Dey see it an pronounce it was de best Gold Cup game ever.

I see it an had mih own superlatives once mih head settle back dong.

Eef Bill Clinton did see it, he would ah never say it depends on what it is.

Tuh clear any lingerin doubt, it was de match between we Soca Warriors an Mexico’s El Tri earlier in de week.

Since ah tork about de Warriors larse week, dey cut Cuba tail. Dat win put dem een de next rongs under dey own steam. Dis game was tuh decide which ah de two teams would win de group. More dan braggin rights was at stake. It would also tell who was goin an play who in inter group competition startin tomorrow, Sunday de 19^th.

It was certainly de best Gold Cup match I ever see buh was it de best ever? Curious, ah went searchin. It had couple lopsided games wid more goals in de past. Dey couldn’t ah be all dat excitin. I eh see no game wid eight goals an it draw. Plus, wasn’t one side supposed tuh win easy? Ah had mih proof. As coach ah would ah see it different, buh right now I is only ah fan.

Let mih describe what ah see ah next way:

I eh ever ever see ah T&T football team play football wid dat kind ah determination.

Never.

Not when dey beat Bahrain tuh make de World Cup. Not when dey draw wid Sweden. Not more recent when de Women Soca Warriors show dey heart an spirit in almost qualifyin fuh de Women’s World Cup dat just done.

Doh take mih words rong. At times in de first half dat end 1 – 0 tuh Mexico, T&T wasn’t lookin all dat good. De seesaw battle start in de second half an I could ah miss all ah it eef ah did go wid mih impulsive self an walk away steupsin. De cheups come when de Warriors captain make ah horrible parse in midfield dat went straight tuh dis Mexican forward. Ah read he lips. Dey say, Para mí? Gracias a mi nuevo amigo de Trinidad, an orf he gorn tuh de Trini goal.

Two fuh dem nuttin fuh we.

Commentators wid dey shovels was ready tuh bury de Soca Warriors. Buh true warriors never say die. Dese pick up de pace like ten notches an next ting yuh know dey was scorin de equalizer an bussin de net tuh take de lead. Buh Mexico wasn’t takin dat so. Dey almost buss de net deyself wid dey own equalizer.

Dat was when de Trini captain cut out de middle man an score against he own goalie tuh give Mexico de lead again. Was good watchin him make up fuh he mistakes.

Ah dare anybody tuh try alternatin between de heights ah euphoria an de pits ah depression. All yuh could wail is, ‘Oh Gawd No’ or, ‘Oh Gawd Yes’, dependin orn which emotion next. One more time fuh kicks.

De whole ah Mexico yellin Ole cause time runnin out. Buh true tuh dey warriors name dem Soca boys say it have time tuh score ah next one.

Let mih stop an say Mexican fans stink. Okay maybe only de ones who was by de corner flag when we get dat corner in de dyin moments. Dey start peltin we corner kicker wid anyting dat wasn’t nailed dong. At least one person shine ah laser in de man face. Utterly classless buh now de norm een modern football. However, ah suspect any Mexican fans yuh did put dey would ah stink too.

De corner kicker eh study dem. Wid nerves ah steel, he send ah pinpoint cross orn ah man head. Next ting yuh know, de ball in de back ah de Mexican net.

Try gaspin, ‘Oh my Gawd, Oh my Gawd!’

Warriors rollin arong orn de grong huggin de goal scorer. Brilliant all arong. Karma eef yuh believe in dat.

Lord Faddah? Too much excitement in too short ah time fuh ah man who love he football an de Soca Warriors more.

It was ah unbelievable performance.

So did football fans anywhere orn de planet miss out orn all dis excitement as it was happenin? From what ah understand de answer is yes. Ordinary fans from Triniland eh get tuh share in what my biased self agree was de greatest Gold Cup game. Mih pardnah say he was callin T&T tuh update udder pardnahs during de game. Someting about de game not being carried live fuh people tuh see because ah some kind ah black out. Udder sources tell mih tork radio was abuzz wid non-stop discussin about de game. Local TV news was showin highlights orn dey evenin news.

All after de fact.

Ah sorry but none ah dat is de same ting. It cyar measure up. De unfairness pathetic. Ah mean, who does eat stale bread eef it have fresh one right dey fuh everybody else? Asked an answered ah tink.

De onlyest acceptable alternative tuh watchin dat kind ah excitement as it unfoldin is tuh not know de outcome when yuh siddong tuh watch it stale orn tape. Anyting udderwise is punishin yuhself.

Why tings like dis does happen? Is not like it is de first time. Ah bet people doh bodder complainin cause it does happen so often it regular now.

De day after de match when ah check de papers, I eh see nuttin about it. Was like ah enter anudder world. Ah realize den what dem drug users use tuh mean when dey say someting or somebody tief dey head. Mih pardnah rush tuh tell mih ah rong, dat de Express had ah lil article about de result. I eh tink he realize how profound he statement was when he say eef yuh didn’t look good yuh would ah miss de article.

Well ah just read dat de governin football body, de TTFA announce ah deal fuh any remainin games tuh be televised. Ah directional shift time, only here doh.

Tanks fuh considerin de people in Triniland who love dey team. Dey was gettin jam up bard fuh unfair reasons when it did come dong tuh options orn how tuh live or die wid dey team when it was orn de road. Not so fuh fans in de diaspora. We doh have dem artificial barriers.

Dis next shift not directional; is me doin de usual.

What de arse happen tuh black an white footballs? First was goalies not wearin long sleeves no more. Now is footballs dat remind mih ah small beach balls dat does zig zag. What go pop up next, footballers wearin shades? Geez.

So it lookin like all’s well dat ends well. No more stale bread. Trinis all over go see dis next game tomorrow. Some just have tuh dig deep in dey pockets.

I. . .  we, eh mind.

Panama go mind doh when licks start. Dey supporters eh have tuh worry. Dey could swell up dey face all dey want, we eh peltin no rubbish.

I hear de words fuh tomorrow is:

We Ready!

We Ready!

We Ready!

Trinis all over de place ready!