Inspiration at Ishøj

First of all, Germany is hot. Yeah, yeah, Denmark has also been hot lately, but not like this. Not like 37 degrees everyday. So, the fact that I can even raise myself off of the couch to type anything is amazing. Second, I’ve got no internet access at the moment, which means I’ve got to go to the internet café to get anything posted…second strike against posting anything on the blog. Third, it has been so long since I regularly posted, I would be surprised if anyone is even reading anymore. BUT I’m going to do it anyways, because what I saw at Ishøj deserves to be written about. It’s that simple.

It’s a funny thing, the idea of electricity and sports. It’s a common notion though. And really, it doesn’t matter what the sporting event is, whether it is a World Cup final or a local table tennis club rivalry, if there are certain elements in place the atmosphere can become electric. In other words, it can be exciting, emotional and interesting beyond any normal expectation. As athletes/sports fans, we can all remember watching or participating in something that felt special, whether it was because of the fans, the quality of the play or the circumstances of the match, it is set apart in our brains for a long, long time.

This general feeling applies in other areas of entertainment as well. For example, certain concerts can be dull and un-interesting, even if the performer is someone we usually consider to be great. Sometimes a band we don’t know can give a concert and put on a show that is somehow just electric. And these are the performances we remember.

Okay, after all of that, I don’t want to overstate the things that I saw at Ishøj. This was not the most incredible thing that I have ever seen and I didn’t start crying out of pure emotional joy while watching on the sidelines. But, there was something there in that final that I don’t think I have seen in a long time on the Danish volleyball scene. I’m not sure if everyone felt it the way I did, but that final will stick with me for a long time.

I can’t help but think that it was the first time, besides on Amager, that a final took place in the perfect beach volleyball atmosphere. This is the way beach volleyball is supposed to be seen and enjoyed. Spectators are supposed to be sitting in their seats, shirts off, wondering if they should apply another layer of sun block because they can feel the raw burn of the sun. They should have an obvious favorite, someone that they can root for and someone they can root against (this is of course better if there are two factions of fans, each rooting for their own team) which they had in Ishøj. In any case, they should have a reason to cheer, anything but sit there like dead cattle.

That was a bit of a tangent, but the point is that, this was a true beach volleyball final. And I don’t care if you think I’m being arrogant, I’m from Southern California, I know about the atmosphere for beach volleyball…

Most importantly, there was passion. Passion that was tangible, that, I think, we could all feel. That made the finals a memorable experience. And, if I’m being completely honest here, most of that passion was coming from Siig and Teis. So, congratulations on the win, although I don’t enjoy losing to you guys, I do appreciate what you are doing!
The other thing that really stuck out at me, that I think made things even more exciting, was that it felt like we were seeing the beginning of a real rivalry. We all know that at the moment, the two best teams in Denmark are Teis and Siig and Anders and Bo, yet for some reason or another, this is the first time we have seen the two teams at full strength against each other. Somehow, you just get the feeling that we’re going to see this final repeated a few more times down the road, and as a fan that is a good thing. I wish I could see more.

Coming soon, a little bit about life in Germany (candy and chocolate for everyone)...practice starts on Monday...don't forget to tell everyone you know that I heart volley is back!