Can't blame it on Rio

I have always wanted to visit Rio de Janeiro. Even though the late Jade Goody thought Rio de Janeiro was a man, it hasn't diminished my desire. I am not making that up.
During her time at the Big Brother reality show, she had asked someone, 'Rio de Janeiro, a bloke innit?'.

She might be right actually. Rio does seem to have masculine qualities. I've heard so much about the city, seen so much of it on television, and all of it is so appealing. It's brutally sensual, like the Brad Pitt of Troy. There's so much to lust and love in Rio -- its naturally beautiful setting -- the city boasts the largest urban forests in the world:

Floresta da Tijuca, mountains almost rising out of the sea and one of the most famous beaches in the world -- the Copacobana. Mix that with the hedonism of the
carnival and the samba.

Such riches stand in stark contrast to its dark side. Rio israted one of the most violent cities in the world and its favelas or shanty towns highlight the disparities between the rich and the poor.

Then there's the football and the Maracana. Some of Brazil's most famous footballers have kicked leather on its sandy beaches and dusty by-lanes. Garrincha, Zico, Romario, Ronaldo and Adriano are all products of Rio's favelas.

Interestingly, there's another common thread that runs through the names that I have listed. With the exception of Zico, who was known for his determination and discipline, others, all incredible footballers, have struggled in their personal lives. Alcohol, drug abuse, women, torrid marriages have eventually wrecked their careers.

Garrincha, considered by many in Brazil as Pele's equal, died of a liver failure after a lifetime of alcohol abuse. Brazil never lost a match in which Pele and Garrincha played together. The 'little bird' was a mental and emotional wreck by the time of his death.
Romario, Brazil's hero of the 1994 World Cup and one of the most prolific strikers the game has ever seen, was often dropped from the team for indiscipline and missing training sessions after nights of partying.

Ronaldo, the highest goalscorer in World Cup with 15 goals, has had his own problems with fame. His much-publicised broken relationships, encounters with transvestites, alcoholism and weight issues have adversely affected his on-field performances.
The latest in the list of troubled Brazil football stars is Adriano. The Inter Milan striker went missing on April 4 after international duty. He was not on his scheduled flight back from South America to Italy. Neither the club nor the Brazil football federation had any contact with the forward.

After an intense week of speculation, where rumours of his death also circulated, Adriano came out of hiding and informed that he had been in the favelas of Rio with his mother and friends after an emotional break-up with his girlfriend. Adriano then said that he wanted to take a break from football and think about his career. Alcohol and drug abuse were also cited as reasons for his mental state.

What is it with the footballers from Rio de Janeiro? How do you explain such beauty and misery, such mastery and frailty? Maybe it's to do with the city that nurtured them. Dichotomous Rio de Janeiro, just as beautiful as it is ugly. I can't wait to head there.

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1247091