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| Winning goal: The Guardian |
I awoke early this morning to prepare a raw fruit and vegetable breakfast and view Germany defeat Northern Ireland 1-0 via TSN and my laptop.
My BBC Predictor selection was 2-0 for Deutschland, and so therefore I received credit for correct result, but not exact score, which is worth forty points instead of ten points for a correct result.
Some of the British commentators were stating (paraphrased) that Germany, the FIFA World Champions, should be the favourites to win Euro 2016.
I went back to bed, sort of, strategically positioning my laptop to play TSN, so it was in my sight lines and I would be awakened by loud audio, such as with a goal with the next match.
Another important motive was that this next match would notify me that I should begin to prepare for an afternoon meeting I had with a pastor, I have a mobile alarm as well, of course.
I awake to hear that Spain has scored early in the match and some British commentators are stating (paraphrased) that the that two-time repeat UEFA European Champions are the class club and should win Euro 2016.
Confused?
My BBC Predictor score was 1-1. I thought Spain would approach the match a bit easier because they had already enough points to advance to the next round.
I left the laptop for more important things in life, as in preparing myself for the meeting.
I arrive back to my laptop and see that the score is now 1-1. I smirk and hope for the best...for me (selfish mode).
I leave for my meeting, which goes well and while in the parking lot preparing to head in the direction of home, I check my mobile WiFi and see that Spain had lost the match 2-1.
This is another philosophical lesson.
In this case British commentators being fooled by by football flair once again and making bold predictions before the match at hand, was even half completed. They were commenting on the superiority of Spain over every other club in the tournament.
Spain may or may not win Euro 2016. I can agree with professional commentators that they are one of the favourites.
But, flair in a part of football, but only a part. Defensive play is also very important as well as are other factors.
According to TSN, Spain the one-time World Cup champion and three-time Euro champion, as a result of the surprise loss to Croatia, did not win Group D. Spain will now in the next knockout round of 16 teams, face a certain four-time World Cup champion and one-time Euro champion, Italy.
So, exactly who are the clear favourites in that match?
I cannot provide certainty, as with BBC Predictor, my Euro 2016 score is presently 16/32 correct results with five exact scores.
As my friend Si from Manchester texted me the other day. 'There have been some upsets.'
There is much uncertainly in life. Plans and predictions are upset, as God wills.
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| Quote Addicts |
James 4: 13-17 (English Standard Version) is relevant to this story, at least in regard to making predictions about the future and tomorrow.
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—
14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
