Match Watch: Barca at Real Madrid

[Borgoguy]

Originally Posted by frostlich

Sorry BD, I dunno how to change the thread title...

Borgo: we'll, be using the Weber Smokey Mountain (purchased last fall in honor of the Sanchez debut-likewise one of the best buys of 2009) bullet smoker for our ribs today.

The ribs were obtained from one of our new favorite places. Patak's in Austell, GA. It's an old world smokehouse/butcher. Small, but awesome place: http://www.patakmeats.com/Welcome.html. The ONLY place in the Atlanta area I've found for amazing smoked meats and sausage. Just don't touch the glass, and stay in line. It's a little 'soup nazi'-ish, but worth it.

I'm using a dry rub found here: http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/rib1.html minus the Accent(MSG) and not the KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce this time. A little unoriginal, but I can't deny we reaallly like the results.

Thanks for the great response. Sorry I didn't see it sooner. Man, Patak's looks like an awesome place. Wish I had something like that near me, especially in the Fall when I make choucroute garnie. I do a similar rub, but with Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and no MSG.

So, how'd the ribs turn out? I bet amazing.

[The Turk]

Originally Posted by Black Death

Xavi the best midfield player in the world, and has been for some years now - I'd even say he's better than Messi because he's the heartbeat of any team he plays for. Without Xavi feeding him, Messi's level for Argentina is not even half of what it is when he plays for Barca, hence the reason he has a lack of goals against quality international competition when playing for his country.

Xavi's pass completion rate is incredible - on average completes a pass to a teammate more than once a minute every game - he totally outplayed Xabi Alonso yesterday, and Xabi is absolutely world class.

Spain's current midfield stocks are probably the best crop of players in those positions ever in the history of the game - a claim that sounds hyperbolic until you look at the players they actually have. Probably the only team I can compare them to is the France side of the days of Platini, or Brazil in 82 with the likes of Socrates, Zico, Falcao etc. Cesc Fabregas, who would be a walk on starter in any other team on the globe, can't even get a start in the Spanish XI. Even the defensive midfielder role, traditionally not one Spaniards have produced great players at, is awesomely deep in talent when you actually look at how those players are playing for their clubs.

I don't know how Cambiasso and Veron are going to get the ball to Messi for Argentina in the way Xavi and co have been for Barca - if they don't Messi's World Cup could be an overhyped flop, which is what it is building up to already.

I wouldn't go so far as saying he's better than Messi(ah) but he certainly is the best pure midfielder in the world. The pass that created the second goal was an art form...

[Soberphobia]

Originally Posted by The Turk

I wouldn't go so far as saying he's better than Messi(ah) but he certainly is the best pure midfielder in the world. The pass that created the second goal was an art form...

I'd pick him ahead of Messi I'd have to say, and I'm not just saying that because I drafted him - if you use an NFL analogy he's a quarterback to Messi's wide reciever, and the QB is far more important than any wide reciever will ever be.

Messi is the best one-on-one player in the world - but football (soccer) isn't a one on one game.

It's the reason why Messi isn't up to Mardona's standard, though its true that Messi is only 22 years of age - Maradona won titles without having a great team around him, but that is what is required for Messi to be the world-beater he is.

[The Turk]

Originally Posted by Black Death

I'd pick him ahead of Messi I'd have to say, and I'm not just saying that because I drafted him - if you use an NFL analogy he's a quarterback to Messi's wide reciever, and the QB is far more important than any wide reciever will ever be.

Messi is the best one-on-one player in the world - but football (soccer) isn't a one on one game.

It's the reason why Messi isn't up to Mardona's standard, though its true that Messi is only 22 years of age - Maradona won titles without having a great team around him, but that is what is required for Messi to be the world-beater he is.

I disagree. I think Messi is only deemed not up to Maradon's standard because he happens to be playing for the greatest team of this time and quite possibly one of the greatest team of all time. But that's not his fault.

I know Maradona won the Scudetto virtually by himself in Napoli but Messi has been more instrumental with Barca, a team that Maradona also played for.

I think it's early to say Messi is better then Diego but he has a chance to be just that. In fact he's the first footballer I can say that about with a straight face. I admit, a lot does depend on what he'll do with Argentina. If he flops there like so many before him then Diego will once again be triumphant, ironic that his coach is Diego while he's trying to surpass him.

I don't know. It's always easy to overrate the present but Messi is just unreal sometimes. Just like Diego was.

[RaoulDuke]

I agree with both of you. I think Messi steals a bit of Xavi’s thunder just because he’s from another planet. Xavi gave 3 magnificent balls against Real that were eclipsed by Messi’s outrageous goal scoring streak.

[Soberphobia]

Originally Posted by The Turk

I disagree. I think Messi is only deemed not up to Maradon's standard because he happens to be playing for the greatest team of this time and quite possibly one of the greatest team of all time. But that's not his fault.

I know Maradona won the Scudetto virtually by himself in Napoli but Messi has been more instrumental with Barca, a team that Maradona also played for.

I think it's early to say Messi is better then Diego but he has a chance to be just that. In fact he's the first footballer I can say that about with a straight face. I admit, a lot does depend on what he'll do with Argentina. If he flops there like so many before him then Diego will once again be triumphant, ironic that his coach is Diego while he's trying to surpass him.

I don't know. It's always easy to overrate the present but Messi is just unreal sometimes. Just like Diego was.

I think Messi is quicker than Maradona at his height - but Maradona's ball control was just unEarthly - that's the only way to describe it - it's better, by a fair margin, not only than Messi's, but also any other player in the history of the game. I guess that's why he's counted as the greatest of all time - imagine if he actually had two feet!

One also has to remember the type of defences Maradona had to face - they could hack and kick the crap out of him - he was totally unprotected by the referees. He was not only a one-man band for Napoli, but also for Argentina - he remains the only player to win a World Cup of his own boot.

I'm probably preaching to the choir, as clearly you are a Diego fan, but anyway.

[The Turk]

Originally Posted by RaoulDuke

I agree with both of you.

WLF?



only a frenchie can pull this off. You surrender monkey!

[RaoulDuke]

Originally Posted by The Turk

WLF?



only a frenchie can pull this off. You surrender monkey!

How about making your pick instead of being a wise azz.

[The Turk]

Originally Posted by RaoulDuke

How about making your pick instead of being a wise azz.

I could say the same to you!