Hey, unnu a tek een di FIFA World Cup? Di excitement tun up, don't it? Yeah, peeps, some real world-class football is being played, good goals are flowing and unlimited drama abounds.

Talking about drama, I have a certain academic-minded Rasta brethren, who get very incensed every four years when he sees people of colour proudly parading the flags of their former European slavers as a show of support for their favourite World Cup team. I try to explain to him that many Jamaicans simply support England because there are always players on that team with Jamaican origin, but the Ras nah entertain nuh argument.

Although he's football fanatic, too, politics, history and the meaning of certain symbols are far more important to him than the beautiful game. As far as he's concerned, it is one thing to like a particular player and cheer for a team during a game, but it's a completely different and very significant thing to publicly fly the flag of a foreign nation - especially when that nation has a history of oppressing your people.

Yeah, man, di Rastaman say even if 11 Jamaicans were playing on the English team and 10 of them were his blood relatives, he still could never, ever see himself waving the flag of our former colonial oppressors in the name of football and fun. A part of me agrees. His point definitely carries resonance, but a small voice inside is saying, 'Cho, man, lighten up; this is all a little game called football!'

subjective reasons

But seriously, though, people, is it ever just 'all about the football'? Mi nuh tink suh! Not even for the professional pundits and supposedly objective sports analysts. Almost everybody at some point cheers for a team or player for personal, emotional or other subjective reasons - like the simple fact that the players actually look like you and dem could be family.

Yeah, judge me if you want, but I do it, too. I automatically root for every Third World team. And deep down, I would really prefer to see the World Cup go to a South American, African or Asian team than to any of the teams from Europe. And if two European teams play, I find myself cheering for the one that seems more racially inclusive. Is that a bad thing?

serious money

Well, whether it's good or bad, that was the reason behind my preference for the Dutch during their exciting game against the Spanish. What a game wicked! Listen nuh, the Netherlands emphatically spoilt the Spanish party with that forceful, five-goals-to-one statement, and another friend of mine, Benjie, who's a diehard fan of the reigning champions, was rendered speechless. Him get instant headache. The tired myth that says 'big men don't cry' was defied one more time, as real-real eye water rushed down his face like Sandy Gully after a day of rain.

Benjie had put down serious money on a Spanish win and di bet just get buss. He was devastated. As he sat there confused and crestfallen, in his authentic Fernando Torres jersey with a Spanish flag in each hand, he knew he wouldn't get any real sympathy from his girlfriend Sasha, because after all, she doesn't get it. What he expected, though, was at least some respectful silence. But Sasha spoilt everything.

"Lawd, maasa, just relax, man, it's only a game of football!" That's what she said rather dismissively, just before their mini world war three erupted. And, about as quickly as the USA's Clint Dempsey struck that shock opening goal that broke the hearts of Ghanaian fans like me on Monday, Benjie and Sasha transformed totally from a loving couple to two angry fighters on the Wray & Nephew Contender series. Yeah, Sasha, my dear, it's more than just a game of football. A World Cup it name!

box-mi-back@hotmail.com.