alright.

Write The Future from Nalden on Vimeo.

Self-parody: it has finally spread from the football blogosphere to enter the mainstream. Writers, your work here is done.

I'm not sure I love this ad, although I laughed out loud at several points [Gael Garcia Bernal. Who else?] I do enjoy the fact that it cocks a snook at the cliches that make up so much of our non-lived experience of football - the tabloid characterisations and character assassinations, the unmanaged expectations of the media, the puzzling notion that the stepover is a radical footballing move, the borderline fetishised dewy-eyed depictions of how *~native~* people celebrate the hope-and-glory celebrations that are always happening somewhere else. The hot dancing girls. Woot.

Because so often all it takes is a good editor and a nice soundtrack. That is all it takes so much that it's sad how easy it is for a multi-national corporation to make ads that do put a helpless smile on your face, like this.

Given that in India, ads this summer have largely stuck to big brands putting out unspeakably racist commercials set in Africa that depict black Africans as cannibals in grass skirts (Castrol), primitive grunting kidnappers in grass skirts (Sprite), thirsty desert nomads (LMN), and possibly other outrageous things I haven't seen, it's kind of a relief to see, you know, some football. Even ironic football. Salaams, Mr Iñarritu.


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Item: I have been so sad about Leonardo's totally unjust departure, even beating Juventus 3-0 has had no effect on me. When I own Milan, I will send a bouquet of eco-consciously grown roses to Leonardo every day, no matter where in the world he is.