Last week, for the first time in 43
years The South Sydney Rabbitohs made the Grand Final. That is to me,
and many like me, roughly the equivalent to whatever the opposite of
heartbreak is. Jubilation maybe, something so profound and meaningful
in something so seemingly silly. But sport is that way, a logical
fallacy, but to the fan; meaningful beyond belief. In the case of
South Sydney that is all the more pronounced.
It is the old Freudian theory of
symptom formation, specifically projection. Your club is you and you
them, when they win you win. And be you a rabid sports fan, or a
functioning member of society; everyone could use a win. A fleeting
moment to say; we were the best, we achieved our goal, we reimbursed
you for years of blind faith, we made it happen and, by proxy, so did
you.
This is the stick falling after
decades of ribs being jabbed and in that sense it is just as much a
relief as a triumph. In my mind, and the minds of the Bunnies
everywhere, this is something right; no matter what is wrong. No
matter the horrors or hardships in our individual lives, this is a
positive to all of us.
So the anxieties that bind to living,
that make life supreme misery for most of those living it; can fade,
even if for an eighty minute football match, while you draw focus and
muster hope. Your team can provide that for you, the forest blatant
for the trees.
We are a South Sydney family, on both
sides. There are outliers as there always are, but for the most we
abide by that strictest tradition of sports loyalty, the pass down.
It is not a masculine exclusive tradition, but in our case we've a
mother with not much care for the realm of competition and so we
followed our father into Red and Green fandom and a love of the
underdog.
For the last 43 years, the two have
been one in the same and this year it has culminated in a real shot.
I have been saying for the last four years that this one is 'ours' on
the hope that it would be, this one is.
So this Sunday night I will tune in,
in the heart of Aussie Rules dominated Melbourne, to watch the mighty
Bunnies march on to Glory once again and will raise a well deserved
toast to the team so many have written off, but so many more have
poured unwavering faith in.
Glory Glory to South Sydney.
NP.
No comments:
Post a Comment