Sometimes the team with the most talent loses. The 2006 Brazilian National team was the favorite to win the World Cup. They were touted as, potentially, the most talented soccer team ever assembled. Yet, the world favorite was eliminated during the quarter finals much to the disappointment of Brazilians worldwide, including yours truly. What happened? How can so much raw talent, experience, and stardom result in such a poor performance? While some blame Brazil’s coach, Parreira, most of us saw clearly the problem play itself out on the field: superstars who could not play together as a team. It was obvious that the players were more preoccupied in looking good individually than winning games together. Individually, they were the best in the world; together, however, they were less than the sum total of their talents. All the talent, pride and praise of Brazil’s “jogo bonito (translated, “the beautiful game”), could…

I come from a place where on Christmas Eve people are battling extreme heat, Santa Claus wears thin silk pajamas, and Christmas day arrives with fireworks on the beach. Sounds like 4th of July in Florida, doesn’t it? Well, now that I’m thinking about it, it’s pretty much like that but with Thanksgiving meal thrown in for good measure. Today I’m in Nashville where we’re expecting a white Christmas and the days are short and cold. But growing up in the Southern Hemisphere in tropical Brazil, I enjoyed Christmas mostly outdoors. Pool parties and trips to the beach marked the beginning of Summer on December 21.  Brazilians eat a later dinner, 11 p.m. on Christmas Eve called “ceia”–interestingly, Christmas Eve is one of the only days Brazilians exchange their beloved beef for turkey and  Ham. After the big meal, Brazilians still find stamina to go out from house to house…