Popular culture as Mass culture

I really liked this weeks readings regarding the history of futbol and prominent futbol players in Latin America. The videos that we watched in class furthered my understanding as well. I believe this topic was so interesting to me because it was easily related to my own life and upbringing where pretty much everyone plays futbol in elementary school. After that the popularity somewhat wanes but many stick with it at least a recreational level throughout high school. Its almost impossible for me to imagine my childhood without the practices and games not to mention the after game snacks. The funny thing is that I was never really that crazy about it, but I am an only child and I think my parents really wanted me out of the house. In their defense I did go through a biting phase. Anyway back to the readings, I was amazed to learn about the long lasting effects of the world cup in 1950. I can't imagine having an entire nation feeling that much sadness over something where no one person was physically hurt. A good point was made in the article though that really nothing that tragic had ever occurred in or to Brazil before. They do seem like fun-loving people and it hurts to see the film reels of so much silence and shock. On the other hand I also felt bad for the people in Uruguay who died of excitement!I suppose I would rather die at the happiest moment of my life than at the saddest Furthermore the level of recognition or remembrance that the Uruguayan players received was short lived. To this day on July 16th the Brazilian team gets calls while the Uruguayan team "lived in the moment" and when it was over so was their fame. Although . Again back to the reading I also loved learning about Garrincha, the angel with bent legs. What I found most intriguing was the comparison between Garrincha and Pele, with one being "adored" and the other "revered". Pele was a business man he invested his money and new how to market himself. He got better because he trained hard and focused on his ultimate goal of fame, the fame his father never received. Garrincha did not want to play professionally he just loved the show, the spectacle. Like a futbol globe trotter he would pull stunts with his famous dribbling no matter what his coach had instructed him to do. To everyone's surprise it worked, for him it was never about the money which he stored in "fruit bowls" but as a means to be a clown without having to wear the makeup. I believe that I too if I had been alive at that time would have liked Garrincha better without being able to explain why but in a way this big futbol player never really grew up something I also never wanted to do.