The referee is higher power. Refs make sure things go well and everyone plays fair. Refs enforce the rules and hand out penalties when the other team tries to take advantage. Every so often the referee makes a bad call. What happens then? We boo, we protest, we lose faith in the referee's ability to ascertain right from wrong. Then the ref makes a call in our favour and we're off again with a renewed sense of faith.
Our team - the home team - is the underdog. Playing in front of a home crowd of friends, fans and family sometimes proves to be a challenge. There is a constant desire to do right by everyone by playing at a high level. No matter what happens on the pitch, it seems like the people in the stands are always coming or going. They leave to go watch a better team and never return. They leave to go get a pint and a hot dog. They are just there for the sake of being there. Of course, you expect your loved ones to be in the best seats in the house but in my case, those seats are empty. I just scored the goal of my life and only the loyal true fans were there to see it. Guess my so-called loved ones'll just have to watch the highlight reels.
Wouldn't it be great if the home team never had to leave home? Of course. The fans wouldn't have to go anywhere. It's convenient for them however the home team has to experience life on the road. Next comes the true test: the true fans will rise to the forefront. True fans follow the goings-on of their favourite team no matter where they go or what they do. Away games are tough - unfamiliar faces, unusual surrounds and a general feeling of displacement. The beds aren't as soft as home, the food tastes slightly different. Road trips are sometimes good to expand the horizons and there comes a time where maybe it's time to think about a trade to another team. Sure, the true fans will always be there yet it doesn't hurt to make new ones.
There are times where I wish I could give out cautions, bookings and fouls. Many times I've sent people off with a red card because their behaviour was no longer acceptable to continue in the match. People with cautions don't always like the fact that they've been cautioned because if they get one more yellow card, they'll earn an automatic suspension. Even though the referee is there to enforce the rules, some players feel they are above them and persistently do what suits them best... after all, isn't everyone a someone? Too bad for them the referee is always watching.
My life right now is in the off-season. I've won at home and on the road. I've been traded to another town where surprisingly enough, I feel more at home than I ever have in my career. I've been slide-tackled, fouled and booked for what seemed to be no apparent reason. After a interesting season, it's time to start over. My team is rebuilding with a new focus. Sometimes I can't afford to purchase what I need though I'm confident corporate sponsorships will prove to be fruitful. All in all, next season is going be the best ever.
