Sports Loyalty pt 1

If I am proud of one thing is the fact that I am a true fan. I support my teams through the best of times and through the very worst. As an avid Arsenal fan (offically since 1998) i´ve developed the ¨natural¨ dislike (since I don´t want to use the word hatred) towards teams like Manchester United, Tottenham and horrendous Chelseá, with only Man U having actual history and my RESPECT. Grant it, there are a few players in those teams that I really like but overall I can´t stand them.

My loyalty extends to all the sports and teams I follow: atlanta braves, SA spurs (not tottenham.... the basketball team) , SF 49ers, etc etc. Here in Venezuela most people follow baseball, and the team I support Navegantes del Magallanes, has a bitter rival like any other team: Leones de Caracas. I am from Caracas but for some reason since I was a kid I have liked and followed Magallanes. Now, this season we lost and, I team I ¨hate¨ were crowned not only champions here but the just became Caribbean Series Champions... I huge thing for our country and our people, our baseball and our whole lives as Venezuelans during this horrendous, and hopefully transitional, political period.

Now, I found myself supporting the Leones with a passion, since they were representing VENEZUELA, yet a part of me wasn´t as happy as if Magallanes would´ve done it. Ok, I don´t know every single player, their bio, etc like i kinda do with arsenal, but I still love them. It made question how true my loyalty was. I never ever doubted it and would never do that, but sometimes there are bigger things among the sport than loyalty. This last sentence puts in balance all which I stand for. Maybe it´s because we are not used to playing in an international stage... For example, when United won the Treble I am sure some Man City fans were happy since maybe their parents of friends were Utd fans, but they never rooted for them. They were never a fan of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and they will never be, yet both teams are from the same city and they were ¨representing¨ England in the world´s biggest football stage, 2nd only to the World Cup.

I would never root for Chelsea, not even if Aliens come and threat human kind with total destruction and It all depended on Chelsea beating their team! but I would have to see them aliens.

Another example. On November 1st I got to meet Bernie Williams, the NY Yankees Center Fielder, and ex captain. I can´t stand the yankees... I´m not even a red sox die hard, even though I live in boston, and I still dislike what they stand for. The thing with bernie is that I hated him cuz he wasn´t in the Braves. He was a clutch hitter, an amazing fielder and an even better team leader, with countless World Series rings to prove it. Now, I always said: if I see that guy on the street I would not say hi, I would insult him¨ blah blah blah. Man was that bullcrap... I was doing soundcheck for this show and someone taps me in the back and asks me if I´ve seen someone... I turn around and it was Bernie himself. I never get starstruck with musicians, but sports figures yes. He turned around and I ran after him, introduced myself and like a little girl told him I was a ¨huge fan¨ .... ha ha ha, that has to be one those things I will never forget... especially since I embarrased myself and anybody that knows I hate the yankees would not be very pleased.

But I met Claudio Reyna once, and the first thing I said to him was: I´m an arsenal fan, but I really like your playing...¨ Was I an idiot? I don´t think so...it´s arsenal baby... arsenal FC, by far the best team the world has ever seen... jeje.

The bottom line is LOVE YOUR TEAM, SUPPORT THEM and be a true true fan cuz you never know how this world turns and if you have to support the rival team for even one game, you have the respect of the people around you and might excuse you once... or you better hope they do...

peace

translation to follow...