EDitorial ± 9-Jun-2006
World Cup 2006, Day 1
As the cover of tonight's Evening Star says, It's Finally Here. Off to a spirit
of '66 start with the office sweepstake as my name came out with ... England.
Betrayed my feelings with a small sigh: yes, wouldn't it be lovely if they
could, whisper it, win the thing, for (a) the nation and (b) my cashflow, but
shall we get a collective Tord Grip? May I lightly saute my words with a
soupcon of soy sauce. And unlike the majority of my colleagues, there was no
dashing off to Google Images to find a
flag
-- oh look, there's the car park.
Watched the BBC World Cup ticker count down to 0 days 0 hours 0 minutes to go,
then hopped on the bike bound for home. Quarter past five, I passed a man in
his car who was suddenly laughing to himself: a-ha, Costa Rica must have
scored against Das Host Nation. Indeed they had, albeit an equaliser.
Impolite to head straight for the Idiot's Lantern since Eldest safely back
from year 6's Herne Bay week away. On their first night away from their loving
parents & guardians, some of the girls and most of the boys
had enjoyed a good sob, apparently. Bless 'em. So no sight of live WC action
until the final half hour, by which time Germany 3-1 up, blast.
Costa Rican manager's stick of rock tie something to see, as was Wanchope's
composure in front of goal. Put me in that same situation on a Tuesday
lunchtime and I go to bits. That's why I'm in IT and not affiliated to the FA.
Even better was the reunified team's 4th goal, a blockbusting Arie Haanesque
whoomph of a shot. Awesome, and even better in the umpteen slo-mo replays that
followed.
Duller start for the altitudinous Ecuador v. the magnetic Poles.
Enlivened by The Boy doing his "I can't get to sleep" spiel, thus joining us on
the sofa. Seeing a Macdonalds board among the many pitchside hoardings, he
asked: "Is that all places to go for tea?"
As Gene Pitney might have sung, only 15 hours to Paraguay, the landlocked
cassava-eating nation that still has a coastguard.