Thank goodness for sport.
It’s the one thing that genuinely seems to create some form of distraction from the real world. And after a heavy week in South Africa it’s definitely welcomed.
Politics and the reaction of the financial markets in the aftermath of a major decision by the president this week sent South Africa’s citizens, especially those with large chunks of cash invested, into a panic.
It means that the sporting action on offer has a massive task in trying to keep people absorbed in the action. It’s probably a blessing that the Springboks, Bafana Bafana and the Proteas aren’t in action at some stage this weekend.
Instead it will be up to the Blitzbokke to try and restore some national pride when they take to the field for the inaugural Cape Town Sevens event. No pressure boys.
But judging by the early rumblings on social media as the circuit rolled into the Cape this week the supporters will be out in force and their messages of motivation for Kyle Brown’s side have been noted and I’m sure appreciated.
But there were some sports fans who may have taken it a bit far this weekend as they went after Cricket South Africa after a technical glitch saw one of their social media profiles go from providing wholesome family content to something that needed a warning sign.
But it wasn’t their fault really so some of the abuse they encountered was offsides. It also showed how fickle, and gullible, people really are. Do you really think the custodians of the sport in the country would knowingly post x-rated content?
I know the tour to India was a long one but come on.
Some people saw the joke, others accepted the apology put forward after the hack. Some got personal, slating the performance of the Proteas in the Test series on the subcontinent.
Believe me, the individuals who copped some flak are seriously far down the list when it comes to dishing out criticism to South Africans this week. A certain ‘leader’ is top of that list.
South African cricket fans should be doing the opposite, they should be rallying behind the Proteas. After all, behind the World Cup, this is the second biggest cricketing event of the year.
The enormity of the occasion is not lost with Newlands constructing temporary stands to accommodate more spectators and Wanderers making improvements to their facilities before ether invasion of the Barmy Army.
The series itself will, hopefully, provide a spectacle. Enough to distract us from the obvious political and financial problems that could face us in the New Year? I certainly hope so.
