Soccer and Beer
I think we've all heard the saying, "Those who laugh last, laugh most." I learned that lesson on a beautiful Monday in Handa City, Aichi, Japan.
We started off the day by erecting a scaffolding for the ladies to use for trimming the trees.
This was not just ANY day, however. Today was the big Nippon (Japan)-vs- International (United States of Thaimerica) rematch. In case you missed the previous entry about this, in Game 1, Thaimerica beat Nippon by a score of 5 to 0 on their home turf. We spent every moment possible reminding them of this...as well as reminding them that the losers agreed to buy the winners ice cream.
Perhaps our first folley was that today was the day we were getting the ice cream. We were cocky and we were enjoying our food. Nippon saw this and I'm sure vowed to never lose again in such a way.
Here's a picture of the back two thirds of the vehicle on our way home. There are three more people in the front, as well. It didn't start off with so many people...but as we drove back from C-Festa, school was getting out and we kept finding people from Aikiyo walking back. Naturally, we picked them up...it got a little out of hand by the end.
I spent most of the rest of the day in the cafeteria...reading, writing, and hanging out with whoever was in there. At one point, I turned into an art teacher and taught the kids how to make turkeys by tracing their hands (Thanksgiving is even less known here than Halloween, obviously).
And then...it was time for the big game. While Nippon was using all of their warm up time to practice, Thaimerica was basking in the glory of their previous victory. He we are being jubilant.
The game was hard fought. I'm not telling a lie when I say that both teams played with heart and gusto.
About two thirds of the way through the first half, Chicara of Nippon drew first blood, scoring on the previously unshakeable Palm of Thailand. Nippon celebrated and the crowd chanted "NIPPPPONNNNN, NIPPPPPPONNNNNNNNN, NIPPPPPPONNNNNNNN!!" (There really was a crowd...the colorguard came in to sew flags).
At the end of the first half, Nippon remained ahead 1-0 and your dejected hero retired to the team locker room (aka the cafeteria).
After halftime I delived a speech to Thaimerica, compareable to the great monologues of William Wallace or Aragorn of Arathorn. We were pumped! We knew we were going to have to play hard and that it was going to hurt (the Japanese had two more people than us, so they had the luxury of making substitutions at their leisure).
We entered the final half of the game with a "1...2...3 (counted in Thai, I can't remember what that is right now)....SAYOONARA NIPPONS (Goodbye Japan)!" We were pumped! We could smell their fear.
The battle was a bloody one, elbows were flying, people were on the ground. The last thirty minutes were exhausting. FINALLY...with 15 seconds left in the game, a shot taken by yours truly deflected off of the hand of Mako (a Nippon midfielder). This resulted in an indirect kick from just inside midfield. There were literally about 10 seconds left...so I let it fly...JUST OVER THE HEAD OF TEAM NIPPON'S YOUNG GOALKEEPER, YUTAKA!
We celebrated!!!! Thaimerica piled on top of me at midfield!
Unfortunately, what I have failed to mention is that before I scored that clutch goal...Japan scored 6 other points in the half. That's right, we were DESTROYED 7-1.
Killed...demolished...obliterated. Here is Kio of Nippon reminding us of this.
Here's a photo of the two teams...the smiles on the Thaimericans are all fake. We were ashamed.
And when you're ashamed and embarrassed...there's only one thing to do next. Drink alcohol.
Thankfully, Thaimerica had already planned a victory celebration or a "drown your sorrows" event afterwards and had bought some beer from C-Festa. Check out the bottle opener I bought when we went to the Kamikoche Mountains a few weeks ago!
We started off the day by erecting a scaffolding for the ladies to use for trimming the trees.
This was not just ANY day, however. Today was the big Nippon (Japan)-vs- International (United States of Thaimerica) rematch. In case you missed the previous entry about this, in Game 1, Thaimerica beat Nippon by a score of 5 to 0 on their home turf. We spent every moment possible reminding them of this...as well as reminding them that the losers agreed to buy the winners ice cream.
Perhaps our first folley was that today was the day we were getting the ice cream. We were cocky and we were enjoying our food. Nippon saw this and I'm sure vowed to never lose again in such a way.
Here's a picture of the back two thirds of the vehicle on our way home. There are three more people in the front, as well. It didn't start off with so many people...but as we drove back from C-Festa, school was getting out and we kept finding people from Aikiyo walking back. Naturally, we picked them up...it got a little out of hand by the end.
I spent most of the rest of the day in the cafeteria...reading, writing, and hanging out with whoever was in there. At one point, I turned into an art teacher and taught the kids how to make turkeys by tracing their hands (Thanksgiving is even less known here than Halloween, obviously).
And then...it was time for the big game. While Nippon was using all of their warm up time to practice, Thaimerica was basking in the glory of their previous victory. He we are being jubilant.
The game was hard fought. I'm not telling a lie when I say that both teams played with heart and gusto.
About two thirds of the way through the first half, Chicara of Nippon drew first blood, scoring on the previously unshakeable Palm of Thailand. Nippon celebrated and the crowd chanted "NIPPPPONNNNN, NIPPPPPPONNNNNNNNN, NIPPPPPPONNNNNNNN!!" (There really was a crowd...the colorguard came in to sew flags).
At the end of the first half, Nippon remained ahead 1-0 and your dejected hero retired to the team locker room (aka the cafeteria).
After halftime I delived a speech to Thaimerica, compareable to the great monologues of William Wallace or Aragorn of Arathorn. We were pumped! We knew we were going to have to play hard and that it was going to hurt (the Japanese had two more people than us, so they had the luxury of making substitutions at their leisure).
We entered the final half of the game with a "1...2...3 (counted in Thai, I can't remember what that is right now)....SAYOONARA NIPPONS (Goodbye Japan)!" We were pumped! We could smell their fear.
The battle was a bloody one, elbows were flying, people were on the ground. The last thirty minutes were exhausting. FINALLY...with 15 seconds left in the game, a shot taken by yours truly deflected off of the hand of Mako (a Nippon midfielder). This resulted in an indirect kick from just inside midfield. There were literally about 10 seconds left...so I let it fly...JUST OVER THE HEAD OF TEAM NIPPON'S YOUNG GOALKEEPER, YUTAKA!
We celebrated!!!! Thaimerica piled on top of me at midfield!
Unfortunately, what I have failed to mention is that before I scored that clutch goal...Japan scored 6 other points in the half. That's right, we were DESTROYED 7-1.
Killed...demolished...obliterated. Here is Kio of Nippon reminding us of this.
Here's a photo of the two teams...the smiles on the Thaimericans are all fake. We were ashamed.
And when you're ashamed and embarrassed...there's only one thing to do next. Drink alcohol.
Thankfully, Thaimerica had already planned a victory celebration or a "drown your sorrows" event afterwards and had bought some beer from C-Festa. Check out the bottle opener I bought when we went to the Kamikoche Mountains a few weeks ago!
posted by Matt at 4:16 PM
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