Shiva, "The Auspicious One", is worshipped by millions of Hindus worldwide as a god of destruction. Wandering into crematoriums, he smears his body with the ashes of the dead, and dances in the light of their funeral pyres.
I found myself meditating on the powers of destruction while pondering how Gold Coast United had just demolished yet another team's chances of making the finals this season. By my count, that's four clubs we've annihilated.
Our first victim was North Queensland, whose status as the easybeats of the A-League was cemented early with a 5-0 Round Two spanking at Skilled Park. Fowler's Fury have been playing catch-up ever since, with little success. A knock like that is hard to shake off.
Our next victims were Central Coast, who came to Skilled Park in early December with delusions of grandeur, having conceded only nine goals all season. Since our boys' valiant 2-1 come-from-behind victory, however, the Mariners have not won a game.
In fact, they have conceded a further 10 goals while only registering a single point (against Fury) this weekend. So much for that top two finish, Lawrie.
Then came our mighty Round Three knockout of Brisbane Roar on Boxing Day. The Orange Army's season went pear-shaped when we hammered them 3-1 at Suncorp in Round One. Frank Farina was obviously still groggy when Joel Porter's single goal in October kept Roar on the ropes. A week later, Frankie himself was down on the canvas and out for the count.
By the time they watched five goals sail past them at Skilled Park, Roar were already a club in crisis. Gold Coast's emphatic victory ensured that any Roar talk of a top six finish was quickly forgotten. With Craig Moore following Liam Reddy and Charlie Miller out the door, the question quickly became whether South-East Queensland's second-best club could even survive.
Aurelio Vidmar's Adelaide were our final victims. Sure, we didn't play too well. But a scrappy draw was enough to consign the Reds to a body bag in the bottom four morgue. With rumours of a new coach, a new ownership structure, and countless playing contracts sitting unsigned, it looks like the end of The Viddy Era down south.
But I do not mean to gloat. Fortunately for all our victims, there is still reason to hope.
Death is a necessary precursor to rebirth. Shiva, the god of destruction, is also associated with reincarnation. For the clubs we have already assigned to the bottom four, the task is to look ahead, find the positives, and seek to rebuild.
For Gold Coast United, however, the rampage of destruction continues. The hunger for success burns like a fire in our bellies, and we must now seek out new, more powerful victims. Each club we consume will make us more powerful.
Who's next on the menu?
