Looking back at the World Cup 2010 and forward to the Tri-Nations a lot can be said about great expectations, perspectives and selective memories. In this time I have tried to look back at the biography of my grandfather: Christian Heinrich Wilhelm Weber. Well, you can imagine how challenging this is if you think how difficult it is to give a truthful account of the an occasion of only a few weeks, continuously commentated and documented all along. Remember just the wrong decisions of the ref's. Bad calls regarding handball, off-side, penalties and perhaps worst of all not awarding goals although the ball passed the goal line 100%. Consider the controversial call on the Vuvuzela's. On the one side they are something of a special sound for this space in SA. However a lot of vibe, ups and downs, musicality and rhythm was lost in the monotonous drone of those plastic imports. No wonder the Rugby authorities have prohibited their noise at the coming games. The hard-hand of the police regarding a German tourist entering the pitch after the game [4 days in prison plus R4, 000 and then expulsion from the country] is going overboard - especially if the bloody fool from Italy running onto the pitch during the semi-final gets off scott-free because he has the Italian officials getting him off the hook. This kind of haphazard jungle justice is disconcerting. Not commenting on the crime, closing both ears and eyes with regards to strikes, the jammed-up Shaka airport, blocked highways on the way to Soccercity due to freeway for celebrities, ridiculous strikes, collapse of an intercontinental cable connection in the Indian ocean etc might seem prudent and in line with the festive mood. However this may just prevent us looking at the serious challenges remaining for society in SA in future - especially if we are to be serious contenders for the 2020 Olympic games.
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