Transcendence and Yes, It Is THE Goal of the Season
From the moment it came off his foot there was a certainty about it. Peter Cech must have had a sinking feeling that rivaled the Titanic in the North Atlantic in 1912. The swerving, dipping match clincher was the Hail Mary of all Hail Mary's. Move over Van Persie, move over Peter Crouch, Pappa Cisse had just hit the purist strike ever seen.
Ok, maybe I am getting a bit carried away, being a Newcastle fan and all, but I can not ever remember a goal that brought me out of my seat like this one. It was also the goal that was the final dagger in Chelsea hope's for a Champion's League spot via league position.
My initial reaction of disbelief turned to amazement. Cisse could attempt that shot on the training ground for the rest of his career and never pull it off.
Thru the years there are goals which will be implanted in the mind of the viewer and never go away. The "Hand of God" and the slalom run just minutes later in 1986 by Diego Maradona, Van Basten's volley in the Euros, Danny Rose's full volley against Arsenal in his league debut for Spurs, Rooney's Chileno, etc. This goal is right there with them.
There are moments of individual brilliance which transcend the sport to create an appeal that anyone could appreciate. This goal is in that category; it will be on Sportscenter and talked about by even those who have no interest in the game of soccer.
To me dear reader, it is in the top ten list of my greatest sport's happening that I have ever witnessed as it happened. Being an American boy I have several sports referenced (listed chronologically) and if I have to explain any of these, then you are either very young or (I'd rather not say!):
1. Garo Yepremian's "attempted pass" in Super Bowl VII
2. Carlton Fisk dancing down the first base line urging his game six extra inning blast to be a fair ball.
3. The 1980 US Olympic Hockey Team
4. The pass from Joe Montana to Dwight Clark
5. Diego Maradona against England in 1986
6. Christian Laettner sinks a buzzer beating shot vs Kentucky to send Duke to the Final Four (This one almost caused me to lose my wife of twenty years! I stood her up in our courtship because I refused to leave to meet her while this game was still in progress. To this day that was the deepest I was ever in her doghouse!)
7. The New York Rangers winning the 1994 Stanley Cup (now I can die in peace!)
8. Manchester United's comeback in the 1999 Champion's League final
9. The Boston Red Sox coming back from 3-0 down against the Yankees and going on to win the World Series (really die in peace!)
10. Pappa Demba Cisse scoring the most remarkable goal I have ever seen.
Just a personal list of course, but if any saw this goal, there is no denying that we witnessed something that will never happen again. But there is always the chance…….
