The gods must be crazy

Being under British rule for hundreds of years, it's easy to understand why Singaporeans have a strong association for anything British. This city state has adopted their kind of English (though not successfully with the accent), kind of government and all their sports, like Cricket, Polo, Hockey, Rugby and of course, Football– to name some.

Passion and adrenaline together with beer is a constant companion for every true blue sports-loving individual. And every time we see a team we support do their tricks and dominate their foes with assaults as if these were the 300 men from Sparta, we twitch, we sweat, and with every goal or point earned through fire we feel an indescribable surge of feeling that I swear could even be better than sex. Yet when your support is at the losing end of the game, you pay the price of investing your feelings to these teams. And God knows it's hefty.

Just last week every sports- loving people here is on buzz because England has been fighting on all fronts of sports lately. The Star- studded Football Team were to face Russia for a spot in next year's FIFA EURO 2008 (the second most prestigious tournament in Football just next to the World Cup); The under-rated England Rugby Team made it to the Rugby World Cup finals and will duel with South Africa for the ultimate glory of Rugby world; and of course, Brit Lewis Hamilton is poised to become the youngest and first ever rookie to win the Formula 1 crown.

Yet it seem that the gods of sports has been conspiring to block these almost fated destiny of victories because after Sunday, every heart of fans supporting the England team are left in tatters. The Steven Gerrard- led Football team failed to beat Russia, The Johny Wilkinson-starred Rugby team was crushed by South Africa, and Lewis Hamilton had an Engine malfunction and finished only 7th in the F1race at Interlagos to hand Ferrari and Kimi Raikonen the World title. 

At the bar where I watched the Rugby match, everyone were silent. Some England die hards and Ang Mohs (british people) were in tears, some were cursing while some just sighed.I dropped my almost empty mug on the table, stood, and began that hollowed, empty, lonely walk home.