I know that pretty much every blogger, journalist, reporter or just curious bystander in South Africa will be writing about this today. So I figured, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
Aside from simply reporting on the significant 100-day milestone, there are bound to be countless articles explaining why the World Cup won’t work. That’s the nature of a media so cynical as to admit that good news is no news.
Well, let me tell you this. If you listen to the radio for a couple of minutes today, or just glimpse the tweets for a second, you can feel the vibe. Regardless of the stats of what should be finished and how many tickets have been sold. Over and above the comparisons between this host city or that one. Despite the scaremongering over crime. Aside from the doom and gloom post-event scenarios.
Even if you’re not a fan, it’s undeniable. Footie fever has this country in an iron grip. For an event that can simultaneously divide and unite a nation, it has generated such excitement, such passion, such fervour.
And I love it. The colour, the shine, the energy, the hope, the anticipation, the dreams. And did I mention the colour? Our flag is casting its primary-coloured glow over so many surfaces that it’s impossible not to get swept up in the moment. Hell, even the rugger buggers have thrown their support behind Bafana Bafana.
Not having the luxury of DSTV (SA’s pay-tv service, for my international reader), on SABC-something last night I caught a show called Shooting Stars. It was a sweet programme, a drama, about a couple of rival football teams from somewhereville in SA. I know nothing about it, having never seen or heard of it before, but it looked to me like a good propaganda effort to drum up support and attention for SA’s shining sporting moment.
That’s just one aspect.
I wondered aloud recently what the advertising industry is going to do once the ‘I-want-an-ad-campaign-that-will-tie-into-the-World-Cup’ briefs have dried up. What are they going to say?
And what about the businesses creating a tangential link to the football event? What are they going to do with all those branded vuvuzelas and makarabas they stocked up on?
And the accommodation owners sprucing up their bedrooms and installing the mandatory flat-screen tvs? Will they close up and retire on the profits?
Or the minibus operators looking for extortionate deposits running into the millions? Will they sell their Quantums to the taxi operators and head off for their place in the sun?
Whatever happens afterwards is almost irrelevant. I say almost, aware as I am that the legacy of the event is arguably more important than the event itself. For today I won’t be drawn into the are-we-ready-aren’t-we-ready argument.
Ayoba! Laduma! Vuvuzela! Mzansi! Diski Dance! etc, etc. Spiritually, emotionally, SA has risen to this challenge. I just want to soak up this beautiful moment in the history of this beautiful game in this beautiful country.
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