I'm Still Bitter

I stumbled across this article on Yahoo! Sports during my daily devouring of sports news and it's actually very ironic that I did. This article talks about the tragic events that happened exactly one year ago today. To say the least, I am still not over them.

Zinedine Zidane - my favorite soccer player since I have been 12 years old - was famously ejected from France's World Cup Final loss to Italy one year ago today, July 9, 2006. Zidane, who was later named the tournaments best player despite the now famous incident, has since retired from professional soccer, that being his last game.

Now I have said from the beginning, there is no way in hell Zidane was not provoked by Materazzi, as a player of "Zizou's" stature would not lose his composure like that otherwise. It has since come out that Zidane's mother was hospitalized that day and Materazzi said something regarding her situation. (For those who can't understand the magnitude of this single play, it would be like Michael Jordan head butting Byron Russel in the Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals instead of hitting the game winning shot)

Anyways, Italian soccer players continue to impress me with their abundant amount of class. What happened, happened. Get over yourselves. Talking trash for a Euro 2008 qualifying match does not make you cool. You guys won under ***CHEAP*** circumstances, and you will never change my mind otherwise.

(The article mentions a fall rematch of the teams, and it's on September 8. 2007. If you want to see some intense soccer do not miss this game!)

Back to where I started though, I think it's funny how I reflect on certain dates of the year that have importance to me when it comes to sports. Just to mention a few:

January 3rd - GREAT DAY. I don't care what happens to me on that day each year, it will be a glorious one no matter what. I annually throw in my OSU-UMiami DVD with a bowl of popcorn and relive each play with the same eagerness that I had back in 2003 (like I don't even know what happens??).

January 8th/9th - Very bad day(s). Two of the worst day's of my life. I was there. I traveled across the country to see that. In fact, I really don't even like talking about it now six months later because so many different and descriptive expletives are running through my mind (Wow, almost EXACTLY six months later. Do I hear twilight zone music in the background?). The events that happened on those days this year were bad enough to annually ruin 2 days, not just the normal one. Every Jan. 8th/9th from now on will be shitty. There is just no way around it.

April 2nd - see above.




P.S. 54 days til OSU vs. YSU

P.S.S. I can't believe I am actually excited for a game that will be over before it even starts.

-Gabe Norris