Yiiiipppppeeeee!!!!!!!!!!

I really can't believe it. Today Arsenal scraped out a nil-nil draw against Villareal to earn their spot in the Champion's League Final, against either Barcelona or AC Milan. This is the worst season Arsenal have had in the English league in a decade, yet somehow, in the year when no one expected it, when everyone had written them off, they've gone and made it this far. I had a doctor's appointment this morning about some neck pain that the doctor suggested was probably stress related. So after my doctor's appointment, I went to an Italian cafe to drink lots of espresso and watch Villareal miss chance after chance after chance against some of the sloppiest Arsenal defending I've seen in a long time. How's that for a stress reliever. Idiot. As I was watching the game, I began contemplating something I often do when watching my chosen sport, which is: why do I watch this sport? It's often dull and uninteresting, other times it is downright maddening, and more often that not, particularly when a team you support is involved, it is far too stressful to actually be "enjoyable." It is supposed to be enjoyable, right? It is only a game, right? I was thinking about these things when the referee awarded Villareal a very dodgy penalty in the 89th minute and I knew exactly where this was heading. (For the record, the one goal wouldn't have been enough for Villareal to win, just to send the game into extra time, and give them a whole lot of momentum.) But, somehow Jens Lehmann the Arsenal 'keeper guessed the right way, and saved Riquelme's (of all people) shot. And then somehow, Arsenal held on for the 3 minutes of stoppage time and were into the final. Which I still can't believe. I was actually shaking for a good long while after. Part espresso, part nerves, part joy. And that was the answer to my own question of why I watch. It's about drama, the low points of which there are many, and the oh so sweet highpoints of which there are few. But damn do they make it worth it.