The cup of life! Allez, allez, allez!

It's not often you'll hear me quote Ricky Martin but I think yesterday's big news warrants a bit of Latin excitement. That's right, for the 1st time since 1974, Australia has qualified for the Soccer World Cup... ole, ole, ole.

Now my nation has never been that enamored of the world's most widely played sport, however I'm willing to bet that by the time the Socceroos kick off in Germany next year, every man woman & child from Ballarat to Broome will be able to list game & player statistics from the intervening 32 years. Screw the 'battlers' - we like a winner. It brings to mind the hilarity of watching my compatriots excitably trying to wrap their heads around aerial skiing when some freakish Aussie lass (with the whitest teeth you have ever seen) started winning gold medals at the last couple of winter Olympics. Half these earnest aficionados had never seen snow in their life!

"O, swear not by the Aussie supporter (sic), the fickle Aussie supporter (sic), the inconstant Aussie supporter (sic), that monthly changes in her circle orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable."

To be fair, for a country that has taken it's sporting prowess so much for granted in the last decade, the 2004/2005 season was tough. As though losing the 2003 Rugby World Cup to Jonny Wilkinson (aka England) wasn't enough, the Ashes fell to the Brits as well in September - for the 1st time in my lifetime! Add to that humiliating losses in the Tri Nations & Bledisloe tournaments, and it's enough to make a gal want to defect to New Zealand.

So go the mighty Roos, I say. I have no time for those cocky Uruguayan players and their downright rude supporters anyway- mash 'em to a pulp boys! Now if you'll excuse me...

Offside Offence: A player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by:
*interfering with play or
*interfering with an opponent or
*gaining an advantage by being in that position