Pele

We're back from a week visiting our daughter in Tampa--and I'll post a few photos from hikes we took there soon--but while we were gone, the great Pele passed on to the football pitch in the sky.

As someone who played soccer somewhat seriously for quite a few years, I wanted to post about this amazing man. So: for those who might have forgotten...or who are too young to remember.

He was the ulimate magician. Watch the moves in the first video clip at 0:40...

And note that those days, real men didn't fall down--unless he shook them right out of their shoes. But opponents weren't afraid to tackle him with impunity--it was the only way they could stop him. Here's more highlight video.

And this last one--at 0:50 he literally makes two different players fall down. And at 6:33-40 he scores what I consider to be the most amazing goal of all time...but just in case you think he was all finesse and no power, watchthe shost starting at around 8 minutes...

We will see many wonderful soccer players in the future. There will never be another Pele. Much of the individual tactics and team strategies of today were developed to stop what Pele invented...and others copied.