|
|
posted 23-07-2010 20:42
|
|
Apertura 2010 kicks off this weekend. It's always a bit of a struggle to find good coverage of the Mexican league in English, but World Soccer Reader has some good previews of the 3 groups: Group 1, Group 2, Group 3.
For those of you unfamiliar with the league format, there are 3 groups of 6 teams. The top two teams from each group, plus the next two best teams, advance to an 8-team playoff (the Liguilla). From there it's a two-leg knockout competition, with a two-leg final.
|
|
|
|
 Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
posted 23-07-2010 20:52
|
|
|
Well done, Inca, those previews are good.
Pumas have a relatively easy group, but I'm not expecting much given that they have not really replaced Barerra. They were toothless in the Superliga and I can't see that being fixed in time given the short season.
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
posted 23-07-2010 21:23
|
|
|
Thanks for the link! I usually try to decipher the local free Spanish sports paper (Club Deportes Sports Weekly) and the Cruz Azul Facebook page (worth "liking" if only for the insane comics they post with a Cruz Azul rabbit trash-talking with other teams' mascots) for my Mexican League news, but my Spanish is unreliable.
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
posted 23-07-2010 21:27
|
|
It's a genre:
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
posted 23-07-2010 21:37
|
|
Interesting. I had no idea. Here's the latest from La Máquina Celeste:
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
posted 23-07-2010 21:58
|
|
|
"Would you like to see our latest offers catalogue?"
"The only promotion I'm interested in is 3 points!"
Nice to see newspaper cartoons are as funny the world over...
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
posted 23-07-2010 22:24
|
|
|
I would have translated "catálogo de ofertas" as "course catalog," as I assume it's making fun of "Estudiantes" university identity. I was also assuming that "puntos triples" is wordplay on either grades or course credits, but maybe I'm wrong. Not the highest of comedy, certainly, no matter what, but I find this genre intriguing all the same. (And el conejo de Cruz Azul always looks demented.)
It reminds me of the ribbons they sold before high school football games at my rural Texas junior high school. They always depicted our mascot (a wildcat) somehow humiliating the mascot of the other team, with a three word slogan based on alliteration. ("Dump the Devils," "Trounce the Trojans," "Whomp the Wampus Cats"—yes, Itasca High School's mascot is the Wampus cat—etc.)
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
posted 23-07-2010 22:34
|
|
|
Wampus Cats...that is awesome. But then, I come from a high school with the Jackrabbit for a mascot. But our football team rules, so the haters can suck it.
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
posted 23-07-2010 22:36
|
|
|
Renart, you lived in Williamsburg, right?
How the hell did you miss the chance to sell Wampus Cat merchandise to the hipsters?
Man, you could've been rich, kid.
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
posted 23-07-2010 22:55
|
|
|
So there's Estudiantes Tecos v. Cruz Azul tonight on Galavision (9pm EST). Tomorrow's game between Pachuca and America should be really good, and for American interests there's Herculez Gomez and Torres on Pachuca (Telefutura, 8pm EST).
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
posted 23-07-2010 23:53
|
|
|
ursus arctos wrote:
Renart, you lived in Williamsburg, right?
How the hell did you miss the chance to sell Wampus Cat merchandise to the hipsters?
Man, you could've been rich, kid.
I actually had the same thought when I lived in Brooklyn, but sadly had no Wampus Cat merchandise. If I swing by Itasca the next time I'm at my grandmother's house I could buy some for my next trip to New York, though current vintage would probably not sell as well as the eighties stuff I could have bought back then.
I also regret not buying an FFA (Future Farmers of America) jacket and cap when I had the chance, because I could have sold those for some serious dough in Williamsburg, too.
Anyway, I will be watching Cruz Azul-Estudiantes Tecos tonight. AZUUUUUL!!!
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
posted 24-07-2010 00:04
|
|
|
Incandenza wrote:
Wampus Cats...that is awesome. But then, I come from a high school with the Jackrabbit for a mascot. But our football team rules, so the haters can suck it.
At least a jackrabbit is unusual. My high school mascot (once I had moved to California) was the bulldog, which is pretty common and thus a little boring.
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
posted 24-07-2010 01:25
|
|
|
I like Cruz Azul's new away shirts. Very mod.
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
posted 24-07-2010 02:08
|
|
|
Yep. And the scoreline is also good--3-0 at the half in a downpour at Tecos.
My elementary school mascot was a roadrunner, middle school we were the Highlanders, which was shown as a Scottie dog wearing tartan, and then jackrabbits.
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
posted 24-07-2010 02:17
|
|
|
Yes, they are looking good despite the soggy field. I thought La Chuletita had scored a hat trick but I guess that last one was a Tecos own goal.
A roadrunner is another great mascot. I didn't get a good mascot until college (Griffins). Before that it was falcons, wildcats, and bulldogs. Pretty bland.
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
posted 24-07-2010 15:59
|
|
|
Nice one Inca.
Looking forward to this season - can Toluca successfully defend their title?
This week is all ablout Pumas v Toluca for me.
Toluca, champions and confident, rarely lose in the CU and Pumas are undoubtably weaker without Barrera and Juarez but will be out to show they are contenders.
I'll be in Mexico in September and should get to Aguascalientes for Necaxa v Toluca.
But will definitely be in the Nemesio Diez for Toluca v America on 19th.
Vicente Sanchez - one time Toluca hero is back in Mexico after a few seasons at Schalke.
He's now at America and is in for a very mixed reception on his return to Toluca.
All talk seems to point towards 'Chepo' De La Torre becoming national coach in December.
Not the first time this has happened to Toluca.
In 2002 La Volpe was made coach about a month before the end of the season and it nearly derailed their campaign.....
Should be a good tournament - not that I'll see much of it since lots of games start around 2 / 3 am UK time.
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
posted 24-07-2010 19:40
|
|
|
What a great pass/assist from Giménez to set up Cruz Azul's second goal! Corona was excellent in goal, too. (Insert "Jesus Saves!" joke here.)
By the way, I have to mention that Cruz Azul does a much better job serving their supporters online (with regularly updated homepage, Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube accounts) than the English and American teams I follow.
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
posted 24-07-2010 20:03
|
|
|
Inca, if I understand the Mexican system correctly, each of the 18 teams plays all the other 17 once and once only, and the 3 "conferences" are drawn at random (not according to geography or history like in US professional sports).
It's interesting then that fans seem to warm to these (seemingly arbitrary) conferences of teams - what do they see as the major benefits? Is it that fans feel it extends interest, if a particular conference is made up of 6 teams who might otherwise all be mid-table with a few games left? Does it increase rivalries, as fans are able to concentrate on the 5 teams that really matter to their progress?
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
posted 24-07-2010 22:54
|
|
|
Rogin -
You asked Inca, but if it's OK I'll offer my opinion too.
I believe (but could well be wrong) the three groups are actually drawn on some kind of seeding system. How or what that is I can't say for sure...
To be honest I don't really think the majority of fans bother about the groups one way or another - maybe in the last few weeks of the tournament when qualification for the liguilla is up for grabs.
To me, most fans are resigned to the fact that the whole set up of the league is designed first and foremost to bring as much money as possible to the owners of the clubs.
The fans just go and enjoy the football regardless.
There's a frequent debate about the set up rewarding mediocrity. A team can play no better than average for 17 weeks, scrape through into the liguillaat the expense of a team that has performed better in a tougher group.
Then again I've not lived in Mexico for some time, so I could be wide of the mark here.
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
MESSAGE BOARD 
