If You Missed It and So You Don't

In la Primera División de Argentina, Lanús won its first league title in the Apertura 2007. Lanús drew with Boca Juniors this weekend for the clincher. Maradona who played for Boca, but is from the neighborhood of Lanús gave high praise for their achievement. Then again, Maradona always finds a way to be part of the winners even if he is not invited. Boca is one of the few places where Maradona is still treated like a king (not sure why). My team Gimnasia y Esgrima de Jujuy has one last match to draw or win to avoid being sent down. They take on San Lorenzo this Sunday. Why do I like Gimnasia y Esgrima de Jujuy? 1) I have been to Jujuy. It is isolated and colorful; reminds me of the Four Corners region of the US. 2) Their stadium holds 7,000. We complain about 13,000 showing up for a game. This is a little fish in a big pond. 3) The club name is cool.

With Soccer Point being a Team Blog Soccer Fighting site, I think it is only proper that we have a fencing team (esgrima = fencing). Also, they are proud of their gymnasium. I envision an athletic club that started in the late 1800s (1931 actually) and its membership limited to guys with curled mustaches and striped exercise clothing. Hobbies had to be bare-fisted boxing, fencing, jumping things, and a willingness to try new sports, such as football or llama wrestling.

In la Liga Mexicana, Atlante will be taking on Pumas in the finals of the Apertura 2007. The first match (ida) in the DF is this Thursday at 9PM on Telefutura. The final match in Cancún (vuelta) is this Sunday at 6PM on Telefutura. It has been 14 years since Atlante played in the finals. Back then, Atlante was based in Mexico City in the zone called Neza. This is one of the most dangerous places in the DF. A good friend of Soccer Point used to work there and I ate lunch with him there back in 1996. Great food, happy to leave that part of town. Since then, I have rooted for Atlante simply because they did not have the money to take on other DF teams like Club América or Cruz Azul. This summer they relocated to Cancún. I think they will be glad they made the move. Another Soccer Point friend moved from Houston to Cancún this summer too. He has also lived in Brazil. Ironically, wherever he has gone soccer championships have followed. He is nearly as valuable as Guus Hiddink.

Not to neglect Pumas, I have always liked them too. Their club is close to my in-laws house and most of my in-laws went to school at UNAM. So, I am indebted. Besides, this current team is intense. They fight so much with each other that their hardness is tough to control, predict and beat. Did you know that if you play for Pumas you have to be enrolled at UNAM, attend class, take exams, etc.? Their fans, the student body, are ravenous for the team because they know tomorrow they all have to take exams or turn in papers together. Imagine a Division I school playing in the NFL and making it to the Super Bowl. This is Pumas. Check out the matches; you won’t be disappointed.

On the FC Dallas front, I am waiting for the dismissal of Denilson. His contribution on the team was a goal from penalty kick. Besides that, he was a lazy distraction to a young team trying to become its own and not a supporting cast to a has been. Funny to say, a 31-year old World Cup winner is not good enough for the MLS. Yes, I know the MLS is made up of bottom dwellers who would struggle in 2nd and 3rd divisions of Latvia. Blah, blah, blah. But wasn't someone of his 'caliber' supposed to raise the level of play? This was the last thing that crossed his mind. He saw how much Beckham signed for and said to himself, "Easy Money." He got paid, FCD got rooked, and MLS got nada. Without a doubt, Denilson was a marquee name, but his marquee skills have passed. FCD, take it on the chin, stick with the youth, stay hungry. Arsenal's manager Arsene Wenger does it every year. He sticks with the youth and Arsenal wins. FCD should do the same. Keep it fresh and do not be loyal to past flashes of brilliance. FCD's manager Steve Morrow is an Arsenal man and should know this better than any one. Start and finish next season like he started this past one, and FCD should get better results.