Monthly Archives: May 2010

Mourinho, Real Madrid, and Material Myths

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Madrid set the press afire last summer with blockbuster signings. With a few swoops of his mighty pen, Perez sent shock waves through the elite of English football. Debt? Regret? Don’t fret! This summer, the merengues have restarted the notorious coach carousel, pausing for an ever so brief year for Pellegrini to play the role of caretaker.

The first instinct is excitement. Surely Mourinho, the Portuguese genius, can form a winning sculpture out of the blanquillo clay. But I fear for this colossal clash of egos – can Mourinho truly change the Madrid culture? The fact Manuel survived the Alcocorn debacle to season’s end shows signs of improvement, but…but…but… Continue reading “Mourinho, Real Madrid, and Material Myths” »

Inter v. Bayern – No Recap, Just Opaque Motifs

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Esteban Cambiasso is your introverted college roommate from sophomore year. Sans car, the semester ending, and the airport on the other side of town, you don’t even sweat about the prospects of transportation. No, the awful bus system that makes on-time-train-providing-communist-revolutions sound appealing is not the magic solution. No, the silver bullet is Cambiasso. Without raising a finger, without opening your mouth, you know you can count on that ride to the airport. Even in the middle of a heated counterstrike battle royale, the ride is in the works. Dependable.

Wesley Schneijder is that abrasive guy who kinda shadows you at social events. You show up to a protest, a rally, a meeting, and guess who is there, standing just behind you. Oh, what a coincidence. Hello subtly abrasive guy who makes believe he is your shadow. Yes, of course the two of you will exchange brief pleasantries while your mind hums along, searching for exit strategies. Oh, you forgot to take your nonexistent son to the emergency room for heart cancer? Gotta run. Oh. His son has the same problem. Sure. A carpool would be great. Shit. Subtle. Continue reading “Inter v. Bayern – No Recap, Just Opaque Motifs” »

Inter vs. Bayern Munich vs. Madrid Preview

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Only with Real Madrid could this happen. The merengues shadow has cast darkness on this Champion’s League final, and not just because of the Bernabeu. True, Robben and Wesley were cast off this past summer in haste, making way for the trophy less cache of big name signings. And yes, we could reflect on the pupil-master dynamics of Mourinho and Van Gaal.

We could resurrect the Mourinho as “dark lord,” a tactician who will win at all costs. But that leads to the next question – where will Mourinho be next summer? Continue reading “Inter vs. Bayern Munich vs. Madrid Preview” »

Can Anyone Truly Stop the Paradhina?

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The International Football Association Board has issued a new rule ahead of this month’s World Cup. Law 14, concerning penalty kicks, now reads “Feinting in the run-up to take a penalty kick to confuse opponents is permitted, however, feinting to kick the ball once the player has completed his run-up is now considered an infringement of Law 14 and an act of unsporting behaviour for which the player must be cautioned.”

But why the change? Brazil. Yep. Brazil. We take a sabbatical from Spanglish to educate you on the Portuguesespeakerers. As best we can. Continue reading “Can Anyone Truly Stop the Paradhina?” »

The Return of the Link Whisperer/Thief

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It’s been an eternity since we last stole content from other sites, blatantly disregarding the fundamental principles of intellectual property. Thus, in the spirit of the collective, sacrificing the copyright foundations of the 20th century for the 21st century internet discourse of “traffic” and “pagerank”, I present some goodies from around the soccer blogosphere.

We beging with More Than Mind Games, where James has found some incredibly cool clips of the first experimental films with sound. The only lament – why didn’t the innovators in film immediately rush to record a Merseyside derby? History is the ultimate loser. Continue reading “The Return of the Link Whisperer/Thief” »

A Toast & Roast of Ye Olde Ivory Coast

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For those who have forgotten, I am covering the Ivory Coast at the delightful World Cup blog. I recently wrote a two part series on an overlooked part of the Portsmouth FA Cup run – the resurgence of Aruna Dindane. And the nasty contract squabbling behind the curtains. It’s a bit more traditional journalism than the regulars are used to, but I found the story compelling. Enjoy Parts One & Two.

The 2010 Premier Premiership Revue Review

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Was this a season of disappointment? Of competitive balance? A two horse race with an overpriced and underachieving show pony stealing headlines? Has the European soccer planet shifted gravitational pull towards the Iberian peninsula? The story lines abounded, and a few refreshing moments shall wet your appetite before the MOST IMPORTANT EVENT is explained. Continue reading “The 2010 Premier Premiership Revue Review” »

Chelsea v. Wigan Recap: Farewell, My Lovely

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Some things go wrong for all the wrong reasons.

I’d been to West London, East London, and everywhere in between. I’d even taken a trip up North, but this old Scotsman business dealings had failed to crystallize. My redheaded client and I, braced against a wall, dared not peek out the window. The recent gunshots rang in my ear and the blood on the floor and walls was not exactly inviting. I knew it was coming to an end. I knew the job had been a set-up. My professional curiosity waned as instinct took-over: how do I get out of this mess? Continue reading “Chelsea v. Wigan Recap: Farewell, My Lovely” »