ONE of my favorite comedy movies is the 2004 released Euro Trip. I have watched it several times at home, and the jokes never grow old.
The laugh-a-minute movie was outrageous, sleazy and wild. It also had a sexy German babe and soccer hooligans who, as it turned out in the movie, were real nice people.
Here is a part of the movie featuring those Manchester United fans and how the two lead actors in the movie met up withthem—https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2u5fUpUGuc.
Now, if you actually smiled, even a bit, after watching that scene in the movie, then, as Robbie Williams would sing—“And that’s a good line to take it to the bridge.”
I am a fan of Robbie and his music. For someone coming from a boy band, his solo work carries a lot of credibility.
A fun fact about Robbie is that he initiated back in 2006 the biennial charity event Soccer Aid, which features a football match between two teams with celebrities and former professional players.
Anyway, I grew up watching basketball and tennis. These are also the two sports that I play. I have never been a soccer fan. Heck, I even know more about American football than soccer. The only time I really get to watch it for long stretches is during the World Cup.
But one thing I like about soccer are its fans, along with the chants and waves they do during games. Those are some of the most devoted sports fans you will ever find on the planet.
Now, if you were paying attention to the movie clip when you watched it, you could see that, toward the end of it, when the Manchester United fans got off the bus and saw someone wearing a French soccer uniform, their immediate action was to mob the poor individual.
German Embassy Chargé d’Affaires and Deputy Head of Mission Michael Hasper said that classic example, even if it was just from a movie, is one of the things they want to change about the sport.
On the side of the joint practice session with the United Kingdom in preparation for the recent 2015 Ambassadors’ Cup, Hasper told me that rowdy fans and hooliganism are the things they want to eliminate from the sport.
Hasper told me that in Europe, they want to calm down the fans. He said that soccer is a sport that families must be able to watch together.
British Ambassador to the Philippines Asif Ahmad went further by saying that soccer fans from their country are very passionate and fully understand all the intricacies of the sport.
Now, with the growing number of soccer fans in the country, I am still a bit skeptical if they, like the British and the Germans, truly understand the sport.
The way the Azkals bursted into the sports scene and to the collective consciousness of the Filipino fans is truly amazing. The way they moved up in the Asian rankings is admirable.
But I cannot help but wonder if these are just bandwagon fans or maybe because each of the Azkals has fashion-model looks that they essentially are magnets to the casual female fans.
See them run across the football field and flex their muscles. See them sweat. See them shout and bond together. Now, imagine how those images play out and the impact it has on first-time fans who probably know little about the game.
Ambassador Ahmad told me there is nothing wrong for fans to be initially attracted to the players. He said that it is a natural tendency which will eventually turn into a true love of the sport.
Hasper also believes there is a true interest in the game among Filipinos, and that it goes beyond the Azkals. He said that soccer is popular with the Filipinos, but there is just a lack of chance to play the sport.
That is where Ambassador Ahmad described as “jumpers for goalposts” comes in. He said that it was common in their country for kids to play soccer on the streets or in any flat surface, for that matter.
If you do not get the idea, think of how Filipinos have turned a lot of streets into basketball courts, where even tournaments are held especially during summertime. But the big difference, I guess, is that in the United Kingdom cars can still pass through those streets.
He suggested that kids here in the country can start using basketball courts or whatever facility is available to play soccer. Now, that is a really great idea. It can be the start of something special.
Here is the thing with me. I would love nothing more to see than the Philippines have its basketball team qualify for the Olympics, and maybe even reach the quarterfinals and get to play the United States team. But that might be a very long shot.
But you know what? It might be quicker for the Philippines to become a contender in Asia and then the rest of the world with soccer if it is given the same attention, support and funding that basketball is getting.
As Ambassador Ahmad said, height is never an issue in soccer. And if I might add, Filipinos are quick and very much coordinated with their body movement, which can serve them well in the sport.
Hasper said that getting to the world stage of soccer will depend on the level of commitment of the country to the sport, adding that it should be developed from the grass-root level.
Late last week I literally shed a tear when David Letterman signed off the air after 33 years and 6,028 episodes of his Late Show with David Letterman.
I had goosebumps and was choking while watching a few clips of his last show and reading all the news articles about it.
Letterman broke new grounds on television. He was sarcastic, self-deprecating, witty, intellectual and funny. He introduced new bands to me with music that you will never hear on local radio. He was also never into social media.
But above all, even with all the wrongs he has done, he has always stood for what was right. Remember 911 and the monologue he did? It was the end of an era. But trust me, the man and his work will never, ever, be forgotten.
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For comments, suggestions, and reactions, I can be reached at raalzona@yahoo.com.