Categories: uncategorized
Date: 03 January 2005 17:56:58
In a recent article by Mark Greene http://www.licc.org.uk/articles/article.php/id/135 he looks at the current obsession in the UK with the beautiful game and sees if it is becoming (i) a dangerous idol in our society replacing religion and (ii) a sign of the current moral decay, in it's commercialisation and move to success at any cost.
Within the article, (originally published in Christianity magazine), which was noticeably centred around the Premiership, one quote struck me, "Football then is the central organising principle of their lives - not family, not church, not friends, but football." My immeadiate reaction to this was to go back to the bit in Fever Pitch where Colin Firth's character points out to his girlfriend that footie teams publish fixture lists and we know the pattern of the season. I mean it is easy to arrange life around a clear fixture list, (even allowing for the ongoing problem we Ipswich fans have of fitting in the inevitable playoffs at the end of the season). There's nothing unhealthy with that, it's just common sense.
Today was the last of a set of gruelling matches in a packed schedule over Christmas and the New Year and as the full time reports came in it appeared that as expected,(in light of the fact most clubs only really can afford to have one decent first team now) todays games weren't wonderful displays of football. Now it made me wonder did Mark Greenes article have a point, if we now expect almost as many footie matches as religious services over Christmas and watching final score you have to work out which league they are talking about (as the on going rebranding of good old Division 1,2,3 & 4 continues).
Still,as I sit here reflecting on the Tractor Boys continued success, (2-1 win today - still top of the league), with my Tractor Boy and Tractor Girl rag dolls ontop the computer, ITFC fleece on to keep me warm, ITFC slippers about to go on, 2005 Ipswich calander ready to go up,thinking about the need to get my membership sorted again (just incase I need it to get play off tickets), and looking at the bottom end of the Premiership with interest because we really do need to be in the same division as Norwich next season I'm just starting to wonder am I beginning to prove a point???