Ukoliko čitate ovo, čestitam! Preživeli ste 2020. Budite svesni toga, jer milioni nisu dočekali kraj ove jezive godine. Danas se podsećamo lepih momenata u sportu, pre nego što dočekamo novi kalendarski početak, u nadi da nas očekuje mnogo bolja 2021.
If you are reading this: congratulations! You lived! You survived 2020! Take a moment to let that fact sink in. Millions were unable to see the end of this absolute dumpster fire of a year. Today is the day we take note of the good in sport, before welcoming 2021 in hope it brings us a much better outcome than its predecessor.
Tokom svog tradicionalnog prvojanuarskog kafićarenja mi ni na kraj pameti mi nije palo kakva nas apokalipsa čeka. Mislila sam da su bolovi u želucu od prekisele sarme i jakog espresa nešto najgore u Novoj godini. Kako naivno od mene.
Pravilnosti za dešavanja u svetu postoje, ali bez garancija. Nema onoga što se u engleskom naziva Serendipity. Takve stvari se čuvaju za filmove, romane i ostala dela fikcije, koja jedino zato mogu u potpunosti biti kontrolisana. Realno okruženje, nažalost ne podleže ovim zakonitostima. Tokom godine koja je na izmaku stradao je svet i zajedno sa njim sport, kao deo sasvim logične progresije. Sezone su zaustavljene, stadioni ispražnjeni, a karijere stavljene pod znak pitanja.
U penziju su ispraćeni igrači koji su obeležili detinjstvo generacijama.
Kraj paklene 2020. nam svima daje makar malo psihološke iluzije i kratkotrajnog olakšanja da okrećemo novi list, makar kalendarski. Međutim, pre ponoći se treba prisetiti lepih momenata u sportu:
- Beloruski fudbal – u ludilu karantina, travnati tereni gradova za koje prethodno niste čuli, osim u slučaju da ste pasionirani kladioničar, pružali su čitavoj Evropi iluziju normalnosti. Kao jedina aktivna fudbalska liga na ovoj strani sveta, beloruska Višešaja je bila neophodno osveženje između četiri zida, crnih statistika i verovatno barem jedne vrste kiselog testa.
- NBA babl – još jedna sportsko-koronastična stavka. Dok smo čekali povratak u hale, vratila se najjača liga na svetu u neobičnom izdanju, ali opet je bila dovoljan razlog da nas drži budnima.
- Najveći broj sportista koji se zarazio Kovidom je uspešno ozdravio.
- Bundesliga – prva od Liga petice koja se vratila na terene nakon karantina. Nije bitno da li ste je prethodno pratili. U proleće 2020. su svi pronašli omiljeni nemački tim.
- Činjenica da nema reprezentativne pauze u fudbalu sve do marta 2021.
- Nikola Jokić, Luka Dončić, Boban Marjanović, Deni Avdija.
- Košarkašice su se u novembru plasirala na Eurobasket.
- Đuzep Marija Bartomeu je podneo ostavku u Barseloni. Meni blago tapšanje po ramenu, jer sam vest prva prenela na srpskom jeziku. Teretana, skoro dva sata na biciklu, konferencija za medije na katalonskom i pisanje teksta na mobilnom.
- Za navijače Zvezde, povratak Dejana Radonjića na klupu crveno-belih.
- Domaća muzika u NBA svlačionicama.
- Kreativni načini za popunjavanje stadiona, bez ljudi. Od šalova, do kartonskih isečaka Dinamo Bresta, dresova, holograma, lutaka i naravno, neizbežnih grafika iz stare FIFE. Mada, ovo poslednje je možda i za listu „ne ponovilo se“.
- Novak Đoković završava i ovu godinu na prvom mestu ATP liste, ukupno 301. uzastopnu nedelju.
- Titanijumski hejlo je spasio život vozaču Romanu Grožanu posle stravične nesreće u Bahreinu i sveo broj protivnika dodatnih mera bezbednosti u F1 na minimum. Francuski vozač je doživeo opekotine na šakama i nakon nekoliko dana otišao da se zahvali svima koji su mu pomogli na stazi.
- Ubedljivi porazi velikana u Ligi šampiona pre karantina, za izjednačavanje ravnoteže u fudbalskom univerzumu.
- Navijači Liverpula su konačno dočekali titulu svog kluba u Premijer ligi.
Tokom proteklih godina ste navikli na tradicionalni novogodišnji tekst ispunjen entuzijazmom, optimizmom i najlepšim željama. Razumećete da je ove 2020. format malo drugačiji. Međutim, kao i svake prethodne bih želela da se zahvalim svima koji su me podržavali u radu, kroz praćenja, komentare, predloge i savete. Bilo da ste novi pratilac od prekjuče, veteran na lajni ili neko od kolega sa kojima sam se pregrevala, smrzavala ili čekala u redovima, pre pandemije.
Na društvenom nivou moramo biti zahvalni lekarima i medicinskom osoblju koji već mesecima neprekidno spasavaju živote. Takođe, zahvalni smo i svim delatnicima koji su pomogli da funkcionišemo koliko-toliko normalno. Bilo da ste dostavljač, kurir, kuvar, konobar, prodavac…
Ova godina je čitavoj planeti oduzela živce, nekima dostojanstvo, poslove, zdravlje, voljene ili život. Bila je lutrija. Meč od 52 runde. Slede nam meseci dalje borbe, jurnjave za vakcinama, povratkom u rutinu. U učionicu, amfiteatar, kancelariju, omiljeni restoran, kafanu, halu ili stadion, na putovanje po izboru…
Kada ga konačno budemo dočekali, povratak u potpunu normalu će vredeti više nego išta.
Želim vam dobro zdravlje, sreću i mir. Samo napred, dragi saborci, u 2021!
During my traditional Start of the year coffee I wasn’t even imagining the apocalypse that laid ahead. I thought that the stomachache from a sour sarma and a very strong espresso were just the absolute worst. How naive.
There are no definitive reasons for the way the world moves. There is no such thing as “serendipity” in real life, just scarce patterns without guarantees. The order is saved for movies, TV shows, books and other works of fiction that can be fully controlled only as such.
The end of a hellish 2020 gives us all a bit of much needed psychological illusion of change and turning a new page. Even if it is just a matter of calendar. However, before it ends we need to acknowledge the good sporting moments that marked the year we are finally leaving behind:
- Belarus football – during the quarantine craze football fields set in cities that you probably never heard of before were giving the illusion of normalcy to the football following world. The only active football league at this side of the globe was a much needed break between the four walls, dark statistics and at least one type of sourdough.
- The NBA Bubble – yet another way for the world to watch sport during Covid. As we were all waiting to get back to our favorite venues, the return of the most relevant basketball league in the world was important enough to make us stay awake for nights on end, despite its unusual form.
- Most of the athletes who got Covid were quick to fully recover.
- The Bundesliga was the first major football league in Europe to return after quarantine. It didn’t matter whether or not you actually followed it before, you now had a favorite German team.
- There are no international breaks until March of 2021.
- Nikola Jokić, Luka Dončić, Boban Marjanović, Deni Avdija.
- Serbia’s female basketball NT will be going to the Eurobasket.
- Novak Đoković is ending another year as World No. 1, with his 301st consecutive week at the top of the ATP list.
- JM Bartomeu finally resigned as the head of Barcelona. I’m giving myself a gentle tap on the back for being the first to announce the news in Serbian. It involved a two hour cardio, a press conference in Catalan and writing the whole thing on my phone. Now, that’s what I call a great multitasking day!
- A very recent return of coach Dejan Radonjić has brought a lot of joy to Red Star fans.
- Serbian music in NBA locker rooms and training sessions.
- Many creative ways for clubs to fill up their stands, without actually involving people. From Dinamo Brest’s cardboard cutouts, to scarves, holograms, dolls and of course old school FIFA graphics… Which, depending on who you ask may be the actual worst.
- The fact a titanium Halo has saved the life of F1 driver Romain Grosjean after a terrifying accident in Bahrain. The number of sceptics and opponents to additional safety measures in the sport was brought to a minimum, as Romain suffered burns to his hands and was well enough to go out and thank everyone that helped him in the field only a few days after the fact.
- Major teams losing in the Champions League the wipeout way. A kind of balance reassortment in the football universe.
- Liverpool fans finally had their moment after the team won the Premier League
During the past years you got used to a New Year’s column filled with enthusiasm and happiness. You understand that in 2020, the format is a bit different. However, I still wish the best for us. I hope that 2021 is noticeably better and kinder. That you are all healthy, happy, and have a peace of mind and general fulfilment. You deserve it. We deserve it.
This year took our nerves, our time and patience. Some lost their jobs, their health and their loved ones, while others lost their lives. As a society, we cannot forget that.
This year, more than any other we thank all of our medical staff: the intrepid doctors and nurses, technicians who keep the hospitals running and everyone else in the medical field who help save lives on a daily basis. We are also grateful to the essential workers who have proven that their job title is more than justified, as they were the ones helping the world stay stocked and sane.
Just like every year, I’m grateful for your continuous support that makes my work possible.
2020 was a gruelling match of 52 rounds that is finally over. However, the battle against Covid in order to regain our normalcy still has more time on the clock. A fight to get vaccinated and back to work, a stadium, your favorite restaurant, the club, or that one destination you had picked out two years ago.
It’s a return that won’t happen fast, but once it finally does… It will be so incredibly worth it.
Happy New Year!