Tackling Soccer.

Deep Breath. I have really mixed feelings towards soccer. I like the game, but I think it's overrated. I consider myself to be ahlawya and at the same time I have minimal information about the players. But what dazzles me the most is how phenomenal it is. People get really fanatic about soccer. That's the part I don't get. It is a game after all. Games are supposed to be fun, and if your team is losing, you shouldn't really get THAT upset. Of course you might accuse me of being an ahlawaya and we haven't lost that much recently. But again the fact still holds itself. It's a damn game.

Here are some points I just want to spill out concerning soccer, they are unrelated and have almost nothing in common except that they are all about, well, soccer! Here it goes:

1- My father hates it when there is an Ahly Vs. 3afreet azra2 is playing. We live on a street where it turns into a celebration playground every time ElAhly wins (which of course is frequent). You have to hear him say " Ya Rab el Ahly ye7'sar" every time. When I ask him "mesh ento konto bet3meloh keda zaman?" He says "Aywa, and it was stupid..people should grow out of it".

2- Whenever I get the slightest chance of watching games in other leagues: English, Italian or whatever, I feel how pathetic we play. Watching Egyptian soccer players and comparing them to those guys gives you much more than hint why are we still "ma7allak serr".
They play with passion for goodness sake, they are professional and they are always after the ball until the last possible chance. They don't give up any ball. If it bounces back, they try again and again. They have no problem "yer2assoh el koora" on the verge of the playground. Minimal lost chances. They really put their best. They know what "team spirit" is all about. Maybe they hate each other we never know. They are professional enough to play "together".

When you watch an Egyptian match, you feel that the players are running "bel3afya".Ma7adesh taye2 nafsoh. Shadd w za2 w fouls lel sob7. Players are generally fighting not playing. Every one wants to run with the ball as long as possible wala ka2enno captain maged. And when anything goes wrong, there is always the coach to blame.

3- Why the exaggeration? whether a team lost or won. There is always an exaggeration in the display of emotions. I truly believe that people are very desperate that they just want to enjoy even the slightest victories. Even if it's a trivial football match. They want to feel any kind of triumph, achievement and power. Bass deh teb2a moseeba! I mean if the whole country(with all its classes, backgrounds and differences)has nothing to celebrate except a football match, something is definitely wrong. No, everything is wrong. Isn't there anything more important or precious in these people's lives that they can celebrate or grief together? Nothing to unite the people except "mont7'abna el watany"? Okay, it's a nice notion that sports in general unite people and all that, But still. It shouldnt be the ONE & ONLY thing that get people EXTREMELY happy or EXTREMELY sad.

4- There is something I don't get at all. Maybe its a "guy thing" but I just can't get it. The TV shows talking about a soccer game or player or whatever. They talk about the most trivial things in the the most serious tones and attitudes. Why do people care whether this guy or another didn't like the defense tactics of the team? I watched the match. I can tell for myself. Who cares what does he expect to happen in the 2nd half? Why is it important? Why there is a huge base of audience of these shows I really can't understand! Allak el koora ma3 dream.

5- w a7ebb fel a7'er a2ool alf alf alf mabrook le Kaka w Messi w Ronaldo 3ala el laqab el sanady, w dayman keda ya Rab raf3een rass el 3alam el talet. 3o2bal keda 7add men 3andena.. 7'ally el nass tefra7!