Saturday, September 1, 2007

Prognosticating disaster

Before the start of the Mexican season, I thought about who could win the championship. I ruled out Pachuca simply because no team but one has repeated since Mexico started playing its two seasons a year in 1996. Chivas and America both had big losses and didn't really do a whole lot to fill holes. Cruz Azul... no way. Toluca lost their coach and I figured it would take Jose Pekerman one season to adjust to coaching in Mexico.

I thought about Tigres... hmmm. They intrigued me. Mario Carrillo's exit was addition by subtraction in and of itself but to land Americo Gallego was a stroke of brilliance, I thought. Walter Gaitan might be rejuvenated under his countryman while Kikin Fonseca will have spent an entire preseason with the club and still has quality in him despite his fall from national team grace.

So I picked them. And they are absolutely horrible.

Tigres lost to Chivas 1-0 on Saturday and are now 0-4-1 with all of one goal scored this season. I guess the only saving grace I have is that Pachuca started off the Apertura 2006 season at 0-4-1 under a new coach who like Gallego had won with Toluca (Enrique Meza) who was also on the hot seat after five games. Pachuca didn't win the league that year but they reached the semifinals and won Sudamericana.

Not that I foot for Tigres or anything but I wish the club I'd have hitched my wagon on would have won a stinking game by now.

No truth to the rumor, though, that I picked Michigan to win the Sugar Bowl.

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