13:52 - That IS a +++ day!

+ The fairytale isn't over yet: Yesterday the Oilers won 4:3 after extra-time in Carolina, could equalise at home on Saturday and go into a decisive seventh match!
+ I'm just back from the Elephant and Castle - a tough match but England won 2:0, so they're through! And if they don't lose against Sweden and Germany doesn't win against Ecuador we'll have a repetition of the Final of '66 - 40 years later - smashing! Already today atmosphere in the Pub was excellent, although it wasn't packed (after all it's still a working day). And you know what I realised: It doesn't matter at all whether a match is at 10am or at 6pm. As soon as you're inside a pub, have your Beer (which is only served from 10, so a 7am match would miss something), fear and cheer with other supporters, time doesn't matter anymore cause that simply IS the real thing. (Also it was quite funny, during the match it started the rain which I only noticed when leaving the pub. So I said to one of the fans there: "Well, the weather's English now as well." He laughed and answered in deepest English English: "Fucking right. Feel's like home mate.")
+ I've just received my computer ID! Finally! I haven't tried logging in on a "real" computer yet but am confident that finally I'm settled.

PS: Am just working on more text..

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16:10 Sport is all around me....

Nearly a fortnight ago the Edmonton journal featured an article about fan culture titled “What fuels the Oilers fever” - which I only discovered a couple of days ago, because I just don’t find this much time for reading. Buying the news twice or thrice a week is more than often enough! The article didn't come up with spectacularly new findings but still it was an interesting and readable report on socio-psychological aspects of fan culture in general and the Oilers in particular. (Unfortunately I couldn't find it on their website so I can't post a link..)

The article would enrich my vocabulary if I'd manage firstly to memorise and secondly to find opportunities for using terms such as birging and corfing. To birg is an acronym for “Basking In Reflected Glory” (Auf gut Deutsch: Sich in anderer Leute Ruhm sonnen.) and to corf means "Cutting Off Responsibility for Failure". (Auf gut Deutsch: “Ich war’s nicht!”) The basic concept is that if the team wins “we” win (birging) but if the team loses “they” lose (corfing).

Slightly Off Topic: Isn’t it curious how easily they create new words in English? Did you know that the title of that United States anti-terrorism law which is infringing civil liberties is actually not called “Patriot Act” but “USA PATRIOT Act” which is an abbreviation for the full official title “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism”! (Cirka: Einigung und Stärkung Amerikas durch Gewährleistung angemessener Mittel zur Behinderung und Unterbindung des Terrorismus).

That being a sports fan is more important for men than for women is rather a commonplace than a revelation. The Text quotes Joe Queenan (author of: True Believers. The Inner Life of Sports Fans): “It is my honest belief that without sports, the average man would have no emotional life whatsoever.” Well that seems a bit exaggerated to me, but then again, I’m not an average man but the very special one, so how could I know? Still, I agree that in the end being a fan is simply about emotions.

A deep feeling of agreement arouse inside me when I read their paragraph dealing with the difference between the hardcore fan and the bandwagon fan. It’s easy to support a winning team and celebrate the victories. But the real feeling of joy of victory can only feel he who has felt the misery of many defeats. Oh, yes that is so true. Don’t worry, I won’t give you an account on all Barcelona defeats between 1992 and 1996 because this would fill pages. You are save – for now. (In fact already earlier this year have I contemplated that it could be an interesting experience for me to look back, remember and reflect on those nearly 15 past years which constitute more than half of my life. But I think I have to postpone that project until I’m unemployed and have plenty of time.)

Presently I'm wondering how long it will take until there won’t be people with Oilers clothes, cars with Oilers flags and buildings with “Go Oilers Go” posters all around Edmonton if the team doesn't win. I suppose it will take some time - because nobody would want to admit that they mainly joined the hype and that they don't really care about ice hockey – but I'm sure slowly it will all be withering away and only the real cracks will remain faithful.

I understand the hardcore Oilers fans who criticise and reject the bandwagon fans. However, one shouldn't be too strict. It’s nice to be a hardcore fan. It’s fine to be a just normal fan. It’s also OK to be a bandwagon fan. You don’t have to be interested in sports in order to inhale the atmosphere of real fans, to feel (and to some extent share) the thrill and anxiousness and hopes and joy. Sometimes experiencing the fans is more interesting than the sport itself. That is actually my only reason for wanting to go to a Pub while the Oilers are playing. I hope to watch Saturdays match together with Kamilla - the Slovakian Postdoc - and their friends and that they can give me an introduction into North American ice hockey. If that doesn't work I hope to overcome my laziness and go to a Pub all alone. It might be the last chance in this season.. Of course I would never dare to call myself a fan or pretended that I would know anything about ice hockey. People should be honest about their involvement and whether they really care about the sport or rather about the atmosphere.

Although I like soccer I’m perfectly fine with the fact that other people consider it boring or even loath it. That’s perfectly OK to me. My problem is that some people (according to my experience especially women) from time to time seem to feel obliged to pretend that they are interested in soccer although they aren’t and that they try hard to launch very clever remarks, which in reality sound very flat and stupid because in the end it’s not as easy to be an expert even not in something as trivial as soccer. Trivial? Oh no, I suppose that was utter blasphemy!

I have to admit that - partly due to the exam related short preparation time - I'm still struggling to memorise which team is in which group and with whom and all that. David’s brain on the contrary seems to have saved most of recent World Cup history and he knows all the main players’ clubs and all that. I don't. I’m enjoying the thrilling atmosphere and of course the interesting matches but I'm not too interested in data, statistics and background stories. Still I would call myself a soccer fan. I think it's just a different attitude towards it. I am feeling soccer not thinking it.

I would like to end with a sincere plea to everybody who is not an everyday soccer fans but maybe just big event fan. That is perfectly OK. Enjoy the event, enjoy watching in company, enjoy the atmosphere if you want to, ask questions if you’re truly interested. But please, don’t try to pretend being something that you aren’t. That is just annoying.

Yesterday during the Poland match I've experienced probably the worst transgression ever and – to contradict all clichés - the sinner was a man. That expert claimed: “You know, it will be pretty tough for Holland in their group. I’m not sure whether they can overcome the Netherlands.” Neither am I, it will certainly be tough for them, especially because they will be facing the Oranjes in their last match. And listen up, there are a couple of other top matches on the schedule which you shouldn't miss: Italy had no problems in their opener and I’m quite optimistic that they will rout the Squadra Azurra. In contrast, France only achieved a goalless tie, so I expect their crucial match against Les Bleus will be dramatic. Brazil's first 90 minutes were not really convincing but they are a strong team and I’m sure they’ll show us some of their tricks against the Selecao.

Keep it real!