Movies I Watched in 2010

1. After the Wedding (2006) 2. Bruno (2009) 3. The Twilight Samurai (2002) 4. Z (1969) 5. Encounters at the End of the World (2007) 6. Sin Nombre (2009) 7. Julia (2008) 8. Just Another Love Story (2007) 9. The Hurt Locker (2008) 10. Evil (2003) 11. Doubt (2008) 12. Gomorrah (2008) 13. Transformers (2007) 14. Miller’s Crossing (1990) 15. Moon (2009) 16. Romancing the Stone (1984) 17. Dirty Harry (1971) 18. The Thin Blue Line (1988) 19. In the Loop (2009) 20. The Hangover (2009) 21. The Good German (2006) 22. The Final Destination (2009) 23. A Serious Man (2009) 24. The Damned United (2009) 25. Bolt (2008) 26. Walk the Line (2005) 27. Crank: High Voltage (2009) 28. Men in Black (1997) 29. Up in the Air (2009) 30. Precious (2009) 31. Syriana (2005) 32. Law Abiding Citizen (2009) 33. 2012 (2009) 34. An Education (2009) 35. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009) 36. Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001) 37. Angels and Demons (2009) 38. Monsters vs Aliens (2009) 39. Sherlock Holmes (2009) 40. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) 41. Crazy Heart (2009) 42. Taken (2008) 43. Toy Story 3 (2010) 44. The Saint (1997) 45. Dune (1984) 46. Revanche (2008) 47. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) 48. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2008) 49. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) 50. The Jacket (2005) 51. Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan (1982) 52. Tell No One (2006) 53. The Stranger (1946) 54. Kinamand (2005) 55. The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009) 56. Thirst (2009) 57. Lady Vengeance (2005) 58. The Maid (2009) 59. Jerichow (2008) 60. Wild Strawberries (1957) 61. Wings of Desire (1987) 62. Howards End (1992) 63. I’ve Loved You So Long (2008) 64. The 39 Steps (1935) 65. Air Force One (1997) 66. Gilda (1946) 67. The Foreign Correspondent (1940) 68. X-Files: Fight the Future (1998) 69. Inception (2010) 70. The Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) 71. Synecdoche, New York (2008) 72. Signs (2002) 73. Zombieland (2009) 74. Brokeback Mountain (2005) 75. Rebel without a Cause (1955) 76. Barry Lyndon (1975) 77. The Ghost Writer (2010) 78. Kick Ass (2010) 79. Date Night (2010) 80. A Single Man (2009) 81. How to Train your Dragon (2010) 82. Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief (2010) 83. The Men who Stare at Goats (2009) 84. Carne Tremula (1997) 85. Green Zone (2010) 86. In the Mood for Love (2000) 87. Ninja Assassin (2009) 88. Flame and Citron (2008) 89. Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974) 90. The Book of Eli (2010) 91. Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001) 92. The Madness of King George (1994) 93. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) 94. Topkapi (1964) 95. Astro Boy (2009) 96. The Fugitive (1993) 97. Dead Man Walking (1995) 98. Days of Being Wild (1990) 99. The Princess and the Frog (2009) 100. Broken Embraces (2009) 101. Terminator Salvation (2009) 102. Orlando (1993) 103. Shutter Island (2010) 104. Blood Simple (1984) 105. The Young Victoria (2009) 106. All the President’s Men (1976) 107. Barton Fink (1991) 108. The Secret in Their Eyes (2009) 109. Elizabeth (1998) 110. Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) 111. Iron Man 2 (2010) 112. The Cove (2009) 113. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) 114. Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole (2010) 115. La Strada (1954) 116. The Secret of the Kells (2009) 117. Cache (2005) 118. Robin Hood (2010) 119. Sunshine (2007) 120. Road to Perdition (2002) 121. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984) 122. Castle in the Sky (1986) 123. My Neighbour Totoro (1988) 124. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) 125. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) 126. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) 127. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) 128. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) 129. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) 130. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (2010) 131. Twilight (2008) 132. I am Love (2009) 133. Centurion (2010) 134. Alice in Wonderland (2010) 135. Rocky (1976) 136. Rocky II (1979) 137. Valhalla Rising (2009) 138. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) 139. Princess Mononoke (1997) 140. It’s Complicated (2009) 141. The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) 142. Ponyo (2008) 143. Ip Man (2008) 144. True Grit (2010) 145. Persona (1967) 146. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010) 147. Au Revoir Les Enfants (1987) 148. Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010) 149. Scott Pilgrim vs the World (2010) 150. A Prophet (2009) 151. 1984 (1984)

Rhythm and Blues before the turn of the century

The R&B scene was surprisingly good between 1995-1998. I made a mix CD (I still listen to CDs in my car) of some R&B joints and was pleasantly surprised how well the songs held up. Here’s the track listing:

 

1. 112 (f. Notorious B.I.G.) – Only You (Puff Daddy Remix) (1996)

2. Next – Butta Love (1997)

3. Dru Hill – How Deep is Your Love (1998)

4. Keith Sweat – Nobody (1997)

5. Ginuwine – Pony (1996)

6. Toni Braxton – You’re Makin’ Me High (1997)

7. The Fugees – Killing Me Softly (1996)

8. Aaliyah – One in a Million (1996)

9. D’Angelo – Brown Sugar (1995)

10. Missy Elliott (f. 702 and Magoo) – Beep Me 911 (1998)

11. En Vogue – Don’t Let Go (1997)

12. Usher – You Make Me Wanna (1997)

13. Mariah Carey – Honey (1997)

14. Blackstreet (f. Dr Dre and Queen Pen) – No Diggity (1996)

15. Maxwell – Sumthin’ Sumthin’ (1996)

16. Lauryn Hill – Everything is Everything (1998)

 

In the Mood for Love

A fairly pedestrian “love” story saved by fine film-making. Some of the things that set it apart:

1. The exercise of platonicism – so rare in film and so jarring.

2. The way Tony Leung holds and smokes his cigarettes.

3. The way Maggie Cheung moves in those dresses.

4. The way Wong Kar-wai uses Yumeji’s Theme.

Morso – Georgetown, Washington DC

I just came back from dinner at Morso and it was a massive disappointment. Perhaps this is a gut reaction and my feelings will temper as time passes but surely in the case of food initial impressions are just as important as future remembrances. I practically dragged a visiting friend from New York to this joint in Georgetown so I could try the newest Turkish addition to the DC dining scene. Sorry buddy. Maybe it was your loud shirt “from Neiman Marcus” but it probably wasn’t your fault.

I’ll begin with some positives. Morso is in a terrific location. It has a very cool interior – it’s small but the interior design and layout take maximum advantage of the space. The music was a good background sountrack that accentuated conversation without dominating it. But I’ve seen a lot of places with similar quality of design and atmosphere (Turkish restaurant example: Turcusine in Herndon) and really it’s the food that counts. In that respect, the bread was excellent despite the fact that the oven was metal instead of clay or brick. They have Kara Efe (although the raki service is lacking). And the yogurt selections that came with the bread were terrific.

Time to bitch. The menu itself is not too extensive and four of the items we selected were not available. The server told us one item had not been available for over two weeks. That’s bullshit. This place has only been open for two months but come on you need to have these things figured out before opening. It’s just wrong to receive your third, fourth and fifth options when you’re paying this much for the food. It’s one thing to run out of food on a busy weekend night (which would be pretty rookie in the first place) but to have practically half your menu missing on a lazy weekday night is pathetic.

The food itself was okay. The fish dish – I can’t remember the exact fish – was excellent. It was better than a lot of dishes you get at a place that specializes in seafood. The lamb chops were good but it’s hard to mess that up. The stuffed baby eggplant was laughable – I mean, it was one of those dishes that you can’t help but smirk at because of its pretension. A very small ring of pureed eggplant surrounding a walnut filling. Good but an absolute waste of money. The kibbeh were tough and salty. And the ground lamb kebab – basically an Adana kebab – was no better than what you’d get at Moby Dick. The main issue with the food was the liberal use of salt. I’ve been drinking water for the past hour in a desperate attempt to save my kidneys from future trips to the dialysis machine.

Perhaps most disappointing was the raki service. Raki should be poured at the table though if ordering a single glass bringing it out pre-poured is acceptable. But the water should be chilled and available in a vessel from which it exits easily – like a ewer or something with a wide lip. Not another raki glass. And there should be some means to put ice in your glass beyond your fingers. The preferred solution is the server topping off your glass with the ice but if that’s not going to happen then at least leave some tongs.

I guess the main issue was that I expected much more than what I got – which was an average experience where the food was pretty good. A place like this should be an ambassador of Turkish cuisine but ends up being just another Middle Eastern place. Perhaps in time they will figure things out but right now I would be hard-pressed to recommend to anyone. I certainly won’t be bringing my parents here or any friends interested in Turkish cuisine. There are plenty of other Turkish restaurants in the area that offer the same or better quality of food without the absurd menu issues. And why come to Morso when you can go to the legendary Zaytinya – more authentic, more delicious, more consistent and a better value?

Inception

I caught Inception on an IMAX screen last week and it’s the best movie I’ve seen this year. I’ve watched a lot of films so far – an unseemly amount. I keep a list on a legal pad and it’s over 70 right now. Most of them were released in past years so it’s difficult to comprehensively state that Inception is the finest film released this year but maybe we should set aside the bests and the comparisons and just say it’s fantastic. It’s a wonderfully entertaining film that begs to be watched on a big screen. It’s an essential example of why we pay inflated prices for a couple hours of mindless escapism. I hesitate to say it’s brilliant but it’s certainly in the upper tier of that wonderful segment of film-making that targets pure enjoyment and breathless entertainment over, say, technical aptitude or serious plotting and character development.

I’ve read some reviews that criticize the film for its lack of character development and a plot that almost denies any attempt at emotional investiture. I can’t disagree with such an assessment but it’s besides the point. I don’t know the intentions of the director or much care but there seems to be a belief that just because the premise of the film uses some seemingly innovative concepts – the ability to construct dreams for other people – it should transcend the action-adventure film into something Charlie Kaufman might write. That’s baloney. It’s a film where the premise heightens the action and the enjoyment rather than dominates it. It’s a concept that Christopher Nolan has played with before – both Memento and The Prestige have uncommon structures that add to the entertainment but don’t try to masturbate over how uncommon they really are. You might call it pseudo-deep – a sort of concept wherein the film elevates a common action-adventure romp into a more sophisticated spectacle that falls purposely far short of Bergman or Fellini. After all, it’s meant as entertainment for the masses.

In the past 15 years, many of my favorite action movies have disregarded or poorly developed their characters or plot. The Matrix, the Bourne films, Mission:Impossible, Goldeneye, Casino Royale, etc. These are action films. It’s escapism. I’ve argued before and I’ll argue again that the purest and greatest form of film is the action movie – it allows us to experience the impossible and the amazing and really no other artistic format allows for that in such an immersive manner. Inception is in the same vein. I don’t know how it will stack up on rewatching. I’m not even sure if I’d call it mind-blowing. I think the last film to reach mind-blowing status was the Matrix, which was completely revolutionary, or perhaps the Lord of the Rings trilogy (honestly, does anyone think Avatar did anything technically that surpassed what Peter Jackson and crew did 5+ years ago?). But, who cares, it’s an intricately built, popcorn-shoveling adventure of a movie.

I can’t help but compare it to another film I viewed recently: Synecdoche, New York. This is the film that Roger Ebert named his best of the decade and the reason I name-checked Charlie Kaufman earlier (he wrote and directed the film). The reason I can’t help but compare is that both in a way deal with mind-fucks. In Inception, Nolan serves many scenes in a way that you’re not really certain what’s reality and what’s a dream. In Synecdoche, as the film goes on, what’s real and what’s staged in a play begin to muddle together as time contracts and characters multiply. What was a promising concept devolves into a confusing soup of people who never really get developed. The film centers around Philip Seymour Hoffman’s character but even all the clever allusions to diseases of the mind can’t hide the fact that his character never progresses beyond a one-note, one-dimensional walking advertisement for melancholy and loneliness. The difference between the two films is that Inception’s success doesn’t ride on the audience’s emotional attachment with a character – Synecdoche depends on it and ultimately fails. Inception is an action movie at heart and should be judged on its merits as such – and a terrific action movie it is.

World Cup Preview

Here’s my quick preview for the World Cup. Mostly I wanted to get my predictions down before the first game. I did it March Madness style by just picking teams and seeing how the games unfolded. My bracket has some GREAT second round games. For each group, I also highlighted one or two under-the-radar players that should be fun to watch.

Group A

France * Mexico * South Africa * Uruguay

One of the more interesting groups. France, a supposed powerhouse, are struggling and many would not be surprised by a repeat of the 2002 disaster. South Africa are weak but should be buoyed by the home crowd.

Players:
Luis Suarez – Uruguay
He averaged more than a goal a game for Ajax. Can Suarez convince a big club to take a risk on him by proving he can score on the biggest stage?

Yoann Gourcuff – France
One moment he’s being touted by everyone, the next he’s under the radar. A gifted midfielder, I think France’s hopes rest with his play.

First: Mexico
Second: South Africa

I’m going with the trendy pick of France failing at the first hurdle and I think South Africa will have enough to reach the knockout rounds. FIFA needs them to make it.

———————————————–

Group B

Argentina * Greece * Nigeria * South Korea

Argentina should win this group at a canter despite a poor qualifying campaign. The other three teams have had better days.

Players:
Angel di Maria – Argentina
I’m excited to see this winger. I haven’t seen him play but from all I’ve read he’s on another level on the flanks.

First: Argentina
Second: Nigeria

Argentina with nine points. Nigeria is just a random pick. Wouldn’t be surprised if Greece bored their way into the next round.

———————————————–

Group C

Algeria * England * Slovenia * United States

Many people think it’s cut and dry but I think Slovenia has a very good chance of advancing and Algeria are actually decent.

Players:
Robbie Findley – USA
I saw this guy in a couple of friendlies and he has enough pace and wiliness that he can cause havoc in opposing defenses as an impact substitute.

First: England
Second: USA

England are good against this level of competition. I was tempted to pick Slovenia but I don’t know how well they’ll do so far from home.

———————————————–

Group D

Australia * Germany * Ghana * Serbia

A fascinating group. Injuries make things more even – Germany’s captain Ballack is out and so is Ghana’s best player Michael Essien.

Players:
Mesut Ozil – Germany
I wonder how much time he’ll get but he’s the kind of offensive creator that Germany don’t often have.

Milos Krasic – Serbia
I’ve heard a lot about this guy and I’m excited to see him in action. Supposedly a fantastic talent.

First: Serbia
Second: Germany

Serbia is a popular pick but that’s because they are seriously good. Australia are unlucky to be in this group cause they have second-round talent and Ghana can cause problems even with a depleted squad.

———————————————–

Group E

Cameroon * Denmark * Netherlands * Japan

Looks straightforward to me. Cameroon are missing Mikel due to injury and Samuel Eto’o is not happy. Japan don’t have enough quality.

Players:
Eljero Elia – Netherlands
I’m not sure if he’ll get a chance because of all the other attackers in the squad but this winger is something special.

First: Netherlands
Second: Denmark

Netherlands even without Robben should get through although they do make it tough sometimes. Denmark are sneaky good.

———————————————–

Group F

Italy * New Zealand * Paraguay * Slovakia

Similar to Group A in that Italy are not what they used to be. Except New Zealand have no chance.

First: Slovakia
Second: Italy

Italy refused to go young in their squad and that could cost them. Slovakia have a lot of good players and had a great qualifying campaign.

———————————————–

Group G

Brazil * Ivory Coast * North Korea * Portugal

Three good teams (on paper) and a complete unknown.

Players:
Kader Keita – Ivory Coast
I saw him quite a lot this year because he plays in the Turkish league. A winger who’s strong and quick and with a nose for the goal. Usually comes on as a sub for the Ivory Coast.

First: Brazil
Second: Ivory Coast

Didier Drogba may have a broken arm but he’s set to play for the Ivory Coast and Portugal have been abysmal in the last two years. So bad that North Korea have a chance of a point against them.

———————————————–

Group H

Chile * Honduras * Spain * Switzerland

Spain will win the group but the other three teams are all good. There are no whipping boys here.

Players:
Eren Derdiyok – Switzerland
A young striker who keeps improving and keeps scoring.

Juan Mata – Spain
Spain have a lot of young, exciting firepower on the bench and Juan Mata is the type of winger who can inject some instant excitement as a substitute.

First: Spain
Second: Chile

———————————————–

Second Round:
If it works out this way some really exciting matches in the first knockout round.
Mexico v Nigeria – Wow, this is a dud. Could be France here instead of Mexico.
England v Germany – Hard to bet against either team but it’s hard seeing Germany NOT in a quarterfinal.

Serbia v USA – Serbia are good. No good strikers but still really quite good.
Argentina – South Africa – The hosts get to bow out of the competition with a marquis matchup.

Netherlands v Italy – Repeat of Euro 2008 where Netherlands crushed Italy? With these squads I wouldn’t be surprised.
Brazil v Chile – Chile is good but Brazil is too good.

Slovakia v Denmark – Looks a dud on paper but could be one of the more exciting games.
Spain v Ivory Coast – Spain have too much for Africa’s best team in the competition.

———————————————–

Quarterfinals

Netherlands v Brazil – Brazil are very solid defensively. Very very solid. What’s a World Cup without Brazil beating the Netherlands?
Mexico v Germany – It could be France here instead of Mexico.

Serbia v Argentina – In 2006, Argentina won 6-0. World Cups have recently had surprise semifinalists and Serbia can easily be one.
Spain v Denmark – Denmark can be another. But Spain is too good.

———————————————–

Semifinals

Germany v Brazil – Rematch of 2002 final but as has been the case for Germany their quality just isn’t enough at this stage.
Spain v Argentina – This what everyone wants to see. Spain or Argentina against Brazil in the final. I’ve seen Spain crush their opponents too many times in the past four years to think they won’t make it to the final.

———————————————–

Finals

Spain v Brazil – The bookmakers’ favorites for a reason. The Spanish squad is just oozing with a level of quality that even Brazil must envy at this point.

So there it is. Spain win the World Cup after winning Euro 2008 and cement their position among the greatest sides ever.

Group AFrance * Mexico * South Africa * Uruguay

One of the more interesting groups. France, a supposed powerhouse, are struggling and many would not be surprised by a repeat of the 2002 disaster. South Africa are weak but should be buoyed by the home crowd. Mexico and Uruguay have quality but cannot be considered anything but average.

Players:
Luis Suarez – Uruguay
He averaged more than a goal a game for Ajax. Can Suarez convince a big club to take a risk on him by proving he can score on the biggest stage?

Yoann Gourcuff – France
One moment he’s being touted by everyone, the next he’s under the radar. A gifted midfielder, I think France’s hopes rest more with his play than with that of Franck Ribery.

First: Mexico
Second: South Africa

I’m going with the trendy pick of France failing at the first hurdle and I think South Africa will have enough to reach the knockout rounds. FIFA needs them to make it.

Group B

Argentina * Greece * Nigeria * South Korea

Argentina should win this group at a canter despite a poor qualifying campaign. The other three teams have had better days.

Players:
Angel di Maria – Argentina
Yes we all know about Argentina’s forwards but I’m most excited to see this winger. I haven’t seen him play but from all I’ve read he’s on another level on the flanks.

First: Argentina
Second: Nigeria

Argentina with nine points. Nigeria is just a random pick. Wouldn’t be surprised if Greece bored their way into the next round.

Group C

Algeria * England * Slovenia * United States

Many people think it’s cut and dry but I think Slovenia has a very good chance of advancing and Algeria are actually decent.

Players:
Robbie Findley – USA
I saw this guy in a couple of friendlies and he has enough pace and wiliness that he can cause havoc in opposing defenses as an impact substitute.

First: England
Second: USA

England are good against this level of competition. I was tempted to pick Slovenia but I don’t know how well they’ll do so far from home.

Group D

Australia * Germany * Ghana * Serbia

A fascinating group. Injuries make things more even – Germany’s captain Ballack is out and so is Ghana’s best player Michael Essien.

Players:
Mesut Ozil – Germany
I wonder how much time he’ll get but he’s the kind of offensive creator that Germany don’t often have.

Milos Krasic – Serbia
I’ve heard a lot about this guy and I’m excited to see him in action.

First: Serbia
Second: Germany

Serbia is a popular pick but that’s because they are seriously good. Australia are unlucky to be in this group cause they have second-round talent and Ghana can cause problems even with a depleted squad.

Group E

Cameroon * Denmark * Netherlands * Japan

Looks like a straightforward group to me. Cameroon are missing Mikel due to injury and Samuel Eto’o is not happy. Japan don’t have enough quality.

Players:
Eljero Elia – Netherlands
I’m not sure if he’ll get a chance because of all the other attackers in the squad but this winger is something special.

First: Netherlands
Second: Denmark

Netherlands even without Robben should get through although they do make it tough sometimes. Denmark are sneaky good.

Group F

Italy * New Zealand * Paraguay * Slovakia

Similar to Group A in that Italy are not what they used to be. Except New Zealand have no chance.

Players:
Miroslav Stoch – Slovakia
Not really a special player per say but he can make a difference.

First: Slovakia
Second: Italy

Italy refused to go young and that could cost them. Slovakia have a lot of good players and had a great qualifying campaign.

Group G

Brazil * Ivory Coast * North Korea * Portugal

Three good teams (on paper) and a complete unknown.

Players:
Kader Keita – Ivory Coast
I saw him quite a lot this year because he plays in the Turkish league. A winger who’s strong and quick and with a nose for the goal. Usually comes on as a sub for the Ivory Coast.

First: Brazil
Second: Ivory Coast

Didier Drogba may have a broken arm but he’s set to play for the Ivory Coast and Portugal have been abysmal in the last two years. So bad that North Korea have a chance of a point against them.

Group H

Chile * Honduras * Spain * Switzerland

Spain will win the group but the other three teams are all good. There are no whipping boys here.

Players:
Eren Derdiyok – Switzerland
A young striker who keeps improving and keeps scoring.

Juan Mata – Spain
Spain have a lot of young, exciting firepower on the bench and Juan Mata is the type of winger who can inject some instant excitement as a substitute.

Second Round:

Mexico v Nigeria
England v Germany

Serbia v USA
Argentina – Uruguay

Netherlands v Italy
Brazil v Chile

Slovakia v Denmark
Spain v Ivory Coast

Quarterfinals

Netherlands v Brazil
Mexico v Germany

Serbia v Argentina
Spain v Denmark

Semifinals

Germany v Brazil
Spain v Argentina

Finals

Spain v Brazil

Ronaldinho and his outrageous skill

I ended up writing a lot about Ronaldinho and this game so I pushed it to after the video if you’d like the read it. I’ll just say that while it may not look like much at first the goal is – as the commentator notes -absolutely outrageous.

When we look at Barcelona now and consider them the greatest team in the world (despite being knocked out of the Champions League this week) it’s interesting to note that they’ve had two different great squads this decade. The current one is inspired by Messi and Xavi. The previous was all Ronaldinho.

For a couple of seasons, Ronaldinho was untouched as the finest player in the world. He single-handedly made Barcelona relevant again and helped add a second European Cup to the Catalan club’s coffers. Perhaps he became a victim of his own marketing and he burned out far too quickly. For four seasons between the World Cups in 2002 and 2006 he amazed and thrilled football fans.

This goal took place against Chelsea in the Champions League in the first knockout round. It was one of the most engrossing matches in Europe this past decade. Barcelona took a 2-1 lead to London and but were blitzed by three Chelsea goals in the first 10-15 minutes. Ronaldinho put Barcelona back in contention with a penalty and this spectacular goal. Chelsea eventually scored in the second half and advanced. They would lose in the semifinals to Liverpool (who went on to win the famous final in Istanbul against Milan). Barcelona would defeat Chelsea in the same round the next year en route to becoming European champions.

Tony Yeboah Cannon

Almost forgot about today’s goal of the day even though it’s tomorrow. This is the first one that came to mind. I don’t know much about Tony Yeboah – just that he played for Leeds United and he scored spectacular goals. This goal is a pretty popular one in great goal compilations but since it’s old and it’s from someone that most people don’t know I don’t mind including it. The skill leading up to the goal is impressive but what I love is the absolute hammer of a shot at the end. It’s like it’s in fast-forward even when it’s in slow-motion.

The goal I’m talking about is the second one in the video below but the first one is pretty awesome too so enjoy.

Cantona Celebrates

Eric Cantona is a Manchester United and English Premiership legend but I get the feeling he’s a little unknown because he never starred on the international stage for France. In any case, he was a great talent and some people credit him for single-handedly turning Manchester United into a force in the nascent days of the Premiership. He was also a fascinating personality. This goal is pretty awesome – the rampage through the middle, the perfect chip and its wonderful trajectory – but really what makes the goal is the celebration. What a celebration!

Thought I’d add Cantona’s famous kung fu kick of a fan (which was kind of a fail but funny nevertheless). The video below has both the kick and his classic post-kick press conference.

“When seagulls follow a trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea. “

Dario Rodriguez against Denmark WC 2002

Yesterday’s goal saw Denmark torn apart by a perfect team counter-attack. Today Denmark is again the victim in the same tournament – this time to some outrageous individual skill. Uruguayan Dario Rodriguez scores a sweet volley with the outside of his foot but what makes this goal so great is that from the time the corner is taken the ball doesn’t hit the ground until it’s in the back of the net. During the development of the play, the corner is cleared, controlled by a Uruguayan (not sure who) who juggles a couple of times before looping over to Rodriguez to apply the stunning finish.

Denmark however would go on to win the game and advance out of the group. They were eliminated in the subsequent round.