Movie Masterpiece: To the Wonder

I first watched this Terrance Malick art film last fall with my friend, Lauren, and my instant reaction was similar to watching Tree of Life; beautiful images yet boring plot. However in the days that followed, I found myself thinking more and more about the movie, and decided to watch it a 2nd and 3rd time. It was then that I realized that this movie, similar to Tree of Life and The New World, was a masterpiece because of it's unusual filming technique and open ending. It doesn't have much dialogue or a linear plot, however flows together in this incredible musical dance of emotions. It's one of those films that requires immense patience, and is very open for interpretation.

The Character Driven Story

So yes there is a plot, however it's vague and up to the viewer to piece everything together. The film begins with two lovers in Paris, France; Neil a quiet mysterious American and Mariana, a manic Ukrainian divorcee. They are played brilliantly by Ben Affleck and Olga Kurylenko (Olga should have received an Oscar nod for this emotional character). The opening 10-min sequence of this film is astounding, as it captures their new found love. This is achieved through extreme close-ups, a beautiful violin score by Hanan Townshead, the backdrop of Paris, France, and the heavenly setting of Mont St. Michael; their wonder. By the end of this first sequence it is clear that Neil and Mariana are mad in love with each other. She is willing to bring her child to move back to America with him.

Once they arrive to Oklahoma, the honeymoon of their love slowly fades off as Neil returns back to work and Mariana grows uncomfortable with her new setting. To add to this her daughter is also unhappy and unable to make friends in her new school. Mariana reaches out to the local priest for support, Father Quintana, also played brilliantly by Javier Bardem. The priest is very involved in his community however undergoing a conflict of his own, his faith. He administers to the poor, sick, and imprisoned yet questions where is God in all this suffering. He however continues to press on while preaching about the duty of love.

After three months it becomes evident that Neil and Mariana's relationship is not long-term. Although they have their fun moments, their seems to be too much indifference between them, perhaps a cultural barrier. Once her visa has expired she leaves back to Paris with her daughter. Neil is saddened by her sudden departure however goes on with his life. He emerges himself in his work for a while until he meets up with an old friend, Jane, played by Rachel McAdams. She is also going through some hardships of her own, as she has loss her child, divorced her husband, and is about to lose her ranch. The two of them share some intimate moments however Neil is unwilling to commit to her love. Part of this could be because Mariana writes to him, stating that she wants to come back to the states. This is not to be mistaken as a love triangle however, as it appears the two relationships happen separate from one another at different times.

Neil breaks off ties with Jane, and welcomes Mariana back into his life. Her daughter has moved in with her dad in France. The two quickly get married in court, so that she can have a permanent residence there. However the conflict still remains, and their love becomes a neurotic one, filled with extreme ups and downs and constant fights. She eventually cheats on him, and this is the final straw for Neil who divorces her. Mariana is later seen with a new child while Neil turns to the priest for support. 

Father Quintana is very sympathetic to his parishioners yet continues to struggle with his own faith. In a powerful sequence he prays that God will always be with him and shine through him. He finally decides perhaps a change of location will do him best and he leaves for Kansas. Neil and Mariana make peace with their divorce, and say their final goodbye at the airport as she once again returns to France. At the end of the film we are left with another abstract sequence of beautiful images. It appears Neil has found solace at a heavenly place with a child, while Mariana awakes in a loss world fixated upon the Mont St. Michael wonder.  

Malick's Original Filming Style

Terrance Malick has mastered the art of expressive film-making as seen in his previous works such as Days of Heaven, To the Wonder, and Tree of Life. His filming style is quite unique, as he utilizes natural light as well as improv acting to make every scene all the more realistic. Both the camera and characters are in constant motion in every single shot. This constant motion is carried by a beautiful score, real outdoor settings, and real acting. It's as if this film is a non-stop ballet of images and feelings. 

It's my understanding that this film is a personal story of Malick's past relationships. It's no doubt a very conflicted story with four conflicted characters. Each character embodies strong emotions; Neil is reserved and unsure of what he wants, Mariana is manic-depressive and a neurotic lover, Jane is a practical person with unfortunate luck, and the priest is very pensive yet still focused. Malick brilliantly captures this character driven story with minimal dialogue, poetic narrative, and pure human expression. 

Final Interpretation

I've watched this film probably 5 times now, and every time I walk away with a slightly different perspective or new understanding of it. I think that's the brilliance of Malick's work here, and that's what separates a great film from a masterful film. In the end I think the priest's faith is the foundation of the story. While the other characters are floating around aimlessly it is the priest who holds everything together. He does this through his patient council, his wise narrative, and his unyielding resolve. He describes love as a duty that comes from a divine source. Although he is conflicted himself, he is able to endure his struggles by making a change and taking his faith to a new level. 

While the priest is able to overcome his conflict, Mariana, Neil, and Jane do not. This failure of love is especially emphasized in the case of Mariana and Neil. They experience love to the highest degree, which is their wonder, however are unable to sustain it as a duty in everyday life. I think the final message of this film is to share your faith and love together as a constant duty.

The ending sequence of this film has especially impacted me for its vague finale. I think it represents some kind of metaphoric after-life, perhaps heaven or purgatory. Mariana awakes in a barren field and undergoes a series of fast changing emotions. She seems free, curious, afraid, alone, and filled with excitement as she approaches the wonder where she fell in love. I think this wonder represents everyone's ultimate desire; love and happiness to the highest degree.

Sochi Olympics 2014 Highlights

The Sochi Winter Olympic games have come to a close and I must say they were quite successful despite the built-up heavy criticism it received. The past two weeks I did my best to watch every night of NBC's Prime Time coverage. From the ceremonies, to the games, the medal standing, the athletes' stories, and the general spirit. It's the one time I pay attention to these lesser known sports, like speed-skating, figure-skating, ski jumping, snowboard racing, etc. This is their time to shine on the world stage for ultimate glory. The Olympics are an incredible tradition that allows the world to put politics and indifference aside to share in one anothers' culture through games.

It's no surprise of course that there were many skeptics and critics of Vladmir Putin's iron-fist games. The security was tripled unlike anything before, and it's said these were the most expensive games yet. However considering how far Russia has come since it's 1990 Soviet Union collapse, I think this was necessary precautions to avoid any controversies on the world stage. I think Putin and the entire country of Russia succeeded in showing the world that they are once again a force to be reckoned with. So the story of the Sochi Winter games, is not so much about Sochi, (where the weather was alot warmer than here) yet about the games and the athletes, and that's just the way it should be! So here's a recap of my favorite highlights from the games.

 

Ceremonies of Russian Culture

Its always interesting to watch the opening and closing ceremonies of these Olympic games, because they are more-or-less a presentation of the host's culture to the world. In this case we were demonstrated Russia's current culture as well as their past history. I've always found Russian Culture to be one of the most intriguing cultures in the world, especially their music, history, and literature. I made a post about it several years back ( Russian Culture ). In these opening and closing ceremonies Russia displayed their present day culture through a unique style of modern music, dancing, and fashion. I thought it was all a bit on the strange side, however I guess this is understandable coming from a distant American perspective.

The Games (Highlights)

I'm just going to give a highlight of the events and results I followed, as well as the athletes I was inspired by. There's nothing here about hockey, curling, or several other events that I simply did not pay attention to.

• Alpine Skiing: There's 5 events for men and women in the alpine skiing (Downhill, Super G, Slalom, Giant Slalom, and Combined) Ted Liggety and Mikaela Shiffrin walked away with American gold, Andrew Weibrecht got silver, and ski stars Bode Miller and Julia Mancuso got the bronze.  
• BobSleigh: The Russian men's team went on to win gold in the 4 and 2-man events, led by their veteran Alexander Zubkov. The Americans won bronze in both events led by Steven Holcomb. The American women won silver, yet LoLo Jones once again came up short for a Olympic medal.
• Speedskating: There are 6 events in the speedskating and the Dutch dominated them with contributions from Michael and Ronald Mulder, Sven Kramer, Ireen Wust, and Jorien ter Mors to name a few. (500m, 1000m, 1500m, 5000m, 10000m, and Team Pursuit). American superstar Shauni Davis came up short.
• Snowboarding: I care least about the extreme snowboarding events, and would hardly consider it an Olympic sport. Nonetheless I was curious to see if American superstar Shaun White, would repeat as a three time gold-medalist. Unfortunately the "flying tomato" pulled out of the slope-style and came up short in the half-pipe, finishing in 4th place. However the snowboard cross races were fun to watch, with their unpredictable wipe-outs.
  
• Skeleton: I did have my eyes on this event because of an inspiring American athlete, Noelle Pikus Pace, a mother of two in her 30s. I heard her story through the NBC commercials and features and came to like her great drive and personality. She went on to win silver.  
• Short Track skating: One of the most exciting sports to watch in the winter Olympics, that brought fame to Apollo Ohno has four events (The 500m, 1000m, 1500m, and 5000m relay) This event was dominated by the Russian/Korean native Viktor Ahn. The team relay was a total bust, as half the field wiped out on the first lap and Russia went on to easily win gold, while USA got the silver.  
• Figure Skating: I was most inspired by the figure skating event (as you can see here; Women's Finals) and consider this the main event of the winter Olympics. I watched all five events (The team skate, men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, and ice dancing) Russia looked in best form as they went on to win gold in the team skate, ladies skate (Adelina Sotnikova), and pairs (Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov) Superstars Evegni Plushenko and Yulia Lipnitskaya got gold medals in the team event yet both came up short in the single events. Since Plushenko was out of the running, the young Japaense star, Yuzuru Hanya, went on to win gold in the singles event with a free-spirited performance. Americans also got their taste of medal with gold in the ice dancing thanks to veterans Meryl Davis and Charlie White, as well as bronze in the team event.   

The American Stars

Several of the well known stars came up short this time in Sochi (Shaun White and Shauni Davis) while new ones were able to emerge.  

• Julia Mancuso: I saw a feature on this alpine veteran, 29 year old free-spirit from California. She won medals in Turin '06 and Vancouver '10. She was one of the big names who delivered at these games as she went on to win bronze in the Combined event. 
• Noelle Pikus Pace: This skeleton racer and mother of two was no doubt one of the most inspiring American darlings of these games. She was featured in several stories and commercial endorsements. She came with the back-story, the looks, the personality, the support, and came through at Sochi with a silver-medal performance. The media loved her and she deserved it all. 
• Bode Miller: This top name in alpine skiing came through in one of his five events, as he won the bronze in the Giant Slalom. This was his 6th medal, collected from Salt Lake 02, Turin 06, and Vancouver 10, making him one of the most decorated American alpine skiers of all time. 
• Ted Ligety: He went on to win his 2nd gold in the Giant Slalom. He collected his first gold at Turin 06 in the Combined event. He was featured in several commercial endorsements this year.
• Steven Holcomb: His 4-man team won gold in Vancouver 10, and he went on to collect two bronzes at Sochi. 
• Meryl Davis/Charlie White: This pair had a great time at Sochi as they went on to win the gold in ice-dancing as well as a bronze in the team skating against their arch-rival Canadians. What's especially interesting about these two is that they have been skating together for 17 years. It was a well deserved gold medal for them.

• Nick Goepper: Although the gold medal American star of the men's slopestyle halfpipe was Josh Christensen, I have to give a shout-out to this fellow Hoosier for his bronze performance. It's nice to see a Midwestern represented at these winter games for a change instead of the usual Coloradans/Californians. 
• Ashley Wagner: I knew nothing of the winter athletes until I saw the features and endorsements, and Wagner was another one of the likable ones. She had a provocative style about her and won me over when she danced to Pink Floyd. Although she did not medal in the singles event, she went on to collect bronze for her contribution to the American team's short program. 
• Gracie Gold: Another new comer to the world stage, and left as one of the ultimate darlings of the games. She came with the look, the personality, even the most fitting name for a figure-skater. She skated a great singles performance, however just fell short of the podium finishing 4th. She however came home with a bronze for her contribution to the American team's long program. She will most likely become a household name, as she makes another run for Pyeongchang in 2018.

The World Stars

• Tina Maze: This Slovenian alpine skier became a superstar of her country when she won two silvers at the Vancouver games. She took a step further at these Sochi games by winning two gold medals in the Downhill and the Super-G. Thanks to her skiing success she has embarked on a musical career and become a pop culture icon of Slovenia. 
• Alexandr Zubkov: This 39 year Russian vet had quite the homecoming at the Sochi games as he collected two more gold medals in the 4 and 2-man events, to add to his silver and bronze medals from Turin 06 and Vancouver 10. 

• Viktor Ahn: The short track superstar caused an uproar when he changed his citizenship from Korean to Russian. His explanation was that he wanted to train in a better environment. He won 3 golds and 1 bronze in Turin 06, was unable to compete in Vancouver due to an injury. He went on to win 3 more golds an 1 bronze for his new country of Russia at Sochi. He is now tied with Apollo Ohno as the most decorated winter Olympic athlete.  
• Charles Hamelin: This Canadian superstar has been a top competitor in short track skating since Turin 06. He won silver at Turin 06, two golds at Vancouver 10, and brought Gold once again for Canada at the Sochi games in the 1500m.
• Yuzuru Hanyu: This 19 year old Japanese skater, took advantage of the men's single skating event when Plushenko dropped out. He skated with power, precision, and a wild free-spirit style that won him a indisputable gold medal. 
• Adelina Sotnikova: The 17 year old figure-skater was suppose to be an alternate for the superstar Yulia, however shocked the country and the world when she went on to skate two magnificent performances to win gold at the ladies single event. 
• Yuna Kim: This 23 year old Korean is without question the queen of the ice. She skates with such incredible grace and ease that is stimulating to the eye. (2nd only to Yulia however) She won the gold at Vancouver 10 and came very close to repeating at Sochi, however was slightly edged by Adelina. Although the judge's decision was criticized by some, I think a silver was the right choice for Yuna. She's still a queen and has another chance at her homecoming in Pyenogchang 2018.   

• Tatiana Volosozhar/ Maxim Trankov: This Russian pair had incredible chemistry on the ice. They skated with perfect harmony and emotion far superior than the competition. They won two golds in the pair event as well as contributing for the Russian team event. 
• Carolina Kostner: The 27 year old Italian star, finally got her taste of Olympic medal after her third attempt. She came short in Turin and Vancouver, however decided to persist and won bronze. Her short program to Ave Maria and her long program to Bolero were perfectly executed.
• Evegni Plushenko: This was the 4th Olympics and homecoming for this Russian figure skating superstar. He won gold in Turin 06 and silver in Salt Lake City 02 and Vancouver 10. He skates with a very confident power, nailing each of his jumps with precision. He was unfortunately able to compete in the singles event with a bad knee, however still went on to win gold in the team event for his contributions to the single short and long programs.   
• Yulia Lipnitskaya: This was my favorite figure skater to watch, and perhaps my favorite athlete of the Olympic games. She skated with such intensity, speed, flexibility, precision, and seduction. Unfortunately she fell twice in her single's performances however went on to win gold for her contributions to the Russian team event. She is only 15 and will surely be back to the world stage at Pyeongchang 2018.   

Final Medal Standing

Rank	NOC	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Russia (RUS)*	13	11	9	33
2	Norway (NOR)	11	5	10	26
3	Canada (CAN)	10	10	5	25
4	United States (USA)	9	7	12	28
5	Netherlands (NED)	8	7	9	24
6	Germany (GER)	8	6	5	19
7	Switzerland (SUI)	6	3	2	11
8	Belarus (BLR)	5	0	1	6
9	Austria (AUT)	4	8	5	17
10	France (FRA)	4	4	7	15
11–26	Remaining NOCs	21	36	34	91
Total (26 NOCs)		99	97	99	295

   

On to Pyeongchang 2018

So the Winter Olympics are over, and it's always tough to let go of a special united world event like this. It has has a fantasy-like quality to it; two weeks of games and cultural exchange. However thankfully its a tradition that is constantly cycling. I think the fact that it happens only once every four years makes it all the more special. Also to add to this cycle of big world events are the World Cup (Brasil 2014), Euro Cup (France 2016), and Summer Olympics (2016). In 2018 the Winter Olympics torch will pass on to Pyeongchang, South Korea. And although I won't die of anticipation, I'll surely do my best to tune in each and every night to watch the world come together once again.

Sochi Olympics: Figure Skating Finals

The past two weeks I've watched the Winter Olympics on Prime Time NBC every night. Although the Winter Olympics aren't near as exciting as the Summer Olympics, I still enjoy the cultural spirit of it all, and do my best to watch every event (even the ones I despise like hockey and curling). I'll eventually have a full post highlighting the past two weeks, but for now I wanted to focus on the most exciting event of them all; the women's single skate finals. (And yes I'm being serious and there is nothing gay about this haha)

In my opinion the women's figure skating is the grand event of the Winter Olympics. It is the equivalent to the 100m dash in track and field. Maybe it began with the whole Kerrigan-Harding incident of 1994 or way before that, however this event has always seemed to draw the highest attention. It's no doubt the female athlete's most glorious and inspiring sport to witness as it mixes both athleticism and artistic expression. The last two nights did not disappoint in providing some very entertaining, dramatic, and controversial stuff. Here is a recap of what happened, who won, and the controversy that has followed.

1st Place: Olympic Gold: Adelina Sotnikova

Country: Russia

Previous Achievements: 

• Silver: 2014 European Championships at Budapest, Hungary
• Silver: 2013 European Championships at Zagreb, Croatia
• Gold: 2014 Russian Championships at Sochi, Russia
• Bronze: 2013 Russian Championship at Sochi, Russia
• Gold: 2012 Russian Championships at Saransk, Russia
• Gold: 2011 Russia Championships at Saransk, Russia
• Gold: 2009 Russian Championships at Kazan, Russia

Sochi Performance: At only 17 this young Russian has captured gold for herself as well as Russia's first gold medal in ladies' figure skating since 1936.  It's my understanding that Adelina was not the Russian favorite and instead was overshadowed by the 15 year old Yulia. She went on to shock her country, when she skated two magnificent performances on Wednesday and Thursday. Both performances were flawless as she nailed every jump with perfect technicalities, graceful style, and a big smile on her face. She was the well deserved Gold medalist in my opinion.

2nd Place: Olympic Silver: Kim Yuna

Country: South Korea

Previous Achievements:

• Gold: 2010 Vancouver Olympics
• Gold: 2013 World Championships at London
• Gold 2009 World Championships at Los Angeles
• Gold: 2009 Four Continents Championships at Vancover
• Gold: 2006 Grand Prix Final at St. Petersburg
• Gold: 2007 Grand Prix Final at Turin, Italy
• Gold: 2009 Grand Prix Final at Tokyo, Japan
• Silver: 2008 Grand Prix Final at Goyang, South Korea
• Silver: 2011 World Championships at Moscow
• Silver: 2010 World Championships at Turin, Italy
• Bronze: 2008 World Championships at Gothenburg, Sweden
• Bronze: 2007 World Championships at Tokyo, Japan

Sochi Performance: After watching her first performance on Wednesday it became clear that she was the queen of the field. She won gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and seemed to be in perfect form to repeat as a back-to-back gold medalist. After the first performance the 23 year older was in 1st place as she skated with such perfection and made it all look so easy and enjoyable. However on the 2nd performance, she was last to perform and perhaps the pressure got to her. She still had a phenomenal skate, however had a slight fumble or two that gave Adelina the win. However both these skaters (Adelina and Yuna) were very close in quality and no doubt a tough call for the judges. I think in the end they got it right however and Yuna was the righteous silver medalist.

3rd Place: Olympic Bronze: Carolina Kostner

Country: Italy

Previous Achievements:

• Gold: 2012 World Championships at Nice, France
• Gold: 2013 European Championships at Zagreb, Croatia
• Gold: 2012 European Championships at Sheffield, Great Britain
• Gold: 2010 European Championships at Tallinn, Estonia 
• Gold: 2008 European Championships at Zagreb, Croatia
• Gold: 2007 European Championships at Warsaw, Poland
• Gold: 2011 Grand Prix Final at Quebec
• Silver: 2013 World Championships at London, Great Britain
• Silver: 2008 World Championships at Gothenburg, Sweden
• Silver: 2011 European Championships at Bern, Switzerland
• Silver: 2009 European Championships at Helinski, Finland
• Silver: 2010 Grand Prix Final at Beijing
• Bronze: 2011 World Championships at Moscow
• Bronze: 2005 World Championships at Moscow
• Bronze: 2014 European Championships at Budapest, Hungary
• Bronze: 2006 European Championships at Lyon, France
• Bronze: 2008 Grand Prix Final at Goyang, Korea
• Bronze: 2007 Grand Prix Final at Turin, Italy

Sochi Performance: This 27 year old Italian star was very hungry for a medal after coming up short in Torino and Vancouver. On her first performance she skated to the music of Ave Maria, with heartfelt emotion and precision in her jumps. On her second day she once again had a powerful/emotional performance, this time to the great music of Maurice Ravel's Bolero. She was fun to watch thanks to her musical choices, yet I personally wasn't sold by her as some of the others. Her technicalities must of won the judges over as she finally got a medal at the Olympics.  

4th Place: Gracie Gold

Country: USA

Previous Achievements:

• Gold: 2014 US Championships in Boston, USA
• Silver: 2013 US Championships in Omaha, USA 

Sochi Performance: I was in shock the first time I discovered that USA had a new star figure skater, fittingly named, Gracie Gold. Surely it had to be have been some joke or nickname, but it turns out this is actually her real name. After seeing this new 18 year old star in many commercials as well as some interviewers, it became clear that she was a major contender. She was following in the footsteps of many American frontrunners such as Nancy Kerrigan, Tonya Harding, Tara Lipinski, Michelle Kwan, Sarah Hughes, Sacha Cohen to name a few. 

I had most anticipation to witness her at the main event and see if she could live up to the hype. Quite surprisingly she performed with maturity and just like her name suggests, with grace. She skated to the music of Edvard Grieg and Tchaikovsky which always doubles the intensity. She however did fall once in the first program and once in the 2nd program and seemed to be a little tight on nerves. I think a 4th place finish was about right for Gracie and something she should be very proud of. The field was very skilled this year, and she may be able to make another run at Pyeongchang 2018. 

5th Place: Yulia Lipnitskaya

Country: Russia

Previous Achievements:

• Gold: 2014 Sochi Olympics (Team Event)
• Gold: 2014 European Championships at Budapest, Hungary
• Silver: 2014 Russian Championships at Sochi, Russia
• Silver: 2013 Grand Prix Final at Fukuoka, Japan
• Silver: 2012 Russian Championships at Saransk, Russia

Sochi Performance: This 15 year old skater was one of the favorites going into the competition and in my opinion was the most exciting to watch. Unfortunately however she fell in both her programs. She was the total package as she skated to the music of Schindlers List with such intensity, speed, precision, ease, and expression. She was the superstar Russian favorite over Adelina, however she failed to deliver at the main event. However even still she finished 5th which is still impressive considering her falls. She won't be leaving Sochi empty handed as she won gold in the team event last week. She's a very powerful skater, and should no doubt be a front-runner once again at Pyeongchang 2018.   

7th Place: Ashley Wagner

Country: USA

Previous Achievements:

• Gold: 2012 Four Continents Final at Colorado Springs, USA
• Gold: 2013 US Championships at Omaha, USA
• Gold: 2012 US Championships at San Jose, USA
• Silver: 2012 Grand Prix Final at Sochi
• Bronze: 2014 Sochi Olympics (team skate)
• Bronze: 2013 Grand Prix Final at Fukuoka, Japan
• Bronze: 2010 US Championships at Spokane, USA
• Bronze: 2008 US Championships at St. Paul, USA

Sochi Performance: This was another new American figure skater I just recently learned about at these Olympics, after seeing her in several commercials. Surely there had to be some rivalry with her and Gracie yet that didn't appear to be the case. Wagner skated two solid performances, with power, precision, and great technicalities. What she lacked in grace, she made up in sexual emotional expression. There are many who may criticize her 7th place finish, as she skated with near perfect technicality, yet I think the judging was quite fair and accurate. She also won't be going home empty handed however as she won the bronze medal in team skate. 

Final Note on Figure skating: 

A few years ago I tried skating for my first time ever at my parents lake and I quickly learned how difficult and painful the sport of ice-skating is. So to watch a person glide and spin on ice with such ease is very awe-inspiring and beautiful to watch. It's a very unique one-of-a-kind sport that mixes athleticism with expression. In the four categories of ice-skating (Women's Singles, Men's Singles, Pairs, and Dancing) the best in the world have mastered the art of feminine or masculine athletic expression. There can be no doubt or hesitation in this fast paced artist sport. The judges understand and appreciate the sport better than anyone and I feel quite certain that they put the individual's performance ahead of their own national pride.    

UEFA Champions League

The final European league I'll be posting about is the greatest of them all; the UEFA Champions League. This is an annual club tournament bringing together the champions of top European leagues. The qualification is selected through a process of rankings and coefficients of which I'll get into later.

The Champions League is the 2nd most prestigious futbol title behind the FIFA World Cup. It's final draws the most viewership than any other sporting event in the world (Even the Super Bowl!) Over the years my attention to this sporting event has come and gone, quite simply because this is America. However as another World Cup approaches, I can't help but once again reignite my passion for soccer diverting full attention to the ongoing 2013-2014 Champions League. This post is somewhat of a study for my own understanding yet also a commemoration to this great tournament.

College Memory

I first remember taking notice of this epic tournament during my time at Indiana University (2003-2007). It seemed ESPN was always on everywhere I want; the dorms, rec halls, cafeterias, even at our Beech Tree apartments. I remember constantly hearing the commercials as I got ready for class in my apartment. There was a powerful anthem sung by a chorus always singing about, "The Champions!" I didn't quite understand it then, yet I would watch some of these matches in between classes at the IU Memorial building. Of course my mind was always occupied with other stuff at the time, but little by little I was able to piece together what this special tournament was.

It was that summer of 06 in B-town, that I watched my first ever Champions League final with my friends. It was Barcelona vs Arsenal, and I of course was cheering for Barcelona. They went on to win the final 2-1. I was quite inspired that summer with soccer, due to the approaching German World Cup, as well as this new understanding of the Champions League. And from that point on I came to understand that top quality futbol was played in Europe and the grandest stage was at the UEFA Champions League.


History of the Champions League

It was first founded in 1955 known simply as the European Cup. At that time it brought together 16 champions from the best leagues in Europe. Real Madrid went on to win the first cup, as well as the four that followed. The tournament kept a basic 16 team single elimination format until 1992 when UEFA completely restructured the tournament into the Champions League. A group stage process was added, as well as qualifications and a ranking system to give more teams a chance to partake.

They also commissioned an anthem to emphasize the prestigious tournament that it had become. This anthem composed by Tony Britten, still plays today and has become the marketing backbone of the tournament as well as the inspirational creed. It has Handel-like elements, classical chorus, with German, English, and French lyrics intertwined. It is a very inspiring anthem to hear, quite similar to the Olympic Fanfare anthem, that makes the event all the more grandiose.

9		Real Madrid (1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1968, 1998, 2000, 2002)
7		AC Milan (1963, 1969, 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, 2007)
5		Liverpool FC (1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005)
		Bayern München (1974, 1975, 1976, 2001, 2013)
4		FC Barcelona (1992, 2006, 2009, 2011)
		AFC Ajax (1971, 1972, 1973, 2005)
3		Manchester United (1968, 1999, 2008)
		Inter (1964, 1965, 2010)
2		FC Porto (1987, 2004)
		Juventus (1985, 1996)
		Nottingham Forest (1979, 1980)
		SL Benfica (1961, 1962)
1		Chelsea FC (2012)
		Borussia Dortmund (1997)
		Olympique Marseille (1993)
		Crvena Zvezda (1991)
		PSV Eindhoven (1988)
		Steaua Bucureşti (1986)
		Hamburger SV (1983)
		Aston Villa (1982)
		Feyenoord (1970)
		Celtic FC (1967)

UEFA

The governing body of European futbol, is known as UEFA; the Union of European Football Association. It is one of 6 continental branches of FIFA (Federation International Football Association). It is without question the most prestigious of the 6 branches, as Europe has a long tradition of professional futbol. UEFA hosts 3 particularly prestigious tournaments;

• European National Cup: A European tournament among national teams held every four years
• Champions League: An annual club tournament among the champions of top European leagues (Similar to the NCAA March Madness college bracket)
• Europa League: The 2nd tier-club tournament among champions of top European leagues (Similar to the NIT college basketball bracket)

Coefficient Rankings

I won't lie this is some complicated stuff, and has taken me a while to understand the process. In order to create a tournament that brings together the best teams in the continent, UEFA has established a coefficient ranking system, similar to the ones used for NCAA. This system however is based on points from previous seasons; wins, draws, losses, domestic and international championships. Since there are so many teams and leagues within Europe, this ranking system is utilized to weed out the champions into a manageable tournament.

Each European league is ranked by their teams' performances in previous Champions or Europa tournaments. There is then a pyramid for how many teams each league can enter into the Champions/Europa tournament. It should come as no surprise that leagues such as the Premiere League, Bundesliga, and La Liga can enter 3 to 4 teams in to the Champions League and 2 to 3 teams into the Europa League. This is because these leagues have stronger teams and competition and have performed better in previous years.

However whats especially incredible about this system is that it can change each year, and enables lower teams to climb the ladder. Here is a look at the current UEFA Coefficient Rankings: (Note: This is for the country's premiere league, the total points from their last 5 seasons, and the amount of teams that can gain entry to the Champions and Europa leagues)

#	country	09/10	10/11	11/12	12/13	13/14	ranking	teams
1	Spain	17.928	18.214	20.857	17.714	14.285	88.998	6/ 7
2	England	17.928	18.357	15.250	16.428	14.357	82.320	6/ 7
3	Germany	18.083	15.666	15.250	17.928	12.857	79.784	5/ 7
4	Italy	15.428	11.571	11.357	14.416	10.333	63.105	5/ 6
5	Portugal	10.000	18.800	11.833	11.750	5.583	57.966	2/ 6
6	France	15.000	10.750	10.500	11.750	6.666	54.666	2/ 6
7	Russia	6.166	10.916	9.750	9.750	9.250	45.832	3/ 6
8	Netherlands	9.416	11.166	13.600	4.214	4.750	43.146	2/ 6
9	Ukraine	5.800	10.083	7.750	9.500	7.000	40.133	4/ 6
10	Belgium	8.700	4.600	10.100	6.500	6.200	36.100	1/ 5
11	Turkey	7.600	4.600	5.100	10.200	6.500	34.000	2/ 5
12	Greece	7.900	7.600	7.600	4.400	5.700	33.200	2/ 5
13	Switzerland	5.750	5.900	6.000	8.375	5.400	31.425	1/ 5
14	Austria	9.375	4.375	7.125	2.250	6.800	29.925	1/ 5
15	Czech Republic	4.100	3.500	5.250	8.500	6.500	27.850	2/ 4
16	Romania	6.083	3.166	4.333	6.800	6.875	27.257	4
17	Israel	7.250	4.625	6.000	3.250	5.500	26.625	1/ 4
18	Cyprus	4.250	3.125	9.125	4.000	2.750	23.250	4
19	Denmark	4.400	6.700	3.100	3.300	3.600	21.100	1/ 5
20	Croatia	3.000	4.125	3.750	4.375	4.375	19.625	4
21	Poland	2.125	4.500	6.625	2.500	3.125	18.875	4
22	Belarus	3.375	5.875	3.125	4.500	1.750	18.625	4
23	Scotland	2.666	3.600	2.750	4.300	3.250	16.566	4
24	Sweden	2.500	2.600	2.900	5.125	3.200	16.325	5
25	Bulgaria	3.125	4.625	1.500	0.750	4.875	14.875	1/ 4
26	Norway	2.100	2.375	2.300	4.900	2.600	14.275	5
27	Serbia	3.000	3.500	2.125	3.000	2.500	14.125	4
28	Hungary	2.750	2.750	2.250	3.000	0.875	11.625	4
29	Slovakia	2.500	3.000	2.375	1.500	1.625	11.000	4
30	Slovenia	1.375	1.500	2.250	3.250	2.375	10.750	1/ 4
31	Moldova	2.125	2.125	0.500	2.250	3.375	10.375	4
32	Azerbaijan	1.500	2.000	1.375	3.000	2.500	10.375	4
33	Georgia	1.750	1.875	2.875	1.500	1.875	9.875	4
34	Kazakhstan	1.250	0.875	1.625	1.375	3.125	8.250	4
35	Bosnia-Herzegovina	1.750	1.875	1.125	1.250	1.500	7.500	4
36	Finland	1.375	1.800	1.500	2.000	0.500	7.175	5
37	Iceland	1.250	0.375	1.375	1.250	2.500	6.750	4
38	Latvia	2.250	0.500	0.625	1.250	1.625	6.250	4
39	Montenegro	1.125	1.750	0.500	1.375	1.250	6.000	4
40	Albania	1.000	0.875	0.875	0.750	2.000	5.500	4
41	Lithuania	1.250	0.625	1.000	1.125	1.250	5.250	4
42	Macedonia	0.500	1.375	1.625	1.250	0.500	5.250	4
43	Ireland	1.375	1.000	1.500	1.000	0.250	5.125	4
44	Luxembourg	0.250	0.625	1.125	1.375	1.500	4.875	4
45	Malta	0.750	1.500	0.833	0.875	0.875	4.833	4
46	Liechtenstein	1.000	0.500	2.000	0.000	1.000	4.500	1
47	Northern Ireland	0.125	1.125	0.500	1.000	0.875	3.625	4
48	Wales	0.250	0.875	0.625	0.500	0.750	3.000	4
49	Armenia	0.500	0.250	0.125	0.875	1.125	2.875	4
50	Estonia	0.875	0.250	0.375	0.375	1.000	2.875	4
51	Faroe Islands	0.000	0.250	0.500	0.500	0.875	2.125	4
52	San Marino	0.500	0.166	0.000	0.000	0.333	0.999	3
53	Andorra	0.500	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.333	0.833	3

Format of the Champions League

The Champions League is actually more of a tournament than a league, and it's format is more similar to the domestic cups. It begins with early qualification stages, giving the lesser teams a chance to make a run, and eventually takes form into a 32 team group stage format.

Qualification Stages

• The first stage: Begins with 4 league champions of associations 50-53 (In the above scenario that would be the premiere league champions of Estonia, Faroe Islands, San Marino, and Andorra) The two winners move on the next round
• The second stage: Enter 32 league champions of associations 17-49 as well as the two winners from 50-53, making for a total of 34 teams. The 17 winners move on to the next round.
• The third stage: Enter 3 league champions of associations 14-16 (In the above scenario that would be the champions of Austria, Czech Republic, and Romania). These three teams are randomly matched with the remaining 17 teams from the previous rounds, for a total of 20 teams. 10 teams move on.
• The fourth stage: Enter 9 runner-ups from associations 7-15 as well as 1 third place team from association 6. These teams face each other and 5 move on.
• The fifth stage: The ten winners of the previous round face each other. 5 teams move on to group stage.
• The sixth stage: Enter 2 third place teams from associations 4-5 and 3 fourth place teams from associations 1-3. These 5 teams face the 5 non-championship winners of the fourth stage, and 5 teams move on to group stage. 

At this point there are a total of 10 teams that have qualified for the group stage to join the 22 seeded teams, making for a total of 32 remaining teams.

Group Stages

• Group Stage: Enter the automatic top seeds; 13 champions from associations 1-13, 6 runner-ups from associations 1-6, and 3 third place teams from associations 1-3 (Spain, England, Germany). These 22 seeded teams are joined with the 10 qualifying teams to be randomly distributed into 8 groups of 4 (similar to the World Cup group point format) 
• Group Format: Each team in a group plays each other twice, home and away. A win counts for 3 points, a tie for 1 point, and a loss for zero points. At the end of 6 games a piece, the top two tallies proceed to the next knockout stage. If there are ties, than goal differential and away goals are taken into consideration. At the end of the group stages, the top two teams from each group move on, to make up a total of 16 teams on to the Knockout Phase.
• Round of 16: Unlike the World Cup Knockout Phase where the match ups have been pre-determined in a bracket setting, the UCL match-ups are once again drawn at random. Also different than the World Cup is they use a 2-leg aggregate system (home-and-away). The highest goals after two games move on to the quarter finals. (Away goals are taken into consideration if there is a tie; otherwise they go into a PK shootout) The 8 winning teams move on to the Quarter Finals
• Quarter Finals: Once again there is a random draw and once again the teams face each other twice, home and away. The team with the higher aggregate moves on to the next round. 4 winners move on to the Semi-Finals.
• Semi-Finals: Once again there is a random draw and once again the teams face each other twice, home and away. The team with the higher aggregate moves on to the next round. The 2 winners move on to the Finals.
• Champions League Final: The two finalists face each other in 1 single game at a predetermined location in May. 

The 2013-2014 Ongoing Tournament

As of now the 2013-2014 tournament is in its Round of 16 stage. For the first time ever, I have really payed attention to the build-up now that I fully understand it. Here are the ongoing matchups;

• Barcelona (ESP) vs Manchester City (ENG)
• PSG (FRA) vs Bayer Leverkusen (GER)
• Arsenal (ENG) vs Bayern Munich (GER)
• Atletico Madrid (ESP) vs AC Milan (ITA)
• Olympiakos (GRE) vs Manchester United (ENG)
• Galatsaray (TUR) vs Chelsea (ENG)
• FC Shalke (GER) vs Real Madrid (ESP)
• Zenit Saint Petersburg (RUS) vs Borussia Dortmund (GER)

On Tuesday I listened to Barcelona beat Man City 2-nil on the radio. Yesterday I went to Chatham Tap with a coworker to watch the Bayern Munich beat Arsenal 2-nil. Next week I intend to follow the Man United-Olympiakos as well as the many more to come. I'm of course pulling for my two favorite teams Barcelona and Manchester United, however fear that Bayern Munich may be very tough to beat, in a league of their own at the top. They won it last year in a thrilling final against their German arch rivals Dortmund. Hopefully somebody can dethrone them, and I'm hoping it's Barcelona. Nonetheless I love it all, and am grateful for this new found hobby and inspiration.