One of my favorite ever players
He inspired me more than anyone after Cruyff when I was a kid. The first World Cup that I really cared about was '82, and I still remember how upset I was when Italy beat Brazil.
That's unfair really. Maradona at Napoli was a special time. BSB were showing Serie A in the late 80s. Staple hangover curing Sunday afternoon fayre for me .
Not to mention he played in an age when defenders could get away with hacking the shit out of players. One of the best I've ever seen van Basten was unstoppable on his day, but for the fact defenders persistently got away with cutting him down like a tree.
Messi would have still absolutely thrived in that era though. His balance at pace is superhuman; the fuckers would be lucky to make any contact with him while trying to cut him down.
http://www.thehindu.com/sport/football/qatar-to-be-stripped-of-2022-world-cup-fifa-whistleblower/article7291607.ece
http://i.imgur.com/qWfHvD4.jpg
what a fucking turncoat, that Ra character.
In 2022, we wrest it from Qatar, and go on to win. In 2032, it'll be discovered that US officials paid certain referees to fix matches, and that they bribed FIFA officials to vote for the US hosting it, but only enough to get 2nd place.
In all fairness, Mike is a Knicks and Bills fan so there is no way in hell that you can put him in the Pip class. He might be the kind of dude who likes to Michael Hutchence his way to release, given the teams he supports, but he's no Froggy.
Maybe it's like Brewster's Millions. He has to completely shatter the fanbase and he inherits $30 billion. I can't think of many reasons why he would continually make these abysmal decision beyond him just being a spiteful cunt of super villain proportions.
Shyamalan Twist
http://blog.cleveland.com/nationworld_impact/2008/07/medium_WaveBush_Meye.JPG
The World Cup would likely be awarded to Haliburton then.