Pax Barcelona reigns — but it’s a reign, perhaps, more akin to the Roman Empire than Alexander the Great, crushing us into compliance “within a prison of engineered perfection,” lacking a human element to fall in love with. “For this consumer there is a certain processed, robotic quality in the application of Barcelona’s peerless skills…There is a textureless quality to this elite fondue. Every bite of Barcelona tastes of something similar: blended and gristle-free Barcelona.” (Barney Ronay/The Guardian)
(Image: Burger King Steakhouse Angus burger. Image credit: AR Pratama/Flickr through a Creative Commons license.)
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Pretty lame.
Nice thoughts, Barney. And kudos for cutting against the grain. But I’ll demur. Intelligence, grace, and creativity are not robotic qualities and never will be.
Barcelona’s qualities (like their kits) are those of the court jester, not of the emperor. They fool their larger more athletic opponents, and lull them to sleep, before slicing them apart with ruthless precision. Sure theirs the most rational and orderly way to play—keep the ball on the ground; always offer the ball handler a short easy pass; panic when your team loses possession—but it’s also the most ambitious. There can be no weak links in the web they weave.
Sorry you don’t share the feeling, but I for one am smitten. If this team reigns, it’s reign feels precarious and a bit fleeting, nothing like the Roman Empire or even Alexander’s folly, more like the improbable spectacle outlined in Machiavelli’s Prince. Surely this wonderful style, this amazing teamwork, can’t last. Let’s enjoy the moment.
That picture was strong for my tongue
I think I just fell in love with Grady based on his comment. (or hers, if she is a girl. Point is, I am in love)