by Jan Szczepański, Poznań, Poland

Soccer, a beloved game of many people all over the world, has become a focus of attention for the European public thanks to the inception of the European Championships 2008 that sparked on June 7. The opening ceremony and opening game attracted a big audience to their TVs, as well as to a fully packed stadium. The importance of Euro 2008 is doubled by the Polish participation (which is, honestly, quite an achievement.)

My view of the event is quite biased, because I am not a football freak. I find soccer, the name by which football is known in the United States, quite boring and monotonous, and, to my mind, the main reason that people glorify this sport is that it is easily accessible and well played around the world.

Being on a football team is one of little "Master Smith’s" serious dreams; it’s what his father would like him to do. This is why he is loved by his female friends; it’s also a way to socialize. The list of reasons for a toddler to take on football is really long, but when it is stripped of its "craze-generated" points, it seems apparent that Master Smith does not take into consideration that it’s only his desire, which might not be well followed by his skills and personality traits. What a disappointment! There is of course the bright side of the story, too. Master Smith will become the next top football player who will score many goals in his professional career; a man that will become the idol for many new Master Smiths all over the world. What a reward!

Master Smiths’ daddies should also be thoroughly examined. They are proud of their son's achievements, even though they know that it’s not their sons who played the main role in winning another game. However, they find the team spirit exceptionally rewarding and accept the fact that their sons are still helping the couch to prepare statistics from each game. Their sons are so helpful and cool, because they don’t need to sweat during games, and they profit from their serious involvement. Excellent! However, does it affect their abilities, motivations, desires? Oh yes. Would-be fathers will for sure repeat the manual for bringing up a male child in the future. They might, though, understand that the manual is not that effective and adapt new measures to keep on glorifying football — they will start consuming quantities of beer in front of TVs, socializing with their "same-brain" friends who are playing truants again as if they were in high school. Football is undoubtedly their daily clock when the Championship starts.

Mothers/Wives, though, only try to live through the weeks of drama. Since their husbands organize evening gatherings in front of the TV, they are unable to relax at home. They dress nicely in the national colors and spend time with their husband’s friends, preparing a new bowl of popcorn, putting beer bottles in the fridge and looking around the house so that it won’t get blown up. When it comes to their sons, they also come with a first-aid kit for their sons’ games. They cry when the team spirit is jeopardized by another loss, and they get excited when the team wins. Their fate is sealed when they recognize and respect their son’s choice of becoming a football player. What a mistake!

A few weeks later, everyone is still talking how badly the team played in several games, how many goals it scored, and who should be removed from the team. No place for bravos, no place for nice words — only if the team wins. Life returns to its balance. And only football players wonder why they have not been able to reach first place …