Бельги болон Египетийн шигшээ багуудын тоглолтын өмнө эгшиглэсэн Alan Parsons Project хамтлагийн “Sirius” аялгуу нь NBA-ийн шүтэн бишрэгчдэд Майкл Жордан болон Чикаго Буллз багийн алтан үеийг эрхгүй санагдууллаа.
Дэлхийн аваргын зохион байгуулагчид 1982 онд гарсан энэхүү алдарт аялгууг багуудыг талбайд гарах үеэр ашиглаж байгаа нь үзэгчдэд тоглолтын өмнөх эрч хүчийг мэдрүүлэх зорилготой аж. Хэдийгээр FIFA-ийн тоглолтод сагсан бөмбөгийнх шиг тоглогчдыг нэг бүрчлэн танилцуулдаггүй ч энэхүү аялгуу нь цэнгэлдэх хүрээлэн дэх уур амьсгалыг эрс өргөж чадсан юм.
Кэвин Де Брюйне, Ромелу Лукаку, Мохамед Салах зэрэг оддын оролцсон тоглолт 1-1-ийн харьцаатайгаар тэнцэж өндөрлөв. Мохамед Салах багийнхаа цорын ганц гоолын дамжуулалтыг өгсөн бол Ромелу Лукакугийн довтолгоо Бельгийн гоолыг авчирч, Кэвин Де Брюйне чөлөөт цохилтоороо хаалганы шон оносон нь тоглолтыг тун сонирхолтой болгосон билээ.
FIFA-ийн ерөнхийлөгч Жанни Инфантино хэлэхдээ, дэлхийн аварга шалгаруулах тэмцээнийг улам бүр шинэлэг болгох хүрээнд тоглогчид болон шүүгчдийг үндэсний дууллын үеэр талбайн голд нэгтгэж, эв нэгдэл, бахархлыг илэрхийлэх шинэ ёслолыг нэвтрүүлж байгаагаа онцолсон юм. Тоглолтын дараа Сиэтл хотын үзэгчид тус хотын уугуул гитарчин Жими Хендриксийн “Purple Haze” аялгууг сонссон нь орон нутгийнхны сэтгэлд нийцсэн үйл явдал боллоо.
Дэлгэрэнгүй эх сурвалжийг харах
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SEATTLE – The musical accompaniment to the team walkouts at the FIFA World Cup might be a little jarring to local sports fans, especially those of a certain age who follow the NBA.
As soon as I heard the music before today’s game between Belgium and Egypt, I turned to my colleague Jerry Brewer, another veteran of many NBA games from the ’90s, and we both said the same thing:
“At guard … from NOOOORTH CAROLINA … “
For those who haven’t seen (or heard), the World Cup has been using the instrumental song “Sirius” by the Alan Parsons Project as the teams enter the pitch.
An unusually brief 1:48, the powerhouse from the album “Eye in the Sky” was released by the British band in 1982, so organizers are reaching into the way-back machine to pull this one out instead of more recent fare.
There’s a reason for that, at this North American World Cup, that might not be familiar to fans from more distant locales: “Sirius” is indelibly tied to arguably the greatest athlete this continent ever produced, Michael Jordan, and his lineup introductions with the Chicago Bulls.
“Sirius”, for the uninitiated, was the Bulls’ lineup intro music for their home games during the entire six-championship reign of Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the rest of the gang. NBA teams introduce each starter individually before games, and Jordan would always be introduced last. The other Bulls would be named during the song’s one-two-three synthesizer riff interspersed with dramatic keyboard smashes, and then, just as the song hit its crescendo, then-Bulls PA announcer Ray Clay growled “at guard … from Nooooorth Carolina … 6’6” … number 23, Michaaaaaael Joooooooordan!!!!”
Ironically, nobody will be hearing “Sirius” in Chicago this summer, because the U.S.’s third-largest city is one of those hosting the World Cup. It is being heard everywhere else, however, because it’s the walkout music for every single game, the cue to fans that it’s time to move from the beer garden to their seats.
Our writers have heard it not only in Seattle, but also in Guadalajara and Vancouver and everywhere in between. They’ll even hear it on Tuesday night in Santa Clara, when Austria takes on … wait for it … Jordan.
Unlike last summer’s Club World Cup, FIFA isn’t doing lineup intros a la a basketball game, they can be unwieldy with 22 players on the pitch rather than the ten of an NBA contest, so there was no chance to hear “at forward … from Liverpool … 5’9” …number 10, Mooooooo Salah!!!”
However, in an effort to inject some of that big-game feel from an NBA lineup introduction to this audience, “Sirius” is an all-timer when it comes to hyping up a crowd. In a full house almost evenly split between Belgium and Egypt supporters, it lifted the moment and set up the anticipation for game time.
It also felt appropriate for a game that felt like a big deal due to the presence of long-time legends like Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Salah. Even if all are faded versions of their former selves, each heavily impacted the entertaining 1-1 tie these teams played — De Bruyne hit the post with a crackling free kick, Salah directly assisted Egypt’s lone goal, and Lukaku accounted for Belgium’s lone score when his run forced an own goal.
“Sirius” is just one part of the program in FIFA’s build-up to kickoffs — which, it must be said, could teach the NBA a lesson by starting promptly at the listed time (today’s match, scheduled for noon local time, was in full lather by 12:01). Once the players are done with the walkout, they all meet (including the subs) in the center circle while both national anthems play. Then teams will have handshakes, pre-game photos of the starters and the coin toss before playing).
Jordan celebrates winning the 1992 title (Photo: Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
“As the FIFA World Cup grows, we continue to innovate the way the game is experienced”, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a press release before the tournament.
“Having all players and referees face each other in the centre circle during the national anthems will create a moment of unity, pride and emotion that truly belongs to the teams and to everyone in the stadium. The FIFA World Cup is about every player and every fan, and this new pre-match ceremony reflects that.”
Hearing the music from “Sirius” might be an especially jarring gut punch here in Seattle, one of the cities whose hopes for an NBA title were dashed by Jordan’s Chicago teams. (Once upon a time, there was a basketball team here, and the best incarnation of that Sonics squad lost the 1996 NBA finals to his Bulls in six games).
Ironically, “Sirius” wasn’t the only locally connected blast from the past today. In the second half, a group of fans below the press box tried getting The Wave going (blessedly, they were unsuccessful). That maneuver, of course, got its start at University of Washington football games before spreading to the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL … in whose home stadium (Lumen Field, temporarily known as “Seattle Stadium”) Belgium and Egypt faced off today.
Alas, Seattle soccer fans will have to hear “Sirius” five more times this summer, as the city will host that many games. Battle-scarred New York fans, whom Jordan tormented numerous times as well, will also have to hear it seven more times, although they may feel a bit less touchy about it after the Knicks won their first championship in 53 years on Saturday. (Breathe easy, Utah — you’re not hosting games this year).
When Monday’s game ended at least, locals in the crowd got to hear something a bit more in tune with the city’s vibes, and somehow even older than “Sirius”: The exit music was “Purple Haze,” by local guitar legend Jimi Hendrix.
