17th World Cup Competition and the Golden Score
Yuksel Oktay, Istanbul-June 24, 2002 - What joy, what happiness and what relief! As many observers have already done, I want to scream to the world that there are Turks out there who can achieve, whatever it may be, if it is played according to the rules and with fairness. Soccer is not just an act of putting the ball through two posts, as everyone knows, which is the final act, to be sure, and that is what counts at the end. And the number 17 player, Ilhan Mansiz, did just that during the 17th World Cup competition and with his golden score, carried the Turkish National team to quarter finals. Thank you Ilhan, thank you everyone.

17 has always been my lucky number, a nickname that was even given to one of our friends at Tarsus American High School. One of the best photographs being circulated around the world shows Ilhan Mansiz high in the sky, his feet at the level of Senegali player's head. The flying Turk. What a superb hit it was that passed by the perplexed Sengali goal keeper which I must have watched over a hundred times on every TV channel including the CNN International and admired the hundreds of photographs published in every newspaper.

June 13 win against China
Some people believe 13 is an unlucky number. I know some high rise buildings that skip the 13th floor. But June 13 was a lucky day for the Turkish National Team when they beat China 3 - 0. This was a must win for the Turkish team after a loss to Brazil and a tie with Costa Rica to advance to the second round. I was up early on the morning of June 13 to watch the game at a hotel room in Milan, which I thought would start around 7:30 am. When I asked an attendant at the lobby, who did not speak English in my broken Spanish, he wrote on a piece of paper 8:30. Than he said "Emre." He was talking about the famous Turkish player who had scored the only goal against Costa Rica, but we had to leave at 8:30 in the morning with several colleagues for a visit to energy power plant outside Milan.

My boss from London is a soccer fan and I wanted to ask him if we could watch just ten minutes of the game, but did not want to delay the trip. Just five minutes into our ride, however, we came to a dead stop on the motorway. There was a terrible accident and the motorway was closed bothways. We sat in the car for close to two hours, and by the time we arrived at the plant, the game was over. But, my mobile telephone did not stop ringing during the entire trip, ringing after each goal by the Turks and the Brazilians.

When we walked into the plant, I asked some of the workers, as if I did not know, "Who won?". "Turks" they said, with thumbs up. What a wonderful day it was. Turks had won against China 3 - 0 and the Brazilians had won 5 - 2, giving the Turks the opportunity to move to the second round.

Children everywhere and on the Soccer Fields
Time magazine (not one of my favorites) in its May 27, 2002 edition had a beautiful photograph of young Korean monks in Seoul celebrating Buddha's birthday with a friendly soccer match against US kids. Yes, the soccer was the supreme game of everyone around the world. Every team in the tournament walked into the stadium holding hands with young children, which is wonderful. My hats is off to whoever thought of this gesture to the children of the world.

June 23 win Against Senegal
June 23, the day after the longest day of the year, will be remembered by the Turks forever together with Hakan Sukur, the player with the best view of the game, as some commentators noted. For days, the newspapers have been writing critically about the performance of the Turkish Team, the Technical Director Senol Gunes, and the players, especially the star player Hakan Sukur. Like everone else, I was upset with his nonperformance and missing so many opportunities, but as Senol Gunes has remarked, the Turkish team is at the semifinals because of him and others like him, first time since 1923, when the National team was formed. To see Hakan in the starting team of 11, and he deserves to be there, would guarantee the win by the Turkish team against Brazil, now that Ilhan has saved him from hanging, which evidently he whispered to Ilhan's ear during his hug after his golden score.

The Families of the Players are off to Japan for the semifinals and the Final game
Show TV had a wonderful program coming from the homes of the players in Turkey, from Zonguldak, from Tekirdag, from Trabzon and all the other towns where the players come from. This is truly a national team, with many different backgrounds, and hairdos for that matter. Everyone in Turkey, whether a Laz, a Kurd, an Armenian, a Greek, or simply a Turk from Safranbolu, were proud to be Turks, as many have written in the newspapers. As a bonus, the families of the players are off to Japan for the semifinals, courtesy of the Federation, which should guarantee the Turkish victory..

The games and the politics of religion
Several newspapers reported that the team, especially Hakan Sukur, requested an Imam to lead them at the Friday prayers. Evidently the Imam from Seoul was flown in. And there was a public praying session too. Only in Turkey.

Than again, some newspapers are reporting that the statue of Jesus playing soccer is now the best selling souvenir in California. Well, we can also say "Only in America".

TRT, the Publicity and the Image of Turkey
The achievements of the Turkish team has been a tremendous help in elevating the image of Turkey all around the world. TRT, the National Radio and Television has brought us not only the games but the celebrations from around the world that will live in our memories forever. Japan and Korea, once bitter enemies, have been wonderful hosts who have shown their support for the Turkish National team as well.

The Turkish Flag
I have always told and continue telling people that I meet by chance everywhere that the most beautiful flag in the world is the Turkish Flag. Everyone in Turkey and the millions around the world have been seeing the Crescent and Star everywhere. Yesterday, driving from the Ataturk airport, I passed in front of the Saadet [Felicity] Party building which has a large party emblem high on its building, with a crescent and 5 stars. I consider this a disrespect of the most beautiful Turkish flag and humbly ask the Party Chairman Recai Kutan to find another design and leave the Turkish flag alone.

The government has declared the afternoon of June 26 a half day holiday so everyone can watch the game.. and what a day it will be...