Draxblog III

Thoughts on Hajduk Anniversary

HNK Hajduk, Split's major soccer club and one of the most recognisable symbols of the city is just celebrating its 100th anniversary. The city is full of fans which have celebrated their club's birthdays with one of the most spectacular fireworks in Split's history.

The celebrations also include friendly game between HNK Hajduk and Czech club Slavia Prague. HNK Hajduk is at this time (16:42) losing with 0-1.

The weather is not very friendly towards the revellers. The sky is cloudy and air happens to be damp. So, just like the result, celebrations are going to be tempered with rather prosaic reality.

In many ways, this is what I have expected. Anniversaries are occasions better suited for reflections than for celebrations. Passage of time serves best by putting things in perspective. And this perspective isn't particularly kind towards Split soccer club, faced with results far from its historical glory.

Hajduk fans can comfort themselves that they aren't the only people whose anniversaries, especially those related to big round numbers, coincided with bad situations and situations soon to become even worse. 150th anniversary of French Revolution occured shortly before one of France's worst historic humiliations; USA celebrated its 200th anniversary faced with traumas of Vietnam, Watergate and Carterian malaise. Croatia's eastern neighbour celebrated its 200th anniversary of "statehood" at the eve of another historic humiliations - departure of Montenegro and Kosovo.

Compared with such catastrophes and calamities, present situation in HNK Hajduk and Split doesn't look so bad.

 

Croatian Women Volleyball Team in Action

My attempts to revive this blog so far left a lot to be desired. I guess one of the reasons might be found in generally depressive or, at best, utterly serious tone of this blog's content. So, I when opportunity rose for something completely different, or, at least, a content that anyone - except the most prudish - would find amusing I decided to take it.

One such opportunity is a Youtube video featuring Maja Poljak, Mirela Delić, Sanja Popović and Senna Ušić - members of Croatian Women Volleyball team. The team didn't have much success at the latest European Championship, but that apparently didn't affect their spirit or ability to compensate their poor athletic results with impressive display of other talents.

Needless to say, this video received great deal of publicity in all Croatian media. It is really refreshing to see a news story that finally doesn't have anything to do with bad state of Croatian economy, corrupt and inefficient government, crime, Ustashas vs. Partisans or... Unfortunately, since the artist providing the musical background happens to be Bosnian Serb singer Mile Kitić, I'm certain that some prudish commentators would find ample reasons to associate words like "national disgrace", "treason", "depravity" or "rape of Croatian culture" with the video.

(Not So) Bold Prediction

I really don't know whether Croatia will beat Australia tonight or not. But I can be quite certain that most Croatians, if Australians manage to pass to the next stage, will continue to support them as another "Croatian" team.

Missing the History

In some different circumstances, I could have prepared for liveblogging soccer matches like tonight's clash between Brazil and Croatia.

Unfortunately, I can't do it.

Fact that I have to pass the most hyped Croatian event of the year tells a lot about current state of my blogging affairs.

RIP George Best (1946 - 2005)

Isn't it ironic that he died only a day after liberalisation of English drinking laws?

 

What Comes Around Goes Around

 

Even in small country like Croatia, where everyone appears to know everyone else, you would find plenty of blank stares whenever ask average Croatian about any athlete other than those who play soccer or basketball. The only exceptions are those who happen to defy anyone's expectations and truly excel at their field.

Duje Draganja, a swimmer from Split, was one of those exceptions due to winning silver medal at 2004 Athens Olympics. After brief tenure of national hero, he sank back into obscurity.

Now he is back in media spotlight, although not for the reasons likely to cause mass public celebration. Apparently he is considering taking Qatari citizenship in order to take part on Beijing Olympics as part of that Gulf state's Olympic team. Qataris have offered huge amount of money that Croatian sport authorities, even with the help of sponsors, simply can't match.

Needless to say, some of the reactions to his positive decision are easy to be predicted. There would be plenty of those calling Draganja a traitor who abandons sacred Croatian flag for a fistful of petrodollars.

On the other hand, all those burning Draganja's effigies probably didn't complain much about Bulgarian weight lifter Nikolaj Pešalov (Nikolaj Pesalov) winning first Croatian gold medal on 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Et tu, fillia Blanka?

Slobodna Dalmacija today all but confirms that Blanka Vlašić (Blanka Vlasic), high jumper from Split and one of Croatia's few sport heroines, engaged in activity that made Severina Vučković (Severina Vuckovic), another citizen of Split, famous. The article - which covers the paper's last page - mentions some incriminating photos of Ms. Vlašić that have apparently been posted on one of Iskon.hr forums and shows one of them. Another photo - of Vlašić at stadium - is published in order to allow readers to compare the two. Family and friends, when asked for comment, neither confirm nor deny the authenticity of the photos.

This revelation isn't likely to create scandal as big as L'Affaire Severina. Unlike the pop queen that used to be embodiment of Croatian nationalist values and Catholic virtue, Blanka was known for enjoying lifestyle not that different from Paris Hilton's - something that recently began to be used as convenient explanation for her disappointing results at the stadiums.

The news is undoubtedly going to comfort all those disappointed with the recent revelation that the heroine of "Renata Sopek sex video" was actually Hungarian porn actress Dora Venter.

More About 9-11 Anniversary

The game between Dinamo and Hajduk resulted in a lot of pyrotechnics and no goals. I guess the cynics might say that its effect on Croatian sport, culture, politics, economics and everything else equalled effect of Moore's film on 2004 presidential elections.

In the meantime, Nova TV patiently waited for Fahrenheit 9/11 to end in order to commemorate 9-11 in its own way by airing DC 9/11: Time of Crisis. This not only brought some balance to the Croatian media's coverage of 9-11, but also provided great insight into innovative uses of Croatian language, at least among many young Croatians who commented on the Andy Tennant's docudrama in Internet forums and Usenet newsgroups.

 

Four Years Later

Croatian state television is going to mark 4th anniversary of 9-11 by airing Fahrenheit 9/11 tonight at 20:50.

However, the ratings for this film aren't going to be spectacular, because at 20:00 most of Croatian audiences are going to watch Croatian Soccer Championship game between Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split, which is being aired on second channel of HRT.

Judging by the way most of Croatian public views 9-11 these days, and judging by the way Michael Moore's film are taken as gospel of absolute and undeniable truth, I wouldn't be surprised to discover conspiracy theories accusing Croatian soccer authorities of scheduling the match on Sunday under pressure from US government.

When Formality Turns to Disgrace

What was supposed to be leisurely trip to Mediterranean island and mere formality turned into national disgrace for Croatia. In a World Cup qualification game plucky little Malta punished the arrogance of Croatian soccer team and won a point in match which everyone before had seen as easy Croatian victory. This nasty surprise led Croatian fans to succumb to their old instincts and start what is certainly one of the first international soccer riots in history of La Valetta.

They got even nastier surprise when obviously inexperienced Maltese police force reacted by throwing chairs at Croatian fans. Later all Croatians at stadiums were roughed up, including members of HRT camera crew.

Needless to say, the draw was in Croatian media immediately transformed into defeat of catastrophic proportion, just like the draw in a friendly game with Brazil few weeks ago had been transformed into epic victory.

And, just like in that case, the angriest people in Croatia will be those who made bets on this game and the happiest people will be those from Croatian betting shops' management.