Thrashing Estonia
Normally it takes an event of the magnitude of the World Cup final for me to actually watch sports. But since a kind friend sent me a spare ticket to the Israel vs Estonia Euro 2008 qualifier, I said what the hell. I tried to remember the last time I'd gone to a professional soccer game in a real stadium and came to the conclusion that it was in about 1965! (Aston Villa vs Birmingham City). Warned of massive traffic jams I arrived by bike. Unnecessary since this wasn't Israel vs. England and the crowd was a mere 24,00 that only half filled the smallish, old fashioned National Stadium in Ramat Gan. As I entered, the stadium was on its feet for Hatikva . It's an uplifting sight: the perfect green pitch in the floodlights, the razzle dazzle of the flag-waving majorettes, the thousands of roaring spectators (some holding a sign welcoming the Estonians to ' Israhell ' ). Shuffling into my seat I checked out my neighbours . To my left, a dubious looking guy in a lon...