Ear we go...

Apologies for the attrocious pun, but it really does seem that the whole World Cup is governed by the cat ear headband in this picture. Well, so Tim and Butch seem to think. I obtained the headband as a resource for a lesson that I was going to teach in the partnership room at school, but it has taken on a more legendary status after last night.
The World Cup is a marvellous sporting event, it really is. It brings out the best in everyone. In several cities in the UK (including London, Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds), the authorities put up large screens in central areas so that the general public could join together in support for their country's team. And so that they could charge an undescribable fortune for drinks from the portable bars at the venues. However, Millenium Square in Leeds is the only one still up and running, because the rest have been plagued with violence. We really know how to celebrate a victory, don't we? With a healthy dose of rioting.
Despite the fact that Leeds is the only one of those cities to have escaped mob rule in the last week, I have decided not to risk it, and have watched the games at my friends' houses. For example, I saw last night's clash with Sweden in the lounge of my next door neighbour, Tim. (Although I joined Steve Darke and friends for a bit of cake at half time).
Butch, Ches Den and I all decided to wear headgear to Tim's for the game, and, seeing our efforts, Tim popped upstairs to fetch himself a nice flat cap. When we scored our first goal, I was wearing the headband. When Sweden equalised a little later, I had taken it off, and so it came as no surprise to my friends that the cat ears were having an influence on the goal scoring. I had taken them off again later on, when Ches Den shouted loudly at me: "Put the ears on! Put the ears on!". I did as she asked, and we scored approximately three seconds later. Hmmmmm. All the evidence points to the truth of their claim. (Well, except the fact that Sweden scored again while I was wearing them...)

Whatever the reason for it, England managed a 2-2 result against Sweden, which, although it means that we have STILL never beaten Sweden, for the first time in 4 major tournaments, we have emerged as the clear front runners in our group. We have also successfully avoided a second round clash with Germany. Good for us. I shall be wearing my ears again, then, on Sunday, when we will face Equador. Sash!, I hear, will not be playing.