 The great Pelé will be awarded an honorary doctorate at an academic conference on soccer at Hofstra University on Long Island from April 10 through 13. The star of Santos and the Brazilian World Cup champions and the New York Cosmos is associated with a new version of the Cosmos, who play at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium. Over 100 speakers will be present.
NOTE ADDITION I should have also written that one of my great regrets as a latecomer to soccer is that I never saw Pelé play. His Cosmos days were my Dalai Lama-JP II days. A fair trade, I guess. My pal Alex Yannis, who covered soccer for so many years, used to play in choose-up games with Pelé after that. Pelé is the nicest man -- yes, being himself, a great brand, but he cannot fake the warmth and love of his sport. I always talk to him about his friend Julio Mazzei, The Professor, who taught me so much. Being around Pelé is a jolt every time. END ADDITION I will be part of a panel on Saturday afternoon and plan to be around my alma mater on all days, learning more about the sport -- plus shamelessly plugging my book, “Eight World Cups: My Journey Through the Beauty and Dark Side of Soccer,” to be published by Times Books/Holt in mid-May, just before the World Cup in Brazil. For further information: http://news.hofstra.edu/2014/02/10/hofstra-awards-honorary-degree-to-soccer-legend-and-philanthropist-pele/ www.hofstra.edu/soccercon <http://www.hofstra.edu/soccercon> And then there’s my book: http://www.georgevecsey.com/eight-world-cups.html
Ed Martin
2/12/2014 09:05:15 am
That makes two Futbol Hall of Famers affiliated with Hofstra, in my book. I wonder where they evr got the idea of honoring Pele?
George Vecsey
2/12/2014 10:35:16 am
Ed: The Cosmos play there...at Shuart Stadium. GV
ed
2/12/2014 01:36:16 pm
I did read that, but led to a similar question. Anyhow, If I was on LI it would be nice to see pros play there.
Gene Palumbo
2/12/2014 07:53:46 pm
George has a column in today’s (Tuesday, Feb. 12) Times: “Jeter’s retirement announcement hits the right note.”
Gene Palumbo
2/12/2014 08:03:17 pm
Sorry, got the date wrong. It's Wednesday, Feb. 13. But the link is right.
Ed Martin
2/13/2014 02:30:13 pm
Hi George, this is apropros of your last posting, and hoped posting it here would catch up.
George Vecsey
2/14/2014 12:39:46 am
Ed, thanks, Stewart has it right. GV
Janet Vecsey
2/13/2014 08:42:54 pm
What a busy man. Do you ever rest?
George Vecsey
2/14/2014 12:42:01 am
Janet, thanks, this is better than rest. It's my therapy web site. I keep typing away on this and the book, and once in a while the NYT has me write. What else is there? Love, G
Ed Martin
2/14/2014 02:25:11 am
Janet, and it is our therapy (and delight) and my guess is that the reader demographics would be unique in many dimensions. Thank you GV. 2/14/2014 09:47:43 am
George
Mendel
2/14/2014 01:04:11 am
As much as I talk about baseball and the Mets, my kids - growing up in the Middle East - play soccer at school. Perhaps it is time to broaden my horizons and discover new metaphors...
George Vecsey
2/14/2014 01:35:42 am
Dear Mendel: A friend of ours, when he lived in Cairo, used to ask people which was their favorite team, Zamalek or Al Ahly -- the two great teams of that city. Of course, he asked it in Arabic. He always got a smile. But that's the point of football....it is the universal language. GV
Mendel
2/14/2014 01:43:53 am
But can I call it soccer?
George Vecsey
2/14/2014 05:57:10 am
Mendel, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. The sport sounds more mobile, more fluid, when you call it football rather than soccer. GV.
Ed Martin
2/14/2014 04:05:21 am
George, evidently the weather forces were slow in responding to your Superbowl request. 2/14/2014 09:53:40 am
Way to go George. My all-time soccer favorites, Pele the player and George the journalist, together at George's alma mater. What could be better?
George Vecsey
2/15/2014 12:17:30 am
From the PR release: Comments are closed.
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