Cool Runnings

I was 9. Sat in my primary school hall, legs crossed – arms folded, eagerly awaiting the Christmas video. The Christmas video was simply an annual event whereby one child in the school was selected to bring in a video of their choice for the whole school to watch on the final day before the Christmas holidays. That year, one of the boys in the older class had brought in ‘Cool Runnings.’ Now, this film was a 15, and all over the video, and the adverts before hand, it highlighted that it was a 15. The school hall however was full of 50 children aged between 8 and 11! So needless to say, football stickers were stuck over the video where the 15 certificate symbol used to be, and the video was fast-forwarded until the start of the film! Good times.

Now to the reason I mention this - there is a link I promise! I was sat yesterday, reliving my childhood as “Cool Runnings” was shown on BBC1. And it was still as funny as I remember it all those years ago. Admittedly it was funny for different reasons, I actually got the jokes this time round whereas back then, I thought it was funny that they were using naughty words! Despite being a comedy, it is quite an inspiring film. A film about a group of men that wanted to be the best that they could be. A Jamaican bobsleigh team, against all odds and in spite of negative comments from all the people that laughed at them, they continued to work hard and they achieved their goals. Despite all the odds stacked against them, they tried their hardest, practiced come rain or shine, and got what they deserved.

Much alike the newly crowned Barcelona of English non-league football – Crawley Town. Pitched up against Manchester United, in front of nearly 70,000 fans, they did themselves proud; everything they had worked for during the season was repaid in a moment.

I think about people who have dedicated their lives to achieving exactly what they want. I look forward to watching the ‘on your marks, get set, where the hell did he go race’ involving Usain Bolt. However, we only get to watch that 10 seconds, win or lose. He has spent his whole life working hard to be at the top of his game. It’s amazing when you think about it. Usain Bolt will tell you that it is achievable. OK, I realise that he is a slightly different specimen; I can’t see myself doing 100m in less than 10 seconds in a car, let alone running it! But the idea holds a lot of truth. If we work at something for long enough and hard enough, it can be achievable.

OK, enough of my sermon. Lecture over! I have only ever had two comments on here, so I feel I should say something that is likely to urge a discussion…

Manchester United treble winners 2011!? Definitely.