Mas que un deporte

There are many reasons why people love Futbol. Some love it because they can get all worked up and passionate about something that, an hour and a half later doesn't mean much at all. Which makes sense because as spectators our one and only interaction with the game is by nature passive. Now having said all this let me tell you that I am not one of those people.

I love the game because of how real life seems to sneak into it. Some people say (and try) to keep poltical controversy and emotion out of the game, but that is impossible. Passion is sown into the fabric of so many of our cultures that to keep it out would kill the game as the living breathing thing that it has been for so long.

Real life sunk itself into the game in a town in Spain called Zaragoza (which friends in Valencia love to say repeatedly while grabbing their crotch- the name of the town sounds like you are saying "Sarah Enjoys"). On Saturday the home team, Real Zaragoza (Royal Sarah Enjoys) were facing league leaders and giants FC Barcelona. Me and about a couple of hundred other passive spectators were loyaly watching our team trying to get a result in a very boring match. Our counterparts in Zaragoza weren't as passive. A significant part of the bored crowd started hurling racist bile at one of Barcelona's best and very black Samuel Eto'o. Now mind you, most black players and South American players get shit in every game they play-be it on the road, on their home pitch anywhere-since they were allowed to play with whites. I guess the difference now is players like Samuel Eto'o and Ronaldinho are millionaires and are not afraid to speak their mind on certain subjects.

The saga between the Zaragoza fans and Eto'o goes back to at least last year and probably since he showed up in Spain. Now that Eto'o is the African player of the year he felt that he had to take a stand and almost walked off. I'm glad he did it, for one it injected real life into a lifeless match (Barcelona scored right after the restart) and two it puts the subject back into the limelight.

The Spanish love their black and non euro footballers, that no one can dispute. So are these monkey chants racist or bored fans wanting to be part of the game and maybe to get their team on the news? I think it's a bit of column A and B. There is no black and white (pardon the pun) in life. The same Barcelona players who are complaining about Eto'os abuse have never said anything about Real Madrid's brazillian Roberto Carlos getting abused in the Nou Camp which he always does, I know I have witnessed it in person. The only thing we should agree on is that we fans who are against footballers playing in a racist hateful atomsphere should let the racists know that they are not welcome in our bars or stadiums. How we do that is up to the fan or the club.

I have cooked up a playlist full of African, Middle Eastern and music from Spain all blended together. I hope Sarah and you all will enjoy it (as you all grab your crotches of course!!)

Ciao!!

Candombe Apertura 2:02 Dusminguet
Rumba De Barcelona 3:31 Manu Chao
Petite Noya 3:39 Gipsy Kings
Pa Mayte 3:07 Carlos Vives
Tourment d'Amour 6:16 Africanism
Gnangran 4:29 Issa Bagayogo
En Retard 4:56 Rachid Taha
Rumba Argelina 3:36 Radio Tarifa
Tu Es Ma Vie 5:37 Biyouna
Ya Rayah 6:14 Rachid Taha Tékitoi
Sahra Saidi 2:40 Gamal Gommaa
Charla Town 4:58 Gnawa Diffusion
Immigrant Punk 3:45 Gogol Bordello
Babalu 4:28 Ska Cubano
El Indio (Macaco Remix) 3:32 Los De Abajo
Indios De Barcelona 2:21 Mano Negra
Truth Don Die 6:15 Femi Kuti
Right Here In Front Of You 4:46 Unsung Heroes & TY Featuring Breis
Msimu Kwa Msimu 4:19 X Plastaz
Jugadoras, Jugadores 5:43 Mala Rodríguez
Hip Hop Não Para 3:55 Ginger Ale vs Z'Africa Brasil
Hacer dinero -mas- 4:29 Amparanoia
Yay Boy 4:01 Africando
Herencia Africana 3:27 Sergent Garcia