Diego Armando Maradona

[oldpaul]

Argentine Diego Maradona died today at the age of sixty. Perhaps the greatest futbol player ever. Some humans are just amazing at what they do well. Tom

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[Ovidio]

I never liked soccer, so I also never saw him play. But, instinctively, I like that kind of sportsmen, now lost. Crazy, without rules, instinctive. The current champs are so boring and...politically correct, that I can't watch any sports anymore.
Human computers: diet, yoga, meditation, PR, in bed at 9:00 PM...
I liked the drivers and motorcycle riders who went out at night, got drunk, went with women and broke all rules, then, in the morning, they came to the track like zombies and beat everybody. Or even messed up things trying to do impossible manoeuvres.
That kind of people I liked and still do. They were funny and great.
But they are a extinct now...
RIP Dieguito.

[Gil Boyd]

Sadly for us Brits, he cheated and couldn't find it in himself to admit to it by hand balling a goal in the world cup.

That said he was a good footballer, but my money has always been on George Best. Mind you at the money they get paid, they should be good, afterall, it is their living and they are doing it EVERYDAY, so one would expect them all to be good, otherwise they would'nt be where they are!!

Both players were similar in their play, the ball looked as if it was attached to their toes.
RIP to both of them

[Ovidio]

Best. Another crazy beast. Dead too. We are left with phenomelal...yogurts...

[oldpaul]

Sadly for us Brits, he cheated and couldn't find it in himself to admit to it by hand balling a goal in the world cup.

From his autobiography, "Ahora sí puedo contar lo que en aquel momento no podía, lo que en aquel momento definí como «La mano de Dios»... Qué mano de Dios, ¡fue la mano del Diego!"
Now I can say what I couldn't at that moment, what I defined at that time as The Hand of God. What a hand of God, it was the hand of Diego!

The referee confirmed the goal and after the English side prostested he pointed to the linesman who also confirmed the goal. Bad calls both. I have never seen a professional sports player dispute a decision in their favor, perhaps others have. Later in the same match Maradona dribbled through five opposing players to score the second and winning goal. In any case, one match doesn't define a career and Maradona's was spectacular.

I cannot disagree with you about George Best. They were very similar in skill and style, even off the pitch. Both had serious alcohol problems that almost certainly shortened their lives. Best. Tom

[Ovidio]

This is great. I’m involved in a discussion about soccer players... Jokes aside, I have heard hours of discussions, of fights about Maradona. To me, he means nothing. I never watched football. My grandpa tried to get me into it, but it just bored me to death. When I started with competitive sports, I chose American Football. It was the mid 80ies. Going big in Italy, and quite opposite to soccer. If you faked an injury for a trivial foul or reason, you got kicked by your teammates. It must have been a reaction to the ladies playing soccer. We never accepted a “flag” if there was a doubt. Things changed with the years, but Football taught me to be a man. After the first 4 weeks at Officer’s School, our Captain called me in his office. I immediately stood to attention, as smart as I could. He asked me: Cadet Gentiloni, look at your left. I turned, and there were 120 pictures. One for each of us cadets. He then asked me: don’t you notice anything? No, Sir! Was my answer. Who’s the only asphole smiling? Errr...it’s me Sir! What the f..ck do you have to smile? And I told him: Can I talk freely? I’ve been the youngest player in A series for years, at least in my team. I’ve had to endure every possible kind of jokes, punishments, cajoles you can think of, and now I’ Captain of my team. Here, you can’t even touch me with one finger. What should I be worried about? He sent me back to drill...
That is just to say, I’m really not a fan of soccer. But those crazy guys, if you just look at the way the played... In the real world, they were probably not the guys you’d like to stay with. But they did what they did in sports, like no other!
The ones we have now are...hot air... They’ll be cold soon.

[Aragorn243]

I never heard of the guy. Zero interest in soccer, most boring sport I've ever seen played with a bunch of actors pretending to be hurt. Saying that, I am not a huge fan of many sports of any type. I can't stand basketball either. Baseball is too slow but I do enjoy going in person American Football filled with a bunch of guys with ego problems.

My favorite sports are winter sports. I can sit and watch downhill or Alpine skiing all day. Speed skating, bobsled, luge, international hockey. Even figure skating. Best two weeks of four years is the Winter Olympics. Summer Olympics I could almost care less although there are a few that I like.

[Gil Boyd]

Steve.........."I can Sit and watch" being the operative words there sat in front of big fire whilst they freeze their butts off in the snow. Totally agree

[GeeRam]

Sadly for us Brits, he cheated and couldn't find it in himself to admit to it by hand balling a goal in the world cup.

That said he was a good footballer, but my money has always been on George Best.

And ironically, the cheating obnoxious drughead Argie died 15 years to the day after Georgie Best died.