Disappointment, and Then…

As I get close to my birthday next week, when I turn 61, I have plenty of time to reflect on my life. With 61 years of accumulated wisdom and experience, I can examine my accomplishments and failures. This wisdom allowed me to absorb a great disappointment yesterday.

My team, Manchester United, played Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League Championship. They lost 1-0.

There was a lot at stake. Manchester United sits in 16th place in the English Premier League, while Tottenham sits in 17th place. The last two teams are above the relegation zone, which is the worst season in Manchester United’s storied history. A Europa League Championship win would see Man U earn a berth in the UEFA Champions League next season. That would see Man U earn $100 million, which they could use to buy better players—and man, do they need better players!

I was going to Brewlink Brew Pub to watch the match with the MUFC Indy club, a local group of Man U supporters. My daughter Jessica was working, so I would take my grandson Roman with me. The club meets in the restaurant portion of the pub for anyone trying to sniff out something inappropriate. Robin was taking a half-day off to get her haircut for a wedding we’re going to this weekend, and she said she would join us at the pub afterwards.

When Roman and I got to the pub, about 25 minutes before kick-off, there were many more Man U supporters than I had seen before. Roman and I got a seat with a good view of the screen. I ordered a Sprite for Roman and a Red Devil Lager for myself. Shortly afterward, Robin showed up. I grabbed a chair for her, we ordered her a Diet Coke, ordered some food, and settled in for the match.

Man U dominated the match. We had 73% of the possession for the match, and out-shot Tottenham 12-3. However, right before halftime, Tottenham earned a free kick. They got the ball in front of our goal, Andre Onana, our goalkeeper, was poorly positioned and they scored. I played goalkeeper myself in college. Now that was at the club level, but it was the offical Indiana University Soccer club. I know a little about goalkeeping.

Rule #1 of goalkeeping: Don’t be stupid. Rule #2: Protect your near post. The free kick was coming from Onana’s right, so the post to his right is the near post. There were no Tottenham players to his left, yet he positioned himself in the middle of the goal, violating both Rules #1 & #2. The Tottenham player, Brennan Johnson (Who, at least, is Welsh!), was closely marked by Luke Shaw. Shaw violated Rule #1 of defense in front of the goal: Don’t let the player you are marking get in front of you. The cross struck Shaw’s chest and went toward the near post. Johnson, who was in front of Shaw, broke free, stuck his foot out, and guided the ball off the near post and into the goal. Onana’s diving save attempt was not in time because he was coming from the center of the goal.

So the score was 1-0 at halftime. The crowd in the pub was subdued, but hopeful. Man U was clearly the better team, and we had already generated a couple of scoring chances. We tended to be a better second-half team, so there was reason for optimism.

Unfortunately, the second half was a mirror image of the first. Man U dominated possession, and nearly every statistical measure of the game, minus the score. At the end, Tottenham celebrated their first-ever European trophy, and the Man U players were scattered around the pitch in disbelief and dejection. The Man U manager, Ruben Amorim, wandered around the pitch like a lost soul. Harry Maguire, a Man U center-back, had Tottenham player Christian Romero say something to him, and Maguire went after him, looking to tear his head off. They had to be separated. Maguire and Romero had several incidents during the match, so there was some bad blood between them. Romero went on to be named the Europa League Player of the Year.

Dejected, I paid our tab, and Robin, Roman, and I returned home. I sat in my recliner in the living room, reflecting on the game. Experience told me that it was just a game and didn’t affect anything else in my life. Jessica made a delicious soup for dinner, and the family gathered in the living room to eat and watch Bluey. If you’re ever feeling depressed and feel that life is too much, watch Bluey. It’s available on Disney+. It’s Australian-made and features a family of blue heeler dogs in a dog world. There’s Bandit, the dad, Chili, the mom, and Bluey and Bingo, the two sisters. Bluey is the oldest sister.

Bluey and Bingo have very active imaginations, and the show is about how Bandit and Chili incorporate this into their family lives. It is very wholesome and often hilarious. It’s an excellent show for kids and a good palate-cleanser for adults. By the end, I felt much better and started looking forward to Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals between my home team, the Indiana Pacers, and the evil New York Knicks. The first game was in Madison Square Garden, as the Knicks are the #3 seed, and we are the #4 seed. The Pacers have a playoff history with the Knicks, so there is a rivalry there.

The game started at 8:15pm. By 10:00pm, the Pacers were down by 16 points, with seven minutes to play, and it was bedtime. Robin and I went to bed. I figured I could check on the score in the morning.

I woke up late, at 9:00am, as I had not set my alarm. I got a text from Robin that said, “Pacers won in overtime!” I thought I was being punked, so I got on ESPN. Sure enough! The Pacers, down by 14 with three minutes to play, went on a comeback. Tyrese Halliburton, a Pacer All-Star guard, hit a long two-point shot at the buzzer to tie the game and send it into overtime. He tried for a three-point shot, but his toe was on the line.

The Pacers won in overtime, 138-135, stealing homecourt advantage from the Knicks.

Life gives, and life takes away. Man U lost, but the Pacers won. In between, there was Bluey.

Life is good!