But hold on a minute –
who set this league up?
Is it a fair game? Are the teams
equally matched? Have they
both got wealthy sponsors?
Can they both afford those
international mercenaries?
Is it - excuse the metaphor  -
a level playing field? …
Some say it’s the oldest
religion in the world, with
the largest number of current
devotees.. even those of us
who say we’re agnostic, atheist, or
never got the voting paper,
secretly keep its shrine, deep
in our hearts…
Saint Augustine (who once was a devout
adherent, some say never quite
threw it off, called it ‘original sin’,
‘the taint of Adam’ – that sort of thing)
blamed the Manicheans; they said
they got it from Mazda, who heard it
from a friend – or was it an enemy? …
Basically, I/you/we/they believe
there are two equal forces battling it out
out there. Which side do you support?
Well, our side of course… out there on
the terraces, we’re all united in this..
though sometimes we have a little quiet fun
being the baddies, under an assumed name…
Some say, an impartial god looks on
as they battle it out; some say,
that’s how it ought to be.. make Mankind
in your image, see where freewill takes them…
if it doesn’t work out, wipe out,
change the rules and start again…
Some say, no god looks on; it’s a fight
to the finish, was you lookin at me, scum..? ..
it’s hate, hate, makes the world go round…
It fills the sports terraces, now that
that wimpy old idea, fair play, but ref's decision
is final, it’s only a game, may the best team win,
is dead and buried…
Politicians find it very handy; when
they’ve finished rubbishing each other,
grabbed a headline and a soundbite, then
they mix good v. evil with
that other useful device: ancient primitive survival
means that we respond more quickly
to threats, than to opportunities…
it’s great for manipulating people;
so there’s an axis of evil out there – those guys
we used to support, welcomed their
extended families into East Side apartments,
took their oil money eagerly on Fifth Avenue –
now they’re a threat, we’re putting
emergency measures in place…
sorry about that, but
we’re here for your protection…
no gray areas any more,
we’re the good guys, John Wayne
played us in the film…
it’s how the West was won
by the apple-cheeked against the bad apples;
or formerly, before political correctness intervened,
from those other dark-skinned guys, who
I guess we’ll have to rename…
the battle-lines are clearcut… aren’t they? …
so as we file out from the briefing,
take care out there… and if it gets
all too much, there’s counselling and
the confessional…just in case you thought
the battle was inside yourself…
take the day off; go watch TV; and if
we lose the match, sack the manager,
or boo the ref… switch channels,
there’s an old Western on…
feel good about yourself..
boy, we’d sure miss
those old Manicheans; life would be just so dull
without a bit of drama…oh…
have a nice Thanksgiving Day..