Sports and Art
Over this last summer I've read three very enjoyable books about soccer, or rather, football. The first was White Angels: Beckham, Real Madrid and the New Football, by British journalist, John Carlin. Second was Brilliant Orange: the Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football, and finally Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby. All three books are non-fiction; White Angels does not try to call football an art, but occaisionally examines the artistry of its particpants. Brilliant Orange looks at Dutch football in conjungtion with the wider world of Dutch culture, and while Fever Pitch doesn't concern itself with art, but it was written by a novelist detailing his obbsession with Arsenal Football Club.
In connection to all of this there was the World Cup this summer with the expected hype of soccer being "The Beautiful Game." Indeed, football is a beautiful sport, far more pleasing to watch than American football and baseball (both of which are games that I love), and I think in terms of stlye and skill required to be the best can only be compared (in the US) with boxing and basketball. Boxing has rather quickly become an ugly competition thanks to the likes Mike Tyson and Rocky, which has placed the violence of the sport above higher qualities. Basketball has faltered by the best players who put outrageousness of style in the place of subtleties.
So two of the aforementioned books, White Angels and Brilliant Orange were quite successful in introducing to me to some of stylistic nuances of football. Brilliant Orange expanded my knowledge of "Total Football" (where the players are expected to play within every aspect of the game, and not just defense or offense) and how it is a very Dutch concept that every part of society cooperating to achieve a desired goal (score!). How this idea has roots in their geography (being below sea-level) and history (their use of dikes and protecting them, and being a small nation in a touchy part of Europe). How their political process, endless discussion to bring about consensus and rigorous city planning to prevent urban sprawl, leads to players endlessly passing the ball around the pitch and waiting for a golden chance. To me the most exciting part is when he linked the emergence of Johan Cruijff and Total Football with cultural revitalization of Amsterdam.
White Angels, thankfully had very little to do with Beckham, and the writer's passion for Real Madrid is not evangelistic, really leaving the reader a gallery of footballers that showcase how beautifully they play. Roberto Carlos, Raul, Beckham and Ronaldo are all featured in this book, but the wonderful of them all is Zinedine Zidane. Zidane of the infamous World Cup headbutt, but really his as described here in the book and as I saw on TV was immaculate. Inventive, precise, bold are bland adjectives for such a legend. Yes, he could be violent (object de'headbutt), but so could Michangelo. Such a furious temperment could bring about violence, but when coupled with a passion for excellence brings about mastery with the ball or with the chisel.
Watching the French team during the World Cup, was a great joy. As demonstrated both their capacity for individual glory (like Real Madrid) and pure team play (like Dutch soccer). Thierry Henry and Frank Ribery pressed defenses, Makalele, Gallas, Sagnol, Thuram and Vieira all started the games playing defense or defensive midfield, but kept the ball within bounds without mindless clearings, and carefully moving the ball upfield. And the players all bent and straightened to properly play the ball, while controlling the midfield to disallow the other team any lengthy possessions.
Yes, they lost to Italy in the final, but nobody, Italians even, are going to remember that team. The splendo of this year's French team should live on, as shall the teams representing Ghana, Argentina and (gasp!) Germany.
In addition to the regular links I'll try to post some video that'll show what I've been raving about in a much clearer way.
Is soccer art? Maybe. Maybe we can fight over it after watching it and pursuing ideas of truth and beauty and art.
posted by Eriol @ 9:41 p.m.
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