A KICK so furious, stomachs churned, fists flew in the air; a rare moment “that” was—sinking depression and utter delight—all in a single venue.
Goal. And fans in Mexico set off an artificial earthquake.
At the end of the game, underdogs Mexico defeated the defending World Cup titleholders Germany, 1-0. While soccer has its glorious moments, it is not without its tragedies. Albeit, the journey for the 32 teams in the global tourney that is the FIFA World Cup 2018 is far, far from over. There are more stories to be told in the coming weeks.
But this is not a sports column, nor am I a football expert. I, however, am a fan of sports (with basketball at the top of the list) and occasionally enjoy the statistical battling and, at the sidelines—more specifically through my television screen or mobile device from my home or office—observe the collective human behavior tied to these competitions.
I learned from years back of a stark difference between basketball and football (or soccer as some people call it). While basketball teams trade opportunities for scoring every minute for 48 minutes of regulated game time, the scoring for football is much harder and thus played over a stretch of 90 minutes. For the latter, it is virtually impossible for a single player to dominate the field alone so the importance of teamwork (to get the ball from one side of the field to another) is much more evident.
Because of this, fans of football are—even more so at a high-stakes game—devoted to the sporting event in mind, body and spirit for the entire 90 minutes. And when finally Lady Luck decides to give your team a bonus, all of that built-up tension is released simultaneously; the bliss, incomparable.
And while the world screams for its teams, I’ve realized how far the experience for live music has fallen. Coldplay vocalist Chris Martin, during their concert in Manila last year, came close to pleading with the people from the front row to the back to put their phones down for one song. The ones behind who had nothing to lose gladly obliged. The ones in front who paid hefty ticket fees and with a spectacular view of the stage and the band continued on.
While technology brings an opportunity for innovation and innovation brings a promise for better living, music as an art form barely lives off the edges of uncertainty. Albums are a concept of the past and most songs no longer question culture.
In a sporting event, people bet a piece of themselves as well hoping to come out of the place a winner. Artists have it upon themselves the challenge to craft material that people actually believe in.