World Cup Nonsense

[El Gordo]

I heard something on Radio 5 Live this morning that resonated with me: "Football is my religion, and the World Cup is Christmas".

With my threadbare intellectual hat on (and after a few beers it's at a pretty jaunty angle), I should remind myself that I hate religion of any sort, and the way it forces its victims into irrational surrender. And yet, and yet I liked that remark, and it made me think about my own cerebral weakness for the beertiful game.

And like more conventional religions, it's all to do with potty training; what you learn on your mother's knee. 1966, as a kid, I went to a school literally across the way from Wembley Stadium. The 66 World Cup started before the end of term, and we were impressionable grist to the football mill. Life would never be the same.

And for these reasons, I understand MLCM's remarks, and thank him for them. He's dead right not to succumb to the hysteria, because devotion like this cannot be absorbed over a weekend or two. Football to me is what cricket is to him. It's internal, hard-won personal culture. Fair play to the man, I admire his honesty. And when I look at cricket and rugby, I totally understand where he's coming from. Cricket was something that I tripped over (literally, but that's another tale.... ) as an adult. It was never going to sink in properly.

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Crikey, is that the time? Only minus 1 minute till the next game. Must dash once again.

Happy Christmas everyone. Hope we get the presents we yearn for.