The one where I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend

The title says it all. I'm happy again.

I'm grateful for my close friends who told me someone has always been in front of me and I just didn't know it. I thought it would be wierd and akward, but somehow it feels right. 

The song Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat is a nice theme song.

The one with the fact that I can

This will be a very arrogant post. It will be about my (un)matched brilliance. This is about the star that I am.

The fact that I quit the futsal Tuesday group was not well received. Mainly my decision seem rash and over-reacting. Yet they do no know that I've been patient for a very long time.

First remark I receive is that I am not well liked because I 'dive' and retaliate against harmless challenges. Don't really see why though because the majority of the group are manyoo fans and worship some Portugeezer name Christiano. I admit in my early days in the group I retaliate and sulked and moped every time I feel I get treated harshly. These days I really tone down my game. I play a more calmer relaxed role and don't have the need to dribble pass half-a-dozen players and score another wonder goal for the highlight reel. Even though I know I can.

I do receive a major share of knocks compared to others. Mainly because I'm too good and too fast for the old geezers. And their defence for taking me out, "my timing is off and 'accidentally' came in too late". Like I don't know you have your own set of rules against me. I don't see anyone else receiving the same treatment as me. Every time I receive the ball half the opposition comes charging in without any intention of winning the ball.

I really changed my game in order to have fun. I realized at the end of the day its just a game we play for fun as well as for the exercise. I don't lash out after being tackled, I have the balance to stay on my feet and I have better game play vision and judgement.

But now its the same people who didn't like my attitude being the ones turning into me in my early days minus the skills and flair and vision and pace (I can go on but you know I am THAT good). They are the ones who lash out when I FAIRLY won the ball from them. They are the ones who no longer make the game fun.

And secondly some have a problem with my goal celebrations. Seriously I can't believe that. I don't know what they hate most the fact that I scored another highlight reel goal or the fact I made them look utterly stupid by scoring that goal. Its natural for footballers to reel off in delight when they score a goal. Its makes the game fun. I can even make up a catalogue or tutorial classes on how to celebrate a goal. So some of my celebrations display sheer arrogance. Well its mainly because I can. Look at the French dude who currently plays with Barcelona wearing that sacred no 14 jersey. His celebrations are of pure arrogance, but only because he scored a goal only he can score and because he can.

So at the end of the day, my style of play is not appreciated. My efforts for helping to organize are not appreciated. I get no protection and am not embraced as one of them. I'm still the outsider in the group. And you still want me to play come back?

The one with the futsal fracas

Realized I haven't posted anything in May. A lot has happened in between. And as my last post stated my injury, the latest update is I'm fully healed and back on the courts.

But there will be one futsal session I will no longer grace with my flair and flamboyance. I've decided to call my time on the Tuesday session. The first session I join when I started my futsal career in 2002. We've been playing for 7 years together but one moment of madness made me realize that my time with the group is up. Farrish quit the group way earlier, Shareza quit the group last week and his brother Shanaz will join suit as he will only play if I play.

As to what happened. Well it has been boiling for quite some time. The games getting way to physical and also a whole less fun. No longer the embodiment of joga bonito. Flair players such as myself are victims to malicious tackles. Cronyism is obvious. I've been playing with them for seven years, even took it upon myself to organize and try to recruit players to make up the numbers when short, but still they haven't embraced me as one of them (not that I want to anyway). 

Even lately the weekly lineup is those who are loyal to me against them. As usual, my group ran rings around them with our sexy-football play, and for them to counter our threat (which is a joy to watch by the public) they use physical force which results to injuries. I for one want to fight back, as they all been through multiple surgeries and I know I can send them back to the hospital if I want to.

As for the events of last weeks session. As usual the game got physical. I was off-form and played a more defensive role. I made one defensive clearance. One guy got hit via my follow through and another teammate of mine got him too, which was the cause of his outrage. And me being the outsider, half the opponents came charging to me wanting a piece of me. I did not appreciate this at all, as I won the ball first and the ball was one the other side of the field when the incident happened. After that, no one had the mood to play. Seven years came down to this.

After the game, I mention my intention to leave the team to those close to me. They too share the same view. I've been patient too long. I continue playing because I need the exercise and I don't know what else to do with my time. But my time with the Tuesday group has ended now.

What now? Well trying to get the tennis Thursday guys to play tennis Tuesday now. And maybe I can refocus on the Wednesday group. As I have been relegated to reserve team now, so I want to fight back for my place. And my Saturday group pretty much intact and that's always a fun session.

The one where I hate being injured

After last weekend's tournament, I had to endure a stinging pain on my left heel. I could not land my left heel and had to walk on one leg.

After a couple days rest, I can walk normally. But still I could not participate in any sporting activities.  And I hate it! 

For one who is so use to play futsal or tennis after work, suddenly I have no idea what to do with my time. 

I'm bored.

The one with the ill-fated futsal tournament

Good day people. Took part in a futsal tournament organized by KHR (some audit firm) at Sportsplanet Ampang.

For one we had the quality to go far. Two friends from my Saturday group joined the team. Badrul as our goalkeeper and Reza as our striker. The others are from the KAG tournament team - Aizat, Farrish, Shahril, Shareza, Wira and myself. Sadly we were ousted in the group stages with only one draw and two losses. We scored a total of two goals (courtesy of Reza and myself) and conceded 4 goals. Games were tight, but we should have taken the first two games.
Prior to the tourney, our team was already kinda depleted. I was still sick. Farrish had an injured arm. Aizat and Shareza had stomach problems. Not a good sign.
For the first game, we played the host team. I played an unfamiliar deep role again. I had space to fire a shot, and it left my foot like a bullet. The keeper did well the stop it but it spilled to Reza for our first goal of the tourney. We pulled off our newly rehearsed goal celebration after that. Later they equalized, it was a cheap goal to give away. A defensive error on my end led to the goal. After that goal, as I was making a defensive header I got kicked/whacked on the stomach. I had to withdraw from the game after that. We held on for the draw, but we knew we should have taken the game.
The second game didn't really go according to plan as well. Another defensive error by me led to the goal. We were unlucky to hit the post once and unlucky when Reza had a clear shot, only for the keeper to stick out his hand and save it.
Our final game was against the eventual group champions. We changed our strategy for the game. Fielding the 5 from Saturday's group. Shareza played in goal this time, Farrish and Badrul at defence, Reza as striker and me in my favoured position in the 'hole'. It worked well. I was feeding passes to Reza just like Tuesday and Saturday's sessions. Only this time his finishing touch deserted him. Then the turning point, Shareza was red carded for reasons I still wasn't clear of. They scored from the resulting free kick. They scored again and we were 2 down. I finally had a goal in the end. A goalmouth scramble fell the ball to me. And i just rammed it home. My goal celebration said it all, as it was a frustrating tourney for me. We lost in the end 1-2 and were sent packing.
A lot of 'what ifs' in the tourney.

back (l-r) - badrul, shareza, farrish, reza, faisal
front (l-r) aizat, wira, shahril

The one where I need a new hobby

Just got back from another great game of futsal. But before the game, had a chat with Shareza. We both agree that the numbers for the Tuesday session is way out of hand.
There are times where I feel I don't want to play as the numbers doesn't allow me to play my usual game. Lately for the Tuesday sessions I find myself sacrificing my offensive game and talents for a defensive role. Mainly to protect myself from malicious tackles since whoever gets the ball, will be surrounded have 3 or 4 defenders. Still I dictate the game by reinventing myself for the game.
Anyways, that wasn't really the idea for this post. As I mention, sometimes I don't feel like playing as the court is overcrowded. But I need to play, mainly because I have nothing else better to do after work. If not, I would be at home playing with my niece, online on facebook and gtalk or watch some dvds.
So Shareza suggested I pick up a new hobby. Something which will help fill the hours. Then I thought photography would be an interesting idea. It is something I do have an interest in. An idea and interest I should explore.
Well my brother-in-law suggested I join him in the toys scene. Collect action figures or build toys from model kits. Not sure if I have the patience to build one. It requires a high level of concentration and patience. Something I don't really have, which is why I don't play golf.
Anyways, any ideas?

The one with the returns

An active sporting week for me. Besides the usual futsal gigs, I've made my return to the courts of the sport I once graced and another which I plan to exhibit some exquisite shots.
Made my return to the basketball court last Tuesday. Yes, after my futsal Tuesday gig. I pulled off both futsal and basketball back-to-back. Well my game is off, but defensive awareness is still there. Even managed a block in the game. And hit the game winning basket in my last game (we played first team to reach 15 points wins).
And as I post this, I just came back from tennis. The group has been in hiatus, due to either rain or unable to book the courts. Now we are switching our venue to Monterez Golf Club. And the court is beside the pool. Very tempted to just jump into the pool after playing. Had a great game. Most of us were trying to find our shots, and it felt great when it came.
A great sporting week.