i had a rather interesting conversation with two of my friends a few days back, one married, the other engaged and tying the knot in november.

so my engaged friend was telling us both that his fiancee frowns upon his football playing habits and that they often squabble because of his involvement in our football team.

'what she doesn't understand is that playing sports, team sports for that matter, is something primal to us guys.'.

and my friends who's married laughed at that, saying that he completely understands and suggests that the other guy grow fat like him, 'so that you can say that you need to exercise, no choice,' before guffawing again.

the engaged friend smiled ruefully before going on that women like to do their 'stupid things' (i'm quite sure that he wouldn't use this term in front of his fiancee) but what's worst is that 'they expect us to be there as they do their stupid things', and then the line that cracked me up totally 'or else they'll say that you love football more than you love me!'

and both the other friend who's married and myself commiserated with him for a bit.

being guys, we were talking about looking for good looking girls in women's football teams before long, especially with more jcs forming women's football teams. 'then we can save us a lot of drama'.

being the youngest among us three, and being the least experienced in terms of how-women-change-with-marriage-looming-matters, i was a little amused as these guys, who obviously love their better half very much, talk about how football has to come second now that their lady queen is in their life, and telling me to get a girlfriend who plays football, although they're 'few and far between'.

and i told myself, that as long as i can still play football, and as long as i want to, i must not, will not let any girl come before that.

i know that sounds stupid to some, to many, as football is just a game- to them. would i have known so many good friends who've been with me through the good and bad times when the 'girl' wasn't there if not for this "game"? would i have matured and channeled and competitive nature from screaming at my own teamates when things aren't going well to encouraging them and using that disappointment to work harder, if not for the "game"? would i have learnt so many life lessons from those older and more experienced if not for the "game"?

and so i told myself, that as long as i can still play football, and as long as i want to, i must not, will not let any girl come before that.