If only the Buffs could play like Burma

Leanne and I have been lamenting the Buffs 1-6 start over the last seven painful weeks. We are actually quite used to the Buffs losing ways and many a cheese burger were shared with friends at a restaurant just down the hill from Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado as we discussed their consistent futility.

Though the Buffs lost – a lot – we still went to every game. Regardless of how bad the Buffs were losing – typically by a lot – and we stayed until the final whistle. Perhaps it was our ridiculous pride in our Alma Mater but much of our desire to stay is the feeling of going to a stadium, cheering for a common cause and hoping that, just maybe, the Buffs would win.

It has been two football seasons since we have been to or even watched the Buffs, which is exactly why Leanne and I were thrilled to learn that a sporting event was happening at a stadium in Phnom Penh. The Under-21 Mekong River Soccer Tournament ended on Sunday and Leanne and I attended the final pitting Burma against Thailand.

The differences in a CU game and this soccer game were apparent from the start. We parked our moto in the lot, jumped the parking-lot rope, dodged badminton players on our way up the way to the eastern stands.

We walked in the stadium without a ticket and slipped by the police officer at the gate trying to take a bribe from the only two westerners in the crowed. Instead of frozen lemonades, pretzels or bratwursts, we looked over our selection of duck eggs, pickled vegetables, mango with chili peppers and deep fried bananas.

By the middle of the second half, Thailand and Burma were locked in a heated 1-1 draw. The crowd, which was no more than a couple of thousand Cambodians and a few hundred radical Burmese fans were entirely anti-Thailand, likely do to politics and history. Any time the Thai’s would make a mistake, miss an opportunity or let Burma slide behind them, the crowed bubbled with support for the clear underdogs.

The game entered into overtime, the lights in the stadium came up and the bats came out; flying around the stadium consuming mosquitoes and moths just feet above the player’s heads. With 10 minutes left in the game, the Burmese fans were locked in a melodious chanting when one of their short superstars slipped a perfect cross into the back corner of the Thai goal. Cambodians and Burmese alike celebrated like the game was the final of a world cup. When the final whistle sounded, the Burmese players danced around the stadium, doing their best Usain Bolt impersonations.

This was an incredible event to experience because of the hilarious cultural differences, the political undertones and beauty of the evening. As experiences in Asia become increasingly mundane, it is times like this that allow us to remember that what we get to do in Cambodia is a unique blessing.

Now, here is hoping that the Buffs learn to grit out a game and beat a better opponent like Burma did last weekend.