Once In A Lifetime

[Dinsdale]

For the most part, I don't do movie theaters.

BUT, I just might buck that trend to go see Once In A Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story Of The NY Cosmos.

Looking back through a very strange time in American sports, that was actually an amazing feat the Cosmos management pulled off. When they decided it was time to put together a dominant American pro team, they kind of got a little carried away.

I mean, let's see...we need a quality front line...well, Pele is the leading scorer in FIFA hostory(by a wide margin), so we'll start with him. To accompany him, who should we get? Well, the #2 scorer of all-time(also by a wide margin, accomplished at a very early age) is Goirgio Chinaglia...he'll do.

But, we'll need some other players to compliment those guys...I guess Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cruyff will have to do.


At the time, those were considered to possibly be the 4 best players to ever play the game...and they put them on the same team(although granted, all but Chinaglia were somewhat past their prime).


I will eventually watch this movie with possibly greater interest than most -- I was actually at the 1976 Soccer Bowl(dumb name), which I assume will be the climax of the movie. I sat damn-near front row, center(over the tunnel, no less). And with the unbridled enthusiasm of a 9 year old, I was completely awestruck when Pele came out...screw Gorgio, screw Cruyff...freaking PELE was just feet away. And my "OH MY GOD!!! IT'S PELE!!!!!" was noticed by The Man himself(very nice man). He looked up at the screaming kid and waved. I ran right to the wall and yelled support and waved again when they went off for half, and Pele waved back and smiled. After the game, in the celebration, Pele even tried to toss me a ball, which I didn't catch(GRRRRRRR! That would have been nice to get autographed, eh?)


Although my home team, the Timbers weren't in that game(they went to the Soccer Bowl the previous year, which was their inaugural year), I still couldn't hate on the Cosmos. Truly an awesome sight.

Despite the bashing of it today, the "early days" of the NASL actually produced some pretty epic moments(and probably still my second favorite player ever, a certain Peter Withe...sup Nish).


RACK the '76 Cosmos. A jaw-dropping collection of talent.