He tried to explain the game to friends who followed other sports. “It’s a rollercoaster,” he would say. “In just those 90 minutes you feel joy, despair, hope. All of life in a Saturday afternoon.” They didn’t get it: their faces blank. The opposite of experiencing the match, he thought as he settled down on the sofa with his usual snacks for the build-up. The system wasn’t on a sofa, he knew, but it was still settling in for the afternoon. Preparing to pay as close attention as he was. Following his rollercoatser ride closely. At least it got it.