Crazy in Love

Fair warning: I'm going to be serious for a second. Maybe even honest. If you're here mostly to be amused, you may want to skip this post.

These next few paragraphs are mostly intended for those among my readers who wouldn't really call themselves soccer fans. Watch the video below, and meet me on the other side.

Over the last ten minutes, you just watched Lionel Messi score 47 goals in all competitions over the course of 2009-2010. I've watched this video 12 times in the past two days, my mouth agape, the unmistakable stink of happiness on my breath.

Quite often, it's difficult to explain what it is about soccer that I love so much, but this video helps. Look at how the game flows, how Messi chooses his runs, the sudden burst of speed and the unexplainable power behind his shot. It's just beautiful. There is no other way to describe it.

When I say that I love soccer, I mean it. I love the game itself. The World Cup, the teams I choose to follow, at the end of the day, all that stuff is tertiary. Sometimes, yes, I lose track of the game, getting caught up in the politics, the grudges and the miniscule details. I forget about the physics, the angles and joy. But I am never gone for long.

Watch the celebrations, how he gives credit to his teammates for helping create each goal. Feel the shared ecstasy, the community of intent. You'd think, after scoring 47 goals, it would become passe, that the thrill would be gone. Watch again. It's obviously not.

I hope it never will be.