Football tonight

First game in three weeks tonight. Had a really good time on holiday but it's not exactly a good time to run around chasing a ball when a cool day is still 35 degree heat. So rather than get the holiday blues I look towards the positive and biggest one is being able to play football of an evening. 7 aside game tonight outdoors, it's a warm evening by Scottish standards but a bit overcast the now with chance of rain**, nigh on perfect conditions. Had a wee work out at the gym yesterday and felt quite good, so hopefully I'll not be blowing out my arse after ten minutes :-)

Also I renewed my season ticket today, am cautiously optimistic about the new season ahead. It's a strange thing I find loyalty to a football club, theres not a lot of sense in it at times. So I tried to think about why I do it and why it should matter so. Reasons I could think of are as follows.

1. I like football.
2. I am not good enough to play it at a professional level(loooooooow end of the amateur game)
3. I like to watch people that are good at it playing football (there is something of a contradiction there given team I support)
4. I was taken to watch Motherwell as a young lad.
5. I went with and still go with friends(albeit different ones now), so there is a social aspect.
6. Tribal affiliation. Whilst not madly proud of my wee part of the world where I live, I very much define myself by what I'm not(a glory hunting follower of the bigot brothers)
7. A small part mental illness. Shared I might add with majority of football fans.
8. It's more than just something to do. Sure it can fill a saturday but so could a good lunch and a visit to the pictures for about the same price. But it beats sitting about house all day when the weather is pish. Probably the best argument for winter football as lets face it our rare nice days in summer be somewhat wasted watching the SPL or lower leagues.
9. Probably related to the mental illess point but a good result/performance does strangely make you feel better.*

* There is a Bill Hicks comment about how people liked the Gulf War back in the early 90's as it made them feel better about themselves. He suggested a bit of exercise and a better diet. I can't hep think that the mental effect of seeing you football team of choice win is no more admirable than a sense of wellbeing as your armed forces routing a foreign enemy. My diets not bad and I do exercise already, I don't think he had any more suggestions either.
** As I write this eh it has started dumping down with rain. heavens opened style! It has slowed to just torrential now. I don't mind playing in it but I do hope it stops long enough to at least get there dry.