NARNIABOUND

Monday, May 16, 2011

Yes, I am proud to be a supporter/aanhanger/torcedor do Santa Cruz!!!

Dear Friends,

You may never understand the passion and emotion with which I write this blog post. But yesterday I experienced again the joy of a true victory.

Last night I watched and heard the game on the internet and all the commentaries after the match - - before I realized it was 2 in the morning in Eindhoven: - - - - My soccer/football club, Santa Cruz Futebol Clube, won the state championship again after several years of humiliations and defeats.

In recent years they had gone down from the first division to the fourth division and it seemed impossible for them, with the present model of soccer worldwide (based primarily on financial power / sponsorships), to ever recover.

Their budget for this current competition was a fraction of the other two strong competitors (Sport and Nautico).

But the support of one of the most faithful group of followers, which come from the poorest parts of the population of the region, and players who became real warriors (the majority from the local communities – not the expensive mercenary players who wander around) and who incorporated the spirit of the supporters – of never losing hope and fighting to end - and a coach who encouraged hard work, discipline, and humility - they won the championship yesterday.

It was a great spectacle – over 62,000 people crowed the Arruda Stadium, the fourth largest in Brazil.

Throughout the tournament they had the highest crowds for every game, so much they reached the largest average attendance per game and the largest attendence for a single game for the entire country, for all divisions, this year.

Yes, I am proud to be a supporter of such club!!!

To win when you are able to buy the best and most expensive players is one thing.

Another is to win against all odds – against the financial pressures, the low self esteem, the recent humiliations, and even the spiritual pressures. Yes, the other clubs had paid voodoo priests to work for their clubs. One even gave several interviews predicting the victory of the opponent of the last game.

Yes, I am proud to be a supporter of such club!!!

This victory showed the importance of values no longer appreciated by our society.

I just hope they will continue on the same path and not forget where they came from, and continue to be simple and humble, for even in this life we all can receive some reward which has an eternal promise: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:3)

Paulo F. Ribeiro, from afar – but not less apaixonado pelo Santa Cruz after over 50 years

PS - Check this youtube of the Santa Cruz supporters and then let Queen play We are the Champions - you may get a glimpse of the emotion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj1c1Yoh1vs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S_gLohI4XE

The Proof of Commitment :-)