I have in general been happy about Venezuela´s performance in the Copa América, mostly because it is nice to see people here so happy for their side. However, I have before said that Venezuela is a footballing ignorant country, and I think that the TV broadcasting today showed it all: while the final between Uruguay and Paraguay was taking place, the TV channel that has shown much of the tournament, kept showing the arrival of the Venezuelan national team, which was being received by thousands of people, who preferred to see these guys than the actual final.
No matter how disappointed a fan may be (and I was not to see any of my favourite teams there), real football fans would watch the final, instead of clapping at some guys who lost 4-1 in the bronze match to Perú yesterday. And this is not to diminish the fact of Venezuela´s great performance! But it just shows to me that Venezuelan´s happiness was more about nationalism than about football interest. This is not uncommon in many countries when they do well; during World Cups suddenly a lot of people are interested in football, and I often hear people saying, "I only like football when it is countries playing".
That is really when you know they are fucking football-ignorant donkeys!
Although many do not seem to get this, football is a sport, and it is not a defining moment for nations! Venezuela is no more or less great after its performance in the Copa América; Venezuela's football team is, and hopefully its almost non-existant footballing culture may grow with this.
And football fans want to watch a football final!
4 comments:
My friend i have to say i don`t agree with you in almost anything... I know this country loves baseball more than anything (actually this is a sports loving Country), but lately i've seen how the number of football fans incrases here. I also know that there are thousands of football ignorants who only know about it during the World Cup or Copa America, but trust me, the number of football fans is increasing, i see every sunday, when i go watching Caracas FC or when i watch Venezuelan league on TV, thousands of people supporting their teams and trying to show other venezuelans the magic of enjoying football, and with the hope to see our league grow up more and more...I also see it when i go to a restaurant, almost all of the restaurants i have gone on saturdays or sundays are showing a football game from Spain or Germany or England...Have you seen how many football leagues are shown on Venezuelan TV Channels (premier, la Liga, calcio, Bundesliga, Brasileirao, Champions, Europa League, Torneos Nacionales)? i think if people wouldn't watch it, channels wouldn't show it. In my town (a baseball fans town) i see every day kids who love baseball, play baseball and know about baseball but 10 years ago i wouldn't belive how much they know about football, these kids know about venezuelan baseball players but they don't stop talking about international football players or leagues and they don`t stop saying did you see the game between i don't know Chelsea and Tottenham, or Udinese and Lazio, or Champions league or "dude i didn't get here earlier because i was watching Valencia and Barcelona"(what i wish is they would know more about Venezuelan League), the fact is that these football culture is growing in Venezuelan Society, specially between young people; and of course there is a lot of people like me who try to watch FOOTBALL in General (except Mexican and MLS), who suffer for example when Champions League starts and can't watch games every tuesday and wednesday because is working or when don't have Foxsports on cable TV and can't watch Copa Libertadores or whatever....I'm not trying to defend anybody but trying to show you that these country is learning about football in general. About what happend yesterday with TV Channel i don`t justify them but understand their position because we, as a country, had never lived a football tournament like this one, in football we were never anything but "filling", our National Team was always there just to complete a group, we always had to watch others enjoy or have hope or cry, we only could cry but not because we had hope and lost it, but just because our National Teams were always defeated before playing and finally, with a National Team playing a leading role, we could know how does it feel to win, to advance and even to lose but in a semi final knowing that the team was going to play the entire tournament like the all the eliminated wanted… Anyway, if you think this country is full of football ignorants right know, dude you had to see how it was 10 or more years ago...
You make a good call my friend, and I do not deny that football culture is growing: it is also growing in the United States, Japan, China, India, all countries that are not traditional footballing countries. That said, while I cannot compare to how it was before, I can compare to other countries I have lived in (11 countries), and believe me, I am not impressed here.
I have been to Caracas FC matches. Good atmosphere and passion, indeed, but it is a niche of Caracas.
That said, and as I also say on my post, the national team doing well is important in developing football culture, even if, like here, 90% just watch it for national reasons.
As a person who loves football and dislikes bad nationalism, I can only get extremely annoyed at that TV channel.... Yes, your team did well, great, if they had done bad, bad luck; GET OVER IT!
I have said it in other posts (mostly during the world cup: ), football does NOT DEFINE A COUNRTY!! VENEZUELA IS A GREAT COUNTRY EVEN IF YOUR FOOTBALL TEAM LOSES!!!! I am unimpressed that a sport so few watch can raise this pride, but ok, this is no different in other countries (I have criticised it there).
I am happy I can watch football on the satelite channels.
Anyway, good luck to your team when the season starts, and hope Venezuela gets to Brazil 2014!!!!!!!
Dude, now i agree with you. well I'm sure you are not impressed with what you see here, watchong our National team had always mean suffering and that's why thos moment had been so important. Now more people is going to watch football and more fans are going to exist, and if La Vinotinto keeps doing good it's going to become a normal thing and most of people will Get over it. I already did because there is a lot to do and because i am not going to stop watching football games, related to la Vinotinto or not, i like footballand i'll watch it forever.
And well i also hope to see Venezuela in the next World Cup, but even if they don't go, I will, i'm not gonna lose this chance.!!!
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