International stars
Omar: I got to meet Romário this weekend. I got his autograph!
Student: Sounds familiar, but ...Who's that?
Omar: What? I thought you were a soccer fan? How old were you in 1994?
Student: Seven.
Omar: Ah. That explains it. I need to brag to soccer fans my own age.
Student #2: Who'd you meet?
Student: Rosario or something?
Omar: NO! Romário! He's --
Student: Wait! (to student #2) Do you know who that is?
Student #2: (hesitantly) Isn't he a musician?
Romário is only one of the greatest goal scorers in soccer history! He led Brazil to the 1994 World Cup title, while winning the award for best player of the tournament AND going on to win FIFA player of the year that year. At 40 years old, he's playing in the USA now. And though he runs like a 60 year old these days, he still managed to score a goal in the game I saw.
My dad's cousin's grandson (I think that makes him my second cousin, once removed?) plays on the same team as Romário, so we got to hang out after a game they played in the area. Of course, they wouldn't let me bring my camera to the stadium, so all we had was a little disposable (gasp) film (GASP) camera. So the only photographic evidence I have is a picture my dad took, and it doesn't even show my face. (The one of him with Romário is well framed with them both smiling at the camera. Bah.) It features my head at an unflattering angle that makes it appear big enough to rival Ben Affleck's head in a head-size contest, and Romário speaking what I assume to be Portuguese on the phone.
I can tell this was a special moment for him, too. I'd bet he was on the phone in this picture talking to his friends back home about how he was going to meet me. "Omar Phillips... you know, the blogger?"
Comments
Jon said:
Well, in all fairness, you were talking to students in the US, right? Not really all that surprising that they wouldn’t know their soccer. I mean, if it doesn’t happen in the states, it doesn’t really happen right? Look at us, the NBA Champs are called the World champions of basketball, baseball has the World Series, and I believe the Super bowl champs are also crowned “World Champions.” So go figure. The World Cup winner is the only true World Champion, but we don’t care about soccer here, so it doesn’t count. And sadly, the only reason anyone here might care now is because of Zidane’s head butt… go figure again… And the US team certainly didn’t help the cause with their, “hockey, dump it in the zone and hope something happens” approach. It wasn’t great soccer. I could probably rant all day on this, but I’ll save everyone the headache…
That’s cool that you got to meet him though. I don’t know what it is that they feed those Brazilian kids down there, but man, can they kick the ball around.
X said:
I, too, was seven in 1994 (I was actually six at the time of the World Cup), but I distinctly remember watching the important games of the tournament. And seeing Roberto Baggio crying like a child when he missed that penalty in the final.
Jon's right; to you 'Mericans, it's only football if you can carry the ball in your hands.
---X
demosthenes said:
Jon... if I may direct you towards my blog, you'll see that there is such thing as competent American soccer players/commentators. Now man up and enjoy the consequence-free, chosen-at-random-rooting we can do while you still can.
Okay, now that I've bitched out the honorary first commenter... oh I don't know. I do wonder to whom he was speaking. The man doesn't look that old.
I said:
To be clear, I wouldn't expect non-soccer fans to know who he is. I would only brag about it to people who I think will know of him.
X, it was a good day in the Phillips' household when Baggio missed that kick.
Nadia said:
"My dad's cousin's grandson..."
Doesn't that make him your nephew?
Katie said:
Omar, your head is so flawless that it would trump every A-list star in the "perfect skull" category that they are going to be instilling in all award shows.
Glo said:
Even though I'm mostly dumb about all things and only slightly dumber about sports-related things, I'd like to comment that their no-cameras policy was dumb.
Lia said:
Who's Romario?
On the other hand, I pointedly ignore organized sports whenever possible.
Dad's cousin's grandson sounds more like a second cousin twice removed to me. Whatever. Two to the infinity power.
I said:
I looked it up, and I'm pretty sure he's not my nephew. He is in fact my 2nd cousin, once removed. My dad's cousin's children are my 2nd cousins. Their offspring, who are one generation further removed from our common ancestor than I am, are "once removed."
But I like Lia's answer better. Two to the infinity power.
Sarah said:
X was 7 in 1994??
I am SO old...
cadiz12 said:
isn't it irritating when you're the only one in the group who can frame a photo?
my mom inevitably cuts everyone's head off or snaps nostril shots. not her fault; she's short.
oh, and romario? that's freaking awesome.
X said:
He is in fact my 2nd cousin, once removed. My dad's cousin's children are my 2nd cousins. Their offspring, who are one generation further removed from our common ancestor than I am, are "once removed."
What?
---X
I said:
Yes, Sarah, you are old. I felt old when I read that also, but even I was only 17.
Nadia said:
Ditto X.