04/26/24
February 03, 2010
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
Kaka's pass to put Guti through on goal was very nice as well, but the Guti backheel was just ridiculous, particularly considering he was moving forward and not just stationary or flicking the ball to redirect it.
In U.S. soccer news, former national team coach Steve Sampson confirms what was a fairly persistent, if unconfirmed, rumor -- that John Harkes was left off of the U.S. squad for France in 1998 for sleeping with Eric Wynalda's wife.
posted by holden at 11:30 AM on February 03, 2010
Benzema's little delay laying it off to Kaka was also tasty, but the more I watch the Guti back heel, the more I wonder: if you were being very harsh, could you accuse him of lacking the bottle to shoot? He's notoriously one-footed (left) and part of me reckons he just didn't fancy the "correct" play there, i.e. passing it round the keeper with the inside of his right foot, or dinking it over him if the keeper went to ground early.
Don't get me wrong, the flamboyance is great and I love to see it, but as his manager, with my team only 1-0 up in a fixture they haven't won for 19 years, I'd be looking for him to just take a shot and not risk tricky pass. Especially to Benzema.
posted by JJ at 12:29 PM on February 03, 2010
posted by Mr Bismarck at 02:15 PM on February 03, 2010
A play that seems to have nabbed the title of the "backheel of God" seems like it's okay to double-post, imho. Wonderful play.
posted by boredom_08 at 02:32 PM on February 03, 2010
Apologies, Bismarck. I'm thoroughly ashamed of myself.
posted by JJ at 04:27 PM on February 03, 2010
Absolutely no problems - the nature of the huddle is that some things are lost in the noise and the backheel is worth reposting almost as much as the Intergalactic Laser Polar Bear.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 06:00 PM on February 03, 2010
MotoGP bikes on the track in Sepang for the first testing of the year (albeit with test riders). Tomorrow the series regulars will get their first rides after the winter test ban.
posted by dusted at 06:27 PM on February 03, 2010
This might be a double - please delete if so - but Guti produced a moment of sublime skill for Real against Deportivo the other night.