Losing Against Brasil Is Better Than Winning
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A group of high school boys walk by the posters of the "legendary football players" that have been branded with Yapi Kredi Bank's World Card, on Istiklal Street in Taksim.
They crouch down in front of a store. They have drums in their hands, and plaited red and white strings around their necks. They are trying to chant a melody yelling "refereeee, refereeee, refereeee" They have no eagerness however.
It is school time, yet the streets are filled with girls and boys in school uniforms. They are the ones who are taking the most advantage of the "national excitement" holiday. Since Turkey has lost the game however, they are only interested in "spring excitement". Nobody appears to be in a "national mourning" mood.
"National excitement" balloon
It seems like the "national excitement" balloon blown up by Coca Cola, BP, Shell, Pepsi, World Card, CNN, the state, the government and the media, has exploded.
If you want the truth, at the traditional coffee shops, which become jam-packed before Galatasaray's Champion Clubs Cup Game, were desolated before the Brazil-Turkey game. There was no football frenzy at the "intellectuals' coffee shop" in Cihangir, the drivers' coffee shop, or the doormen's coffee shop. They were all desolated..
As a result of the fact that the game would be broadcasted on national television, and the lunch break would be an extended one, everybody could watch the game at home. This prevented the fans from involuntarily piling up at coffee shops and cafeterias.
Still, a group of about a 100 men consisting of the tradesmen, workers, engineers and students of the neighborhood gathered at a billiards saloon to watch the Brazil-Turkey game on a large screen television. There is only one woman.
Why not?
Their expectations are optimistic but cautious too. Nobody is saying, "we will destroy them," "they should be scared from us". Everybody is curiously waiting for the game to begin and saying, "why not?".
The game begins and everybody gets worried as they watch the attacks by Ronaldo and Rivaldo in the first two or three minutes. But towards the middle of the first half, viewers realize that if there will be no victory; there will not be a crushing defeat either. And the tension ends.
With Hasan Sas's goal, which was the goal of the dreams of every football player and anybody who has played football in their youths, brings everybody in the saloon to their feet...
But that's about it. The viewers celebrate by chanting "Turkey, Turkey." for a minute or so. A group of older men, who had not given a break to their card games since the beginning of the game, look over their shoulders and then go back to their games.
In the second half of the game, "Turkish football" faces the realities of the world football industry. The viewers are far more realistic than the football presenters, commentators and the ones blowing up the "national excitement" balloon.
"Nearing catastrophe".
Everybody senses the "nearing catastrophe". They are preparing to digest the things that are to come. When Ronaldo's goal destroys the possibility of receiving three points, the souls opt for a "proud level." But the bitter truth enters the goal as a penalty adorned in clumsiness.
The viewers are hurt but they do not cruelly criticize the referee like the sports columnists will do tomorrow. They want to try and enjoy the game.But as the National Team's players give up "fair play," they get disappointed. Nobody really thinks that Alpay Ozalan and Hakan Unsal did not deserve the red cards they received. Nobody suggests that the referee wears a pair of glasses, nevertheless Rivaldo's acting is definitely noted somewhere.
As the last whistle is blown, everybody leaves the saloon to go continue with their unfinished jobs-if any. They are neither that upset, nor do they moan that Turkey has missed an opportunity...
They are as indifferent after the game as they were before. They are as in debt after the game as they were before the game.
"Friendship game"
The truth is, it seems to me that the price people fix to football and to the World Cup is much more fair and appropriate than that of the ones guiding football and the society. Its value is as much as the image on the screen. Nobody is spending his or her time with illusions.
Moreover, it must be that the National Team is not supported as willingly and enthusiastically as Galatasaray is, among the football fanatics.
Would it have been any different if Turkey was not playing against Brazil? Maybe. The people who love football also love Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos or Rivaldo. For this reason, maybe they have watched the Brazil-Turkey game as a "friendship game".
But it seems to me that it wouldn't be any different if the National Team was playing against Greece. Obviously the people are too preoccupied with their own sufferings. So much that football cannot distract them.
"Pop nationalism"
The "pop nationalism" mobilization of Coca Cola', BP, Shell, Pepsi, World Card, CNN, the state, the government and the media, lacked substance.
If Turkey had beaten Brazil, the people would take on airs, but this would have only been misleading in terms of measuring the quality of football played by the two teams.
A football game can be won just by playing football... If we think in national terms, Turkey lost the game but its national values have not diminished. Likely, Turkey's national values would not have advanced if it had won the game.
There are measures other that football, to gauge nations' qualities. Like the proportion of people who have received university education in a population, the quantity and quality of the scientific researches, inventions and innovations, the number of books printed and read, the proportion of child deaths, the number of cultural centers per head, and the amount of foreign debt per head or "the parameters of suffering".
This was the best outcome for the sake of both the country and football! (EK/BB/EA/EK)