Among the Thugs

Cesar Luis Menotti was in Mexico Last week, at the request of Emilio Maurer, to help promote Puebla F.C. to the Mexican first division. Maurer, once a prominent figure in the FMF, was a key factor in hiring Menotti as the Mexican National team head coach in the early nineties. Since then Maurer fell from grace as some of his dealing within the Mexican Football Federation were deemed unethical.

Helping Maurer in his quest to return to the Mexican top flight is Guillermo Lara, Maurer’s right hand man, who in the past has been linked to Colombian narcotics dealer/ football promoter Jorge Mario Ríos "El Negro" Laverde, who admitted to being in business with ‘Promotora Internacional Fut Soccer’ which belongs to Lara.

Maurer showed enough faith in Menotti that he hired him for two games, against Queretaro whom Puebla faced in a home/away series for promotion, and even flew his squad to Buenos Aires to train under the Argentines supervision. However, things did not go as planned and Puebla lost their home game 2-1 and was later humiliated 3-0 in the second leg which lifted the Gallos Blancos, as Queretaro is known, to the Mexican first division.

Interesting to note is the fact that Queretaro football Club almost disappeared two years ago when the PGR, Mexico’s Attorney Generals Office, investigated one of the clubs main benefactors Geovanni Morantes de Avila, aka "Paul Solórzano", who is believed to have used the club to launder narcotics money. Morante’s dealing with Queretaro also involved Guillermo Lara and Jorge Mario Ríos "El Negro" Laverde.

Juan Pablo "Loquito" Garcia

I was at the Home Depot Center last night, went to watch the Chivas USA vs. Chicago Fire match up. I was also there to keep tabs on Juan Pablo Garcia, who at one point was setting the Mexican football league on fire.

Until he was black balled by club Atlas for refusing to extend his contract with them. Garcia could have very well been part of the Mexican World Cup roster, but his refusal to submit to his former club’s demands have left him excluded from the MFL which club’s presidents have agreed not to deal with players who are free agents, thus insuring they always get a transfer fee.

Garcia instead decided to try his luck in MLS, which he hopes to use as a trampoline to Europe. A bold move comming to a league where most Mexican players, for one reason or another, have failed in. Heres to JP Garcia, aptly nicknamed 'Loquito', who im quite sure can achieve his goals. Oh yeah, before i forget. Garcia's strike in the second minute helped Chivas USA to their second win of the season.

Gracias Zizou

A loan goal from Florent Malouda was enough for Les Bleus to edge out my beloved Tri-Color at Stade de France. I was hoping, at the very least, to have seen some flashes of brilliance from Zinedine Zidane, but Zizou was absent today.

Instead, I was awarded for my patience regarding Francisco ‘Maza’ Rodriguez, one of Mexico’s most questioned roster call ups. Maza was one of the better players in the field.

What if we don't make it back, we comin' back. Soul Glow 2006.

The Mexican Pageboy crammed in between El Bebe and El Puto Presidente.


Coke vs Pepsi.

Nike vs Adidas!


An older Messi con tres meses de diarrea a la derecha de Fox.

Gringo and Guardado got curls that would make Darryl proud.


El Otro has been knockin' back one too many bottles of Wild Turkey. Dude looks sick. Someone get him a 12 step.

Among the crowd, one can spot Anakin carefully observing the hand shaking between our coach and our president.

- Ed Zeta de Los Angeles

The Sport of Life and Death : The Mesoamerican BallGame

The first team sport in history began over 3,500 years ago in Mesoamerica. Cities, ceremonies, and a daily life revolved around this exciting sport. But the game was more than just competition. The survival of the players and the spectators depended on the outcome.

Welcome

"Years have gone by and I've finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good soccer. I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: "A pretty move, for the love of God." - Eduardo Galeano

This is my place in the football world. It is a place between ignorance and dreams.