The World Cup final and Post Cup depression: 2/2
After wrestling between a once in a lifetime flight on the Antonov and watching the World Cup Final at the same time as everyone else (taping it and doing the both just wasn’t going to cut it) I finally realised that I hadn’t watched nearly every game to miss the climax. Feeling bad for declining the generous offer, I stayed home to await the final. After jumping onto Volker’s bike to test the forest path to nearby Nürtingen I quickly realised that riding a bike that was too big for me, without a helmet, through a forest I didn’t know was the quickest way for me to ensure a return to the injury list. And so I turned back for Tischardt after half an hour.
As 8 o’clock approached I sat down to watch the final. It was a sensational game to say the least. A penalty to the French gave them the early lead but the Italians soon equalised via a header later that half. The game was played at a breakneck speed as both sides attempted to out play the other, attacking and then quickly defending, back and forth like a long rally in a good tennis game. Slowly, the French gained the upper hand but failed to convert. As the game went into overtime, it was certainly the French who looked the better of the two. Despite the Italian tactics (behind the scenes trips, shirt holding and generally underhanded play) the French still didn’t secure the goal that seemed just beyond reach. And then, all of a sudden, it happened: Zinédine Zidane attempted his impersonation of a ram as he blatantly head-butted an Italian defender in the chest. A red card later and the French were down to ten men for the remainder of the 2nd half of overtime. Still the Italians failed to capitalise on events and take control. As the whistle blew it was crunch time…a penalty shoot out. As it happened, Italy was faultless in the shoot out and ended up victorious.
One can’t help but feel bad, not only for the French, but also for football in general. One would be hard pressed (unless they were Italian) to believe the best team won on the day. It seems that the team that “cheated” the most, taking dives in the penalty box, shirt holding and so forth ended up being the World Champions. Despite this, one must concede that the Italians had only 2 goals scored against them. At the end of the day, I can only hope that the Socceroos get the opportunity at the next World Cup to remind the Italians who was playing the better football, and even the score. In truth I was stuffed either way; either unhappy that the Italians won, or unhappy because I wasn’t in France when they one. With baited breath, I await the next final in 2010.
The following day was like a blur. As we walked around Stuttgart central it was if the place had become a ghost town. People walked aimlessly but with the defined purpose of a routine Monday. The spark in their eyes and the spring in their step seemed more than tempered by the briefcases in hand, replacing the horns and flags from the previous weeks. After all of the emotion, tension and excitement that was The World Cup the day after the cup was surreal. People seemed visibly depressed. For the football crazy, The Cup is a feast of the best teams in the world competing for the ultimate prize.
What had started as a 4~5 day stay with Volker ended 3 weeks later when I boarded the train back to Paris. Volker, I believe, is more Aussie than German although the fact that he prefers a shante (half beer – half lemonade) to the real thing does leave him a little in no man’s land. He graciously welcomed me with opened arms, and never battered an eyelid as my stay seemed to go on…and on!! He doesn’t wear socks and sandals, a truly German trait, and enjoys quick jokes and taking the piss as if it was normal for his demeanour. Unfortunately I will be unable to return the favour when he travels to Australia in September of this year. However, should any of you guys out there have the time to take him to a milk-bar for a meat pie, or down to pub for the counter meal, I can guarantee it time well spent.
Cool and Not Cool – Germany:
1. hospitality: WAY SUPER COOL;
2. coffee: many places have coffee “machines”, the push the corresponding button kind. The coffee was okay but not the same as the real thing. VARIEDLY COOL
3. food: It was nowhere near as bland as I was originally lead to believe. I even enjoyed the Sauerkraut!! COOL
4. beer: The variety, price and size all combined to make any beer drinking person feel like he has died and gone to heaven. The emerging of multiple, and good, micro-breweries in Australian can only be a positive step forward for our nation of beer drinkers. COOL
5. language: phrases like “bitter….” (please give me) “danke” (thanks) “gutentag” (hello) and “affiedezen” (goodbye) won’t help you pull the beautiful girl in the corner but will make you trip around germany easier. For the later, international sign language is always yours best option. COOL
6. radio stations: generally limited to a song selection of 10 songs which get played continually, in different orders, during each day meant the possession of an iPod™ to be invaluable. NOT COOL
7. music: exposure to a variety of music did not do any favours for the German music scene. Admittedly I am yet to experience the Berlin club scene, however the need of the Germans to mix and remix songs (usually one’s completely incompatible) meant that the sound of two constipated ducks having sex was more melodic. NOT COOL
8. driving: the freedom to floor it and travel at a far more practical speed is way and above anything like driving back home. Unlike France, where the majority of cars are small things with dents front and back (the French are the kings of the touch park) the Germans take great pride in their automotive industry. Mercedes, Audis, Porsches and BMW’s are everywhere. Add these high performance cars to the autobahn and all you need to do is remember which side of the road to drive on and off you go. SUPER COOL
9. dress sense: while liederhose are cool because they are traditional, the fashion of socks and sandals is not. STOP DOING IT.
There are times when practicality really must take a back seat to fashion. Unfortunately, the sight of young children sporting the same attire leads me to think that there is no stopping the phenomenon. WAY SUPER NOT COOL
10. german haircuts........speak for themselves!!
11. lighting a cigarette from a candle. The myth in German, stemming deep from their history, is that everytime you do it, a sailor dies. It related to a need for the large numbers of unemployed sailors to sell matches whilst waiting for someone to die so they could take their spot on a boat….or something to that effect. NOT COOL
Overall Germany rating: COOL.
As 8 o’clock approached I sat down to watch the final. It was a sensational game to say the least. A penalty to the French gave them the early lead but the Italians soon equalised via a header later that half. The game was played at a breakneck speed as both sides attempted to out play the other, attacking and then quickly defending, back and forth like a long rally in a good tennis game. Slowly, the French gained the upper hand but failed to convert. As the game went into overtime, it was certainly the French who looked the better of the two. Despite the Italian tactics (behind the scenes trips, shirt holding and generally underhanded play) the French still didn’t secure the goal that seemed just beyond reach. And then, all of a sudden, it happened: Zinédine Zidane attempted his impersonation of a ram as he blatantly head-butted an Italian defender in the chest. A red card later and the French were down to ten men for the remainder of the 2nd half of overtime. Still the Italians failed to capitalise on events and take control. As the whistle blew it was crunch time…a penalty shoot out. As it happened, Italy was faultless in the shoot out and ended up victorious.
One can’t help but feel bad, not only for the French, but also for football in general. One would be hard pressed (unless they were Italian) to believe the best team won on the day. It seems that the team that “cheated” the most, taking dives in the penalty box, shirt holding and so forth ended up being the World Champions. Despite this, one must concede that the Italians had only 2 goals scored against them. At the end of the day, I can only hope that the Socceroos get the opportunity at the next World Cup to remind the Italians who was playing the better football, and even the score. In truth I was stuffed either way; either unhappy that the Italians won, or unhappy because I wasn’t in France when they one. With baited breath, I await the next final in 2010.
The following day was like a blur. As we walked around Stuttgart central it was if the place had become a ghost town. People walked aimlessly but with the defined purpose of a routine Monday. The spark in their eyes and the spring in their step seemed more than tempered by the briefcases in hand, replacing the horns and flags from the previous weeks. After all of the emotion, tension and excitement that was The World Cup the day after the cup was surreal. People seemed visibly depressed. For the football crazy, The Cup is a feast of the best teams in the world competing for the ultimate prize.
What had started as a 4~5 day stay with Volker ended 3 weeks later when I boarded the train back to Paris. Volker, I believe, is more Aussie than German although the fact that he prefers a shante (half beer – half lemonade) to the real thing does leave him a little in no man’s land. He graciously welcomed me with opened arms, and never battered an eyelid as my stay seemed to go on…and on!! He doesn’t wear socks and sandals, a truly German trait, and enjoys quick jokes and taking the piss as if it was normal for his demeanour. Unfortunately I will be unable to return the favour when he travels to Australia in September of this year. However, should any of you guys out there have the time to take him to a milk-bar for a meat pie, or down to pub for the counter meal, I can guarantee it time well spent.
Cool and Not Cool – Germany:
1. hospitality: WAY SUPER COOL;
2. coffee: many places have coffee “machines”, the push the corresponding button kind. The coffee was okay but not the same as the real thing. VARIEDLY COOL
3. food: It was nowhere near as bland as I was originally lead to believe. I even enjoyed the Sauerkraut!! COOL
4. beer: The variety, price and size all combined to make any beer drinking person feel like he has died and gone to heaven. The emerging of multiple, and good, micro-breweries in Australian can only be a positive step forward for our nation of beer drinkers. COOL
5. language: phrases like “bitter….” (please give me) “danke” (thanks) “gutentag” (hello) and “affiedezen” (goodbye) won’t help you pull the beautiful girl in the corner but will make you trip around germany easier. For the later, international sign language is always yours best option. COOL
6. radio stations: generally limited to a song selection of 10 songs which get played continually, in different orders, during each day meant the possession of an iPod™ to be invaluable. NOT COOL
7. music: exposure to a variety of music did not do any favours for the German music scene. Admittedly I am yet to experience the Berlin club scene, however the need of the Germans to mix and remix songs (usually one’s completely incompatible) meant that the sound of two constipated ducks having sex was more melodic. NOT COOL
8. driving: the freedom to floor it and travel at a far more practical speed is way and above anything like driving back home. Unlike France, where the majority of cars are small things with dents front and back (the French are the kings of the touch park) the Germans take great pride in their automotive industry. Mercedes, Audis, Porsches and BMW’s are everywhere. Add these high performance cars to the autobahn and all you need to do is remember which side of the road to drive on and off you go. SUPER COOL
9. dress sense: while liederhose are cool because they are traditional, the fashion of socks and sandals is not. STOP DOING IT.
There are times when practicality really must take a back seat to fashion. Unfortunately, the sight of young children sporting the same attire leads me to think that there is no stopping the phenomenon. WAY SUPER NOT COOL
10. german haircuts........speak for themselves!!
11. lighting a cigarette from a candle. The myth in German, stemming deep from their history, is that everytime you do it, a sailor dies. It related to a need for the large numbers of unemployed sailors to sell matches whilst waiting for someone to die so they could take their spot on a boat….or something to that effect. NOT COOL
Overall Germany rating: COOL.
posted by santas walkabout at 4:45 am
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