Panna revisited

Though I wrote about the soccer variant called "Panna" a few months ago, it wasn't until I came across this site that I understood not only Nike's interest in the game, but also their influence over it.

Allow me to quote:

"Panna is Surinamese/Amsterdam slang for playing the ball through the legs of your opponent. If you make one, you're a hero. If you get one, you're a zero. Pannas reign supreme in the streets of Holland where the only thing better than winning is making your opponent look foolish. In Amsterdam respect comes from reputation. Haven't got one? Better not show up. Reps are made by humbling the big names and showing off the big moves. Reps take time to build, but just one Panna can make it all disappear."

The site itself is pure virtual cool. Cool music. Cool Flash animations. Cool navigation. There are biographies of ruling street players and film clips and games and even a downloadable Panna screensaver. But nowhere is there a reference to the fun of the game, to the creativity and joy, to the player's appreciation for each other's skills. I was there. In Holland. I watched. What I saw, in addition to sometimes astonishing displays of skill, was laughter and recognition and genuine respect for excellence, no matter where it came from. I guess that aspect of the Panna experience isn't macho enough to justify buying $200 sneakers.