Say 'Cheese'

Ah, Madrid! What to say, what to say...? It seems like only a short time ago that fancy, feel good questions were being asked. Like if this team was as good if not better than the Barca dynasty under Guardiola? If this was the best Madrid team of all time? When would Los Blanco lose again? Indeed, those questions, and more, were all asked just before the Christmas break. Turns out it was a meaningless hot streak struck prematurely in an ultimately meaningless -- read trophy-less -- season. One could rant and rave and re-hash all of the things that went wrong. The decisions taken and not taken. The heart shown by the players and not shown. The injuries, bad luck, and opportunities not grasped could be dissected ad nauseam. To be honest that was my original intent... to blow off some steam, to vent some frustrations, to let it all out. I was going to compare Real Madrid to a race car with a blown engine, an over-the-hill driver, and an owner who couldn't stop meddling and leave well enough alone. However, a quote came to mind, it says:

Life is like a camera. Just focus on what's important. Capture the good times. Develop from the negatives. And if things don't work out... just take another shot!

Now, that might seem too philosophical, too fluffy, but I don't want to become just another Bernabeu boo-bird, or whistler, whatever the case may be. No, I accept Real Madrid's sacrifice and effort to win it all. I'll focus on making it to yet another Champions League semi final and fighting for La Liga to the end. I'll always remember the captured longest winning streak in La Liga history. And I'll develop into a stronger supporter because of the failure from the season. And together we'll take another shot starting in August! I hope the suits at Madrid can take a step back and give the lads a chance to redeem themselves without gutting the whole operation and starting again (hell, they do that sometimes after they've won!). I'm full of hope and optimism for this Madrid squad. Ancelotti is perfect for the hot seat in Madrid and the players seem to love him. CR7 hasn't let his form or insatiable desire drop. The squad has some amazing young talent to take it forward and win trophies for years to come. Cibeles will be quiet this spring. We have taken a step back, but hopefully to come into better focus! Say 'Cheese', this season is done and dusted! Hala Madrid!