was about to begin, right in the middle of Hachikō Square, between the Mannix Magic and the World Whirl, a team specially formed for this one legendary fundraising game, made up of the best players( besides Mannix and his friends) anywhere in the world.
Foto: Jose Emilio de Veyra
There was Armani Versace, the smooth Italian dreamboat, known globally for his tight trousers and his forehand flick. Lauren Hilfiger had completed more passes than any player in history, partly because she played seven games a week in three different leagues in the USA, but partly because she was so damn good. And the most imposing defender on Earth, the six-foot-nine-inch Brit, Westwood McCartney, bulked out the team with his frightening scowl, and his unbeatable scoober.
But Mannix was unafraid. He knew whatever the outcome the spirit of the game would prevail, and the hundreds of thousands of people watching from the specially built hovering stands surrounding the square, and the millions of people watching on holovision at home, would feel joy in their hearts at the spectacle of The Pizza Cup. But boy did he want to win!
.... his intangible charm and authority uniting humankind and soothing people from all walks of life through the admittedly uncomfortable transition.
The game began badly for Mannix and his team, however. The crowd cheered for both teams, and gasped at the speed and skill on display as the World Whirl took the lead. McCartney used his height to make a spectacular interception and threw in the blink of an eye, picking out Versace who was languidly twirling his moustache in the end-zone. The Whirl continued to play with wild abandon, excited by the new combinations their fresh teammates provided, foxing Mannix and his brilliant but predictable friends at every turn, and by half time they led by five points.
Sleeves Magazine