by John Walters
Pele
There are very few one-named legends: Prince, Madonna, Banksy, Snoopy, Secretariat, Cleopatra, Jesus (debatable… as you can go with “H. Christ” or “Of Nazareth”). And then there’s Pele, who passed yesterday at the age of 82.
More than just the greatest ever in his sport (that status may be more debatable following the last month), the Brazilian soccer god was a global ambassador. Not unlike, say, Wayne Gretzky, he introduced his sport to the masses on all six populated continents.
Pele was only 17 years old when he led Brazil to the World Cup title in 1958. The youngest player ever to compete in the World Cup, Pele scored a hat trick in the semi final versus France (Brazil trailed 2-1 when his scoring binge began), the put in two goals versus host Sweden in the final. He’d go on to be a part of Brazilian World Cup championship squads in 1962 and 1970.
In the Seventies Pele played a principal role in soccer becoming a U.S. phenomenon as he became the centerpiece of a true global All-Star squad, the New York Cosmos of the NASL. The Cosmos featured fading stars who happened to be the top players their respective nations had ever produced, legends such as himself, Giorgia Chinaglia (Italy) and Franz Beckenbauer (Germany). We were lucky enough to attend two Cosmos games in person along with 77,000 of our closest immigrant or first-generation American friends. We did not appreciate what we were seeing (but then, you can apply that sentiment to most everything, no?).
It was a good long life for a sports figure who belongs up there with Muhammad Ali, Gretzky, and Michael Jordan. Hoping they have bicycle kicks in heaven.
The Extra Topping Was Karma
We did not follow the latest social media contretemps, teen climate activist Greta Thurnberg vs retired MMA fighter/misogynist Andrew Tate, closely, but it became very interesting yesterday. That’s when Romanian police used the video Tate had posted to roast Thurnberg against him by noting that the pizzeria inscribed on a pizza box in his video, Jerry’s Pizza, is a local merchant.
That fact gave Romanian police incentive to hunt Tate down as someone residing in their country and arrest him on multiple sex-trafficking charges. Tate’s listed disciplines are kick-boxing and, believe it or not, chess (his pops was a grandmaster), but it appears Thurnberg’s is jujitsu: using your opponent’s aggression against him.
Three In :03
We’d like to think Buddy Hield informed his Indiana Pacer teammates before the opening tip, “Watch me, I’m gonna make NBA history.” And he did. The fastest three-pointer ever made in terms of how quickly after the game began. We were sorta hoping the Knicks’ Emmanuel Quickley (who scored 36 points himself in a losing effort last night) would establish this mark.
DOLLAR QUIZ
- How many Power 5 conferences have a school with a “Wildcat” mascot?
- Two iconic films that both had famous actors named Gene (one still living) in their casts. Name the Genes and the films (both Genes were in both films).
- In general, what is the purpose of hash marks on a football field?
- How many Summer Olympics have been held in the Americas?
- Three of the early U.S. presidents died on the Fourth of July. Name them.
- Which came first: Boston Marathon, World Series, or Indianapolis 500?
1. 4
2.Gene Hackman – Hoosiers, Gene Wilder- Young Frankenstein
3. Helps referee spot the ball after each down.
4. 3
5. John Adams, Jefferson, Monroe
6. Boston Marathon
Some correct, but not all. And we re-worded No. 2 to make it more clear.
Peeps, the man answering so promptly on these quizzes is an M.D. Just an FYI.
Not an MD. Just a Rug Doctor.
1. 4
2. Don’t know. I assume Gene Hackman is one of them
3. What TJ said
4. 6
5. Jefferson, John Adams, Monroe
6. Boston Marathon
Okay, answers:
1. 4
2. Gene Wilder and Gene Hackman were both in Bonnie & Clyde and Young Frankenstein
3. Where to place ball any time tackle occurs OUTSIDE hash marks or out of bounds.
4. 6 (St. Louis, LA twice, Mexico City, Montreal, Rio)
5. Jefferson, Adams, Monroe
6. Boston Marathon
Regarding #4 in your quiz … what about Atlanta in ’96? (Also – I got tripped up by the Americas and not just in America, which I took to mean the U.S.A. only. Tricky, tricky!)
OMG!
Yes. Seven. I was even at that one. My bad. No dollar for me.
On the other point of your question, I did say, “The Americas.” Which, c’mon, if I meant “America,” I’d have written that. When you see “the Americas” as a quiz taker, don’t overthink it. That means more than one (South and yes, also Central).