Lorenzo Joseph

They failed a World Cup group project that about 2.8 million Jamaican people worked on with them. And while we were grieving, the people who made us lose were frolicking with all the energy, drive, and commitment they should have left on the field at “The Office”, with not a care in the goddamn world. We could go back to the Men’s World Cup once again since 1998. Half the country wasn’t even alive or sensible then. And we could go with the EASIEST group we have EVER faced. No Mexico, no Canada, and no United States to get in our way. With the greatest number of spaces in the competition’s history. A little focus and we could pass. Jamaican fans did our part. We supported, came out in yellow/gold and filled the National Stadium, and watched and cheered. Half of the country, even without light and water post- Hurricane #Melissa, handed in their part of the group project by going to the stadium or watching the game on screens by generators. Even if people didn’t watch and didn’t care, they were at least sending good vibes and looking out to see how we did. The project wasn’t going well already, but we still supported after the Curacao first leg loss and the Snacksy draw. We were 2nd in the group, and a clear win would push us to a passing grade. Just need to focus now. So when they were seen out on the town the night before the match, a no-no if you are going to maintain fitness and stamina for the most important part of the group project that only they can do, people were rightly pissed. But, on Tuesday night, we watched a side with no shape, no clear system, a disallowed Curacao goal that made us grieve (the only actual goal of the night), a single Jamaican shot on target, no creativity, a disallowed penalty for us (the heights of joy then the depths of despair), an unnecessary red card that pushed us down to 10 men and limited options, and a group of players who struggled to string passes together scrambling to the end. It was embarrassing. And two of the men who visibly featured in that loss were now frolicking. They didn’t just “go out after the game”. They went AFTER playing poorly, breaking the nation’s heart (I did not sleep that night), and AFTER our head coach resigned when they still have a statistical chance to still make it to the World Cup. They didn’t go out for quiet drinks to commiserate, they painted the town red with cash, midnight ballerinas, and fresh outfits that showed they got home and went to frolic before the fans even got a chance to leave. All that energy and commitment wasn’t left on the field, they reserved it to party. And party they did. No thanks to the fans or the nation, just a commitment to enjoying their vacation that the WORLD CUP QUALIFYING FOOTBALL MATCH SEEMS TO HAVE INTERRUPTED! They didn’t ‘just’ go out. They decided to say FU to everyone who believed in them in live and living colour.