National teams this, national teams that...

National teams this, national teams that...

At the end of the day, who wins? Nobody.

Our national teams in the different sporting codes are performing indifferently.

Some get flack. Others not.

What criteria do we use to judge these indifferent performances, that elicit little emotion from the public?

Is it because some are allowed to lose.

They all always say they will hoist the flag high. They will make South Africa proud.

When they don't, they slip quietly into the country. No, they don't wear disguises, but they walk about hoping not to be recognised.

Those that have been in the more exposed national teams like your Bafana Bafana, Amabhokobhoko, the national Under-23 soccer team and the Proteas will tell you about the wrath of the nation.

Banyana Banyana? Who are they? Last time one checked with Safa nobody knew of them.

Ask Bafana Bafana about the nation, especially.

The Springboks issue is political. It always becomes black and white.

And the coach was called Jake White.

Now they want Zola Yeye out.

Is it because he is black?

They say he was a political appointee in the first place.

White(s) had wanted Naas Botha.

Yeye? You don't know him? He is the manager of the rugby world champions.

It is alleged the senior players have had enough of him.

Maybe he should quit! But, he won't. Would you?

Carlos Alberto Parreira is having it nice so far.

That is until the Afcon in Ghana in January and February next year.

The nation seems to be calm at the moment.

But that's what usually comes before a storm.

Are these ominous signs? Hope not.

The west Africa-bound Bafana Bafana team was announced last Friday. Experts say it is balanced with youth and experience.

Only Benni McCarthy's omission raised eyebrows.

Some don't think it's a good idea.

Others think it is.

Me, I don't know!

Yours truly needs someone to shake the fence one is sitting on.

Okay. Let him go.

That's what Magubane would say.

Anybody remember that the national netball team, also called the Proteas, was at a world championship in Auckland, New Zealand recently?

Nobody? Ask Makhenkhesi Stofile. He should remember.

Ja, they went down there and came back with zilch. As a norm.

They were thoroughly beaten by Malawi, among others.

You don't believe it?

We are told they always lose to Malawi. We must watch them and find out why they lose. To anybody.

Of course, the team was representative of all races. How could you even ask.

Bafana Bafana are not allowed to lose. Otherwise the coach goes, it is as simple as that.

You can't blame the players. The coach selects the best there is.

Not so?

We are not involved. The coach says it's not the 2008 Ghana Afcon that he is concerned about. For him the bigger picture is 2010.

The Afcon is part of the preparations, we are told. And the South African Football Association offers the players a R500 000 bonus each if they win it.

Wait a minute! Half-a-million maphepha?

Why offer bonuses for something that doesn't really matter?

Is it a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing?

After we beat Canada in Durban, Parreira told the media that Bafana played to their strengths of possession, skill and dribbling.

A Sunday later, his assistant Pitso Mosimane wrote in his weekly column that such football was a sign of disrespect for the opposition, and called it showboating.

The last two issues are sometimes referred to as schizophrenia. Our support is still unwavering.

Let's go show 'em!