Thursday, February 7, 2008

Touching a nerve

I guess I pushed some people's buttons with my latest SI.com piece.

I wrote this column on the new CONCACAF Champions League last week for SI.com but the messages keep coming. Some of them have been positive but most haven't been. Some people are just sensitive. I guess that's my conclusion after this wave of responses.

In case you haven't read the column or don't want to click on the link, I wasn't very favorable towards the new tournament. I think it's a flawed tournament and I think it's unnecessary. But I do think it's got its good points as well. It will give the chance for some area clubs who don't get publicity or the chance to play against better-known clubs opportunities unseen in parts of this region. I think Chivas or America at some obscure Honduran club could be a good draw for the Central American side. But overall I think the negatives outgain the positives.

Here's just a sampling of the response I got (I'm saving some of the better ones for my next SI.com piece):

(This one just came in on Wednesday night, from some irate fan in D.C.; not sure how the national teams came into play)
You're an ass. Your contempt and lack of respect for the MLS is not too obvious. Look at the Super Liga results when the MLS teams were not in preseason. If it were not for some fortunate refereeing, the mexican teams would have been shut out completely. Oh, did I hear somebody whine about it being the Mexican preseason?? How does a league that has only been in existense for 11 years compete on par with the "mighty" mexican league? Are you feeling good about the 2-2 tie agianst the US? Got news for you. The first Mexico goal was offsides and the call on the Dempsey goal was crap. One more thing...2-0....bite me.

(Here's a pleasant succinct response, from some person in Alaska)
Bueno, you are an absolute idiot, go back to mexico.
(Note: I would, but I was born in Orange, California, so I suppose I should go back to the OC)

(This reader, from Baltimore, apparently felt I was too mean to the Guatemalan defense; I don't know, I'd call it a bit dead-on, considering Wednesday's result)
"This new tournament, though, has far more questions than answers and more holes than the Guatemalan national team's defense." -- Try to keep your derogatory comments for yourself.

(This reader, from Virginia Beach, actually put some thought into his response, unlike the Alaskan)
I'm pretty sure that you will offend some supporters of the MLS so let me give you credit for a good observation. While MLS has represented themselves well on "Friendlys" against European teams it has not collected any hardware since I don't know when (I just know it was the Galaxy a while back). We still don't know what the criteria for representing MLS in the Superliga but some how LA Galaxy will fit in. It is obvious that the goal of this tournament is more commercial than seeking a true champion of the region. With that said, how are the teams that will partake on the current championship format will do? I mean does it have any value of importance now that a bigger tournament with the same purpose will be played later year?

(And I get some support, from a reader in Dallas)
Nice article, I couldn't agree more! I think the big reason that MLS has so many spots is $$...CONCACAF has this tournament in mind (like most) with an eye towards what Mexico and the U.S. prefer. If you aren't one of those two countries then you're probably going to have any requests and hopes fall on deaf ear. I for one, really enjoyed the "Superliga" matches between Mexican sides and MLS sides and I thought the U.S. sides acquitted themselves nicely in that competition.

(But easily the best response comes from John, location unknown. John, your strength and courage in sending me this is admirable; I mean, it takes a man to send this type of response to someone)

Fuck off beaner.

(Some people take this stuff just a little too seriously)

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Apparently, some Lou Dobbs/Tom Tancredo followers are also soccer fans and bring their views when they follow soccer. So sad. Sorry to hear you get that kind of mail.

Anonymous said...

wow. I have to say I nearly completely disagree with your article and pretty much every point you made in there, but some of those responses are just 'hilarious'
I mean 'hilarious' in the sense that these people allegedly went to school at some point to learn how to form and intelligent thought.
Mission failed I guess.

Anonymous said...

I would have to agree with your entire piece.

Develop two league cups; a champion’s league and a second tier cup equal to UEFA's UEFA Cup.

Stretching out a league based tournament in CONCACAF is much different from the European counterpart. I'm still drooling waiting for Milan to take on Arsenal since the draw in Nyon, Switzerland.

We need cup consolidation and more club representation from Cost Rica.

T. said...

It's sad that some people will resort to that language, when they don't agree with something you write. My apologies. I do support CONCACAF new "champions league" even though it's 6 years late. I enjoyed your article for pointing the immediate problems in this the new tournament. It's definitely a work in progress, and hopefully CONCACAF can make it a success. Please keep up the good work!!!!

Anonymous said...

He says "beaner" like it's a bad thing.

Luis, you and Andrea kick ass on this blog and on your other "journalistic" endeavors. Despite that we may not all agree on the things you guys write, you deserve more respect than that.

Anonymous said...

LB I don't agree with your suggestion that the Concacaf have this tournament in one single location as I view it as a step back. A step back to the old Champions Cup which favor MLS teams when played on US soil. An yes the tournament is set up to make money by having MLS represented by 4 teams and then a possible 5th by virtual of Canada. But MLS is not a country Canada having its own fed deserved the opportunity to send its own team just like Porto Rico which almost always sends USL 1's the Islanders to the Champions Cup.

The thing is this is Concacafs response to Superliga and a sad attempt to squash MLS interest in joining Copa Libertadores(sp?). Ironically there is a 2nd tier tournament in Concacaf, I think its held by Concacaf's Caribbean Footbal Union. Concacaf is simply not the football region Africa, Asia, South America or Europe is and people have to realize that they only have so many options. My 2 cents in the matter

Anonymous said...

off subject but Alain Nkong has just been insterted into Cameroon's semi-final match with Ghana in the African Cup of Nations. The English crew actually mention him being at Atlantic and winning the Mexican championship. They also talk about his time at Colorado. Continue on:-)!!

Anonymous said...

Wow Nkong scored the winning goal for Cameroon and knocks out the host nation. Unreal his story is the sweetest!! His first minutes in the tourney and its in the semi-final and he scores the winning goal to put his team into the final wow!! I love that guy:-)

Anonymous said...

John's an asshole

Don't let racists get you down...

Soledad said...

This is why the internets are fabulous: idiots are legion and they all have e-mail. I never even make it to the porn, I get so caught up reading the message boards and blogs.

rep21 said...

I have to disagree with your article. The concacaf champions league will be great not this year, but in 3, 4 or 5 years down the road when MLS actually starts to show signs of being a real competitive league due growth of the youth in this country and the amount of money being brought into the MLS from investors and new owners.

The format is a little shady, but given time, it won't be hard for concacaf to iron out the problems with format or amount of teams per league.

Getting the tourney started now is a huge boost to the entire region.

Matt said...

That's too bad that people resort to ethnic slurs and name calling. I for one would like to hear an intelligent argument instead. I don't always agree with your articles, but I appreciate the alternative viewpoint you offer. Keep up the good work.