ROSS AND ROBERTO FAIL TO HIT THE SPOT

I went to see Martha and the Vandellas on Friday night in the Holmfirth Picturedome. What could go wrong? We had some Kiwi friends staying and decided to show them the very best of Yorkshire, so what better than the Mediterranean tapas Aldea and a Motown concert by an ageing American songstress and her side kicks. Martha Reeves has been singing since 1957 and her group named Martha Reeves and Vandellas was hot from 1967-72 producing 26 hits on the Motown Gordy Label, including Dancing in the Street and Heat Wave. She has been through the mill a bit.

Her British tour included Holmfirth, where I believe she was just warming up for her north of England programme. She and her entourage went on to Carlisle and Stockton on Tees. Having enough of that, she is then heading to Portsmouth and London.

What am I rambling on about? Well another black Motown female singer made her name on June 17th 1984 when she helped open the USA World Cup Tournament. Yes, you may remember that the top diva, Diana Ross made a splendid entrance in the Rose Bowl, singing without moving her lips and then dancing through some strangely dressed stooges to take a penalty and miss by a mile. The goal fell apart (that was meant to happen) and Diana ran into the tunnel through the created gateway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAKsGT9-XB0
After that it was penalties and errors all the way, especially for Italy's Roberto Baggio who had his ups and downs through the tournament. He and Italy began with a 0-1 defeat by the Republic of Ireland. Baggio got subbed off v Norway and then his team drew with Mexico 1-1.
Baggio came alive against Nigeria in the round of 16. They were winning 1-0 for much of the game, but Baggio with a late 88th minute precision goal and then a penalty in extra-time saved the Azurri's place in the tournament.
Two goals in four minutes against Spain in the quarters and two in the semi-final against Bulgaria confirmed his status as super star, until the final v Brazil. This dour game ended 0-0 aet, when Roberto did what Diana had done at the start of the tournament (missed a penalty) and lost the cup to Brazil.
ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD_zQwI990I
Mind you Baresi and Massaro missed also, in the Rose Bowl, Pasedena, in front of over 94,000 people. What a spectacle!