Brilliant. I admit I'm not a big fan of either of these players, but the way you brought in all the issues--racism, homophobia, adoption--was just amazing. And it's so true, what Silva says in the end, and the way you came back to football in the end, instead of getting tangled up in the very real, but very complex topics of race/sexuality/identity.

Special kudos for this line: his real mom, his mom who'd raised him and loved him even though she didn't look a goddamn thing like him. I *hate* it when people ask me who my "real" mom is, like my mom isn't real enough even after she raised me through hell and high water.

I'll stop rambling now. ^^