Being Second

 I’ve watched some sport this weekend and so that makes me an expert. 

Obviously, I’m not an expert and I still don’t really understand sport. I don’t have that competitive drive that makes me want to be first at everything. It’s a good job really because I would have been forever disappointed. I learnt early on that in any race the position I’m most likely to take is fifth. Therefore, I find it impossible to understand why being second is such a terrible thing.

I treated the football like Eurovision. Snacks from the countries taking part, falling asleep somewhere in the middle and waking up for the final results. I might have already been full of sport because I’d watched the Wimbledon finals. 

As the expert I have suddenly become my assessment of the match is as follows. The early goal was genius, no one expected it and it made the Italians play aggressively and England play as though they were scared to lose what they thought they’d already won. I thought Italy were the slightly better side but they were well matched. The game was a draw. They should have both got first place but instead they did penalties, which, to me, feels like flipping a coin to see who takes the trophy. 

Oh, how I watched the penalties with my heart in my mouth. What a stupid system. So much pressure, so much theatre, so much drama. Those poor players whose goals were saved, the poor goal keepers who found they couldn’t save them all. Poor Marcus Feed the Children Rashford who came on cold, tried something daring that didn’t quite work but if it had would have made him even more of a hero. 

I understand the disappointment at not winning but how they behaved when they took their medals was disgraceful. They immediately ripped them off, threw them on the floor, stamped and sulked like petulant children. It was a medal for second place and that is something you should be proud of. What an example to set to a country of children, staying up late with the blessing of the Prime Minister. Don’t bother trying kids because second place isn’t good enough. I don’t think it will help the hooligans or racists either. It sends a message that even the team think they were let down by the three young black players. I’m dreading the comments that newspaper editors will spend their day removing tomorrow and the messages that they players will see on their own social media.

Surely, if you are going to enter competitions you have to learn how to lose. To come second gracefully and learn from your mistakes is how you win next time. Watch the interview with Pliskova, who came second in the women’s Wimbledon if you want some tips.

Anyway, that’s quite enough sport from me. I’m going back to not being an expert.