Dearest Mates,
Time to wrap things up. This chapter flew by didn’t it? Twenty-Two of the fastest days of this bookie’s life Time flies when one spends it with good friends. ; ) As always, it was an honor to spend time with all of you.
A small bout with a little personal adversity this time around. Any inclination to feel uncertain or apprehensive about the future was once again obliterated through our correspondence. Love hearing your news. Danke Schön, Brüder. As the time to retreat back in the Shadows once again beckons, I’ll treasure every connection and re-connection we’ve made over our brief time together.
The astounding temporal scope
of this project means that we’ve journeyed together through seemingly infinite
personal highs and lows. It’s inspiring how many Syndicate Members traversed
tough times and then managed to pull themselves up over the years. Any real
football analyst would wonder what purpose amateurish line-setting and opining
might do for the Sport. Obviously nothing. At its core the Syndicate has always
been about friends finding pleasant distraction in each other’s company and
opinions.
Perhaps the most sentimental
of all “Goodbyes Sections” was written at the conclusion of this very
tournament two years ago:
There your friendly bookie
lifted the very best passages from the “Goodbye’s Sections” of all previous
chapters. I personally cannot read that post without needing a brisk walk
around the block. Seven months later came the most popular of all the “Goodbye’s
Sections” ; the one’s exhorting all Stateside Members to celebrate their first
Syndicate-Covered-Championship.
No need for anything so
verbose this evening. Our feelings are well-known to us. We’ve all just
witnessed another great tournament, thoroughly chronicled in the pages behind
us. We covered it all from Kabananga to Koffi. We exchanged our bets, barbs,
and bulletins. Yes—in case you missed it—your friendly bookie even got the “Mailbag
Section” off. ; ) It’s in last night’s
post:
There remains little else to
say. It’s a beautiful Saturday Night and everyone needs to go out. Don’t forget
not to get too silly as there’s an important Championship Fixture tomorrow
morning ; )
The absolute last thing your
friendly bookie wishes to get off his chest concerns what a marvelous feeling
it was to spend three weeks back in Africa. What a splendid reunion! Long
dormant notions and lessons surfaced slowly out of the deepest recesses of my
subconscious; life-altering lessons involving important principles such as humility,
privilege, service, forgiveness love, friendship, sharing, understanding
compassion, and outreach.
Of all of the latent lessons
that Africa once taught me, “remembering to smile” has lain dormant far longer
than any of the others. That’s the one that proved most challenging. Never
smiled more when I was over there. Those as familiar with my face as my words
will tell you that I haven’t smiled much since I left. Not as easy as it might
appear; not for a “World-Worrier” such as myself.
There’s always something to
be concerned about….or is there?
An African Smile always
proves enough to disarm even a perpetually pensive defeatist like myself. That’s
the smile of someone who won’t be defeated.
S-M-I-L-E, Vicey.
I’ll work on it. My greatest
shortcoming. Smiles are contagious. They spread good-will and hope to all in their radius. They remind one just how undeniably beautiful human beings are. An African "Truth and Reconciliation Committee" once taught me the importance of smiling even under the most extreme duress. Somehow managed to forget all about that experience until recently.
I shan't forget again.
S-M-I-L-E.
Supreme
Champion of the African Football Universe—
Cameroon vs. Egypt
vs. 
Bets are…ON. I’ll allow them.
Loads of space left in my book for those who wish to gamble. Looking forward to
a fine Sunday spent with friends both old and new. Don’t both asking this
bookie about the Super Bowl. I’ll be too far gone by the time that kicks off ;
)
It MUST be done, Lions!
A
trip to this Summer’s Confederations Cup is on the Line. The winner of this
match will be the first team covered when the Syndicate convenes again this Summer. Let it be a sub-Saharan team…please. The tournament won’t be complete
without one. I do not wish to wait until 2018 to cover one again. ; ) Hosts Russia qualified automatically. Australia, you may recall, qualified after winning the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.
Chile won this past Summer's "Copa America
Chile won this past Summer's "Copa America
It MUST be done, Lions!
For Africa, boys!
My coverage of Pharaohs began
with a sincere lament for all the tragedy that Egypt has undergone during six
years of political upheaval that produced almost nothing at a tremendous human
costs. Should the Egyptians prevail, it would indeed make a great story. Your
friendly bookie wouldn’t necessarily be inconsolably disappointed. That
notwithstanding, I remain a t heart a sub-Saharan African fan. As I reminded
everyone in the primer.
From CAN 2017: Syndicate—Into
Darkness
“So sorry, but your friendly bookie has strong
opinions on the reformatting of FIFA Regions. Nothing against Arab Nations. I’d
just rather watch them in a “Mediterranean Championship”. Sub-Saharan African
Names are cooler, and the expansion of AFCON to include more such teams would
prove most welcome.”
My opinion of the Egyptians
steadily declined over the course of this tournament. I enter the legitimate
grievance that they’ve played boring “4-5-1 Trap-Centric Football”. Should they
once again eke-out a serendipitous victory by shutting down all the entertaining
facets of the game, the tournament will end on a sour note.
Fortunately, I don’t see that
happening. Fathy, Gabr, and Hegazy are completely exhausted. They looked as
much toward the end of the extra-time marathon against the Stallions. By
contrast, most of the “Indompitable Arsenal” is well rested and covetous. I’ve
written extensively about how simple and exploitable the Egyptian tactical
system appears. If Broos can’t pick a lock without a tumbler, I’ll be most
surprised.
CAMEROONIAN FRIENDS:
It’s FINALLY your time. The
wait is over after Fifteen Long Years! You’re finally back on top for the first
time since the Syndicate was in its infancy. Everyone gets Monday off.
For Africa, Boys!
See you in Russia ; )
THE PICK: Cameroon +1 Goal
Enjoy
living your life. Enjoy it for it's own sake. Dance to the music. Appreciate
the painting. Delve deeper into that novel. Make laughter and love as often as
you can. : ) Live lionhearted or don’t bother living at all
We’ll
meet again. The Syndicate will return. For the time being……
“Go kick
a ball with a stranger”
Seriously…go
kick a ball with a stranger.
--S.S.
P.J.W.
