Dear Football Dancers,

I know a few things about football.  If you know me then you won't doubt that fact.  And I repeat.  I said, 'If you know me'...  If you don't then I am most sure that you know more about football than me.  There is no doubt about that.  And I am not disputing you.  Actually what I want to tell you about is that I so much enjoyed playing football last night that I feel fresh, relaxed and alert rather than tired and groggy.  It was like when you go out dancing and then you come home satisfied yet weary.  You know that feeling?  When you go out dancing like a fool and smile all night?  Well, I feel that way tonight.  I am writing this between 02:35-03:30 AM in the morning and I feel happy.  Not about the result or the score as it is not that (although that always helps).  It is about the standard that both teams allowed each other to play last night.  I said, 'allowed'.   You see, we could have chosen to crunch the f$%^& out of each other just as easily.  Simply said, we didn't.   I was fortunate enough to have participated in the Wanderers -vs- JIS match last evening and from the start you knew that it was going to be a good evening. 

First of all, before the game, Uwe comes over and greets us all as old mates.  Good start.  Then one by one conversations develop amongst all of us here and there.  The JIS lads are acknowledging us as human beings.  So we feel happy just for that.  We are doing the same.  Teams warm up.  And then an even match results with an amazingly amount of really skillful play with tremendous amounts of passing from both sides in a highly entertaining match between ancient and justified rivals.  And I say that with the most fond feeling of friendship towards our old friends at JIS.  I mean, we know them.  And them us.  Even one of the boys on their side is one of our family members.  This is the way that it is supposed to be.  We let each other play.  We avoided unnecessary fouling (by the most part).  We had only one minor incident where Hernan gave a little body check to Stephen who forgot for a moment and did a double twist-flip to the ground but remembered his life's lessons from the previous Newsletter ( No. 18) and immediately jumped back up and didn't say a word.  And the referee did well.  He said to them both, 'Knock that crap off or you are going to ruin this match'.  They both swallowed their spit and got on with it.  No revenge.  Forgotten.  Hernan still needs to apologize if he didn't do so after the match, this is true.  But nothing else happened except the penalty kick incident where Gordon got jump-tripped up and the ref didn't call it.  There was a bit of agro which lasted only about 30 seconds before everything settled back to normal.  The funny thing was that there was several periods throughout the game where nothing but silence ruled.  And it was odd, I tell you.  But comforting.  Funny in the strange sense which led to funny in the happy sense.  Something knew.  Friends playing each other at football.  Nothing more than that.  No need for insults.  Appreciation for each other's skill and ability.  Compliments from both teams on each others good moments while the match was still being played!  Both teams simply concentrated on playing good football no matter the score.  Actually and honestly, the game was even.  Both sides had loads of chances and it simply came down to the goalkeepers in the end (that's my opinion, recall the first sentence in the Newsletter today).  I didn't say that JIS's goalie had a bad night.  No.  It was just that the Wanderers goalie has that ability to still make a big save at just the right moment in the game to keep the other team out which in turn, allows his team to re-collect and begin the dance with a new rythym.  He was just outstanding last night.  Both of the JIS goals were perfectly struck (using an actual English Premier League Nike ball provide by the guests, I might add).  Before the match Gordon Boyd even asked, 'Which ball did you bring?'.  Then he proceeded to hit a most professional goal that would score on any goalie in the top echelons in Europe.  And then Milan hit the most correct strike since Johan Cruyff that precisely struck exactly one double braided strand of the net and came back out like it hit a crossbar.  Interesting.  And that is all I am going to say today.  I am not even going to complain that many of the JIS lads were wearing the old kit while only 4 lads were dressed in the correct kit with matching socks [and yet if you click on http://www.jifl.net/jis.htm still the website still doesn't have an updated photo].  But I ain't talking about any of that.  I want to say something really simple and understandable:

I want to thank JIS for being perfect hosts.  It was a lovely match, as I said.  Shower facilities were even provided.  And dale-refreshments after the match.  Spirit of the league really.  Sorry 'bout the score; it never reflected the match.  Like I said, our goalie was superb.  You boys were marvelous.   I wouldn't mind seeing you in the Cup Final if you can manage it.  Cheers.