Real Madrid routed a mixed Israeli-Palestinian team 8-0 Tuesday night in a charity "Peace Match."
Don't get me wrong--I think the gesture here is awesome. In many places around the world, violence gets turned off like a bathroom fixture when there is great football nearby. Brazil visited Haiti a few years back and gave everybody a day off from being in the middle of Haiti. Back in the day Pele's league team practically stopped a war:
[S]occer great Pele is credited with bringing a temporary halt to fighting in Africa when his club, Santos, played there. When Pele and Santos visited Kinshasa and Brazzaville in the former Belgian Congo in 1969, rebels put down their weapons and suspended fighting to attend the game. Kinshasa is now the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Brazzaville is the capital of the Republic of Congo.
So the idea is in place. You can be a great soccer team, and visit places that are stressed out and ready to burst at the seams, and maybe do some good.
Now, I'm sure the fans want to see the high octane offense of Real Madrid, and not some watered down version, but did Real Madrid really have to absolutely paste the Peace Team? I find it symbolically dispiriting. Though again, I'm sure the folks at the game had a blast.
Next up, Real Madrid will be playing the puppies from Puppy Bowl to raise money for the Humane Society, and they will destory those stupid fucking puppies! Watch your shins, Puppy Bowl III MVP "Bomber"!
4 comments:
No mention of how the Civil War in the Ivory COast basically shut down during the World Cup in 2006 when their team qualified?
dammit leroy. I totally meant to mention that and then I got caught up in researching the MVP of Puppy Bowl III.
My priorities may be a bit skewed.
The "peace" team totally would've kicked ass if they'd allowed Hamas players to participate. When will these Arabs learn not to misuse democracy, and just vote sensibly?
Silly indians.
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