not the best sporting weekend

Sheffield United played Sheffield W*dsh*t* (that's Wednesday for those who don't know) on Saturday. It was a morning kick off in England which meant it was a very early morning kick off here in Mexico. So early, in fact, that by the time I got up (7am on a Saturday morning!) it was all over. The might Blades had lost to the pigs 2-0.

This should have been bad news but I knew that the god of sports was playing with me. There were two other matches that I had some emotional involvement with this weekend and so, I knew, that they were going to go well.

4pm on Saturday afternoon the Mexican football season kicked off (in practice, the second half of the season but it is a new competition - Clausura, the closing part of the season). Santos, unbeaten in the first half of the season (Apuerta - opening), had been beaten in the semi-finals of the play-offs. This was their chance to stamp their authority on a new beginning. But they didn't.

They have bought one new player during the Christmas break. Unfortunately he is a player that we cannot stand, loathe passionately. We know him well, his name is Arce - that's pronounced arsey. Arce by name, arsey by nature! He didn't gel with the team at all. Worse our star goalkeeper was also back. After having been injured for most of 2007, Mexico's national keeper, Oswaldo Sanchez, was back in goal for Santos. Last year we had enjoyed the antics of the fattest man in football, our reserve keeper, who had kept us in many a game - mainly by being so fat that he filled the goal. Mainly by being so angry all the time (it was probably just hunger pangs) that our defenders were too scared to mess up and opposing attackers were too frightened to get near our goal (in case he accidently ate one of them). Saturday saw Sanchez letting go of our one goal led by failing to "fill the goal". In fact, he let the ball go through his legs. Santos remain unbeaten (the score was 1-1) but we threw away a victory. Never mind, I said to myself, that means that the third game, the most important one will go my way. I trust the god of sport. Once again, I have to report that a god failed me!

If you follow American Football (the NFL - or for those with a desire to speak Spanish, the any-efey-elley) you know that the New England Patriots are unbeaten this season. This might be good news if you are a Pats fan, not if you support any other team that might have to play them. I am a San Diego Chargers supporter (Go Bolts!). One match away from the Super Bowl and the Chargers had to play the Pats. Everyone had written the Chargers off, there was no way they could beat the "greatest team in NFL history since the last greatest team". But I had faith in my Bolts. The Blades had lost, Santos had drawn, the Chargers would win!

Sunday we got up and ran across the border (I say ran but I mean we queued for an hour and finally crawled over) because a Borders book shop was closing - 40% off every book in store! We couldn't miss that. We saved over $40 (yes, I know that means we spent over $100 but think...this month we have spent over $250 on books!!! Do you know how happy that makes me feel? [very]) and legged it back to Mexico. A quick stop in the supermarket to stock up with Budweiser, crisps, hot dogs (we are watching American Football) and we were back in front of the tele for the kick off.

The Chargers lost.

But, this is 2008. I am loving 2008! Although my teams keep losing (or drawing) at least there is a bright side. I'm here in Mexico, which means I won't walk into any W*dsh*t* fans who can gloat. I sat and watched my team play footy on a Saturday afternoon and they didn't lose. I bought over $140 worth of books, ate hot dogs and drank my way through a six pack of Budweiser - all before 5pm on a Sunday afternoon. Does life get much better than this?