A Bad Week For Mexican Sports

First Antonio Margarito was suspended from boxing in the states for the next year.

What's in that glove Tony? Roll of quarters?

Then El Tri got thumped two-nil in Columbus by the Yanks. Rafa Marquez's red card for an idiotic spikes-up challenge on American goalkeeper Tim Howard didn't help matters.

You just pose there on the sidelines buddy, that's as useful as you can be next game.

But take heart Mexican sports fans, baseball season is just around the corner, and that brings with it one undeniable truth.

Alfredo Amezaga is awesome!

More on the actual U.S. Men's National team soon!

Must Win For Sven ? And Other La Guerra Fria Musings

I'm cutting it close on the preview of tonight's Final Round World Cup Qualifying Opener against Mexico. This is without a doubt the type of game that explains to skeptical pals why I love US Men's National Team Soccer, and international play generally. Tonight's clash in Columbus, dubbed "La Guerra Fria" by the Mexican Media Throng that follows El Tri around the world(That's the "Cold War" for the English-only at home)won't be played in a blizzard as the weather has cooperated with El Tri and temperatures should stay around 50, instead of the 20 or so that Bob Bradley and US Soccer had in mind when they scheduled the game at this location months ago. However, it is quite fitting that this rivalry to begin the final qualifying phase takes place on the same day as UNC-Duke-- which is undoubtedly the biggest rivalry in American collegiate athletics (this is without argument-- so don't tell me about Ohio State-Michigan football or Auburn-Alabama or even Florida-Georgia because you are hopelessly wrong and the issue is beyond debate) and arguably the largest rivalry in American sport, next to Yankees-Red Sox and Packers-Bears. The clash on Tobacco Road has cooperated with the 4 letter network so no TIVO for both is needed. So Mexico and the United States take center stage tonight. The rivalry was for fifty years dominated by George W. Bush's "mejor amigo" to the South-- but that has changed in the last ten years and since Landon Donovan's brilliant header in the First Knock Out Round @ the 2002 World Cup, seen with this link at the 2 minute mark, the United States has had a virtual stronghold on the rivalry, losing only on Mexican soil. Mexico has failed on US Soil for ten years in qualifying, and there is scant reason to believe US domination will not continue tonight.

American dominance has taken a toll on the spirit of Mexicans everywhere. They've even resorted to voodoo dolls of American players, in hopes that black magic can give the Mexicans their first qualifying points of any kind on US soil since a 2-2 draw in Boston in 1997. The hatred runs beyond voodoo dolls. Chants of "Osama, Osama" have rained from the Azteca. Landon Donovan has relieved himself on Mexican soil and issued what can only be called a platitude in apology. Gooch's stare down of Borgetti, seen above, is the stuff of absolute legend. For American players who have chosen Mexico instead of their land of origin, including the possible starter on the wide left, Jose Francisco Torres, the game has even a higher level of elevated meaning. The good news for the Yanks is that in Columbus, they likely will have a rare homefield crowd. While no one doubts that the Hispanic and Mexican population in Ohio is an important and growing one-- the Americans can expect the crowd to be favorable to the Red, White, and Blue. With the table set-- there are a few very interesting things about this game, and I'll do my best to note three of them.

First, Jeff Carlisle notes that the US is a heavy favorite. The Mexicans have struggled mightily on offense and only slipped into the qualifying hexagon on goal difference. With Carlos Vela out due to international suspension, El Tri will have to hope to get enough out of the immensely talented "Golden-generation" player Nery Castillo and his compatriot Omar Bravo to score goals. There is no question the likes of Castillo, Bravo, Gio Dos Santos and Andres Guardado have enough skill and creativity to break down the US defense-- one wonders about their form, as Dos Santos and Castillo in particular have had trouble seeing the field abroad. Carlos Vela has seen limited action for Arsenal as well, but his suspension means that concern is a non-starter. So El Tri will have to search for offense in places where it is less confident it can garner it. As such, one imagines that the real goal of Sven Goran Erikkson's side is to garner a draw. This would be an excellent result for El Tri and put great pressure on the U.S. to win all home matches from here out in the Hexagon. To get a draw, the Mexicans must get great play in the back from the confident Rafa Marquez and the newly fit Pavel Pardo. Pardo is particularly important, given that the U.S. may have a very inexperienced group in the midfield, at least in terms of players who have played in games of this magnitude. If Klejstan is moved out wide left due to Beasley's lack of form and lack of playing time internationally (less a concern after his friendly goal against Barca this past week)-- then expect the Mexicans to play their typical game of dictating tempo and bringing the game to their opponents. This concerns me, because while I drink a small amount of Klejstan kool-aid-- I have recognized that Sacha is less apt when he is given less space-- and tends to struggle when under constant pressure. Bradley's successes too have come in games where opponents are more content to bunker-in-- and despite the Yanks clear mental edge in the rivalry, often times it is a patient and counterattacking American side that has gotten the better of Mexico on the scoreboard, but not necessarily in the run of play.

Second, I've been asked what I'd do in the back with Steve Cherundolo out with injury. I think the American defense is one of the most organized and underappreciated in the World. This is highly evident when you look at player ratings on things like video games. Try winning the World Cup, or even reaching the 16 with America in Winning 11, and you will see what I mean. They are way better than folks think. That said, without Cherundolo, Bradley will likely call on the 34 year old effort engine Frankie Hejduk to fill the void. This gives the Yanks a back four of Gooch, the Captain, the steady and constantly improving, yet out-of-season abroad Heath Pearce and the very limited offensively Hejduk. It is possible that he will go for pace with Jonathan Bornstein-- but I have serious questions about his ability to maintain markings despite his pace. I've never seen anyone go from World Class Transfer target to MLS All Star to Goat faster than Bornstein did at the last Copa America, where for 45 minutes he made Lionel Messi look pedestrian, and then the next 45 minutes were played. Marvell Wynne is the final option, and he has more pace than most the cars at Daytona this week-- but he's played in a career total of zero games of this magnitude, much less started. He'll see the field in the Hexagon b/c we need options in 2010-- but not tonight.

On the wing-- Beasley seems to be the best option on talent-- but he's not on the field enough at Ibrox to make it a no-brainer. Ricardo Clark may start in the midfield, bumping Klejstan out wide left with Dempsey free to roam on the right and Bradley distributing and holding. That makes sense-- but Bradley may remain loyal to DeMarcus and not risk an Arena type riff, meaning no Ricardo and the brilliantly in form Sacha in the midfield. This leads me to three....

Finally, What's with the Anger About Brian Ching on US Message Boards. CNNSI author Jonah Freedman echoes my sentiments on why it is high time for Sam's Army to stop being bitter and appreciate the gritty Ching: My fellow bloggite Jon and I, and our pal Raf have a longstanding man-crush on Brian that gives him Paul Bunyan/Tim Tebow superpowers-- and I myself have a group of awards I give out for the hardest working, grittiest, toughest player who displays the most corozan in each sport--- "The Brian Ching Awards." I am reminded that sometimes we don't appreciate grit until it is gone-- and with Brian in a lone center forward position tonight-- I challenge people to enjoy him while you can. No one works as hard as Brian Ching, and as a Czech man told me shortly after an embarrassing loss to open the World Cup-- "Don't worry. Brian Ching will score goals." The fact that he sported a San Jose Earthquakes jersey is neither here nor there-- he had the right idea.

So enjoy it tonight. We'll have a complete wrap up here after-- and don't be surprised with Javier Aguirre recently dismissed from his managerial duties at Atletico Madrid, if Sven must win to prevent El Tri from making another desperate and hasty managerial change.

And While We Wait For Bradley To Set The Roster...

This is where I make the case for not forgetting about Jon Spector. The versatile fullback can play any of the four defender positions and in the defensive midfield. Spec's been out with a torn labrum in his hip thus far this Premier League/WC qualifying season, but he's healthy now and in good position to prove himself again, at least as far as his club goes. West Ham have a settled back four, but they just got rid of their wide defensder cover (Julian Faubert on loan to Real Madrid, yeah Real Madrid, and the dude didn't even start for West Ham) and their backup center half James Tomkins is currently on the shelf. This means Spec should be the first defender off the bench, or can be brought into the midfield to protect a lead. With his old club Man U coming to Upton Park this weekend all he needs is for the Hammers to get ahead and stay ahead against the best club in the world to virtually assure himself his first playing time in a long time.

Jon should be coming into his prime now, and if he can prove that he's a real Premier League caliber defender (and this is by no means a given), he absolutely must be brought back into the fold at the international level. Go Spector, go Hammers, go Yanks. That is all.

Oh yeah, and Reading have released Bobby Convey so it looks like he will indeed be headed back to the MLS.

Word up.

Punxsutawney Phil Set For A Move To Ajax?

So two things happened today.

1. Groundhog Day!
2. Closing of the European transfer window.

Groundhog Day is awesome. A whole country paying a very little bit of attention to an archaic tradition that makes an alliteratively named rodent the most famous weatherman in the world for one day. And the cable networks constantly show Groundhog Day, the hilarious Bill Murray movie! Bill kidnaps the Punxsutawney Phil, goes joy riding, and drives the both of them off a cliff at one point! Like I said, Groundhog Day is awesome.

Onto item number two. The closing of the European club football transfer window is sometimes good, and sometimes not so much. It was definitely a mixed bag for American players today.

Sacha Kljestan's hat trick against Sweden may have actually priced him out of Celtic's range. ESPN suggests that the asking price was around $3.5 million. Sacha had trained with Celtic in Glasgow the week prior to notching his three goals, and seemed to be well on his way to wearing the green and white. Just speculating here, but couldn't his performance have prompted Chivas USA or his agent to up the price? Either way it's a shame, Kljestan is ready for Europe.

Nothing good happening for Americans on the Rangers side of the Old Firm rivalry either. Maurice Edu transferred to Ibrox over the summer and hasn't really been able to break into the side. Meanwhile, Demarcus Beasley has fallen out of favor at the club and could benefit greatly from a move back to England's Premier League. The speedy left-winger is too fast and talented to sit on a bench in Scotland for much longer.

But sadly for guys like Beasley and Freddy Adu over in Moncaco (on loan from Benfica) no rescue has come during the transfer window. I wonder if Benfica's management gets pissed when they see the lack of action Adu's getting in Monaco. Freddy Adu's like that Candlebox CD you lent to your buddy sophomore year of high school because he said he was going to burn a copy of it. But everytime you went to his house it was always sitting in the same spot, not copied and collecting dust. A testament to your boy's inconsiderate idiocy. Well come senior year you realized you hadn't heard "Simple Lessons" in forever, and that's a rockin' song. So you did exactly what Benfica should do.

You/Benfica: Hey dude, remember that Candlebox CD/creative and talented offensive player I lent you a while back?

Your Buddy/AS Monaco: Yeah man, my bad I keep forgetting to copy that/play that player ever.

You/Benfica: It's cool man, but I gotta get it/him back from you. You mind if I swing by your house/principality on my way home from football practice.

Your Buddy/AS Monaco: No problem, see you then. (click)

You/Benfica: Jerkoff.

And it's just that easy.


On the brighter side, American forward Jozy Altidore isn't being mismanaged by Villarreal. Altidore will probably be a big part of the club's future, but in the meantime they've loaned Jozy to Spain's Segunda Division leaders, Xerez. Altidore was getting into games now and then for Villarreal, but he should quickly become a regular first teamer for Xerez. And who doesn't want to spend a couple months scoring goals for a team that sounds like a sci-fi villian.

"Galactic Grand Admiral Xerez and his much feared Xerezian Death Fleet advanced upon the farming planet with only the most sinister of intentions."

As for more American speculation. The oft injured Bobby Convey may be heading from Reading back to the MLS, and it appears Fulham can't live without Brian McBride. My friend Melanie's school girl crush may be heading back to London, but only if Fulham tells him how much he means to them, and promises to buy him nice things. Stay tuned for more movement on those two.

Oh and for those of you reading this with bated breath just waiting for me to disclose what the groundhog did today, ole Phil saw his shadow. So we can expect six more weeks of winter, which means it'll probably stay within the 65-75 degree range here in Florida until mid-March. But Mexico should very much enjoy the extended winter when they travel to Columbus, Ohio next week to take on the Yanks in the first match of hexagonal play. Have fun El Tri, don't forget your long underwear.