rabid supporters. Ironically, it is now the referee's time to shed their drab black uniform and embrace the rainbow like a kid in a candy shop.

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For the World Cup Final, I can predict with confidence that it will be a fight between these two juggernauts yet again: adidas and Nike, with the former having home ground advantage being the official sponsor. And the winner will be....FIFA! Laughing all the way to the bank.

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Watching a World Cup match is tedious trying to fix my eyes on the smallest round object on the screen which is constantly moving. Instead, I subliminally wants to fly Emirates to Brazil so that I can drive a Hyundai to buy a Sony 4K TV and watch soccer while drinking Budweiser beer. And of course I'll go all in or nothing and pay using my Visa. I'm lovin' it!

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I admire my Dad's blasé attitude to watching repeat telecast of World Cup matches. Despite knowing the scoreline, he would cheer and jeer as if it is a live match, and in most cases, managed to hoodwink my non-fan Mum into believing so. Feigned ignorance is bliss.

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(Previously published)

This World Cup season is perhaps the only time we wouldn't be labelled as unpatriotic fools donning other countries' colours with matching face-paint, especially where there are money to be made in betting the right team. We would just be called fools waking up at 3am (Singapore time) watching millionaires prancing at half-completed stadiums in a third-world country. The only legitimate thing to do at 3am is to pee, then go back to sleep.

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I would like to join a non-government, non-profit organisation that will have global impact with their wealth of history and enrich my life. The closest I can find is soccer body FIFA. Rather than a wealth of history, it has a wealth of $1billion in reserve; and rather than enrich my life, it sure can enrich my bank account since countries will clamour to wine and dine me to clinch their rights to host the next World Cup. And it definitely has global impact milking from the millions who made Soccer their religion. The Beautiful Game is played by men in suits at boardrooms and corridors of power, with the winners determined even before the ball is kicked on the pitch. Where do I sign up?

More musings on World Cup:
http://winstonchongsingapore.blogspot.sg/2014/06/more-on-world-cup_22.html 

More musings on soccer:

http://winstonchongsingapore.blogspot.sg/2014/02/musings-on-soccer-english-game-not.html 

On World Cup and Reunions

World Cup

This World Cup season is perhaps the only time we wouldn't be labelled as unpatriotic fools donning other countries' colours with matching face-paint, especially where there are money to be made in betting the right team. We would just be called fools waking up at 3am (Singapore time) watching millionaires prancing at half-completed stadiums in a third-world country. The only legitimate thing to do at 3am is to pee, then go back to sleep.

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I would like to join a non-government, non-profit organisation that will have global impact with their wealth of history and enrich my life. The closest I can find is soccer body FIFA. Rather than a wealth of history, it has a wealth of $1billion in reserve; and rather than enrich my life, it sure can enrich my bank account since countries will clamour to wine and dine me to clinch their rights to host the next World Cup. And it definitely has global impact milking from the millions who made Soccer their religion. The Beautiful Game is played by men in suits at boardrooms and corridors of power, with the winners determined even before the ball is kicked on the pitch. Where do I sign up?

More musings on soccer:
http://winstonchongsingapore.blogspot.sg/2014/02/musings-on-soccer-english-game-not.html

 

Reunions

It was great to meet up with my ex-colleagues for tea where most of the alumni brought their kids along. I don't think I'm ready to be a father when one mother used the same words to her toddler as how my wife would to me: "Sit properly!", "Don't talk with your mouth full!", "Stop crying!"

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A balloon is cute and cheery and yet an former university classmate whom I've not met in 10 years inflicted me with much pain and sorrow by using it as a verb on me. So now I've resolved not to attend anymore school reunions. And if you are one of those who have lost touch, yes, that was NOT me that you saw on the street the other day. And yes, now I hate balloons.

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Muffin is one of the most-loved pastry and I would be delighted to be associated with any words related to it like stud-muffin. So naturally I'm ecstatic when someone mentioned that I'm a great muffin top since it s the tastiest part with the crunchy crust and toppings.

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A close colleague mentioned that at a ripe old age of 40, I'm no longer a spring chicken. While I agree I may not possess the heaven-may-care youthful exuberance, I hope that this old rooster would have gained much worldliness and perseverance that rival the proverbial cockroach that refuse to die.

Musings on soccer (the English game, not American football)

Fully autographed Manchester United poster from an exhibition match played in Singapore in 2001, embellished with newspaper headlines, ticket and training pass

Soccer is perhaps the only sports that constantly mention two other legitimate sports in the same breath - diving and handball.

Allegiance 

After an almost complete clear-out of the long-serving backroom staff of my beloved Manchester United, I began to re-examine where my allegiance lies since the millionaire players come and go as well. And I discover that I'm actually a die-hard fan of the club crest, the mascot and the colour red being the only constant elements over the decade.

Small talk

The foolproof way to prove you are a fool, is to make small talk with your colleague on his soccer team after it was thrashed by its bitter rival. Only the closest friends and fellow die-hard fans can discuss on the agony of defeat. For the rest, I'll recommend sticking to the weather.

Favourite lines

 My family's favourite lines during a soccer match which can all be answered with "the players know ten times better"
1. He should have scored/passed/tackled from his position.
2. One goal cushion is not enough.
3. The goalpost is right in front, why did he aim for the sky?
4. He is marked, why they still pass to him? (For attacking teams)
5. What a stupid goal, why didn't they mark him? (For defending teams)