If anyone questions whether idiots as "fans" exist at sporting events, or the true athletic ability of professional footballers as athletes, a firecracker at a Romanian Cup final soccer match answers both.
Dinamo Bucharest's Elis Bakaj was in the process of dribbling down the right side of the pitch and near the opposing team's goal when a firecracker was launched at or close to him -- by one of the Dinamo's own fans. The soccer match was being played at Dinamo stomping grounds, Bakaj's club. Amazingly, the 23-year-old Albanian, Elis Bakaj, manages to duck the dangerous explosive -- which literally skips across the field and over soccer players -- while still maintaining control of the ball. Unfortunately for Dinamo fans, Bakaj was about to do more than maintain control of the soccer ball: the footballer was about to make a field goal attempt.
But then the firecracker on the field ruined all that.
Stupidly, the Dinamo fan who threw the firecracker may have blown his own team's win: it's thought the missile came from at least one Dinamo Bucharest fan, the explosive ruining the goal that was being prepared. It also ruined momentum. The Dinamo Bucharest soccer team went on to lose the Romanian Cup final match, 2-1.
Once again -- thanks, loyal sports fans.