I'll represent the other, unpopular side: the man did as much if not more damage than all the glory he had. As a footballer his career was finished pretty much 30 years ago. He left the '94 World Cup testing positive for drugs in what was a national embarrassment. His career as a manager was a disaster that existed purely off his prior fame. It's an embarrassment that we are unable to move on past things that happene…
I don't disagree with you. But it is not like first world countries are inmune. Just look at a current president whose lies, cheating and incompetence are inexplicably excused by 70 million first world voters.
Diego Maradona has died
141–150 of 338 posts
Re: Diego Maradona has died
#142I'll represent the other, unpopular side: the man did as much if not more damage than all the glory he had. As a footballer his career was finished pretty much 30 years ago. He left the '94 World Cup testing positive for drugs in what was a national embarrassment. His career as a manager was a disaster that existed purely off his prior fame. It's an embarrassment that we are unable to move on past things that happene…
Re: Diego Maradona has died
#143I'll represent the other, unpopular side: the man did as much if not more damage than all the glory he had. As a footballer his career was finished pretty much 30 years ago. He left the '94 World Cup testing positive for drugs in what was a national embarrassment. His career as a manager was a disaster that existed purely off his prior fame. It's an embarrassment that we are unable to move on past things that happene…
Re: Diego Maradona has died
#144Re: Diego Maradona has died
#145Re: Diego Maradona has died
#146Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's presumably here because HN is not parochial and Maradona was a Michael Jordan level global superstar, with some claiming him as the greatest ever at his sport.
> Michael Jordan Who wouldn't belong here, either.
Re: Diego Maradona has died
#147Not sure why this is here (don't follow soccer and never heard of Maradona), but the "Hand of God" incident is an entertaining read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_hand_of_God and watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ccNkksrfls On second thought, this was probably a hack of sorts.
It's possible that he was sort of a big deal? Just something to consider next time you are thrown for a loop while scrolling to find the latest Python news.
Re: Diego Maradona has died
#148Earlier quoted context omitted.
What about Pelé?
It doesn’t even compare. Pele played in a primitive era of the sport where the existing rules (or lack of them) helped him thrive. Maradona played in an era that is more akin to modern football with stricter rules. Don’t get me wrong. Pele was great, but I doubt he would have been that great in modern football.
This argument has never made any sense to me, in any sport or discipline. If you directly bring a 25-year old Pele or Michael Jordan or Wayne Gretzky to 2020 using a time machine, they won't measure up to their peers. If you send an average math professor from a mid-tier college back to 1680s England, they'd dazzle Newton. Because standards and the base level of skill have gone up across the board since then.
That doesn't mean average math professors today are smarter than Newton. And it doesn't mean the average professional footballer today is actually better than Pele or any of the other greats of the past. Bring baby Pele (or Jordan or Gretzky) to 2020 and (barring injuries) he'd be a world-beater in 20 years.
Re: Diego Maradona has died
#149This 2019 documentary about Maradona's time playing for Napoli is well worth watching. It has some incredible archival footage — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_Maradona_(film)
To this day you can see representations of him all over the city, he was almost as revered as a local Saint, possibly more.
It's a pity the city is "off" due to COVID19, I would expect some big celebrations.
Re: Diego Maradona has died
#150Imagine if we had this silly VAR technology in the 80s. Then one of the most iconic moments in football history (hand of god) would have been reviewed and dismissed. RIP Diegito
I think you are giving VAR too much credit. There have been some silly silly reviews that VAR has allowed things to stand or not even reviewed.