Finding Tuesday's Five to Love was not hard, but there is one piece of the soccer world that stuck out. It overshadowed Chad Ochocinco invading Barcelona, José Mourinho's obsession with the truth, and our dwelling on the Ballon d'Or. It even displaced Clint Dempsey in our collective hearts, if only for a moment.
Five To Love - January 11, 2011: Oh Adorable Bimbo, Chad Ochocinco Envy, FIFA Getting Something Right, Jose Mourinho Being Special
It’s the Snuggle Bear on acid, the main character from one of Sid and Marty Kroft’s failed pilots, what Ray Stantz would have thought of had he forgotten the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man. It’s also the target of many a Union supporters’ consternation, but damn it if we can’t love her:
Photo courtesy of Philadelphia Union on Facebook
Bimbo (BEEM boh) the Bear (as we’ve dubbed her) has quickly become a favorite of SBN Soccer editorial, with Philadelphia set to adorn Bimbo’s corporate logo across their shirts for the next four years. Union fans, however, are less unanimous in their support. Because how often do you get a chance to kick a cuddly white bear?
After the jump, the real reasons for discontent along with the rest of Tuesday’s Five to Love.
1. Too Adorable To Deny, Though You May Try
While we’re thrilled Bimbo’s a part of our lives, we don’t have to deal with her as part of our season ticket packages. I can’t imagine ever getting tired of her, but if I did and I lived in Philly, I’d spend my spare moments at PPL sneaking up, trying to scare her. “Boo!” I’d yell, as she came out of a corridor. She’d look at me, put her paw to her chest, give me that face set for surprise as I tried to forget Bimbo’s probably nothing more than a 16-year-old boy in a bear suit making minimum wage. And if I couldn’t forget, I’d try to scare him again. “Boo!” Go get a better job.
Based on the response when the Union posted this photo, some people are neither happy nor willing to find juvenile distractions. Here’s a sampling of anatomized responses:
- U guys cant be fuggin serious???????
- awww sucha cute bimbo
- Aren’t the eyelashes supposed to be on the outside of the eye?
- WE’RE ALL DOOMED
- good bye cruel world
- WHERE IS YOUR GOD NOW?
- Whore! Oh, sorry, bimbo.
The last comment echoes some concern levied after the sponsorship was announced, concern with which we’re having trouble empathizing. Sure, at first blush, having Bimbo painted across a kit seems less than ideal, but that’s all it is: Less than ideal. It’s not as if the other side of this coin is difficult to see, hard to understand.
Instead of fixating on bimbo (or in this case, beem-bo) look at the cute bear! And ask, “where is my God now?”
2. Stop reminding, Mr. Johnson.
Chad Ochocinco's life is so much better than ours, and thanks to Twitter, he can continue to prove it. Last week he was with Real Madrid, taking pictures with Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaká and José Mourinho and ... we get it! You're famous. You're rich. I am not. I can't go to Madrid and get access to some of the best athletes in the world, and even if I could you would one up me by going to Barcelona and taking a series of photos with ...
You’ve done that preemptively, haven’t you, Chad? Here’s Mr. Ochocinco’s day with the world’s best soccer team.
 |  |  |
| Messi | Iniesta | Villa |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
| Puyol | Young Ringo Starr | Abidal, Krkic |
But of all the pictures posted by the Cincinnati Bengal star (courtesy of Ochocinco’s Twitter), this one may be most telling:
SBN Soccer contributor Aaron Campeau asked the obvious question: "(Does) Barca have a deal with Audi or something?" I have no idea, nor do I have a clue why Lionel Messi's dressed like a jockey. Some mysteries of Barcelona will never be solved.
3. Change is obviously a very good thing
Football Italia went through the ballots. Though Lionel Messi won this year's Ballon d'Or, had last year's voting procedure been used - the voting procedure used before the award came under FIFA's umbrella - Wesley Sneijder would have won World Player of the Year. So as it turns out, FIFA is capable of getting something right.
4. Just because it’s arrogant doesn’t mean it’s wrong
And it’s really a shame we think telling the truth is arrogant, but José Mourinho was clearly the best coach in the world last year. At least, he has a lot of evidence to support a claim while still being objective, detached, and honest. It’s a shame that often becomes arrogance, but unless he’s trumpeting it in our faces, it’s hard to call him arrogant.
“I feel myself the best of 2010 because in 2010 my team won absolutely everything,” Mourinho said in an interview after receiving the award at a ceremony in Zurich.
José, you’re not helping.
"I’ve had 10 consecutive great years," he said. "In 2010, I did with Inter the treble, which is for a club coach the maximum you can achieve," he said. "But Pep is top, Del Bosque is top and you cannot forget as a top coach we have in the world of football Sir Alex (Ferguson of Manchester United) and (Chelsea’s Carlo) Ancelotti, so many other top coaches that one day this award has to go to them."
Whew. I thought I was going to have to rewrite this section.
If you want to think Mourinho arrogant, you have more than enough evidence to support your claim, much as José has ample evidence to support his contentions. I love the guy’s honesty, his willingness to speak his mind when more people are trying to match an expectation on ours.
5. A day too soon
Yesterday, FourFourTwo's Performance blog was one of the things we loved. Today, we love it even more, with Clint Dempsey getting his due. The United States' star talking about training and fitness, detailing (amongst other things) the balance between weight training and conditioning as the season progresses.
Are there stories from the soccer world that are captivating you? Share, laugh, rant, vent. Flood the comments and give us a reason to put your contribution in the next Five to Love.
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