Ouch, that hurt!

Question: How do you make a grown (Croatian) man cry?
Answer: You make him watch Croatia lose to Turkey in the 2008 Eurocup quarter-finals.

Croatia played Turkey in the quarter-finals of the 2008 Eurocup last night. The game was tied at the end of regular play (after 90 minutes). Two additional 15-minute periods were played where Croatia scored in the last minute of the second extension period. Then, right at the end of the added time (it's a soccer thing, they always add a few minutes due to stoppage in the game) Turkey scored an equalizing goal.

So it was up to penalty kicks. The first and second Croatian kickers missed the goal, while the Turks scored two goals. Then, the Turkish goalie made a save on the third Croatian penalty kick, and the third Turkish penalty kicker scored easily.

What hurts is that:
1. Croatia was a better team with more chances throughout the game,
2. Croatia scored right before the end and everyone thought we were safe,
3. I have to put away my checkered Croatian jersey for two years (until the WorldCup in 2010). :-(

The whole country was in mourning today. Absolutely everyone was depressed and feeling like a great opportunity was wasted. I can't even watch the rest of Eurocup as I feel so sad about this loss, especially as Croatia played well in the first few games.

I think that soccer is a very good representation of life. Soccer (life) is:
1. Not fair (no instant replays in soccer or life),
2. Best player (person) does not always win the game,
3. There is only one 2008 Eurocup (life).

I just watched Netherlands lose to Russia, and I can definitely relate to the sad look on the faces of the Dutch fans. It sucks when your your team loses! Especially when the Netherlands played so well in their first three games.

There is one lesson from all this that can be applied to life. While you may experience (what may feel like) crushing defeat, there is always another game to be played in the near future. Success and failure are temporary phenomena. It is our mind that makes them permanent.