H.L. Mencken once described puritanism as “the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.” The quote reminds me a little bit of earnest soccer people who are obsessed with tactics and systems. The thought of defensive errors, technical deficits and a failure to heed the coach’s instructions keeps them awake at night. Joy-inducing goals that result from mistakes cause them to shudder and even weep. Spontaneity is a dangerous sin, never a virtue.

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