Publishing Insider

quote of the day

"I fell in love with football as I would later fall in love with women: suddenly, uncritically, giving no thought to the pain it would bring." - Nick Hornby

no longer the beautiful game

From the AP: soccer violence worldwide.  Franklin Foer was right on.

I called it re Beckham!!!!

I told Hector in the deli a year ago that Beckham could not resist the allure of starting anew in the States; Hector dismissed me as crazy. Ditto Mr. Hirshey of Deadspin.com.  Still, I take no pleasure in dancing in front of them..not! Hah!! Told 'em so, those 2 futball experts!!! And we got ze book.

you can't make this up

Chelsea's 3rd string goalie, now in the nets due to injuries to the top 2, is actually named Hilario. Really?  As for other soccer doings, the documentary about the Cosmos is now airing on ESPN - Once in a Lifetime - featuring Pele, Giorgio, Franz, Carlos and Harper editor, David Hirshey! Really? And I told Hector at the deli today that I stand by my prediction that Beckham will play in the US someday. He said, Really? No way.

there is hope

I've been despairing of late about the ongoing commercialization of sport, esp. the Nike logo everywhere (is it on the jocks, too?), the signs behind home plate and twirling courtside ads. BUT THERE IS HOPE!! One sports team which has never put sponsors logos on their jerseys is now going to...and pay them for it!! Barcelona will pay UNICEF $2 million a year! See the story. I am amazed and pleased.

Headbutt, butthead

Coming down from our month-long World Cup obsession (a looong month), we are still shaking our heads about Zizou's headbutt seen 'round the world. David Hirshey says it best.

Taking a dive

Okay, I've had my fill of ze futbol, after the weekend, July 4 & 5 orgy of games. High point: French coach making the dive motion. Ref needed to hand out SAG cards to Italy and Portugal for overacting, not yellow cards.

Bookseller Chick

Bookseller Chick has some wonderful new postings. One is a painfully true look at bookstore life (book display and shelving is one of those devil-in-the-details aspects that can drag the day down, or elevate it when all goes well), and the other is an interview with author Ayun Halliday, whose No Touch Monkey looks hysterical.

Sartre on soccer

Jim Harris of Prairie Lights has been in Germany for the Cup, and I can envision him in some Berlin cybercafe sending some messages back home. Two missives from him yesterday:

"In futbol everything is complicated by the presence of the other team."  - Sartre

"Look for us in row 16 behind the German goal of the Argentina vs Germany match Friday."

Jim is the one who turned me on to the Coover chapter in Thinking Fan's Guide.

Spice girl

I found a Spice Girls CD in a box the other day with some other items of my daughter’s earlier years. I was able to embarrass her greatly with this artifact. Okay, only a little; she knows my tricks. She’s Smarty Spice, my little math whiz, and thankfully doesn’t care that Beckham is married to Posh. (I repeat my prediction that he is moving to the US next year, as he attempts, like Pele before him, to raise US soccer’s profile.)

Last night, my non-Sporty spice girl asked me to stop on the Univision replay of the Italy-Australia game so she could hear what Spanish she could recognize. (Spanish is the main second language taught in NYC public schools, which makes sense. My 5 years of French serve little beyond the occasional menu reading.) And Hector at the deli even knew that the referee in the game was prone to bad calls; the game-ending penalty call was atrocious.

My daughter and I can't watch Spain and France together today on Univision. What is pelotta in French anyway? But I REALLY want to skip work to catch Brazil v. Ghana.