Blog Posts by Brooks Peck

While retiring defender Paulo Ferreira spoke to the Stamford Bridge crowd after Chelsea's final match of the season, backup goalkeeper Ross Turnbull's two-year-old son Josh became one of the highlights of the year. Wearing his full kit, Josh dribbled a ball towards goal all by himself. He stumbled on top of the ball at one point, but continued on as the crowd urged him to shoot. When the ball finally passed the goal line, a cheer erupted and after a brief hesitation, Josh turned back toward the players and their families in the center of the pitch and raised his arms in triumph.

The moment was reminiscent of Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic's young son Stefan scoring a similar goal at the end of the season two years ago...

Ronaldinho scored Atletico-MG's only goal in the second leg of the Mineiro Championship from the penalty spot and his celebration was a unique combination of his love for dance and humor. Atletico-MG beat rivals Cruzeiro 3-0 in the first leg of the final and lost 2-1 in the second, claiming the giant trophy on a 4-2 aggregate score.

After Ronaldinho's goal sealed the victory, he led his teammates in a line dance that began with all of them pulling down their shorts. With that out of the way, he then stood along the touchline facing the booing Cruzeiro supporters and tossed an invisible grenade at them. He even mimed the blowback from the explosion.

Only Ronaldinho can make an antagonizing gesture filled with implied violence seem fun.

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The 2012/13 Premier League season is over and, to be honest, it wasn't that great. We were definitely spoiled by the dizzying last-minute climax of the 2011/12 season, but watching Manchester United trudge to a 20th title while the rest of the league floundered and groaned had all the excitement of bingo night at Gareth Barry's house.

Until it became clear that four of the top six clubs in the table (including each of the top three) would have new managers next season, the league was feeling decidedly stale with the same old stories (even Luis Suarez biting an opponent was a rerun from his Eredivisie days) and all of its representatives crashing out of the Champions League. But the good news is that all of that is over now and next season has the elements necessary to be bananas. Here are some things to look forward to...

"But I had money on Valladolid!" (Getty)

Barcelona were presented with the Primera Division title for the 22nd time in the club's history after their 2-1 win against Real Valladolid on Sunday. After the match, the players brought their families onto the pitch to join in the celebration, but one person who did not seem to enjoy it was Lionel Messi's infant son, Thiago.

Messi's hamstring injury kept him from participating in the match, but after the final whistle he put on his kit and stepped onto the pitch with adorable young Thiago, who was a bit overwhelmed by the ruckus. Have a look...

In the 59th minute of Zenit St. Petersburg's final home match of the Russian Premier League season, 31-year-old Russian international Roman Shirokov was brought on to boos and jeers. In the first minute of injury time, Shirokov put away the final goal in Zenit's 3-1 win against Volga Nizhny and he celebrated by giving fans behind the goal an "up yours" gesture as payback for his reception half an hour earlier. The referee then showed the striker with a history of being unfriendly a straight red and he was off.

Shirokov was probably jeered in the first place because he tweeted "CSKA deserved the championship!" after CSKA Moscow sealed the league title on Saturday, leaving second place to Zenit. This isn't the best way to endear yourself to your own fans.

Prior to Euro 2012, ITV explained his reputation for cause controversy like this:

That [big-game] mentality has its downsides, though, as a number of disciplinary scrapes have given Shirokov something of a bad-boy reputation in Russia. He's known as 'Mister Twitter' in his homeland, apt - much like Joey Barton - to use social media to vent his uncompromising views. Shirokov once famously referred to fans of rival club Spartak Moscow as "pigs", and to Slovakia's national side as "a bunch of farmers".

So it seems this is just Roman Shirokov being Roman Shirokov.

(Getty)

Already crowned Ligue 1 champions, PSG strolled to a 3-1 win against Brest in David Beckham's final match in Paris before his retirement. Beckham was given a rare start and wore the captain's armband, along with a special pair of boots (pictured below) he designed himself with the names of each of his four kids and the shirt numbers he wore throughout his career. When he was subbed off in the 82nd minute, he was in tears as his 20-year career comes to an end at the age of 38.

Though PSG still has one more match at Lorient, PSG's president suggested this was, in fact, Beckham's last game and his emotional exit seems to back that up. Beckham assisted PSG's second goal against Brest with one of his signature corner kicks, which Blaise Matuidi headed into the net. After the final whistle, Beckham returned to the pitch all smiles and his teammates tossed him into the air.

(@DanMcfcJones)

On the same day that the Daily Mail carried a story about how much the Man City players disliked now ex-manager Roberto Mancini, the Italian who wasn't even kept until the final match of the season took out a full page ad in the Manchester Evening News to say goodbye to the fans. "Manchester City supporters 3 UNFORGETTABLE YEARS," the ad reads above a picture of a waving Mancini with the FA Cup, Community Shield and Premier League trophy superimposed beneath him. "You will always be in my heart. Ciao. Roberto Mancini."

Mancini enjoyed great support from the fans despite finishing a distant second to Man United and losing the FA Cup final to Wigan this season. Though the club nor his players had the same faith in him, it seems he's looking to keep the fans on his side even after departing. One last way of thumbing his nose up at those who undermined him.

If only the next page was addressed to Carlos Tevez with a picture of Mancini giving the finger.

(Getty)

"This has been my worst season because it's the first season in which I have not won an important title." That is what you said after losing Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey final, Jose. I am already having this stitched onto a pillow to put in my hotel room. It makes me very happy. Like Batman movies and funny hats.

While you were getting sent off and having Real Madrid lose to Atletico for the first time in 13 years, I was just sitting here in my beanbag chair with my new Europa League trophy. You only won the Spanish Super Cup with Real Madrid, but I wasn't even at Chelsea a full season and I still won a better trophy. I have named it Albert. Albert and I were discussing how you have said many rude things about me over the years and how you even got lying liar Marco Materazzi to lie lies about me. Lie. Liar. Lie lie. Anyways, maybe now you and Materazzi can cry together. Oh wait, you've already done that. Rafa burn!

But seriously, I must congratulate you, Jose, because you have done many things this season that I never thought was possible. You beat Barcelona, but you still lost the league by 10 points. You have also maintained a feud with Iker Casillas. Iker Casillas! Who has eyes like puppy dogs hugging unicorn kitten in a river of baby giggles. Here is a picture of him...