Tuesday, January 17, 2012

AWAKENING SLEEPING GIANTS

My title is elaborated in two stories.

Story No. 1
I’m not a big Soccer fan. I don’t even watch FIFA World Cup matches. Friends laughed when they discovered I didn’t even know about the FIFA game between Korea and Japan in 2002. However, watching Discovery, I saw something that made me think and I want to share it with you.

Apparently Italy has often had great soccer teams; they have won the cup four times. The first two were in 1934 and in 1938. They were supposed to be fantastic.

During the 1982 FIFA World Cup, the team was bombarded with general skepticism and negative reviews by the media. Italy barely qualified for the second round after three uninspiring draws against Poland, Peru and Cameroon. They were continually criticized by the media who circulated rumours and falsehoods. At some point, the team decided on a press black out. They refrained completely from talking to the press. By doing so, they managed to achieve things that were thought impossible. They were thus so strengthened they finally won the cup in that year.

Story No. 2

The Battle of Pearl Harbour was a surprise strike conducted by the Japanese Navy against the United States naval base located at Pearl Harbour in 1941. Soon after the attack, during a Japanese celebration of their success, the Japanese Admiral, Isoroku Yamamoto, allegedly said: “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant.” His fears were realized when the giant (the US) dropped two atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

My point is this, something said or actions that have not been well thought through can certainly “Awaken Sleeping Giants”.

In the future, we should always bear this in mind.

1 comment:

Rosli said...

Ironic when you mention world cup Korea/Japan because during that world cup you got married and the day you got married brazil beat England,and yes when sleeping giant is awake....you have to be careful all the time