Little fact: I can juggle a soccer ball in the hundreds. My record is a modest 556 (thigh, feet. Heel, chest and head when necessary) without hitting the ground.
Little tidbit. As most of you know, I played soccer. Some of you may wonder aloud in public about what style of player I was. You need not ask the pigeons any longer.
I started out as a striker but ended up being a creative midfielder with useless defensive skills and average physical strength. I had outstanding ball control and excellent passing skills. My shot/kick was average but accurate. I once took part in a session with a former Greek professional goal keeper - met him through a friend - and we took penalties on him. I can sense his minor, subtle frustration each time I threaded the ball into a corner and past him. How can this guy score on me?
In Italy, a Serie C player, Nino was his name, spotted and assessed me in a pick-up game and demanded I play on his team. My assignment: Feed him the ball. Apparently he was trying to make Serie B.
Not bad given at the time I had a torn ACL. I was 18 and already done. Bah. Meh.
Pro players with similar styles: The players are based on what I personally think and what I've been told: Gianni Rivera (great AC Milan creative midfielder of the 1960s and 70s Italians loved to hate. Nicknamed the 'Golden Boy.' Valcareggi you bum!), Andrea Pirlo (also an AC Milan great more of a deep lying midfielder linking the defense to the offense. The genius and engine of the Azzurri in their 2006 World Cup triumph), Bruno Conti (AS Roma's pacey, spitfire who was crucial in Italy's World Cup triumph in 1982. He revolutionized wing play in soccer with wicked dribbling skills and deadly accurate crosses. At one point I was moved off to the wing and dribbled my way to the corner and floated effective crosses back into the middle. Actually Conti is one of my all-time favorite player) and David Beckham (Beckham is a superb passer. Somewhat one-dimensional offensively but he does a lot of little, neat things on the pitch/field. He was quite the player at Manchester United in the hey day in the late 1990s. Shame about tearing his achilles tendon last week. It effectively ends his chances of playing for England in South Africa. Interestingly, given the seriousness of such a painful injury, he didn't flop down choosing instead to hop off the field. Character guy.)
My older cousin likened my play to the smooth and elegant Giuseppe Giannini who played for Roma and was integral in helping Italy finish third at the 1990 World Cup.
None of these guys, it should be noted, were/are left footed.
My playing style was one in which coaches either loved it or hated it. If they didn't hate it, they didn't trust it. Most of the time, luckily, it was the former - thanks to the asset of being left footed. In my opinion, the latter folks didn't know how to use me. Mind you, I was a tad too aloof too so I'm sure that didn't help. I got screwed one time but I won't get into here. In any event, in the end, it didn't matter.
I shoulda played organized baseball. I coulda been a good player. I woulda.
Where I stand: Injuries have taken their toll on me. Too numerous to name here. I don't play team sports anymore because, aside from the time and commitment factor, for the most part I can't play with people who can't play properly (I can't tell you how much I hated - hated - being given advice or told how to play soccer by some dick douchebag who can barely receive a pass cleanly let alone play the effen game) and act like Huns. I prefer playing individual sports. Squash, tennis. Swimming when I can. I'll be getting back into cycling - I've been yearning for those 60-100km treks I used to embark on. If I can just convince my friend to get back into it. It's better in two. I jog too. Plan to run a half marathon in September. Barring injury of course.
I'm running at a modest 45 minutes 8.2km (5.1 m) clip at this time. Looking to improve that.
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I provided a link to a picture of Conti playing for Roma. Notice the 'Barilla' sponsorship logo on the jersey. Although I buy all sorts of brands (including BioItalia) I tend to lean towards buying Barilla and De Cecco. The picture reminded me of when Cirio sponsored Lazio in the 1990s before a spectacular fall from grace only Italian drama can provide. Cirio is still kicking around and without doubt, to my mind, is one of the better tomato based products and sauces you can buy around these parts.
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