Today I have finally decided to awaken from my depression. I have come to the realization that the Colombian football team will have to wait for another four years to attempt to enter the most prestigious tournament in the world. I feel frustration, anger, resentment, envy, and a sense of being lost. The past four years in time represent a significant lapse of space for which I don’t know how to cover, embellished by the absence of my national team from next year’s world cup. In another four years, my only daughter will be 5, my wife 34, and myself 37. In another four years, I will be witness to more earthly disasters, murders, wars, terrorist attacks, viruses, flu’s, and whatever additional challenge life throws my way. The Colombian NT elimination from Germany ’06 has once again taught me not to trust. Not to believe. Not to lay claim to all that is fair in life. Instead I sit hear, and type away my pain and sorrow. The same pain shared by many of my fellow country men. I ask, is it better to lose by a close margin, then to ever have been within the realm of possibility? Does Colombia lay on Morgan Avenue in God’s Monopoly? Do we not deserve some joy? Do we not deserve to be happy? Do we not need solidarity in a time where war, greed and blood are the focus? So why make us suffer, God? Time will pass, and maybe the hurt will simmer, but the memories of what could have been will linger. In retrospect, I regret to say, I could’ve done something else with my time over the past 3 years of watching the inevitable outcome which we witnessed on Wednesday evening. Somehow I saw hope, maybe in desperation, but there was a light of hope! A thread on which I placed so many of my aspirations, dreams and thoughts. Some of us even planned our summer to be in 2006. Some of us drew circumstances ahead of time, where in reality the blueprint never existed. So who to blame….? I guess the answer is not the players or the past, present and future coach or even the corrupt Colombian football federation. The only one that has any just blame in this calamity of circumstances of qualification disappointment, is me, it’s you…the fan. The fan who embraces, who believes, who has been sold the sweat, tears and pain of our predecessors. We were sold ‘Morgan Avenue’ at birth, and bought it-- hook, line and sinker. And the sad part of it all is that we’ll likely do the same to the next generation of foolish patrons of the sport. A sport that I love, but at times loathe. A sport that has brought me so much passion, yet has cheated on me at every opportunity. I guess this is my fate. A fate that I have learned to accept with great prejudice. In another four years, I will again be the fool led unjustly toward a finish line that is infinite. And I will chase and run toward that line, knowing I will never experience the sense of happiness that others may take for granted. Yours in pain, Luis Fernando Serrano Romero I just felt like I had to get some crap out of my system… feel free to let it all out!
Mejor no lo hubiera dicho yo, a pesar de todo, felicitaciones hermano porque dijo todo lo que sentimos muchos
Dude, I'm a gringo here in the garden state. I watched my brother in law's face when Uruguay scored against Argentina. i'll tell you what I told him, a quote from my neighbor from Spain to my Colombian wife ( after Colombia lost to the USA in 94 ). And that is, you still have another team in this mundial.
Papi, In the grand scheme of things, coming from a fellow fan...you deserve a prompt b!tch slap, or two. It's not the end of the world. Disappointed, yes, but COME ON!!! And, on the bright side, you do have the US to root for...
nice letter, but I don't agree this paragraph, could I have done some else with my time? yes no doubt we all could have, but this is where the true supporter or "hincha" is distiguished from the rest, and I personally don't regret all that "wasted" time (according to you) that I invested on my National Team. on a side note: A true soccer fan will stick with his/her team no matter what, cause if we're all glory hunters, might as well go support Brazil. I can't see myself doing that, I wish them good luck but that's about it.
muy dramatica la cartica haga lo que hize yo: TOME VALOR DE NO SE DONDE Y LA NOCHE DE la eliminacion fui y le meti una patada al higuePruta pitbull del vecino....ya no se acerca a cagar en mi patio y le perdi el miedo! no se si es pitbull o una mezcla de bull dog y doberman, pero es mas feo que Higuita modelo 1990.
It is the end of the world! you are right!! Great letter!! But 12 years without the national team in the world cup? almost the end of the world. Are we ever going to win a world cup? Just making it to the world cup is not the goal. Do we have the players to win it? Los pelaos que vienen se ven con una mentalidad ganadora. Sera suficiente? Muchas preguntas. Pocas respuestas.
that's pretty funny efe.. I know it's pretty dramatic, but I was really, really bummed out. I am more then a fan, I'm Colombian, I understand, but it just hurt a bit more then usual! I think in the '02 WC qualifiers, I didn't expect much, as I knew we were in a transition period. Then with all the glory of the sub 17 & sub 20 and Copa America semis and Once Caldas Copa Libertadores, I felt we were an easy bet to go into this stupid WCup. Oh well, live and learn. I want Copa America to be here NOW... Venezuela here I come!
hartfield is also going! get a room together, like real 'panas' I heard the stadium construction for copa america is way behind target dates, you may have a game in cucuta!
¡jajajaja!!! Es un poco extremista pero muchos aficionados deben coincidir con esa mezcla de rabia y amargura que traduce en depresión futbolística.