Bagging Blanco

Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Chicago. It seems like a match made in boardroom heaven. Cuauhtemoc Blanco is a hero to many Mexicans, and MLS has been dying to capture Mexican fans since the inception of the league. There are a lot of Mexicans in Chicago. Makes perfect sense, right?

Why, then, do I get the feeling that this is a bad idea?

MLS has brought in Mexicans before with little success. Actually, four of the six highest-profile and most accomplished Mexicans brought in here had success after joining MLS.

Consider:

> Jorge Campos was here in 1996 and was Mexico's starting keeper in the 1998 World Cup and a backup at the 2002 World Cup.

> Luis Hernandez joined the Galaxy in 2000. He lasted just two years here but went back to Mexico and made the 2002 World Cup team and even saw some action.

> Francisco Palencia last played for Mexico in 2004. Supposedly in the twilight of his career, Palencia returned to Mexico after an 18-month stint with Chivas USA earlier this year. Last month, he was called up to Mexico for a game against Venezuela and played six-plus minutes.

> Claudio Suarez's career was all but dead when he showed up at Chivas USA training camp in 2006. Three months later, he made Mexico's World Cup 2006 team.

> Carlos Hermosillo and Ramon Ramirez, both World Cup veterans, did not return to El Tri after joining MLS but Hermosillo did return to Mexico and had a few solid seasons to close out a successful career.

MLS has brought in high-profile players who were not exactly on their last legs (okay, maybe Ramon was) and it hasn't really worked. Mexican fans' interest in MLS has always been lukewarm, at absolute best.

If Blanco joins Chicago, I think the prevailing sentiment among Mexican soccer fans would be that Blanco is either chasing money or decided he's had enough. I don't think they'll flock to see him the way most people will flock to see Beckham. I don't agree with that, but I think that's what will happen.

AEG and Chicago need to bark somewhere else because Blanco is the wrong tree.