Mainz 05

Mainz 05 is the Mainz soccer team. The 05 stands for 1905, the year they were founded. My friend Flo (link goes to his sport- and surfwear company, No Quality) has gotten me into three of their games so far, including today's. The last time I went, he gave me his normal ticket because he had VIP access. After the game he yanked off his VIP bracelet, and with the aid of some product resembling Post-It Notes, we managed to secure it to my wrist. Secure might not be the right word, since I was afraid to swing that arm when I walked, fearing that the slightest breeze would upset the delicate balance of our scam. Nevertheless, I passed the tight security detail of two women glancing at my bright pink mock-up.

Once inside I let myself relax a little, but I still had to keep adjusting the bracelet so it wouldn't fall off and expose me. If you're wondering at this point what the trouble was worth, VIP means free alcohol and food. It was a heavenly experience soured only slightly by my constant fear of discovery. I limited myself to a couple of bowls of soup and two free beers, as I knew once the booze started flowing more freely I'd let my guard down and the jig would be up. Sorry, now it sounds like I'm complaining about some free food and beer. I'm not complaining, I'm just explaining why I'm not still there.

Today's game was another highlight. The first game I attended I had to leave at halftime and Mainz ended up losing anyway. The second game, the VIP game, Mainz should have won but ended up tying instead. But today, finally, Mainz won, and boy, did they ever win: the final score was 6-1 against Paderborn. Granted, Paderborn is 3rd league and Mainz is 2nd league, and it should have been 6-0 if not for one of the Mainz defenders deciding the game was over even though there were still 15 minutes left, and therefore passing the ball directly to an opponent in front of his own goal. But it was still exhilarating to see Mainz win, and since soccer is normally such a low scoring game, it was awesome to see a blowout. Plus I've learned most of the chants/songs, so I was able to shout myself somewhat hoarse along with the rest of the rowdy crowd. To top it all off, after celebrating with Flo and some other friends afterwards, I have no class tomorrow. I get to sleep in and then search for some cleats for outdoor frisbee.