All threads are temporary. This one's about soccer.

[garyclark]

Another wild soccer story...with gift links.

A double life: The cocaine kingpin who hid as a professional soccer player

Over the next two years, the reasons would become clear. Sebastián Marset, it turned out, was among the most important drug traffickers in South America, and one of the key figures behind a surge of cocaine arriving in Western Europe, according to Latin American, U.S. and European investigators.

Instead of hiding from authorities, he had used his fortune to purchase and sponsor soccer teams across Latin America and in Europe. U.S. and South American investigators would learn that he was using those teams to help launder millions in drug proceeds.

Along the way, Marset, now 33, deployed his power and wealth to fulfill a boyhood dream: He inserted himself into the starting lineups.

And part two:

As a trafficker pursued dreams of soccer glory, investigators closed in

As they watched the passengers, one of the men in line stood out. His tattoos matched the ones they had heard about on wiretaps of cartel members. When he was asked for his identification, the man took out a Bolivian passport. The agents were immediately sure the document was false. They searched his biometric data, and the name of an Uruguayan national popped up. Sebastián Marset.

“When we heard the name ‘Marset,’ we wondered: ‘Who is this guy?’” recalled a senior Paraguayan official. “The first thing we did was Google him and the first hit was this soccer player.”

The agents saw that their target had until recently been a midfielder on Deportivo Capiatá, a team that played not far from their rented office. Marset had used his wealth and power to fulfill a boyhood dream of playing professional soccer, even though his skills fell far short of the level required.

Bananas! Thanks for sharing.

[garyclark]

The Mason Greenwood story is one of the more unique ones of the transfer window. Sexual assault and rape allegations led Manchester United to loaning him out of the country, and now selling him to Marseilles for 26M.

Problem is, many in Marseilles don't want him. The mayor went public as being against this transfer when the rumors started he might arrive. Many citizens and fan groups are publicly protesting. Hard to imagine this will end well for him.

And now ManU are being criticized from profiting from his sale instead of just cutting him. There are calls from abuse advocates to donate the transfer fee to victims orgs.

https://www.snl24.com/kickoff/worldnews ... e-20240722

[Baloney]

[A_B]

House of the Dragon comes to life.

[garyclark]

I know the Euros and Copa slowed it down, but damn if this isn't the most boring EPL transfer window I can ever remember.

[govmentchedda]

I know the Euros and Copa slowed it down, but damn if this isn't the most boring EPL transfer window I can ever remember.

Not for us Man U fans. Seems like the board finally has their shit together.

[garyclark]

I know the Euros and Copa slowed it down, but damn if this isn't the most boring EPL transfer window I can ever remember.

Not for us Man U fans. Seems like the board finally has their shit together.

Strong agree. Strong start to the window for them.

Did we ever find out definitively how much they paid us for Ashworth? I think it ended up being 10M.

[govmentchedda]

I know the Euros and Copa slowed it down, but damn if this isn't the most boring EPL transfer window I can ever remember.

Not for us Man U fans. Seems like the board finally has their shit together.

Strong agree. Strong start to the window for them.

Did we ever find out definitively how much they paid us for Ashworth? I think it ended up being 10M.

Haven't heard. It's hard enough to sort out details on things when changing EPL teams for players, even more so with all of the front office and coaching changes this summer at Old Trafford.

[sancarlos]

Some of you already saw my post on fb, but last night the wife and I saw Chelsea play Wrexham in a friendly at Levi’s stadium in Santa Clara. No Palmer, Gallagher, Fernandez, Petrovic, or Jackson for Chelsea, no Paul Mullin for Wrexham, but who cares. It was beautiful weather, sitting in the evening shade drinking overpriced beer and enjoying the football. Fan support was divided about 50/50 and everybody seemed to be in a jovial mood. Surprisingly high percentage of the fans wore gear of one or the other of the teams - attendance was announced as 32,000+.

[wlu_lax6]

Bordeaux no longer Pro. Closing their training academy (Zidane trained there). Last hope to keep things afloat fell apart when Fenway group exited the discussions to invest in the club.

[garyclark]

Some of you already saw my post on fb, but last night the wife and I saw Chelsea play Wrexham in a friendly at Levi’s stadium in Santa Clara. No Palmer, Gallagher, Fernandez, Petrovic, or Jackson for Chelsea, no Paul Mullin for Wrexham, but who cares. It was beautiful weather, sitting in the evening shade drinking overpriced beer and enjoying the football. Fan support was divided about 50/50 and everybody seemed to be in a jovial mood. Surprisingly high percentage of the fans wore gear of one or the other of the teams - attendance was announced as 32,000+.

Sounds fun!

[Baloney]

Where there's a will there's a way

[Giff]

My wife wrote a great story about a soccer group at the hospital where she works. They are the current sponsor for the Dynamo, and this story has generated such a positive response that the Dynamo are going to surprise them at one of their weekly meetings.

[+] spoiler

Heiko Enderling, Ph.D., has played soccer most of his life. And when he was being recruited to MD Anderson he joked that he would need a soccer field. A month after starting as a professor in Radiation Oncology, soccer goals were installed at TMC3’s Helix Park.

“You shouldn’t have!” he jokingly said to David Jaffray, Ph.D., senior vice president and chief technology and digital officer.

Together, they then came up with the idea to get colleagues together to play soccer once a week, and it continues to evolve.

“If you look on the original plan for the Helix Park, there was always a plan for a soccer field,” Enderling says. “It wasn't quite where they put up the goals, but that's all right with us. So, I believe it’s the Texas Medical Center who put them there as part of their master plan. And given they are there, we might as well use them, right?”

Enderling and Jaffray started going out to the field and kicking the ball around, then the group started to grow. Now there are up to 15 people who get together on Mondays after work.

“It's a really good opportunity to network,” Enderling says. “We have some grad students and post-docs, some clinical fellows and some senior faculty. It’s a fun time to get together, and especially for the junior people, it’s a great time to network.”

Pirmin Schlicke, a postdoctoral fellow in Radiation Oncology who works under Enderling, says Enderling told him about the soccer group and mentioned it was a great opportunity to meet other colleagues.

“I’ve never played soccer before on a regular basis, and I really wouldn’t say I’m gifted at it. But it’s fun!” Schlicke says. “It turned out that joining the soccer group was much more than ‘just’ meeting colleagues. Apart from physical activity, it is an awesome opportunity for networking. There are many senior faculty members that have enormous amounts of experience and are willing to share insights, not only from this environment, but also on a level of personal stories.”

Schlicke says just listening to the discussions of the senior faculty members on and off the field helps him learn about the structure of institutions, federal requirements of research projects and necessary equipment, to name a few.

“When it comes to evaluations of long-term research strategies, this may very well prove as an advantage in knowledge for future career steps for current non-faculty. I believe it is also helpful for the senior faculty members to meet us in this way, to learn about the people they work with on a non-business basis and to learn about the personalities behind the employees.”

Enderling feels soccer brings people together because it is popular across many countries and MD Anderson has employees from all over the world. He says he played competitive soccer in Germany and Scotland, and when he came to the U.S. he played more recreationally.

“I focus on not getting injured as the other kids get younger and I’m getting older,” he says. “No matter where I live, I always join at least a recreational team to try to stay active. If you have a job and sit in front of your computer all day long, it’s really important to find something to get you up and moving.”

For MD Anderson employees who might be interested in joining the group, Enderling says there are people of all skill levels so previous experience isn’t necessary.

“We definitely have players that know what they're doing, but also have players who would have bought their first pair of soccer cleats to play along.”

Enderling encourages those who want to play to just show up at 5:15 p.m. on Mondays. And if they eventually have enough players, they could possibly join a league.

“The overall goal is just to have fun.”

[wlu_lax6]

My wife wrote a great story about a soccer group at the hospital where she works. They are the current sponsor for the Dynamo, and this story has generated such a positive response that the Dynamo are going to surprise them at one of their weekly meetings.

[+] spoiler

Heiko Enderling, Ph.D., has played soccer most of his life. And when he was being recruited to MD Anderson he joked that he would need a soccer field. A month after starting as a professor in Radiation Oncology, soccer goals were installed at TMC3’s Helix Park.

“You shouldn’t have!” he jokingly said to David Jaffray, Ph.D., senior vice president and chief technology and digital officer.

Together, they then came up with the idea to get colleagues together to play soccer once a week, and it continues to evolve.

“If you look on the original plan for the Helix Park, there was always a plan for a soccer field,” Enderling says. “It wasn't quite where they put up the goals, but that's all right with us. So, I believe it’s the Texas Medical Center who put them there as part of their master plan. And given they are there, we might as well use them, right?”

Enderling and Jaffray started going out to the field and kicking the ball around, then the group started to grow. Now there are up to 15 people who get together on Mondays after work.

“It's a really good opportunity to network,” Enderling says. “We have some grad students and post-docs, some clinical fellows and some senior faculty. It’s a fun time to get together, and especially for the junior people, it’s a great time to network.”

Pirmin Schlicke, a postdoctoral fellow in Radiation Oncology who works under Enderling, says Enderling told him about the soccer group and mentioned it was a great opportunity to meet other colleagues.

“I’ve never played soccer before on a regular basis, and I really wouldn’t say I’m gifted at it. But it’s fun!” Schlicke says. “It turned out that joining the soccer group was much more than ‘just’ meeting colleagues. Apart from physical activity, it is an awesome opportunity for networking. There are many senior faculty members that have enormous amounts of experience and are willing to share insights, not only from this environment, but also on a level of personal stories.”

Schlicke says just listening to the discussions of the senior faculty members on and off the field helps him learn about the structure of institutions, federal requirements of research projects and necessary equipment, to name a few.

“When it comes to evaluations of long-term research strategies, this may very well prove as an advantage in knowledge for future career steps for current non-faculty. I believe it is also helpful for the senior faculty members to meet us in this way, to learn about the people they work with on a non-business basis and to learn about the personalities behind the employees.”

Enderling feels soccer brings people together because it is popular across many countries and MD Anderson has employees from all over the world. He says he played competitive soccer in Germany and Scotland, and when he came to the U.S. he played more recreationally.

“I focus on not getting injured as the other kids get younger and I’m getting older,” he says. “No matter where I live, I always join at least a recreational team to try to stay active. If you have a job and sit in front of your computer all day long, it’s really important to find something to get you up and moving.”

For MD Anderson employees who might be interested in joining the group, Enderling says there are people of all skill levels so previous experience isn’t necessary.

“We definitely have players that know what they're doing, but also have players who would have bought their first pair of soccer cleats to play along.”

Enderling encourages those who want to play to just show up at 5:15 p.m. on Mondays. And if they eventually have enough players, they could possibly join a league.

“The overall goal is just to have fun.”

Cool story. Reminded me of one of my dad's conferences. A bunch of cancer research doctors from the US And Europe would have a soccer game as part of the conference. Brits versus Colonials. Universally the someone would end up significantly injured with a bunch of doctors on the field who had no expertise to help.

[sancarlos]

Cool story, indeed. Some years back, my company's office was next door to the HQ of Hewlett-Packard in Palo Alto, and near the offices of several other multi-national tech companies. So, every lunchtime, the nearby park was host to a sizable pickup soccer game featuring whatever local workers wanted to join in. Included lots of Europeans, Brits, Latins, etc. About half the players were of quality. The other half (including me) were guys just out tearing up the turf to get some exercise. It was fun.

[Giff]

I really hate that I've never played soccer.

Forgot to add to the post that Kelli will get to cover it when they meet the team.

[elflaco2]

never too late to start (well, yes.. but as long as your knees are ok and you can move around a bit..)

in the last few years we've had some guys who never played join our saturday pick up (we rent an indoor 7v7 pitch year around, 16 of us pay, another 30+ sub in as needed and they subsizidze the rest of us).. couple have gotten really good (one was a hockey player, so small sided not that different)
it can be done!

[Nonlinear FC]

If nothing else, learn to juggle* and find a wall and learn to pass with the inside of your foot. You're an athlete, so like Crazy Guy #2 said... It can be done.

As a goalie, I had a lot of down time because back in my day there wasn't a GK coach. I used to go to camps and piss off the field players by winning the juggling competition by bouncing it off my thighs for like 10 minutes straight.

[Shirley]

Cool story, indeed. Some years back, my company's office was next door to the HQ of Hewlett-Packard in Palo Alto, and near the offices of several other multi-national tech companies. So, every lunchtime, the nearby park was host to a sizable pickup soccer game featuring whatever local workers wanted to join in. Included lots of Europeans, Brits, Latins, etc. About half the players were of quality. The other half (including me) were guys just out tearing up the turf to get some exercise. It was fun.

I played in a regular game on Microsoft campus at least once. I can't remember if it was before work or a lunch game.

The last time I tried to play pickup was about 3 or so years ago. I found a regular game on meetup.com. Every single time I went out, I pulled/strained a different muscle. Right quad, left hammie, right calf, etc. That would then make me miss a few weeks and remind myself to warm up more. Eventually, I got a new product with a lot more meetings, and then got kicked out of the group by a nazi admin for not paying the $5 fee as promptly as he liked (I was planning on just paying next time I showed up). I'd love to figure out a way to try playing again and see if I can figure out the muscle problem. On the other hand, my sciatica has really killed any quickness I had (which wasn't much).

[sancarlos]

[Baloney]

Bordeaux no longer Pro. Closing their training academy (Zidane trained there). Last hope to keep things afloat fell apart when Fenway group exited the discussions to invest in the club.

[govmentchedda]

Barcelona introduced a new black away kit. The men's jersey has "Ambilight" as a sleeve sponsor. The women's has "Bimbo".

[Nonlinear FC]

This potentially deserves its own thread, Alex Morgan announced her retirement on Instagram.

She is having a second baby at 35.

While I don't stomp my feet about it, I have been pretty vocal that she needed to be done with the WNT for a number of years. But that should taint what has been an incredible career. She is the 5th all-time goal scorer and won multiple World Cups and medals at the Olympics.

[Baloney]

[Nonlinear FC]

I mean, The Stein (as all true patriots refer to it) have a couple of draws in there, so... They are the clear favorites.

[Baloney]

San Marino 1-0 up, can they hang on?

[Baloney]

Finishes 1-0 to the Mighty Marino.

[Nonlinear FC]

Oh man, there's going to be partying in the streets of... *checks map*... San Marino tonight!!

(capital same name as republic)

[Rex]

why are we praising San Marino and not trashing Liechtenstein? WTF, Liechtenstein?

[A_B]

why are we praising San Marino and not trashing Liechtenstein? WTF, Liechtenstein?

The Stein just didn't have their shit together. Or maybe they did. Who would know?

[The Sybian]

why are we praising San Marino and not trashing Liechtenstein? WTF, Liechtenstein?

The Stein just didn't have their shit together. Or maybe they did. Who would know?

This is the high-level analysis that keeps me coming back.

[Baloney]

Of course the goal would come from a defensive howler

[Nonlinear FC]

First off, those kits are money.

Secondly, you can tell they have no idea what to do scoring a goal... They beat the shit out of that guy!

[Baloney]

[HaulCitgo]

Was looking at nations league scores and Colombia and Argentina play a qualifier tonight

[degenerasian]

Was looking at nations league scores and Colombia and Argentina play a qualifier tonight

Yup, the COMNEBOL, Asia and Oceania have world cup qualifying during this break. Australia off to a disastrous start with a loss at home to Bahrain and a draw in Indonesia. Samoa won the mini preliminary round tournament in Oceania!

Europe and COONCACAF have Nations League and Africa has African Nations qualifying.

[HaulCitgo]

New Zealand miss the memo? USA on again

[brian]

That a “racist incident” hand gesture needs to be created by FIFA is a sad summary of the times.

[govmentchedda]

So, the San Siro is amazing. Inter's Curva Nord ultras didn't stop singing and chanting the entire match. Apparently they don't stop criming either as leaders of both Milan and Inter's ultra groups were arrested recently on some mafia shit. Torino going down to 10 men early was all it took to make this very much not a stereotypical boring Serie A defensive slugfest. Got to see a Marcus Thuram hat trick in person. Really glad I got to go, especially considering they may be tearing it down soonish.

[The Sybian]

So, the San Siro is amazing. Inter's Curva Nord ultras didn't stop singing and chanting the entire match. Apparently they don't stop criming either as leaders of both Milan and Inter's ultra groups were arrested recently on some mafia shit. Torino going down to 10 men early was all it took to make this very much not a stereotypical boring Serie A defensive slugfest. Got to see a Marcus Thuram hat trick in person. Really glad I got to go, especially considering they may be tearing it down soonish.

Very cool! I was a big fan of Marcus' father Lillian back in the day. Makes me feel old...