This weekend I left to Austin with The Collegian newspaper (Houston Baptist University). We arrived thursday night to the hotel. As we were settling in i noticed the gym so I put on my gym clothes and jumped on treadmill. There was a small tv on the corner of the room so I started going through the channels. The San Jose Sharks and LA Kings were playing nothing better then a late night rivalry game. The first period ended I was checking other channels durning intermission and I quickly came to a stop.
I couldn’t believe it! It was Pele! He was on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He was promoting his new book Why Soccer Matter. Jon Stewart started talking about the World Cup and how he is a USA fan and how hard its going to be this year since they are in a difficult group. Then he asked the best question ever “Pele do you remember the 1950 World Cup?” Oh his face was priceless! Pele tells him “I was about eight or nine years old and I remember seeing my dad crying I couldn’t believe it because my dad always said men dont cry so I tell my dad, dad dont worry I will win a World Cup for you.” Jon started laughing and then he tells him “oh was it not Uruguay that beat yall” and Pele just nodded his head. Then Jon tells him “I hope its Brazil and Uruguay again in the final and yall beat them so you can have revenge.” Pele just smiled and said yeah yeah. I was enjoying every moment he was smiling in the outside but dying in the in.
I could tell it was not a subject he wanted to talk about but it was just so sweet to see his reaction. It amazes me it will be 64 years since that happened but it marks every Brazilian that lived that moment and even the the generations after. I cant wait for this World Cup. It’s going to be a
amazing. There is so much history I cant even imagine the energy Maracana will have in the final if or when Brazil makes it. And that’s your playbook for the day.
Size of the gym at the Hotel it was all to myself.
Jami's Playbook 