Last night I couldn't help but reflect on the feast of sport we've been indulged with over the past 3 months... First half of India landed unexpectedly on our shores, were welcomed with open arms and jam-packed stadiums and put on a great show. Then the circus moved to England where the T20 world cup saw Pakistan, a country with huge internal strife at the moment, rise above the odds and capture their first major sporting trophy in over a decade. All the while the Super 14 was drawing to a dramatic finish up in Loftus, with crazy dutch-saffers giving English soccer hooligans a run for their money. As I write, up in the mountains of France, a living legend is making his return to the Tour de France, adding another chapter to what is already an inspirational story of determination and courage. But there were three stories in particular that motivated me to blog today.
Last month, South Africa hosted what has become known as the 'dress rehearsal' for the soccer world cup, the Fifa Confederations Cup. To be modest... the event was a huge success. Finally South Africa was able to prove to the world what we saffers have known all along, that we are as capable of hosting and delivering a world class event as anyone else. Words cannot express my pride and my delight at being able to laugh in the face of those nay-sayers who insisted that the world cup would have to be moved because Africans couldn't possibly handle such a task. For those reading this from outside of Africa, you should know that there is a general buzz of excitement thoughout all of Africa, on the streets, in the offices, in the schools... The effect that this tournament is having is amazing to watch. Excuse the miserable cliché, but SA is truly emerging from its coccoon. The added bonus? The cherry on the cake? The performance of our Bafana Bafana! I will gladly put up with the heartache of a hundred last minute losses, just to see a country once again fully behind their team with a genuine belief that they can succeed.
Now on Saturday, the Lions tour to SA came to an end. This is an event that only takes place once every 12 years (I struggle to think of any sporting competition with such a gap between events) and therefore is looked forward to with great anticipation. But I for one was actually really glad to see it end. Now I know this is far from a popular opinion, but to me this rugby tour represented everything that is wrong with sport. From obnoxious foreign press, to arrogant and intolerant coaches, to foul play and accusations of foul play, ignorant and offensive comments from players, accusations of racism, bitching about referees... the list goes on. As an all round sport fan, it actually pained me to watch this tour unfold on and off the field. If I were absolutely ignorant and was forced to judge all professional sport based on the evidence of this series, I'd never watch sport again.
Lets end on a positive note (in fact my inspiration for blogging today). Yesterday I settled into what's left of my couch at 3pm to watch what I expected to be a 1h30min Federer festival. What I witnessed instead was an epic afternoon of tennis. As I sat through the 90-odd minutes that was the final set, I couldn't help but remember the 2008 Wimbledon final, a match that many call the finest of the modern era. Federer is now in my mind the greatest player that ever lived and barring Andre Agassi my favourite player of all time, but after seeing the determination to win, the courage to fight and the way he was gracious in defeat, I am now a Andy Roddick fan. Days such as these are few and far between, but yesterday I really wished we didn't have a need for a winner and a loser in professional sport.
But yesterday was more than a great game of tennis, it was a great display of sportsmanship. The players, the officials and particularly the crowd... there was just this emotion, this aura around that tennis court that was plain to see, even on a television set thousands of miles away. That's precisely what I love about sport, that's why I'll wake up at 6am on a Sunday to watch F1, that's why I'll go watch any live cricket at Newlands, that's why I pay a ridiculous monthly fee for satellite tv, for the magic and the power of sport. Nothing else on earth has the power to unite people of all races, cultures and creeds... Just you wait till next year, bring on 2010!
Lets end on a positive note (in fact my inspiration for blogging today). Yesterday I settled into what's left of my couch at 3pm to watch what I expected to be a 1h30min Federer festival. What I witnessed instead was an epic afternoon of tennis. As I sat through the 90-odd minutes that was the final set, I couldn't help but remember the 2008 Wimbledon final, a match that many call the finest of the modern era. Federer is now in my mind the greatest player that ever lived and barring Andre Agassi my favourite player of all time, but after seeing the determination to win, the courage to fight and the way he was gracious in defeat, I am now a Andy Roddick fan. Days such as these are few and far between, but yesterday I really wished we didn't have a need for a winner and a loser in professional sport.
But yesterday was more than a great game of tennis, it was a great display of sportsmanship. The players, the officials and particularly the crowd... there was just this emotion, this aura around that tennis court that was plain to see, even on a television set thousands of miles away. That's precisely what I love about sport, that's why I'll wake up at 6am on a Sunday to watch F1, that's why I'll go watch any live cricket at Newlands, that's why I pay a ridiculous monthly fee for satellite tv, for the magic and the power of sport. Nothing else on earth has the power to unite people of all races, cultures and creeds... Just you wait till next year, bring on 2010!
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