If you bundled together a player for the Red Sox, one from the Patriots, one from the Celtics and maybe throw in one from the Bruins, you'd get the celebrity of a Juventus player here in Torino.  Juventus is one of the 2 local professional football, (soccer), teams.  As soccer is the only sport that is really followed it is huge.  HUGE!  The rivalry between Juventus and Toro, the 2nd local team, is monumental.  Juventus is supported by the middle upper classes and Toro is the team of "the people".  For some reason, six or so players from Juventus have kids at Grace's school.  I have a few of them in my library classes. (Not that I knew that but Grace has informed me of such).  Most of these guys are Italian but there are some South Americans thrown in.  Today a couple of the players came to pick up their children and there was a near riot.  The kids swarmed over them getting autographs and having pictures taken with them.  Grace got a couple shots on her phone from a distance.  Handsome!  I would love to get to a game just once to experience it.  Gian Piero will be of no help on that front as he is one of the very few Italians who doesn't follow sports.  I'm going to have to get in good with some of their kids in my classes.........of course Grace will have to tell me again which ones they are.  xxoo me