The Modern Spectator: Austin’s Leisure Class

Sopranos Soccer

by Austin Kelley

American soccer fans of a certain age—those of us who like to look back wistfully on the days before Posh and Becks—may remember Giorgio Chinaglia as the goal scorer extraordinaire who, back in the 70s and 80s, scored 242 times in 254 matches for the New York Cosmos. Others may remember him for his more recent, somewhat less entertaining, antics as a World Cup commentator on ABC. After this week, though, you may instead remember him as a sort of Sonny Corleone figure, an arrogant and buffoonish gangster (sorry, alleged gangster) without much of a future. You see, Chinaglia is a wanted man (again). Read the rest at ESPN.

Soccer Scams

by Austin Kelley

Nigerian kids are getting fleeced while Sepp Blatter thinks Ronaldo’s a slave. Read about it at ESPN.

Soccer Is for Babies

by Austin Kelley

Sometime soccer is a childish game. Read more at ESPN.

Euro 2008: The Corporate Fanzone

by Austin Kelley

Read about the official motor oil of the World Cup at ESPN.

Steve Nash Has Touch

by Austin Kelley

Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, and Thierry Henry got together for playground soccer in Chinatown. Read about it at ESPN.

Euro 2008 Sticker Books

by Austin Kelley

I came up with a few sticker book ideas to ward off post-Euro 2008 depression. Read my ESPN column.

You're Uniform's So Ugly...

by Austin Kelley

Check out the ugly uniform slideshow, “edited by Sean Avery,” apparently, at Men’s Vogue.

Webb of Violence

by Austin Kelley

All of Poland would like to kill English Referee Howard Webb.
Read about it at ESPN.

Soccer Goes Hollywood

by Austin Kelley

Chelsea have hired show biz agents, while its players are caught up in cinematic plots. Read more at ESPN.

Mourinho Abdicates Special Title

by Austin Kelley

The Portuguese coach no longer wants to be called “the special one.” Read about it at ESPN the Magazine.

The Politics of the Opening Ceremonies

by Austin Kelley

The Olympics used to begin without ceremony. No longer. Read about it at RL.

Maradona: The Movie

by Austin Kelley

My newest column at ESPN the magazine remembers the weird and wonderful Diego Maradona.

Drogba, Work, and the Individual

by Austin Kelley

I have begun writing a weekly soccer column at ESPN the Magazine’s website. My first installment was published today to coincide with the Champions League final:

Sports memoirs can make for dull reading, so it was refreshing to learn that the new autobiography of Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, released in France last week, was spicy enough to provoke an investigation by the English Football Association. The FA is annoyed by Drogba’s admission that he picked up yellow cards on purpose so that he would be suspended for certain games. Read the rest at ESPN the Magazine.