Fit to Wear the Colors

Despite more depressing news coming out--though hardly surprising--that the Hammers squad is indeed falling apart behind closed doors, and the looming possible penalties (financial and the dreaded points reduction) that the league may hand down this week in regards to the Mascherano/Tevez trade, the team still can't pull off a win. Again, not surprising.

But the Hammers played with genuine conviction Sunday (especially Tevez, Noble, Zamora, Konchesky, and Green) and almost pulled off the biggest win of the season. Alas, it wasn't meant to be. West Ham were up 2-0 at the half, but they simply couldn't hold onto the lead. Lee Bowyer stupidly took down Aaron Lennon in the box in the 50th minute, giving Tottenham a penalty kick opportunity, which they indeed claimed courtesy of Jermaine Defoe. Hammers' keeper Robert Green's luck and skill at post (he had some remarkable saves earlier on) vanished at that point and the game was on.

Anyone who watched knows how topsy-turvy the proceedings got. Tottenham scored again in the 63rd to even things up, then West Ham jumped ahead in the 85th (Tevez sailed a stunning free kick into the box for Zamora to head in), and I was actually pretty sure that the Hammers were thankfully going to pull the win off. The season may be doomed, but the win... ah, the win was ours!

Bullshit. The scatter shot defense returned and the inability to navigate through the pressure as well. Tottenham scored twice in two minutes and took the win. They deserved the win.

But plenty of the players on West Ham showed courage yesterday (Tevez, Green, Noble, Konchesky), proving that they deserved to wear the colors. And if the sight of Tevez freaking out after claiming his first goal for the club, diving into the crowd and into the arms of the faithful supporters who rabidly stand by their team even as relegation Armageddon looms, doesn't bloom a little sympathy for the Hammers' plight, then I'm not sure I want to know you. It was a beautiful moment, and one that I'll remember for a long time. But damn, I can't wait to forget the burnout that defined the rest of the season. Awful, simply awful.

I wonder if West Ham manager Alan Curbishley is tired of all these votes of confidence that team chairman Eggert Magnusson (aka The Elf) keeps burdening... I mean lauding upon him?