kick in the teeth

There’s a great sport commentary in the Sunday Times (London) today. As I was reading I realized that what was before me was a slap down at every sport supporter whose favorite team doesn’t do well. Endless hope. This commentary dealt specifically with the England national team and just how horrid they’ve become. Believe me, I can substitute my team into the article – with parallel players and coaches – and come to the same point as the writer. As an example, the England nation football team didn’t even qualify for this summer’s European Championship. For a nation that wholly believes that their team is one of the elite footballing nations, it’s a sad situation. England won the World Cup in way back in 1966 while serving as the host country and nothing since WWII is more ingrained in the consciousness of the English than that great moment. It’s the sole time that nation lifted the Cup and it’s carried through generations of English fans. Since then, four other countries have won at least two World Cups (Brazil has won three) yet England still consider themselves to be part of that elite group of national teams. England has never even reached the final of the European Championship yet there's a often a feeling of divine right and success. You know, I don’t want to get a bunch of e-mail cursing my name from England fans around across the globe, I lived in England for ten years and I suffered through tough times cheering for the team, so just bear in mind that I’m a Cubs fan I can match every excuse and poor choice that’s ever been made by a team.

Rubbish. That says it all about fans as much as it does about teams.

t