GOAL!!!
That was the victory shout for us football players in the field after a successful score.
Life was fun but never always easy for us juniors during the football games; not with senior, respected players who ran the show while we followed the codes of discipline. I’ve always loved this rush; the intensified trainings and Coach Patrick’s regular scolding too. Sometimes even suspension from a good game if we didn’t take training seriously.
KGA ground on M.A. Jinnah road was likened to ‘the gladiator’s arena of destruction’. This is where seasoned teams played day after day and tournament after tournament. Attempting to play among these teams at age 14 meant you were either crazy or suicidal. The big guns showed no mercy. Everyone was equal here. This wasn’t our small home playground where we often goofed around. No sir, this was serious football for serious players only.
We kids were under mentoring of Coach Patrick with his rock-solid enthusiasm for the game and I was his favorite ‘worst’ player. Every time I goofed up, he would grumble at me under his breath saying, “Stupid…very very stupid!” We would laugh. We knew he wanted to say much more but he was a decent human being. His controlled emotions kept him from kicking my butt instead of the football.
Of the greatest of greats we watched playing every time on that gladiator field, there was one particular forward-positioned juggernaut, David D’Cruz. David was ruthless, vicious and absolutely cruel on the field. He was the man responsible for getting the ‘job done’ whenever a victory was needed.
We could not play with him. Some boys speculated that we juniors were not allowed to play in the field when he was present as we were ‘novices’ and could get trampled on if we came in the juggernauts way.
David was one of the most talented players. His motto was not just ‘No Fear’ but rather to ‘Instill Fear’ into the rest of the players. Compared to World Wrestling on TV, we would get to see the real thing. Broken shin bones, twisted ankles, injured knees, concussions to the forehead, are some of the nasty repercussions players had to bear if they tangled in a ‘snatch-the-ball’ attempt from the lion king. David defended his team with resilience and passion. Most victories were matches of hard battles. David’s team would be like his family for that match-moment as the lion defend his pride.
One evening after arriving late, Coach Patrick was screaming at me. He warned he'd put me in the team playing against David. I was petrified. “Who wants to die so early?” I thought to myself.
That same evening David entangled with another player - a header, a good seven feet up in the air. Both players were injured in a head-to-head collision. His opponent was down all rattled up in pain while David suffered a deep gash on his forehead. There was silence in the arena and the match halted. People gathered to see if both players were okay. I watched the other guy ‘call it quits.’ He had a nasty spell of the kings’ head made from hard-tempered bone and sweat.
David looked on as his opponent walked towards the change room and then he shouted, “Guys, sit down. We got a game to finish.” He did not want first aid just yet. “It’s not necessary right now..” he said with a wicked smile and walked off into the field. This match continued while his head still dripping blood now soaked one side of his white T-shirt. GOAL!! Another victory-shout; the lion had scored again.
David was expressionless during and after every match. He rarely smiled even when being presented with trophies. “When’s the next game?” was all he probably thought about. We kids were once again reminded of the fearful lion king and warned even more to stay away from him when in the field.
I was temporarily suspended from playing any matches due to disciplinary action and was kept as an ‘extra’. My team unfortunately had it even worse. They were facing David’s team. I felt saved but not for long. Suddenly, Coach Patrick pulled me up and said “Get in, you’re playing fullback now” For a minute, I was not too sure what was happening. I was happy with my lifted suspension and asked coach who’s playing on that position. His finger went towards the last person it needed it to go – David!
I was devastated. Coach Patrick’s smirks made me realize this was not time-off for good behavior. It was punishment for extreme cases like me. This time nudging me into the field he said, “Get there and mark your man.” This was football lingo.
I was thinking to myself how I would be going down that evening. “Would I suffer head injuries or knee injuries or both?” As I approached my field position with knocking knees, David shot his same expressionless cold look at me saying, “Get in my way and see. . . . “
David always took the game with great seriousness. His team mates were his family. As any lion would, his territory and playing positions were off-limits for intruders. Fifteen minutes into the match, it was very clear that David was making no exceptions for me. I was pushed, shoved, his hands in my face, his sweaty shoulder edging painfully and dangerously into me. I tugged on with spirits ‘not so high’ and Coach Patrick shouting from boundary line “Stay with him, don’t leave him!”
Second-half into the match and our opponents were ahead by just one goal. “I’ve got to keep David contained from scoring.” I thought to myself. If I could level the score it would be a draw. I was in David’s territory now sticking with him, defending the ongoing volley of almost accurately executed goals. Every ‘save’ by our goal keeper infuriated David even more and, a junior in his way wasn’t helping the lions temper either.
Reeking with sweat he made me more uncomfortable as he kept gripping and shoving me around. I too was a mess of mud. KGA does not have soft grassy greens. I had elbow bruises from a couple of falls but somehow with every fall I had the courage to pick myself up and put pressure on the lion king. David now attempting another maneuver had the ball with him and he reached striking position. Soon that ball would transform into a speeding mini-tornado ripping into the net. “No” I thought. “This is not going to happen.”
Catching up, we wrestled and pushed; He nudged me and I nudged back. He almost tore my t-shirt as his hands menacingly tried to keep me at bay. I made every attempt to slow him down with all I had. My team was exhausted. Defense was difficult since David had quite an open field of options available and the goal keeper probably realized that too. He dodged but I blocked his entry just as fast. Having developed the stubbornness on my part, for a brief close-contact episode I too edged my entire body into the lion’s ribs. Our feet tangled around the ball. An elbow blurred my vision nearly breaking my nose and the whistle blew hard and deafeningly loud. “Good going!” I thought as I imagined the referee’s yellow or red card for David. For those who are not familiar with the game, a red card is received when a player becomes violent or overly aggressive. Or, if he uses his hands or commits a foul to deliberately prevent a goal. A red card is also given to a player who has received two yellow cards. Players receive yellow cards for overly aggressive fouls.
So you could imagine my absolute shock and bewilderment when the referee walked up to me face-to-face and stuck that Red card right in front almost into me. Only then I realized David was on the ground. His one shoe came off with the fall as well. The frenzy at the time didn’t make me realize what was happening until after the red card was issued. I was doing exactly what David did in all his wining matches. ‘Protect the team, they are like your family.’ I understood what this meant to David as I tried to help him up profusely apologizing to him half in concern and half out of fear.
David laughed it off as if I was over-reacting. He picked himself up without help and with a pat on my shoulder said, “Relax man. It’s all good. Don’t worry, I’m fine.”
Of course, the team got the ‘free kick’ advantage to my dismay. And then, GOAL! I saw that coming. Now, they were two goals ahead and seven minutes to game-end. “No point in pushing now.” I thought to myself. Every one of us would be only too happy to end the continuing onslaught. We continued to tango around with a lot less viciousness and more tactful maneuvering to keep the game stable until the final closing whistle. Game over – we lost!
Making my way back to where the team and coach were standing, I ran cursory checks on me to ensure I was all in one piece while examining my cuts and bruises. Coach Patrick tapped me on the head with a different face-expression. “Well played?”
“Was he asking me or telling me?” I thought to myself.
I think what he meant to tell me was “How the hell did you get a red card against David?”
My buddies were laughing as I came back. Obviously, they found it quite funny from their perspective. They laughed and mimicked episodes of the match events between David and myself. David sitting nearby, slowly drinking water was observing the comments for a while before making his way towards us. Putting his arm around my shoulder as if we were old buddies, he spoke to the rest of the boys in our group.
“What’s so funny?” He said with all seriousness. “I like to see one of you face me and push me around in the game like he did” Then patting me on the back really hard he said “Well played man, well played. See you again next week.” For the first time I saw David smile.
I walked ten feet tall that day. I had the kings’ pat of approval while playing with the big leagues. The game of football was now more passionate and meaningful. I was continually learning the traits of the lion’s pride: team work, coordination and above all, determination to get the job done.
The years went by and life got busy. Football was not our primary focus anymore. David found a new family to take care of. He soon became father to two wonderful sons Hudson and Darius and a loving husband to Diana his wife.
We never met or kept in touch. Life got busy but we friends would often speak fondly of him as well as the other football greats we once all aspired to be.
Sadly, just recently I found out from an office colleague about a tragic incident in David’s family. A powerful gas explosion blew away a portion of their home owing to a leak. His eldest son Hudson was killed. The poor boy was burning to death as David and his wife attempted to dive into the deadly inferno and save him. David knew the consequences of getting inside raging fumes but did it anyway his wife following closely behind. Unfortunately they were too late in saving Hudson. David and his wife were later rushed into Civil Hospital Burns Unit with serious 3rd degree burns. They were both said to be in critical position.
“David is a fighter” I thought to myself. “He will survive this I’m sure.”
Hudson was buried on June 9, 2011. Unfortunately shortly after we got more devastating news; The lion king had departed too. It was his last match. Sometimes in battles, we don’t always end up victorious no matter how much fight we put in. But, we don’t really lose either. David’s last fight was a victorious, heroic example to everyone about ‘being there for family’ even if it means jumping in the fire.
He gave his best to save his family, loved them and fought till his end. This was David the lion king of football. I would like to remember him this way.
Today, we could ask ourselves how David’s unfortunate incident impacts our lives.
What have we done for our family, our team? Are we sweating, pushing and shoving hard to score those winning goals? Do injuries and setbacks in the course of life's tough, grueling match bring us down or do we move on and get the job done anyway? How many battle scars are we carrying as a symbol of pride in what we do for the people we love?
Well played David – Hoping we can catch another exciting game in the playing field some bright morning when this life is over.
