All That Is Good
Whenever we find a soccer-related link that deserves to be remembered, we’ll post it in this list.
- Jan. 1, 2012: A treasure trove of South American football’s strangest moments of 2011: This is Botafogo defender Bruno Cortes’ wedding photo, which you’ll notice is set in a fast food restaurant. An amusingly awkward photo of Boca Juniors coach Julio Falcioni. And by “an awkward photo,” I mean a very nice, well-composed photo ruined by Falcioni slouching puffily like an overgrown, leathery five-year-old in the foreground. Here’s a great photo of Falcioni casually feeling up a dancer. (from the Football Ramble)
- Jan. 1, 2011: This picture of shirtless a pitch invader landing a masculine but affectionate kiss on John Terry’s cheek. It’s fascinating to think of exactly why this might be happening: is he simply an ardent, passionate Chelsea fan? Is he being ironic? Very difficult to say. (From Who Ate All the Pies?)
- Dec. 30, 2011: This documentary about Justin Fashanu is notable for the heroic skeeziness of his agent.
- Dec. 29, 2011: The Tumblr blog for Next Goal Wins, the movie about the American Samoa national soccer team, contains many spectacular photos of the team. Really makes me excited for the film. Also, watch this trailer.
- Dec. 12, 2011: A succinct graphical biography of Clarence Seedorf from Football Venn Diagrams.
- Dec. 12, 2011: Ajax reserve goalkeeper Jeroen Verhoeven is fat! In this video, the fans cannot contain their laughter at his appearance when he’s subbed on. The fact that this is an issue swelled our hearts with enjoyment.
- Dec. 10, 2011: Thierry Henry broke down in tears as his statue was unveiled in front of the Emriates. It has come to our attention that many people do not like Thierry Henry. Those people are silly. Here, he shows passion, honesty (saying Robin van Persie is kind of a prick) and introspection (saying at one point he was himself kind of a prick). Good on him.
- Dec. 9, 2011: Videos of player interviews in Welsh on Best Eleven. These videos have the same surreal quality for me as the Prisencolinensinainciusol video — that video is supposedly an Italian attempt to replicate the sound of the English language with gibberish, and if it is, it works. I don’t speak Welsh, but my ear strains to understand them anyway because the cadences and syllables are so familiar. It’s incredibly surreal.
- Dec. 9, 2011: Zonalmarking’s preview of the Dec. 10, 2011 Clasico. So comprehensive. So clear. This is the platonic ideal of a tactical preview.
- Dec. 8, 2011: Surreal Football’s Footurology series. The only part of Surreal Football that consistently lives up to that page’s promise. A series of boisterously absurd newsflashes from the sport’s dystopian future. This purported interview with Andrea Dossena on the site is also gold.
- Dec. 8, 2011: this sketch of Neil Warnock is an utterly comprehensive summary of the man. (thanks to On Goals Scored)
- Dec. 8, 2011: today’s Guardian Football Weekly Extra. They never fail to provide enjoyment when Philippe Auclair is involved. He never shies away from a catty remark (in this week’s, he has a bitchy zinger about Leonardo and Carlo Ancelotti’s relationship), gossips incorrigibly, and alludes to a bank of alluring secrets culled from connections and friends in high places. What’s best about him though is that he’s not afraid to be his own man, going against the grain, defending opinions most soccer journalists would be too squeamish to entertain. A boss. In this week’s adventures, he has a snarling debate with Rob Smyth over Manchester United’s governing structure. Also, Jonathan Richardson is also at his mischievous best. Football Weekly is often grating, but when it’s this good, it’s very entertaining.
The Half Volley 
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