No Fun Losing But...

Losing at anything pretty much hurts if your heart is in the team you support. I don't recall the football manager who said it now (I don't follow football), but he said that, "football is more than sport. Its a religion." Here in Wales, we can say the same about rugby, indeed some would say its our national sport. We do have those strange people who prefer football (and I mean that light heartedly), but as a rule, rugby is where its at.
So you can imagine how many sad faces awoke on Saturday after losing to our age old rivals England the previous night (oh and for the record, I still cannot get used to Friday night rugby internationals). It stung that bit more too, especially after playing well in the first half and going into the second as the team with more points on the board. I thought we had the beating of them. I was confident the dragon would emerge victorious but alas when the final whistle blew, the score was Wales 16 England 21, and a nation was left either drowning our sorrows or having a little banter via Twitter and Facebook. Social media has made losing a nightmare because whereas before the internet, we only had work mates to face on a Monday morning, the joys of winning and sadness of losing is instant.
But lets not lose heart over it, afterall its only sport, not war. Nobody is dying here, there are worse things going on in this often cruel world.
Sure I would feel different had Wales won. As a passionate Welshman supporting our national team, I would be bouncing off the walls and gloating on Twitter like the English fans were doing (and good for them), but it doesn't hurt to be on the losing side once in a while. It keeps everything in check, proving nothing is immune to life's bitter blade. Safe to say that I would be extremely wary and nervous were I to ever meet someone/something that was forever winning. Success at every turn might sound like a grand old time but it would create such a fierce arrogance that no mortal could have it and not be corrupted in some terrible way. Perfection? Blessed? That way lies danger.
Anyway before I start wading into a different territory, I shall end by saying defeat might leave a sour taste in ones mouth, and will certainly dampen spirits for a while but with everything else going on in this world, losing at a sport should be the least of our worries.
Lose and learn from it. Oh, and *grits teeth* well played England.

The Miracle in Medinah

For Seve

The Miracle in Medinah is how many described it. Last night the European team beat the Americans on their own turf 14½ to 13½ to retain the Ryder Cup in Chicago. And im happy to say Dai Jakes was one of the millions who witnessed it. It was glorious! A brilliant sporting comeback after looking like we were doomed to lose after friday and saturday. Team USA had it in the bag, or so they thought. They reckoned without the gutsy Europeans and their determination to win for the memory of one of golfing's greats, Seve Ballesteros. No doubt the man himself was looking down and giving one of his famous air punches as the Cup was lifted. Oh there was no joy in USAville.
Of course many will say, "miracle? Its only a sport!" They are wrong. Yes on the surface it was men holding metal rods and using them to whack balls into holes, but beneath that there was spirit and everyone who watched the Miracle in Medinah saw it at work. Mr Jakes is usually not one for 'acts of God' or divine dealings but I certainly felt something after Martin Kaymer holed the putt that gave us victory. (And it wasn't from the precious ginger liquid in my glass.) It was thrilling and I knew, I just knew that late American golfer Payne Stewart was congratulating Seve and the Spaniard was flashing a wolfish grin. I will have my doubters, the disbelieving naysayers not willing to believe a mere sport can have such an effect but I will not be swayed. For the last few days ive had a grey cloud hovering over me, there has been no reason for it, im happy enough in life, but it was there nevertheless. A kind of 'dent' if you will, on the bonnet of my usually sunny soul.
And then it was gone. Healed by the Miracle of Medinah. Amen!