IT’S NOT JUST A GAME !

PASSION. One of the first things that is associated with sports. It is the common ground that unites players, fans, families and even nations. To a nation like Brazil or England, it’s football. In India, it’s cricket. The list goes on.

It is not uncommon for players and fans to feel dejected, angry and even cry when their team loses. Statement like “It’s just a game lah” irks me more than anything else. It’s not just a game! It’s the underlying sense of belonging and passion that inspires all fans to throng the stadiums in waves and to stay up late to cheer for their teams. For the players, it’s their reason to fight for the shirt. Just ask Wayne Rooney or the likes of Dato’ Soh Chin Aun, James Wong and Santokh Singh (and many more) closer to home. Everyone needs inspiration in life, some take it from books, some from historic events, some from personal life and some like me, from our teams. Everyone has ideals and for us it is our team. It’s not just Liverpool or Manchester United, it’s a part of our lives.

For example, there is more to football than 22 players on the field. It’s the fans and people behind the scenes who make the football experience possible. From the stadium keeper to the fans, from the players to the security guards. In the ongoing world cup, we see passionate fans from all over the world paint their faces, show up with colourful outfits to shout and cheer for their teams. The buzzing sound of the vuvezelas add excitement to the fiesta. Imagine if it’s just a game. There will be 22 players kicking the ball about without any sense of purpose. There’s no reason for fans to throng the stadiums or stay up late and for some miss school or work.  The world cup is one of the largest parties (if not largest) and the world celebrates together regardless of race, colour or religion.

Yes, it can be sometimes amusing or bewildering for people to understand why adults would cry and mourn over a match but then again, that’s the craze of the game. How else would you see a large numbers of adults crying at the same time? Best part of it, they couldn’t be bothered if you caught them in the act.

These games are more than a form of entertainment, they are a part of our lives and it does not feel good when someone says “aiyor, it’s just a game lar”. Of course, for someone who does not share the passion, it may certainly be difficult to understand the emotion. We all have some form of passion in our lives, so why is it that difficult to understand that a game can be more than just a recluse from the tensions of life. On a bigger picture, the game has many times proved to unite nations and break barriers far more effective than a bunch of people trying to solve things over meetings or using violence. Now you tell me, if it’s just a game.