Saturday, June 14, 2008

A temporary nationalist


“Those fuckin’ assholes.

Those imbeciles, screw them”

These words sounded loudly in an area as much as about 2 miles around the rancho Punta Boca del Salado yesterday.
Obviously someone at the rancho was very upset about something.
Screaming at the tops of his lunges.

What was going on that caused someone to scream this language more likely heard in certain neighbourhoods of Chicago?

Yesterday was the important soccer match between the Netherlands and France.
This for the European championships for national teams.
After the Dutch team had beaten the strong Italians with 3-0 some days ago, expectations were high to see another fantastic match.
France has been World champion and recently Vice-World champion and plays excellent soccer.
But the Dutch demonstrated against the Italians that they have invented a new version of the “Mechanical Orange”.
Experts will know that the “Mechanical Orange” is a certain style and tactic of playing football that is new and innovative.
And spectacular to see.

Hence, the match of the Netherlands against France was highly anticipated by football lovers worldwide and that included the nomadic photographer.
Who could see the match on the small TV of the Gonzales family at Rancho Punta Boca del Salado.

The terrible anger came when after five minutes in the match, the program was abruptly interrupted for commercials.
That is worse than a blasphemy.
It is the most awful thing a TV company can do.
The football fans will hate the TV channel and the products of the commercials forever.
It was ESPN where this happened and never before has such brutality been experienced.
And of course, right during the first commercial, the team from the Netherlands scored their first goal.
Millions and millions of people were not able to witness this fabulous goal just because of some stupid commercial.

Ketcha Gonzales was amused by the outbreak of emotions and anger of their photographic friend.
She likes men that have temperament.

But the excitement about the fabulous match was poisoned by these commercials that came back a few times.

It is amazing that the decision was made to interrupt a soccer match to show commercials.
They know that everybody hates that.
That it is counterproductive.
That it leads to boycotting of the products advertised.

In most civilised countries they never show commercials during the match.
They may have logos and banners but the viewers can always follow the game without being interrupted.

This is vital.
Contrary to sports like baseball and basketball, any second something important can happen in a soccer match.
This is why baseball and basketball are so popular in the United States and hardly anywhere else.
Because most of the time in baseball nothing is happening.
And in basketball there are constantly time outs.
Therefore there is plenty of time to show commercials.
Hence, baseball and basketball are made popular on TV in the USA because it generates money.

With soccer this cannot be done and this explains why the poor Norte Americanos have no idea how spectacular soccer can be.

Meanwhile the Fuso Szulc cannot move until the 29th of June.
This is the day the final of the European Championships of soccer for national teams will take place in Vienna, Austria.
There is a high chance the team of the Netherlands will play in that final.
There is no other option then to stay at Punta Boca del Salado and with the Gonzales family to share with them this fascinating tournament.

It is rare to see football of this high level.
And the 25 % Dutch ancestry makes a temporary nationalist and deeper involvement.
France was beaten by the Netherlands by 4 – 1.





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