HERO

There are many people who have had a profound influence on my life: my parents, my brother and sister, my friends, and teachers and mentors. However, there is another individual whom I have never met who has had an equally profound influence on my life: Andres Lujan Iniesta, the diminutive midfield maestro for Barca and the Spanish National Team. Tonight, may have been his last final in a Barca shirt, so I thought it was a fitting time to pay tribute to El Illusionaista (the ghost) as he is known to his fans.

Eight years ago, I had never even kicked a soccer ball. For me, soccer was something that came around every four years at the World Cup. I might have watched two full soccer matches prior to 2010, but all of that changed when I witnessed Iniesta and his Spanish teammates take on the rest of the world in South Africa. That they appeared to ping the ball around like a video game and imperiously put their opponents to the sword was part of the appeal. More than that, though, it was the work rate and anticipation, and imposition of their philosophy of play that I quickly came to recognize and admire. That tournament culminated in a lively final against the Dutch, and the game was only decided in extra time by guess who: Andres Iniesta.

After that final, I sought out Iniesta and many of his teammates on television and immediately recognized the Spanish National Team style in that of Iniesta's club team FC Barcelona. I have witnessed them play on television hundreds of time in the past eight years and have even had the goo fortune to see them play in person some 6-7 times. Each time, fortunately, Iniesta has graced the field, and it has always been a pleasure to see el maestro at work.

Beyond his exceptional vision, anticipation, touch, and evasiveness, Iniesta is also a gentleman - a true personification of everything that is good in sport and in life: honest, hard-working, virtuous, and passionate. We may never see a player like him again, which is why I feel so honored to have witnessed him play in the prime of his career.

Life's transitions are hard, and I know Iniesta will do whatever is best for him and his family at the end of this season. He has been linked with a big contract in the Chinese Super League, where he might play out his final years. However, today's performance in the Copa del Rey final will hopefully make him reconsider retirement from Barca.

On the field today, Iniesta turned back the clock and dictated play as the midfield general. He was all over the pitch, combining with his teammates, and he even managed to score a beautiful goal off a one-two pass with Messi. A fitting tribute to this little man, who is a giant of a player. The final scoreline was 5-0, what they call in Spain a "manita," or little hand for its five fingers. After tonight, we all raise our hands to Iniesta just like the fans at the Wanda Metropiltana Stadium as we bow to him and bay "Iniesta, Iniesta!"

Good night sweet price. Thank you for helping me to appreciate the beautiful game known as football. We will never forget you! You have touched me in more ways than I can count. Thank you!

A DEATH IN THE FAMILY

Last week, we had a joyous time in Barcelona seeing the sights, visiting with friends, and taking in two Barca matches. In those 2 games, Barca outscored its opponents 7-2. That scoreline might lead you to believe that Barca looked invincible. However, I was left with a very different sensation- one of frailty.

That both wins came through a mix of good fortune and opponent ineptitude are not the only explanations for my feeling. The team seemed to lack any cohesiveness and was merely waiting for Messi to work his magic to get them out of a jam. Thus, yesterday's woeful, disgraceful 3-0 loss and exit in the Champions League did not come as a complete surprise.

This is the third straight year Barca has been eliminated in the Champions League, having lost one of the two legs of those ties by score lines of 2-0, 3-0, and again 3-0. Their was an utter lack urgency, attention, and steel in all of those defeat, but none more than yesterday.The team was simply unrecognizable.

The game plan should have been to go to Rome to win. With that mentality and a crucial away goal, Roma would have need 4 goals just to level things and get to extra time. However, Barca never attacked, never controlled, and seemed to merely sit back and hope to absorb the countless blows Roma dealt. Ninety minutes is an eternity, especially when your team is playing like a steaming pile of dung.

There is plenty of blame to go around. The coach did not prepare his side well. The team had not been rotated sufficiently in recent weeks. The lineup was poor. The lack of substitutions until very late on - and the incorrect substitutions - when they happened were the major determinants. However, the 11 players we fielded were good enough to not lose 3-0. They did not do their jobs, plain and simple, and they are to be derided and criticized for going out this way and letting down their fans and club.

Mes que un club is supposed to be Barca's motto. That means that life is about more than just results. That, too, means that how one plays -win or lose - matters, and if one is not giving one's all, one fails even if the scoreline says otherwise.

I do not see a road back for Barcelona in Europe unless they rediscover what once made them great. A strong and thriving development system whose principles and ideals and way of playing flow throughout the club's system all the way to the first time is a major missing piece. Having the best players at each position who understand what our philosophy is and who can execute it is also needed. Many players will need to make way, and we should buy the best while also promoting our best from within. Valverde, the coach, has brought pragmatism, but his run of non-defeats in league and Champions League feel pyrrhic. He lost the fans' belief in him last night, and he may have also lost the players'.

Gutted is the only word I can use to describe how disappointed I feel. It is as though a family member has died once again anew this spring like the last two years. To find peace, I am going to need to meditate more, or I am going to need Barca to work its way out of this morass.

CATE'S GLORY

Cate is many things: smart, driven, opinionated. However, one area we have been working on is empathy. For this reason, I was touched by a recent story her teacher shared with me that is excerpted below.

Before we get too far into break, I wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know about a noteworthy moment in P.E. on Friday. First, I'll give you a little background information. We were playing Gagaball, and the important things to know about the game for this anecdote are: 1) there are no teams, so everyone is against everyone else and when you get "out" you are in Jail until the person who got you out gets out or a Jailbreak is called, and 2) in addition to the conventional way of getting out by being hit by a ball, if you fall down (and a body part other than your hands or feet touches the ground), you are out. Cate, is very goodat Gagaball--which means that the players she gets out are often stuck in Jail for a long time. On Friday, she got --- out and when he was finally released by a Jailbreak, he stood up and she got him out again. The next time he re-entered the game, he lasted a little bit longer, but, again, Cate got him. He sat down in Jail grumbling, "I guess I'll wait for another Jailbreak..." and started tearing up. Cate happened to be nearby, noticed him tearing up and looked like she was about to ask either what was wrong or what she could do, but promptly realized that she was likely the reason why he was crying. So she fell down. She just dropped to the ground and then moved herself into Jail. I nudged --- to let him know he was back in and his face lit up and he jumped up with excitement as he ran back into the game. I caught Cate's eye and quietly told her Thank You because that was the most compassionate act of kindness I have seen in a long time.

What a story and what a girl! I hope she continues to grow and that people remember her at least as much for her kindness as her imperiousness!