I'm a girl, true (and girls don't know much about football, quite so).
I write in English, it's a fact.
I wasn't born in this country (tough luck, there's nothing I can do about it).
I think, feel, write and speak about the negative things of this country (right 90% of times).
But if there's something I am is patriotic!
I listen to the national anthem (composed by a German, by the way) and I get goose skin all over. It's cathartic. And I proudly say that there's no Marseillese, no God Save the Queen, no Deutschland über alles that sounds as powerful or beautiful as our Portuguesa. That's is why I feel I've been cheated on my feelings.
I watched the game, just as I watch all important games, and I didn't like it one bit. I don't care about strategy, opportunities, luck, technicalities and I couldn't care less. Let experts talk about all that. All I care is that, from my perspective, this was taken light-heartedly.
I'm very happy we've made it to Euro 08 (and even happier that the English didn't - cherry on top of the cake! Sorry for the chauvinism). But we could have made it better. We could have been the best. We could have been grand. And all we were was average.
We're talking about highly-skilled professionals who are princely paid to do what they do, the least we can expect is professionalism. (I should say, the least we can ask of them, is professionalism). And I sure as hell can't tolerate that someone who gets paid to serve our interests (also magnanimously paid) comes with arrogance at us. I do not admit such lack of respect. And besides, just out of politeness at least, there are things we can think and not verbalise, specially when we're public figures or serve national causes.
Everybody can, and should, obviously, be happy we qualified. I just don't like it when people don't give their best. I feel disrespected as a citizen that tries her best each day together with millions of other fellow citizens.
To lose after a good fight is honourable (I remember when we lost against France back in the 80s when Platini still played, don't remember the year, but I was about 10 or so and that was a great, vibrant, exciting game, we really played our best and it was probably the first time I felt what patriotism means). To qualify just because, well... we just barely made it.
26 comentários:
Barely, that resume it all. May that carry humbleness to our team when in the heart of the hurt.
Dear Joshua,
Yes, I also think they should be humble! Professional and humble!
Era só o que faltava! Uma americana a querer apropriar-se da nossa selecção! Alto aí Bush de saias!
Tu até podes gostar dos portugueses (e ainda não me conheces), até podes gostar de ter nascido em Portugal (essa não percebo, mas está bem), agora a Portuguesa e a selecção são nossas. Ok?
Dear Antonio,
I never said I was American:)
But "Bush de saias" is a knock out! (lol)
And man, sharing is such a beautiful thing...
Gosh, Miss Blonde.
I never thought you were born in some other country, but seems to me you aren´t american.
It's easy, if one really knows english the way you write is a good sign that you are not american.
But what really amazed me was knowing that you love to see the major soccer games. Now that's something that let me knock out.
It was like beig punched by the great Ali!
An english speaking blonde (but I bet you speak other languages too, either than portuguese, english and german), sitting on the couch seeing soccer... man!
If you don´t mind I'm going to get you a Beck's or an Heineken... fresh and cool.
Between you and me, I was also glad brits didn´t make it.
Dear Quinn,
I looooooove a good match!And thanks for the offer, but either lager would make me k.o. in an instant. Now if we talk cherry-flavoured beer that's a different story...
Mon chèr, quand on aime des langages avec une si grande passion qu'est-ce qu'on peut dire? Parfois il y a des mots qu'aucun silence peut effacer...
Hi "blondie"...
Even that match wasn´t so good, we´ve passed to the next level :)
and that´s ok...
Now we´ve to celebrate this fact...
KiSsES
-I think you are Australian, but aussies don' t like football. So, the important thing, is Portugal on Euro 08, England out. By the way, portuguesa, composed by Alfredo Keil, wasn't always the national empton, is older than republican revolution.
Ok, retiro a parte de seres americana, mas assim não posso usar a piada do Bush e ficamos a perder...
Continuo a não perceber porque é que gostarias de ter nascido por cá...
I'm laughing... wild guessing...
Dear Nuno,
Of course this is time to celebrate! Better this than nothing!
Dear Antonio de Almeida,
Funny, I was almost born Down Under! But nope, I'm not Australian!
Yes, the anthem was composed during the crisis of the British Ultimatum, when we were forced to move out of the Chire Valley in East Africa. And the original lyrics was anti-British: "Contra os Bretões marchar, marchar!"
Dear Antonio,
That Bush with skirts things was a treat! Me, an anti-Bush militant! I laughed to tears!
Because of bureaucracies I wouldn't mind having been born here, I would save a lot of money in paperwork!
Quinn,
Guess you folks will have to keep guessing... ;)
We never know what the Bush inside of us is doing…
Antonio,
I'd change my Bush for a Clinton gladly!
Dearest Blue,
I promise I behave in my comments in Conversas, cross my heart!
Oh, let them guess as much as they want...
I corroborate: Long live Portugal!
Blonde, trust me: no difference! It's never the clown who runs the circus.
Blue, so “isto de mulheres louras, inteligentes e misteriosas”? I see, Blonde is an alien!
Between an António and a Blonde, I'll stick to the Blonde. At least she likes Clinton. As a President.
My dearest blonde,
This here's getting hotter by the minute...
I enjoy watching a good match, even better if I'm at the stadium, but I've got a thing for the rugby matches and this year I have my belly full with the wolves at the world championship.
Thing is, matches aren't all alike. From my experience as a rugby player (at the national championship level) there's no comparison between matches. sometimes we played against one team and it was the most beautiful match. The better the teams, the better the match. But then, if the team playing against us wasn't playing all that well, or by any chance our team lacked one of the key players, or the usual team wasn't playing that meant a huge difference in our game.
I don't really blame the coach (we've got to remind ourselves that so many players had to be called on short notice and there's a certain time you have to give a team to feal like a team, for the players to trust each other, for them to know exactly what the other is going to do just by looking at him). You don't have a team just by putting the guys together once and awhile. They have to be together for awhile, they have to practice the plays over and over again before they can really trust each other and then, you have to count on luck and adversity.
I don't judge them anymore... not because I think they don't have to give their 100% full time.
It's just because you can't really give your best if you haven't been given the time to practice your best. They're all football stars, the best players you could possibly put together, but miracles don't happen overnight. They have to be worked upon, you have to practice together, you have to guess what the other is going to do in such situation.
That's why sometimes they shoot thinking their mate is going to catch the ball, but the other wasn't aware that the ball was for him... their not stupid... they just don't trust each other on the field, they don't know each other's game on the field. Not the same watching as playing... Not the same at all!
Dear Antonio,
Alien and alienated! (oh, oh, I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien, la la la)
Quinn,
You're a sweetie!
Dear Indomável,
I know, don't think I don't. And by the way, I've never seen anything like the way those boys sang the anthem... wow!
I also know, it's quite easy for me to judge, but, again, we deserved better.
Blue,
Welcome aboard!
Blondie,
I didn't mean it's easy for us to judge... sorry if I gave that impression...
And, yes... we do deserve more than what was given to us. But... I still believe they were just saving the best for last!
De todas as respostas a que mais me magou foi a do Quint, mas enfim, também pertence ao Clinton Club!
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