Ah, soccer short films. Can’t get enough of ‘em, right? Actually, yeah, I haven’t seen very many of them either. But have no fear, we have a wonderfully crafted soccer short about a referee, a red card, a yellow card, and a series of decisions. And it’s hilarious. (more…)
Here’s the second, and last, installment of my conversation with The Two Escobars co-director Michael Zimbalist. In Part II, we dig a bit deeper into interactions with various characters in the film, discuss the 1994 World Cup match between the U.S. and Colombia, and then get a little philosophical at the end. Enjoy! (more…)
On the surface, The Two Escobars is a mesmerizing documentary about the tragic intersection of soccer and the drug trade in Colombia during the 1980s and 1990s. But just below the surface, the film reveals a deeper, personal story about a Colombian society simultaneously enriched and shaken to its core. It re-introduces us to legendary soccer icons, reducing them to emotional figures bearing the unique burden of simply being Colombian and incredibly talented during the rise of narco-soccer (loosely defined as the period when soccer was inextricably tied to and funded by narco-trafficking).
Framed by larger than life figures, drug-kingpin Pablo Escobar, and Colombian soccer player Andrés Escobar, The Two Escobars adds color to an era in Colombian history that, from the outside, could easily be viewed as a period of dramatic wins and losses, but in reality, was saturated with complexity.
I spoke with The Two Escobars co-director Michael Zimbalist about the film. In Part I, we discuss his background, the development of the story, reactions to the film, and begin speaking about his interactions with various figures highlighted in the documentary. (more…)
New entries into soccer’s relatively empty pantheon of English language creative outlets are few and far between. But that just makes it easier for inspired entrants to make their mark.
The Green Soccer Journal, based in the UK, takes some of the more mundane aspects of the game and ignores them, instead taking a more artistic and fashionable approach to presenting the world of soccer.
The articles (and obviously, contributors), photography, and overall feel of the magazine should all be welcome contributions for those who want to snuggle up on the couch during these frigid winter months and digest material not focused on the few details left to discover about Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. (more…)
That’s probably one of the finest titles you’ll ever read. It’s concise and accurate.
If Nate Berkus and Judge Joe Brown have their own shows, there is no reason why Emmanuel Eboue should not. The proper trajectory should be action figure then television show, not vice versa. (more…)
If there was a flood and I was told to build an ark and gather a male and female of every species, I would decline. All we would need is Emmanuel Eboué.
Let’s face it. The only reason Arsenal can show such joy on the ball (when they’re winning) is because they are inspired by a greater power. And that greater power is obviously Eboué, a man more powerful than four Vladimir Putins, half a Robert Mugabe, and Mark Zukerberg’s insecurity combined.
Eboué’s joy is infectious. His teammates have anointed Eboué the team’s best dancer and the funniest squad member. He might also be Arsenal’s best actor, but we won’t discuss that here. (more…)
I hope you enjoyed the “Air Diego” tees. If you like soccer and have a sense of humor, there’s no reason why you wouldn’t like them.
Next up on Station Cool, we head to Cameroon and Italy with Puma. Well, sort of. No, we’re not flying anywhere, but Puma will take you on an animated journey back to 1990, the year of the Indomitable Lion.
The video below chronicles Cameroonian legend Roger Milla’s return to international football and the havoc he created at the 1990 World Cup, while subtly providing some advice to aspiring corner flag dancers. It’s a short but inspiring story (more…)
Amidst the bevy of muppetry that exists on Big Soccer, I sometimes find respite when I don’t feel like over-socializing, yet feel compelled to interact in more than 140 characters about things that most reasonable people would find as interesting as Paris Hilton discussing Sartre.
I’ve tried to make my significant other my soccer conversation partner through sheer force, but now I truly understand the plight of the missionary. No matter how suave one may be, converting the disinterested can border on impossible. But the same applies to stubbornness, which is why missionaries and the disinterested stubborn make such a magical pairing. I digress.
Upon failing to covert the other, I did what anyone in their right mind without an audience would do. I went online.
That was four years ago. (more…)
Jeff and Michael Zimbalist’s documentary The Two Escobars brings us a tale of a nation gripped by crime, drugs and a passion for soccer. At the time (circa 1994), Colombia was seen as one of the world’s most reviled narco-states and one of the world’s best soccer nations, at one point ranked 4th in the FIFA rankings. During this period, many Colombians were hoping that victory at the 1994 World Cup would help rebuild the country’s tattered image. Unfortunately, that dream was never realized. Colombia’s hopes came crashing down with one errant kick during the World Cup by Andres Escobar, one of the team’s star players. Escobar’s subsequent murder was a cold reminder of how the violent drug trade controlled everything within the country, including soccer. (more…)
“If you want to see football in Africa, look at this.” Sergi Agustí, Director
In the past, we’ve brought you soccer-related documentaries from the fine folks over at Telegraph 21, an online video magazine that features some of the best documentary films and art videos from around the world. This time, Telegraph 21 takes us to war-ravaged Sierra Leone, where a group of young amputee war veterans took it upon themselves to advocate for peace and demonstrate another way to deal with differences. (more…)
If you love perms or Didier Drogba, you’ll love the Les Éléphants shirt …
Spain is trying to conquer the world again. This time, they might succeed.
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