as I watched football ...

No, not American football, the worldwide sport that everyone plays ...
diving - sorry - Kingsman
pet peeves Monday 019 & misc list 072

Well, it is just appropriate that I was watching a game of football as I begin to write this entry. I love watching this beautiful game but if you're like me, certainly you can see its blemishes when you look deeper, right? I keep on going back to this saying of "rugby is a rough sport played by gentlemen while football is a delicate sport played by delinquents" ... or something close to that nature:

#052: you're playing on the field, not water

This is the biggest and saddest thing plaguing the game in the most recent times: diving. I know that when it is applied at the strategic places, it is a opportunity to turn the game around but I can't in my good conscience ever justify cheating over pure hardworking and since these are all athletes that work their butts off to get on the field in the first place, why would you look past professionalism and be the one to be known as the cheater? When you exaggerate the contact you received from the opposing side's player, sometimes they do to too over-the-top or even going to the opposite side that I will be livid to see the referees being fooled in the heat of the moment.

#053: admit your mistake

I am being more of a gentle soul here since it won't matter to the result of the game but rather just the disrespect shown to the other players and the officials. When a player miss the timing of his tackle and injure the opponent, be a gentleman and admit your mistake and try to tend to the injury you caused. When your imperfect pass cause the opposing team to score, admit your mistake and apologize to your teammates. When you got caught roughing up the other guys, admit your childish indiscretion and if you got booked for it, well it's your fault for costing your team a deficit in numbers. Don't scream at the referee and push him for your own stupidity. He's doing his job by highlighting you for not doing your job properly.

#054: manners maketh man

Looking back to the previous points, I guess I can emphasize them with this broad and inclusive urge for all the players to be professional on the field and respect the fellow athletes and the game itself. I always approve of them helping each other getting themselves back on their feet or giving each other a pat of approval for a job well done for example since they overshadow these minor negatives in a sea of positives. Having them all greet each other with handshakes at the start and at the end of each game is not mere theatricality but rather embedded in their core personalities, at least for most of them. I was appalled to see the recent friendly between our country with UAE ended in such a horror of falling dominoes one after another after admittedly a well played game. Both sides were at fault that day and I hope they learned from their mistakes. Be a gentleman (or gentlewoman? or a lady?), don't be a troublemaker.

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Well, that's all folks! Thank you for your time and please do come back for my future posts! :-)