Soccer fever at room temperature
So apparently it is the soccer world cup again. Time flies feels like an understatement because it feels like yesterday that the world cup was held right here on our soil.
Well not right here in emalahleni but I am sure we did a good job welcoming all the foreigners on their way to Nelspruit.
Regardless of where you were in South Africa or how small your town is the air was electrifying. People were excited about a sport they normally never find interesting and it was awesome.
Fast forward four years later and the FIFA World Cup is being held on the other side of the world and Bafana Bafana failed to qualify again. Only soccer enthusiasts seem to care and although it is still a big deal it is not ‘special’. I mean how it could be if we are switching out coaches like dirty underwear.
Maybe that is what we need around here: some kind of unifying sporting event that the people of eMalahleni can really get behind and look forward to. In the UK there is a village that holds annual cheese wheel chasing. The Scots have the traditional Scottish games, in Spain they have the running of the bulls and in Pretoria they have Ellis Park and the Bulls but what do we have here in eMalahleni?
Nothing official has been organised yet but we definitely have a few sporting activities that should be considered such as dodging potholes in the motorsports category. Points being awarded for speed, number of potholes missed and technique.
Perhaps a game of Hide and Seek with flashlights? When the power goes out we run into the street with flashlights while another team hides and if you find a burglar hiding in a backyard you score extra points. We can even get the best players from the different extensions together for a play off match. Although I think Tasbet Park will have a lot more practise time, than some of the other areas.
I know I give the municipality a hard time sometimes but these are problems that seem to get bigger faster than anyone can fix it, and I commend them for the progress they have made so far. It seems to me the only things we can really all rally behind are our problems.
I probably might use the exact same jokes and metaphors when the Olympics come around so just be prepared.
