The beautiful game. I shoot a lot of sports photos so I thought I'd drop in some of my favorites from the past year.

Over the last ten years I've become quite a soccer fan. I like the pace of the game, the grace and technique of skillful players, and the somewhat exotic feel that it has. I grew up watching and playing football, basketball, baseball, and tennis, and those sports remained my primary athletic interests through most of my life, but as the heroes of my youth retired, and pro sports in the USA became more crassly materialistic I began to look for something else to capture my interest as a spectator. I have no illusions that soccer, especially in Europe, is any less crass than the major US sports, but having been spared the ringside seat for the decline of sport on the other side of the pond that I had for the American version, I don't have the same bad taste in my mouth about soccer that I have about the big three. At any rate I have lately very much enjoyed watching and photographing the beautiful game.

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