What the Hell Zidanne!

I’m in shock. What the hell was Zidanne thinking? An experienced player. Team captain. About to retire. It’s the freaking World Cup Finals for crying out damn loud! What the hell!!!

I want a French man!!!!!!

I think I want a French man for my husband. Did y’all see the tight hugs those French footballers were giving each other on the field? No machismo knocking of fists the way our Jamaican/Caribbean men love to do, no quick hug, slap on the back. Those guys were hugging the life out of each other. Tight!!!! And kissing without a self-conscious thought. And if they treat their male friends like that, can you just imagine having a french lover? hmmm. I remember one New Year eve while hanging out in England with a few engineering students from my University. There were a couple male students from the Caribbean (one of whom I was seeing), a couple female (don’t remember what country they hailed from) and their french class-mate. The magical hour came by and we were all hugging each other. Frenchy went to each of the female in the group (myself included) and did a two cheek kiss and we thought ok fine, that’s what people do at New Year’s Eve, kiss and hug. Can you imagine our shock when we saw him approaching the males in the group to do the same thing!! Hehe, that was so funny. Needless to say the caribbean males all scattered with strong protests of “Yeah, yeah, Happy New Year, we cool, we no waan no kiss.” I think I warned him then not visit Jamaica any New Year’s Eve. Can you just imagine Frenchy clutching one of our ruff-neck males to plant one on him. Hehehe.

The other thing that I wonder all the time, also discussed with my male friends, don’t they feel pressured? You know, not being able to express any kind of affection. And no, I absolutely don’t believe that our caribbean men never ever felt a non-sexual, tender feeling for their male friends. I have girl-friends who I love like my family and frequently tell them so, and have no problem expressing my affection, by a hug, kiss on the forehead etc. I’ve watched my male English relatives greet their male relatives and friends and it’s the same thing, hugs, mock kisses (Ok yes, it was a little strange to me too in some instants. And while I have heard that I have a famous gay designer cousin who lives in Paris, I have no reason to believe that these cousins are gay, some are even rough-neck-like. In Jamaica, the men don’t even want to hug their own sons. So ridiculous! The males socialized from a tender age to shun any form of body contact with other males.

I went to a birthday party once, and while the adults were sitting around chatting and the bigger children busy stuffing their faces, or playing in the bounce-about, two male toddlers spied each other and made a beeline towards each other. One then puckered up and planted a kiss on the other. You should hear the shouts of the males around “Wha dat? none a dat! Fire bun.” The babies were quickly separated and directed to more acceptable activities.

I wonder if that accounts for the aggression in our males. All that pent-up emotions that they can’t release for fear of being labelled. It’s insecurity that fuels the so-called homophobia in our society I think. As one article I read said, it’s a phobia alright. But it’s not a fear of gays, it’s a fear of being labelled as one.

Next Life - I’ll be a footballer

I have to post about this. I’m watching penalty shoot out between England and Portugal as I write. It must be a most horrible thing for a footballer when his team reaches penalty stage. For one, a well-played match comes to nought when you lose on penalty. Then two, where do yo

Oh My God!! England is going home!!!! Oh No!!!!! Christiana Ronaldo from Portugal had the decisive kick. Oh No, this is too sad!!! Oh Jeez. Sigh.

Gosh, football brings out so much emotions in big grown men. Especially at this level. I think it’s harder on the team to get knocked out at this level. It’s like last year I got 74% on an exam where the pass-mark is 75% and I was really pissed. I don’t think I would have felt so bad if I had gotten say 60%.

So anyway, as I was saying up top, where does the footballer who misses the penalty look? I’m watching the players who missed walk back and you could see the embarassment etched on their faces. It’s like they don’t know where to turn their heads. Awwww, poor things.

It’s just sad. I was really rooting for England to win this match. Players in tears (never mind my dear Rio, you’ll have another chance in 2010). Oh, it’s sad.

You know football is the one game that I wished that I had the opportunity to play in High School. They didn’t have girl football teams until after I left. Life is unfair. But I remember while at the Manning Cup matches during high school, feeling a little embarrassed because I got so agitated during the matches and my feet would kick involuntarily as if I’m on the field. Whenever that happened, I’d look around furtively to see if there was any witness to my wierdness. I didn’t think there was any female (or male for that matter) who was similarly affected by the game progressing on the field. lol. It’s seem funny reminiscing now, but I’d even be moving my head (as if getting an header). I must have been an amusing sight if anyone had time to observe anything else outside of the action on field. Ah well.

Damn them all!!!!

Damn Argentina. Damn them for losing. Damn Germany for beating them. They’ll get their just rewards later when they meet my other favourite - Brazil. No one messes with my South American teams. Damn FIFA for putting on this nerve-wracking, anxiety-inducing, tension-filled and totally enjoyable (especially if your team is winning) competition. Damn the German fans who laughed in my face today. Damn everyone who looked askance when they heard I was supporting Argentina.
Damn them all!!!

I luuuuuuv World Cup Football!

I’m totally nervous about this part of the world cup because it means 1. the possibility of one of my favourite team being knocked out 2. The world cup is coming to an end 3. It might be the last time I see some of the really good players (eg. Zidane). Today’s match will be particularly nerve wracking since one of my favourite team is playing - Go Argentina. I have been an Argentina fan since I first became interested in football at the World Cup Level (6th form days) and Maradonna was the hottest player around. I remember bawling along with him in 1990 when Argentina lost to West Germany. So today my prayers are with the Argentina team.

Tomorrow it’s Brazil and France, another edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting match. Brazil is another team that I (along with the rest of Jamaica and the world) love. Oh, that Ronaldino, hair flashing behind him as he chases the ball. sigh. Ok, I know at this point you’re probably thinking that it’s not about football, but dam, just because I’m watching the beautiful game, doesn’t mean I’m blind to everything else. And I’m a girl er woman afterall But I digress, my choice for finalists are Argentina and Brazil. And you know that would be a humdinger of a match. Damn, I’m salivating just thinking about it. So no, I really want the games to go on but I don’t want it to end.

Anyway, I don’t expect my boys to let me down today (Goooooo Argentiiiiiiiiinaaaaaa!!!) but I’ll be one nervous wreck today.

Viva Soca Warriors

I’ve been meaning to blog about the world cup for some time now but what with being consumed with the game, keeping scores, having heated discussions and all that, just couldn’t find the time. I have read all these different articles in the newspapers written by men warning their women, wives, girlfriends, daughters etc, not to interfere/interrrupt/bother them while the world cup is on and that could have been me writing. I would happily sit down all day just watcing the three matches but alas I have to work. At the start of the competition, I rushed out and bought a small tv to put in my office so I didn’t have to miss anything. I could watch each match from the privacy of my office while doing work at the same time (or rather appear to be). Sadly that hasn’t happened. The tv sits on top of my filing cabinet mute. The reception is so bad that it’s pointless watching it. So whenever there is an absolutely can’t-miss match (eg. soca-warriors, brazil etc) I pop downstairs.

I just read basschocolate’s post on the world cup Land of the ‘Badmind’
where he noted that he was pissed that people in his office seem to be happy that Trinidad is out and that is so sad.

I was just talking to someone about the Soca Warriors and telling them that if I was a born Trini, I couldn’t be any prouder. I feel so very emotional everytime the soca warriors clad in their red, black and white took to the field. I had tears in my eyes, lump in my throat and throughout all their matches I was a mass of nerves.

Whenever they were playing, I was no longer Jamaican, I was a caribbean national, pleased as punch and proud to boot of the team. They were representing the caribbean at the highest level of football and representing us damn well.

So while I can understand wistfully wishing that the reggae boyz were there, I can’t understand anyone from the Caribbean not wishing the Trini team to go as far as possible within the World Cup. I do understand too, there will be comparison to see if the Trinis were going to do better than the Jamaicans did in ‘98.

Talk about caribbean unity..