Before moving over I recall wondering what Bowen Islanders attitude to sports might be: would I be on an island of kayakers, with a smaller percentage of competitive athletes? PBS watchers rather than Canuck fans?
Of course there may be more kayakers here, we are all kayakers here, but there are the popular baseball and co-ed soccer leagues and Bowen has legions of kids playing competitive sport,in particular soccer. As for fandom when the Canucks were in the Stanley Cup finals in 2011 it seemed as if virtually everyone was a fan. Now that it’s World Cup season, it’s the same deal, and I am among the Islander’s obsessed with watching.
Let’s go back to the afternoon of Saturday, June 14.
England is playing Italy up there on the big screen downstairs at Doc Morgan’s and the joint is packed with at least fifty of us. They’re a good lot, these island sporting fans, paying rapt attention, cheering, good-natured ribbing but no tension, indeed, nothing but a convivial type of an atmosphere.
I’d say there are more English fans, led by Mark Pennington and Phil Carlington, than Italian fans, Gian Perroni being an ardent example of the latter. I’ve come along at the top of the second half and moments after my arrival Italy scores to take a 2-1 lead. Cheering, yes, groaning, even more of that.
I crouch on the floor at the back of the front table. I would love to stand and turn to see who is behind me but they might hurl abuse for blocking their view. As I sat I saw Gillian Drake back there, herself a noted footballer and, it must be said, a more adept player than her husband, Alex Denis-Lay. Mind you, were it not for the fact Gillian is faster, passes more accurately, shoots better, has a better command of the pitch and more talent, then Alex might be almost as good.
Also back there is Thierry Mohrbach, Damien Bryan, Richard Underdown and the amusing Amos Rosen. Seated ahead of me is Beverly Hotel, Chris Corrigan, Phil’s far better half Jen Carlington, Dominique Perroni, the outstanding Bella Perroni and Emily Carlington (ones suspects Bella and Emily are here more to support their parents).
Here’s the rub: I enjoy the game, no question, and have always supported England, Greece, Cameroon and the Netherlands when it comes to the World Cup. But I equally enjoy being amongst a gang of reprobate neighbors and friends happily hurling barbs at one another.
The match marches on. Wayne Rooney misses two glorious chances and is roundly condemned by Mr. Pennington. Mr. Carlington suggests England play more of the kids, meaning their young players, some of whom, like Raheem Sterling, are already on the pitch and playing well. Incidentally, Phil himself is a fine footballer and once scored on me in a co-ed game, though at the time he was on my team.
Meanwhile, as we near full-time, Mr. Perroni smiles... nervously.
It goes back and forth, the cheering and groaning, and then it’s over with Italy taking the match with a score of 2-1. England will play Uruguay next, the country that has won the World Cup TWICE and beat Brazil in the final in 1950, in Brazi.
Finally there is this: in response to his home-country’s loss Mr. Pennington, truly a fan for the ages, makes the following observation. “It means nothing, it’s not important. No problem. England will beat Uruguay and Costa Rica and be through to the next round. Nothing but a warm-up.”
And so it is that upon hearing Mark wax poetically on a loss, as he, Phil and Gian pose for a photo together, I think the following: “Huh, there seems to be little difference in the attitude between the Bowen Island fan and sports fans pretty much
anywhere else.”
