My Olympics

Futsal fever was over without a high - we came in second, losing out on penalties after a 0-0 draw after extra time. People say that losing on penalties is perfectly respectable, that it came down to luck, and that we can be proud of the fact that we won the league - 10 points from 4 matches. But we were playing to win - who wasn't? We had the confidence in ourselves and we just felt that it should not even have gone to penalties. Then there's the whole issue of the referees stuffing up the spot kicks, but I won't go into that.

I knew the captain of our rivals in the finals through a mutual friend, and we had gone to see the Chelsea-Malaysia match the week prior to the competition. I spoke to her yesterday, and learnt that firstly, their team hadn't realised that the referees had stuffed up the penalties, and secondly, a few of them were wondering why I was not assigned to take one of the penalty kicks (I had actually taken the second spot kick, which was after our keeper had saved their player's kick, so they were probably not paying much attention to me).

Having not gotten over one game (mentally, emotionally, physically), I now have to turn my thoughts to another. One that I have long had a love-hate relationship with. At the moment, it is intense hate. And after the pressure to perform and carry the team in the last one, I now have to listen to my colleague and teammate remind me, like a broken record, that I have to win all my matches and that I am one of the 3 whom the team is really counting on to carry them through. Thanks very much. I know these things should be a compliment, but I do consider myself a sportsperson. I strive to perform to the best of my abilities, and am capable of pushing myself when the occasion calls for it. I do not need someone constantly in my ear (as I work with this fellow, I see him all day every day), overthinking the whole bloody situation and transferring his stress to me. I will play because it is a team sport. I said I will, and if they want me to, then it is a commitment that I will fulfill. That's the long and short of it.

The situation with my 'friends' does not help, and the ones I want to talk to are not in the office. What a way to start my day, eh?