Infrequently during the season there are events that call me away from watching United live. This weekend was one such occasion, as we had a mini-reunion at a friend’s lake cabin in central Wisconsin.
All packed. TiVo set to record the game. I’m good to go. Nobody will break my own personal United media blackout out in the woods of rural Wisconsin.
That’s nobody except me, of course.
Instant-access culture now reaches this semi-remote cabin with excellent cell phone coverage and the internet-drug of choice: the iPhone.
On Saturday morning I thought reading about Keano and the past might distract my mind or at least temporarily satisfy my craving for live football. Oh how utterly misguided.
Instead of the desired effect of pacifying my urges, the book and too much fine Sumatra java only served to wind me up without any clear channel for my energies. How in the world will I wait until Sunday?! Then, Bob arrived.
Bob’s alma-mater is Central Michigan, who happened to be playing Michigan State in East Lansing on Saturday. Closely he monitored this college football score on his iCrack, I mean, iPhone as we sat outside on the deck.
Ultimately he lets out a cheer followed by some fist pumping and calls from friends after Central upset State on the home turf. Now, I’m simply beside myself, as if my little craving kept tapping me on the shoulder, saying “Go ahead. Take a quick peek. You know you want to.” Its 3:30pm Central Standard Time and United’s game is long over, my rational mind urges.
After all congratulatory calls from Michigan subsided, I asked Bob the magic question, “Hey, can I grab you iPhone and look up the United score?” On a deck in 80-degree sunshine and shielding the phone from the sun there I sat.
Waiting and waiting for the ESPN soccer score page to load, then the Premier League page… more waiting…
Then it appears in all it’s glory: Spurs 1 – 3 United. Yeeeesssss! My own instant joy follows with bemusement after reviewing the match stats. Scholesy picked up two yellows in less than nine minutes. Ander-son-son-son netted his first real United goal. A brilliant result and my craving subdued.
Sunday night comes with a special piece of mind as I turn on the match and feel nothing as Defoe’s first-minute bicycle goes in. How pleasant it is on this day to know the outcome and know that lovely attacking football will emerge from this ugly-slow start.
Late on, after Rooney’s brilliant goal to kill-off the match, I heard it and it gave me shivers: “Roooo-ney! There’s only one Rooo-ney. There’s only one Roo-ney!”
How fitting that the song sung so many times for Keano echoed around North London while I sat reading his biography and getting twitchy in Wisconsin. You can’t help but wonder, now with Ronaldo gone, if Rooney will become a Keane-like force United and will us to victory. What beautiful symmetry and foreshadowing to finish off a fantastic weekend.
There is only one – red hot – Rooney indeed. Back after the City match. Cheers to you.
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