And that is saying something as I have witnessed first hand Stanley Cup Finals, World Series baseball, World Cup football, NFL clashes, heavyweight championship bouts, and NBA playoffs. But nothing can compare to the heart-in-throat drama of the pulsating match last night between two teams playing the beautiful game the way it was meant to be played.
Both teams were determined to score and attacked with abandon. The Madrid team features the 'Galacticos' of stars including Ronaldo, Zidane, Roberto Carlos, Beckham, et al. Arsenal are in the midst of rebuilding a team that went 49 games undefeated two years ago but still feature Thierry Henry, the best player in the world, German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann and majestic manager Arsene Wenger. His style contrasts so greatly with the ridiculous antics of the translator Jose Mourinho and his uninventive but sturdy Chelsea squad who will win the English Premiership this year but are once again out of Europe and the Champions' League at the hands of inspired Barcelona.
Wenger's philosophy (I have met him) to football can be summed up by his post-match comments: "I feel we have grown as a team during the last two months. We have shown character and solidarity and always maintained the basic values of our club."
Those basic values include entertainment, style, commitment, class and determination. And it is rubbing off on the fans. At the end of so many victorious games Arsenal fans would have turned to the opposing fans and rubbed salt in the wound. Typical in this case would have been to chant them away: "Adios, adios, adios ... adios, adios, adios".
But not this time. Instead both sets of fans applauded each other, recognizing the brilliance of the matches over two legs. Eyes met as we clapped overhead and the messages were clear. Two sides of the same coin. We were just one shot better over 180 minutes.
Labels: sport
