The behaviour of Goan Cultural Society members towards me after yesterday's (Thursday) match was shocking. They were going at me like a pack of wolves. To top this, the referee clenched his fist and raised it against me. However, he didn't strick me. I was sitting on one sideline on a stool that I had carried. Peter Fernandes, I think he is VP in the outgoing GCS executive, which is non-functioning, came to me and we talked. He told me that what I wrote on goanet is okay and the only objection he had was my use of the word "war." He said there is no war between the two organizing committees. I told him the war is not physical but from what I see and feel there is definitely no love lost between the two rival tournaments. He then told me to accompany him to the other sideline where he would introduce me to those running the tournament. I told him I had met Melwyn a couple of days ago. I was reluctant to go. Since he persisted I went. I sat on my stool but then one of the officials offered me a chair. After the match, I picked my stool and was about to leave when another official approached me and told me to be the "guest of honour" or whatever they call it and hand over the "man of the match" award. I was taken aback. I agreed and did my job. Then these guys went at me, arguing that I have some "facts" wrong. I told them that goanet is an open forum and they should clarify through Bonnie or Peter Fernandes, who is a goanetter. Melwyn said he would not like to go public. I said the tournament is "public" and, hence, anyone can comment on it. In fact, when I first met Melwyn just to request for the schedule, he told me that, "you are writing for Toronto Star." I asked him how he knows about me, and he replied, "We keep track." Unfortunately, my mobile rang and I had to rush before I could correct him. He had his "fact" wrong. I have never written for Toronto Star and has no connection with it. As we were walking away, still arguing, they introduce me to the referee. The referee was furious and he said I write "bullshit." I don't know why they introduced me to him in the first place unless he is part of the organizing committee or strongly connected to the tournament in a capacity other than being just a referee. I told the committee people that if this the way to treat me, by first giving me the privilege of giving away the "man of the match" award and then abusing me. Maybe it's the GCS way of trying to "fix" someone who criticizes it or disagrees with what it does or does not do. I asked them for the name of the referee and they didn't give me. One of them said he is not part of them, or words to that effect. Like Judases, they were disowning their own man. I think the referee should mind his own business. As a referee he must be used to getting abused by players and spectators. Melwyn also told me how I should be doing my reporting, and that I should first come to them and then go to the rival organizers to get information. I told him that goanet is a forum for discussion, news and debat and that I am not doing "official" reporting. It failed to sink into his head. He removed a print-out of my second post on goanet and I asked him if he had read my first post. He said no, he hadn't seen it. So much for this loud-mouthed official, who does a very good job of being the announcer but seems to lack knowledge of what a high-quality match is, as he described the Siolim United-Sircaim match, which to me, was just push-and-kick. Perhaps, he just wants to hype the tournament which, from the few matches I have seen in both tournaments, lacks the class of football seen at the rival tournament. Leave it to the spectators to judge for themselves. The ground is small, fit for nine-a-side tourney, and hampers play-making. The semis and the final are to be played on a bigger ground, I am informed. The GCS should be named Goans COWARDS Society. They don't want to debate me on an open forum, but want to use it to post match reports. I am not sure if Bonnie is a new member on goanet, but obviously his only purpose on goanet seems to post the reports. I am informed reliably that both tournaments send reports to Gulf News, which has refused to cover both tournaments. I saw Khaleej Times reporter Edwin (not Goan) at the Iranian Club covering the All-Star Entertainment/United Goans tournament. My views on the GCS waking up from its long slumber and also the tournament's rule of having three non-Goans has caused them grief. When I asked the officials if they can come "on record" and I will post their statement, they were staring at each other's faces, like Melwyn looking at Peter and Peter looking elsewhere. Gutless, without b***s, this bunch of hooliGOANS. During the match when I and Melwyn talked, he asked me if I go to the "other tournament" and I said yes. I told him that I have written that competition is good. He asked me if I really think it so. This tells me that Melwyn is not happy with two competitive tournaments. I am told that one official claimed that this year's GCS tournament is 28th year, but this number includes the last two years when it didn't have the tournament and the All-Star Entertainment/United Goans stepped to hold its tournament? When I asked Peter what made the GCS invite Mickey Pacheco (Goa MLA) as chief guest at GCS final, he looked surprised. He said he was not aware. I told him that an announcement was made at the ground. An important official of the society is in the dark regarding such an important decision. Perhaps, the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing. Gives you a good idea how the GCS conducts itself. By getting a MLA from Goa, GCS wants to "score" another point against its rivals. This is definitely a "war" for the hearts and minds of Goan football lovers. Now you know in what context I used the word "war", you GCS dumbheads? As I said before, the GCS is a dyfunctional body and, more than anything else, it surely deserves a kick on its rump. One of the officials told me he is member of the advisory committee of the GCS and that this committee is running the tournament. The tail is wagging the dog. I am not sure if Peter taking me on the other side was part of a conspiracy to humiliate me and also to arm-twist me. They are sadly mistaken and I assure them that such threats would not prevent me from writing about anything Goan in Dubai, more so now of the GCS. During my conversation with Peter I had said to him that I would like to be a member of the GCS, but not if it is dormant. I had also expressed my view that GCS coming back to hold a tournament is good for the association and that I would rather see the money earned from the tournament chanelled back into the game or into community programs than in the pockets of a few individuals. Peter informed me that a meeting would be called shortly to elect a new executive committee. But now I have changed my mind of joing the association. Let me warn Peter that he should never ever try to talk to me azgain and if he does try he could get a mouthful from me, the same way I was sujected to by these narrow-minded, self-centred group. I spoke with someone who knows the GCS very well, and he informed me not to ber a member. He does not come for any matches, telling me that both tournaments are being held to serve the personal ends of those who run them and not the community's. They guys just talk of helping the community but in reality are helping themselves, he said. The GCS inspires no confidence in Goans. What a shame.
(TO BE CONTINUED) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org
