cptgaio

Interesting discussion, I’ll add some of my thoughts (subjective) on the matter: Regarding the "next championship," I see Ibrahimovic as the key player because, from my perspective, it seems obvious that had he not been part of the Inter squad, the last two championships would have likely gone elsewhere (and I clarify that I don’t think they would have gone to the runners-up, first Roma and then either Juventus or Milan, but probably to someone else because a player like him, at this historical moment, shifts the balance in a league like the Italian one to the extent of having a wide-ranging impact).
On the "Milan" topic: I also think that Berlusconi wasn’t the one making the lineups for Ancelotti because it was simply the duo Leonardo-Maldini who did that (essentially nothing has changed at Milan; they just got rid of the figurehead).
Regarding "Kaká": at the very least, the boy behaved correctly: he could have left earlier for much more money (see Manchester City) yet in the end, he accepted an offer (that anyone would have accepted) from another Top European Team (which was the only alternative: after being in a glorious and winning club like Milan, it’s not like you can aim much higher).
Concerning "Ferrara": Juve did well to look at home and seek alternatives there; everything still needs to be written, but it seems to me that the man deserves an opportunity (besides the fact that it’s understandable for Napoli fans that his sports adventure ends in '94: I think the same about Rio Ferdinand, for example...).
On the "Berlusconi" topic: it’s true that it was our Silvietto who initiated this new (terrible) era of football, but it’s not like the various Tanzi, Cragnotti, Sensi, Abramovich, Calderon/Perez, etc., have held back in these years (with the complicity of sports institutions and others, obviously)... from my point of view, the best example of management in the last twenty years comes from Catalonia (Unicef shirts included... Carlo and I have already talked about this ;-D).
Regarding "Maradona": what more can be said about Maradona?
On "Maldini": one of the top 10 defenders of all time, but not the first for me (I’m sorry, but in these rankings I always put someone from the best decade, in every respect, of all time: the 70s. Who could it be? ;-) )

I want to thank everyone for the nice comments and regarding the questions raised (setting aside the "hooligan" topic where it seems we share the same view): @Tomgil: as a fan of an English team but passionate about football across all latitudes, I must say that (at least from my perspective) in terms of balance, the most beautiful league is the German one (you never know who might win it, while in the others the competition is always limited to 2, at most 3, teams). From a tactical standpoint, the Italian league remains unsurpassed, while from a purely technical angle, the Argentinian league (or should I say leagues, since they have two a year) is a true spectacle (and it's also a balanced championship). The English and Spanish leagues are the richest but not the most beautiful, nor are they the most challenging (it’s true that in international matches, the top teams from those leagues tend to change their tactics and often play, if not Italian-style, at least very cleverly... I remember a certain Rooney playing as a defender last year in a couple of important matches). @Il Losco: after such an injury, I honestly don’t know if he’ll be the same. Let's hope so! @Carlo & Caravan: I see you perfectly understood what I meant! I just want to add that I agree on '98 being the "last true World Cup," and that in my opinion, this year Palermo could aim for the title, but only if Ibrahimovic goes abroad (with him, Inter wins again): in this case, there would be a leveling down that would create space for surprises. Another story is Napoli: (it’s always strange to think that in the end it is still a medium-small club despite its history; Carlo is right to mention that UEFA Cup, I add that before the devaluation of that competition, and also the abolition of the Cup Winners' Cup, for a few years it was even tougher than the Champions Cup,) and the potential fan base it has). I am among those who found it disgraceful that the League, years ago, forced the club into bankruptcy (as well as Fiorentina, although I detest VCG) handing it over to speculators (no one can convince me that the current ownership cares much about football, and again, I draw a parallel with Fiorentina) while saving at least three other clubs that had far more significant reasons to be put up for auction… Bye!

To be honest, the review of "The Firm" was something I had planned for a while, but the spark that convinced me to write it came from reading this (very nice) review and the exchange of posts between you and Carlo. It's pointless to say that despite him being an Arsenal fan, I really like Hornby a lot (even though I think this is not his best: that, for me, is "High Fidelity") for his British style (especially the obsession, which I share, of making lists about everything) but with a proper "gigioneria." Anyway, in my opinion, the best wag (even outside the Premier League) remains Mrs. (I believe they are still married) Karembeu... ;-)

God only knows why the repetition of the first comment has also disappeared...

@UHUHPANICOUHUH: I completely understand what you mean (the term "overall" drives me crazy too) and maybe I didn't explain myself well. This video, for me, is a 5-star because it meets three fundamental criteria: "it strikes, it communicates, it entertains." It's obvious that these three things (like the comment from Senzastile proves) depend heavily on individual sensitivities, but at this point, I'll throw out a provocation: MTV is bursting with videos that are technically impeccable in terms of form and appeal, yet they promote (and here the term fits perfectly) musically questionable "artists" (and often in terms of content too). What should I do? Because following this logic (I’m not being polemical, just stretching my thoughts to the extreme!), I find plenty of videos better than "Around the World" (and thus the 7-star ratings would turn into 3, 3 and a half ;-) ). The point is this: to avoid such ugliness, I have to compromise on my sensitivity, at least when talking only about the topic "Video": I just hope to do it with as much balance as possible (after all, I’m reassured by that 4 you give to the video, which isn't so far from my 5 :-D). Then I have another discussion to make about it, but I’ll use another post.

Ps: I thought it was fair to come out in the open at this point ;-) So the second point is this: one of the things that unsettles me the most is when I hear discussions like "if we give this many stars to one person, how many should we give to another?"
Let me give you an example: for me, "Boys for Pele" by Amos deserves 5 stars (and to mention a band you also love, "Welcome to Sky Valley" by Kyuss), but if I have to be objective at all costs, I can't forget that there is a certain (and I'll name him) Beethoven: what do I do, give 2 stars to both or stick to my guns and try to separate them? ;-)

@UHUHPANICOUHUH: I completely understand what you mean (the term "overall" drives me crazy too) and maybe I didn't explain myself well. This video, for me, is a 5-star because it meets three fundamental criteria: "it strikes, it communicates, it entertains." It's obvious that these three things (like the comment from Senzastile proves) depend heavily on individual sensitivities, but at this point, I'll throw out a provocation: MTV is bursting with videos that are technically impeccable in terms of form and appeal, yet they promote (and here the term fits perfectly) musically questionable "artists" (and often in terms of content too). What should I do? Because following this logic (I’m not being polemical, just stretching my thoughts to the extreme!), I find plenty of videos better than "Around the World" (and thus the 7-star ratings would turn into 3, 3 and a half ;-) ). The point is this: to avoid such ugliness, I have to compromise on my sensitivity, at least when talking only about the topic "Video": I just hope to do it with as much balance as possible (after all, I’m reassured by that 4 you give to the video, which isn't so far from my 5 :-D). Then I have another discussion to make about it, but I’ll use another post.

You're welcome! ;-)

Enjoy your reading then...and thank you for the compliment!

Never wrap your head before the time. You'll see that it will be alright!