Could Cupid explain that??

Scene 1:

She: Why do you complain about such occasions? We are the ones who have trouble finding good presents for you. It’s never been an easy task for me to find a present even to my father.

He: On the contrary, it’s men who find it difficult to think about suitable presents for women.

She: Come on, there's plenty of things you could buy to a woman and make her happy.

He: Like what?

She: Well anything! A jewel, a cosmetics product, flowers, or something practical she needs… You could also invite her for dinner in a nice place, make a good surprise... But what about men?!

He: You could buy something traditional, a belgha (Turkish slippers), material for djellaba, this is the kind of things your father would like to receive.

She: (Stops short of asking what a man –other than a father- would like to receive for a present).

Question 1: Will that mystery about “what women want” and “what men want” ever be solved?

Scene 2:

He: Has the woman on the radio said that they’ve been talking about love for an entire week? Weird choice! What’s going on?

She: Yes! Well it’s Velentine’s day!

She2: Don’t you know about it?!

He: (A bit surprised, laughs) Lucky you!

She: What do you mean "lucky you"? Valentine’s day is everybody's business!

He: No... We celebrated our Valentine's Day a long time ago. Now it’s your turn.

She: Love has no age! (Playfully) Come on! Why do you men keep coming up with pretexts to ignore this kind of occasions? Just to avoid buying presents? :p Why don’t buy a present to your wife after work. She’d be happy about it.

He: (Laughs, addressing He 2): We have women’s movements here.

Question 2: Why are men too proud to admit that they do care about such things as love!?

Boss, shoof, Masr bte3mel eh!

(Picture: BBC Sport)

They play fair, they play with devotion, effort and love, and that’s what has made of them the best African football team for the sixth time. The Egyptian football team won the 2008 African Cup of Nations yesterday in Ghana, and with it the respect of millions around the world!

Compared to many other teams – and I wouldn’t exclude the Moroccan national team – the Egyptians have proved that mastering the game itself is not the only prerequisite for a squad to become champion. Nor is it the abundance of financial resources. The team spirit that reigns has a real magic effect. Look how respectful they are towards each other and towards their coach and how united they are even in the way they thank God after each goal.

And then look how ruthless they are during the whole match. The way they play makes you feel that they truly care! I am not writing poetry here, but I did see the Egyptian legendary “namoutou namoutou wa ta7ya Masr” (we would die to give life to Egypt) dominating the game during yesterday’s match.

Thinking about all this, I can’t help wondering what’s wrong with the Moroccan national team. What’s wrong can’t be financial. We all know that huge sums are made available to offer our players the best conditions compared to other teams during this cup and any other championship. Nor can the problem be the efficiency of the players themselves. The great majority of Moroccan national team players are part of well known international teams which wouldn’t pay them millions if they’re not real masters of the game.

Then what? Morocco has just changed the coach again, a coach who, despite his clear mistakes, has faced us with the painful reality about the management of sports in Morocco. Officials criticised Henri Michel’s remarks and dismissed them as utter nonsense, but, on the other hand, didn’t answer that big question haunting all Moroccans: What has made such an ironically renowned team a complete failure! Well if it’s not the money, and not the players, then what can it be except management?!

Anyway there are certainly lessons to be learned from this cup, and there are new challenges coming soon. All I hope is that something will be done –very soon – to avoid our team becoming a specialist in qualifying to international championships and disqualifying from the first round!

Ok, let’s go back to the happiness the Egyptian squad offered us yesterday (and, by the same occasion, smile at the thought that football does succeed in what politics and economy fail to fulfill: creating for real that legendary Arab union whole nations have been dreaming of).

Abu Treka, Zidane, El Hadary, and all their friends, led by “El Me’alem” Shehata, have done a great job, and do deserve the Cup. So hey, enjoy the amazing goal that made Egypt the winner of the 2008 African Cup of Nations 1-0 against Cameroon:

And the winner is... ?

It’s a special night for Moroccan bloggers. At these moments in Casablanca, the bloggers elected the best in the Moroccan blogsphere for 2008 must be receiving their awards.

I couldn’t attend the ceremony, but I did vote for my favourite bloggers, and hope they will win ;)

A big bravo to very active Agadir bloggers who had the bright idea, and made the great effort of organising the competition and all the activities related to it (a well made website, interesting goodies, etc).

Let’s wait for the results, and for what the bloggers who attended the ceremony will tell us about it! Good luck to all! :)