Football Fever

For the present month, many of us have turned couch potatoes and no one's complaining.
Reason:
Of course is the ongoing FIFA world cup matches.

We can safely watch these matches since India is not participating- safely because we need not fear spikes of blood pressure or irregular heart rhythms commonly experienced when watching the Indian team play cricket. A sore throat is a possible hazard for those watching at home as we join the thousands in the stadia in South Africa to cheer Messi or Ronaldo as they surge ahead towards the goal. Initially I was foxed with the persistent hum only to realise it was from the vuvuzela. This article and this one helpfully suggest ways to protect our ears from losing their powers...

The surprising factor is that women have sacrificed their usual serials in favour of these matches. Its not surprising to hear an over sixty-year old grandma discuss her favourite football star with her twenty something granddaughter!! Several ads now cast their product on a football background hoping to leverage this fever and boost sales. Does it work? Don't know- you have to ask the marketing wizards for an answer...

Personally I love the 'break-free' 45-minute adrenalin-charged session as the footballers magically move the ball around the field. While many are extremely dexterous in gaining possession of the ball others often push, shove, pull, kick the opponent player in an at-times no-holds barred play. The referee runs in promptly to take care of any such incident flashing the yellow or dreaded red card. Each referee in the current event seems an extremely tough guy and able to see through if the player apparently writhing in pain is really hurt or not... Their gestures to get him back on his feet brook no argument.

I was surprised to see them pencil in punishments awarded in a small notebook. No fancy hand held gizmos Thank You! Obviously in such a fast paced game the human eye may not be able to keep with the motion which can create controversy if a goal was indeed a goal or not. FIFA is said to be averse to using technology saying ‘‘Errors should be a part of the game.’’

Read this article about a new high tech football that can actually sense if it has crossed into the goal!! Wow!

This has been a longer than usual post and I must stop lest your attention wanders. We have two more weeks of Football Fever to contend with so the dialogue can continue.
Cheers!