So for those of you who are World Cup fans, please ensure that you have already negotiated with your spouses and kids wrt the television :-). Do make special effort to protect/hide the remote control which is a very important gadget in between breaks.
Do spell out the ground rules to the kids - they are NOT to walk in front of the television during any World Cup live telecast. It is likely that during a live telecast, we will terminate other activities such as:
* answering the phone
* attending to the kids' homework
* opening the door
* any non-football related activities will be ignored during any World Cup live telecast of matches unless there are some extraordinary events e.g. a visit from an alien, or a spaceship landed in the garden or the current status quo steps down for PR to take over :-)
In short, the world comes to a stop during all World Cup live telecast of matches - only the television screen is of primary importance.
All food, drinks, snacks that have been placed in the sitting room are for consumption during the matches!
Do give your loved ones forewarning that during this period, your lungs may suddenly become very powerful and that you are prone to shouting "GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLL" at the top of your voice and will not be responsible if the crystal or windows shatter! This is the time to encourage your loved ones to put on their headphones and to listen to their iPods :-).
At the same time, warn them before hand that there may be times when you may groan in agony and it is not due to any pre-existing medical condition but because of disappointment or despair at a particular move of your favorite team or the opposing team. Remember to advise them to leave you alone if your favorite team loses :-) because it takes time to get over such painful experiences.
Make it clear that anyone can sit with you to watch the matches BUT they must not expect you to explain the rules of the game or to clarify who is the better player or what happened or to explain fouls etc..
Patiently, you may have to explain to your friends and loved ones that you also need to listen to the commentary and other World Cup program highlights so they must not talk to you when you are concentrating on these programs.
Displays of affection, whispering "I love you" etc will be suspended during the matches! Otherwise you will personally give them a yellow card!
Of course, if they need you to run an errand during a live telecast, they can dream on like Azhar. As such, it would be good if you gave them a copy of the schedule so that they are aware of the times when you are unavailable.
Remind them that these house rules do not apply once in four years when the World Cup Fever is on but are also applicable during the EPL fever, Euro Cup and so on.
So to all my dear readers out there, enjoy this World Cup season!!! Yahoooooo!!! Don't forget that @ 9.30p.m. tonight, it is ARGENTINA vs NIGERIA. Tonight, Diego Maradona will make his debut as Argentinan coach in the tournament. Of course, he hopesto lead La Albiceleste to victory over a Nigeria side. I am not sure if it is going to be that easy. The official Fifa World Cup site says:
The former world champion has promised an attacking line-up, possibly with Lionel Messi operating just behind a front pairing of Carlos Tevez and Gonzalo Higuain. Maradona is likely to opt for three at the back, with Martin Demichelis and Gabriel Heinze flanking the vastly experienced Walter Samuel. Highly fancied to go far this time round due to their immense goal-scoring potential, La Albiceleste will now need to confirm that potential on the pitch.For sure, it will be an exciting match tonight!!!! Make sure you have an early dinner and that you are seated in front of the tv before 9.30p.m. Pray hard that there are no power failures!!! Enjoy the game!In the opposing camp, Nigeria coach Lars Lagerback, though deprived of one of his driving forces, the injured John Obi Mikel, has made it clear that his team are not in South Africa to simply make up the numbers. Nigeria have lost to Argentina at the FIFA World Cup twice before, in 1994 (1-2) and in 2002 (0-1). Nigeria fans, however, will hope that on their own continent they will constitute an altogether different prospect.
Do leave a comment to share your thoughts/hopes and dreams about your favorite team!!! Take care and enjoy this World Cup Season!!!
Anonymous Hahahaha... Well written. How I hope so much that I can actually get this things done. Well, not this time. Lets just hope it may work in the future. ;)