Gold Fever!

I stifle a yawn at 7:25 this morning: the opening ceremony hardly worth getting up for at 5:00, the first 25 minutes of the opening game reminding me why I'm not a big soccer fan. The ball goes this way, then that way, then back again. A histrionic display of injury here or there. I recall an old sports cry from my school days, "Action, action, we want action! A-C-T-I-O-N".

A quick nip into the shower will move the morning along and I'll probably not miss anything important. Quick it is and I give the screen a half interested glance as I move in and out of the living room getting my morning under way. I'm in the room when Mexico scores the off-side goal. Good! I feel the relief of the crowd.

I settle on the couch to give the game more of my attention. Just after 8:00, Tshabalala scores the first goal of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Soccer Tournament and South Africa is 1-0. I'm on my feet, shouting the praises of the fluid goal, the beautiful clean line of soccer at its best, the art of sport. My smile spreads wide and proud when Tshabalala and his team mates do their victory jig. The game is on!

I feel the excitement of the game. I reach for the 2010 soccer schedule noting the dates South Africa plays their next two games: June 16 and June 22. Yip! I'll be sure to work my schedule so that I can be home to cheer them on.

M smiles and shakes his head at my excitement and animation when Mexico scores the equalising goal. On my feet again, I am vuvuzela loud! I lambast the South African defence for setting their goalkeeper up: a cornered lithe young buck with three hungry hyena circling in for the kill.

In the final minutes of the game I groan with the rest of South Africa as a goal is missed. My hands fly to my head and cover my eyes in disbelief! My heart rate is up. My blood courses through my veins. This next month is going to be good!