Johan Cruyff RIP

I posted on FB, but I'm repeating here too. My childhood was consumed with my idolization of Johan Cruyff so I'm particularly broken up to hear that he passed away today from cancer. My first memory of him was in the 1974 final against Germany. I'd collected the Panini stamps at the beach in Italy and had watched the matches that led into the final. I was sure that he would lead the Dutch to victory. I needed him to because of the Gunter Netzer inspired 1972 qualifier win over England which is the first match I watched that I can remember bitterly. And of course, the Germans beat Cruyff's Dutchmen that day too. I got my only chance to see him play live when Coach Hunter got the Host Nation Club members tickets for Barcelona's visit to Ipswich Town in 1977('78?). And during the match, standing at the front in the stands, the ball came out of play right in front of our group. Johan ambled over to take the throw and backed up as far as he could so he was right up against us. Before he could throw the ball back into play, I reached up and over the guy in front of me and touched him on the lower back. He looked around at me with undisguised contempt, like I was an insect he'd spotted on his shirt. He then threw the ball back into play and ambled away. Barcelona lost that match. He was sublime in the way he could slalom around the field stopping, starting, and making the tempo match his will. But what he taught me was this: Football can be a bastard. Today that lesson is pressed home again. RIP #9, #14, my hero.