Thanks to some technical difficulties, I missed the opportunity on Thursday to ask Canadian head coach Stephen Hart a question I was hoping he would address:
On the verge of the men's national team's most important game in four years, what do you say or do to help the players relax?
After the media call was over, though, I realized I had the answer all along. These players are professionals. Sure, they're excited given the game's importance, but they have well-worn rituals and routines to help relieve that stress. After all, they're ultimately in control of the game's outcome. They know that they, at the end of the day, are the ones who can affect the result.
We, the fans, cannot. We are utterly and painfully helpless. So perhaps the question I should have posed to Hart was: What on earth can you tell me that will help me relax?
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
Given the way the mind of a Canadian soccer fan works, there's nothing Hart -- or anyone -- could have said, or can say, ahead of Friday's kickoff to ease any of the fears, tensions and outright anguish plaguing us now.
Game's going to be hot, yep. Field's going to be awful, sure. The normal CONCACAF dodginess -- from facilities, to the refereeing, to allegations of the Cuban contingent spying on Canada during training -- will be in full effect, uh huh. Yeah, alright, OK.
Frankly, it's all water off a duck's back, at this point. We're not the ones running in the 40-degree heat, or avoiding the on-pitch potholes, or putting our livelihoods at stake in a backwater hellhole of a soccer stadium. But from where I sit, they could be playing in the most pristine facility, under the most ideal conditions, and with none of the continental silliness playing a factor.
Wouldn't make a damn lick of difference. I'd still feel as though I'd swallowed a Chia pet.
This is navel-gazing at its worst, of course. But if you'd like a detailed match preview, it's not going to happen. Not here, not anywhere. Even Hart doesn't know who the hell Cuba is fielding. Though if you want a breakdown of how the Canadian team may look (or should look), feel free to click here, here, here and here.
Of course, most of the focus on this game has gotten swallowed up by the massive marketing push behind the Euro tournament. And that's fine, I suppose. Makes sense, I guess. Financial sense, anyway, for the entities that have a vested interest in drumming up excitement for it. And don't get me wrong, I'm excited for it too, as a disinterested spectator. The quality of play will be top-notch; the storylines, compelling.
But there is no storyline more compelling to me at this moment than Canada's attempt to get back to the World Cup. Not by a long shot.
Feelings like this only come along once every four years. The bizarre, indescribable mix of hope, optimism, anxiety, nausea, isolation, fear and constant internal exhaustion... it's why we do this, right?
It's why we support our national team, despite the ridicule, the ignorance, the indifference... because you know that some weirdo you've never met, in some town you've never been to, is inexplicably feeling the same thing.
Oh yeah, also because you want to see Canada get to the World Cup.
But by now, there's nothing more to say. The game is at 2 p.m. Eastern time. Canada. Cuba. Yep.
Win, lose or draw, that internal battle is about to get a whole lot messier. Get ready, mes amis.
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