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Diego Maradona

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TEAM USA

Russell Westbrook's Dunk on Argentina Should Be Played in a Temple

By Chris Ryan at

Has anyone checked on Diego Maradona? The far left end of the bench, where Tyson and Kobe sit, has the most "GTFO" reaction. Kobe whipping the towel, and Tyson going beast-mode. Let me sit there. Then there's Kevin Love, who seriously would rather be celebrating on the bench than playing in the game. Someone in the middle, I think Paul, is practically jumping out of the gym in joy BEFORE RUSSELL EVEN THINKS ABOUT LEAVING THE GROUND. And then ... then there's this. Forever:

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STAGGERING GENIUS

The Sound of Messi

By Chris Ryan at

You know what one of the best sounds in sports is? The sound of the Camp Nou crowd reacting when Lionel Messi scores a goal. There are other sounds: The rising volume of a gallery watching a putt roll toward the hole to clinch a major, or that metallic "thwank" a hoop makes when Russell Westbrook dunks. But there's nothing like the Camp Nou when Messi scores. And Messi scores a lot.

On Tuesday, against Granada, the Argentine forward netted his 235th goal in Barcelona colors, making him that illustrious club's all-time leading scorer. The great players who have worn the Barca blue and red are some of the greatest players to ever walk onto a football pitch — Cruyff, Ronaldinho, Rodriguez (who previously held the record), Kluivert, Rivaldo, Eto'o, Laudrup, Guardiola, Xavi, Iniesta, Hagi, Romario, Stoichkov — but Messi, undoubtedly, is greater than them all.

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