Baltimore World Cup Soccer @ Slainte Pub

Or The Return of LeChat, at least to this blog spot.

I know several people have asked me when I was going to restart the normal spot but there have been several life changing issues over the past few weeks that I won’t go into. Excuse the run on… and the sentence fragment. It seems like my own 2011/12 season has been just as rocky and incoherent as the Arsenal’s.

Personally, I’m waiting for the world to end. S*urs may finish top 4…

I’ll let that sink in for the gooners and wannabes out there…

And now for the knife:  They may even finish above the Arsenal.

I guess the only possible good thing to come out of this is Good Ol’ ‘Arry is doing himself no favors on the stand. If you haven’t been following; allegedly Mr. Rednapp decided to take a few quid as a bonus for the Crouch deal. Not a bad thing on it’s own, however putting in an “investment” account in Monaco and not reporting it on your taxes is something a little, let’s just say, suspect.

Reading a few reports from the Guardian, I swear it sounds like something out of a Guy Ritchie movie. I know I’m not doing it any justice. So, as a rule I don’t trust any geezer who owns a pig farm. Ol’ ‘Arry might be one to own a pig farm or two.

More locally, has anyone noticed the excitement around the pub lately? No, well I guess I’m the only who pays attention. We have quite a few new faces showing up in the crowd; some falling right in step and others still lingering in the periphery. It’s good to have new blood, especially once they’ve lasted a few weekends and learn to order a pint without stuttering.

As SlainteLOSC stated, ‘No one is going to bite you.’

I hope to see everyone out this weekend and to Mr. Suarez…. no biting

As Liverpool face Manchester City in the second leg of their Carling Cup contest today, both teams will be without their main players, Luis Suarez and Mario Balotelli, respectively. Both players are suspended for acts the Football Association merits such punishment.

Suarez, as we all know, is still going through his eight-game ban for the race row with Manchester United’s Patrice Evera, while Balotelli is beginning his four-match ban for allegedly purposefully stamping on Tottenham Hotspur’s Scott Parker on Sunday morning. Some camera angles would show him trying to regain his balance, while others imply a deliberate knock against the former West Ham midfielder.

The question, I pose, however, is the severity of the punishments.

I have always questioned how the FA’s investigative team was able to determine that what Suarez called Evra – “negro” – is racist, while handing out only a four-match ban to Balotelli for what seems to be more violent conduct.

Uruguayan friends I have spoken with affirm that negro is a commonly used word in their society and that no racist or derogatory suggestion is ever implied. One can argue it is a different society and culture altogether from England’s.

As I’ve discussed with others at Slainte, this extreme reaction to Suarez’s comments reflects the overly-PC culture that pervades everywhere. Footballers wind each other up on the pitch and if every comment were to be examined and punished, football would stop. Far from condoning racist chants from spectators and abuse on the pitch, one asks for a more reasonable approach.

On the other hand, Balotelli gets to sit out only four games for an act that could have proved to be more dangerous than it turned out to be. It may not have possessed the deliberateness of Roy Keane’s attack on Manchester City’s Alf-Inge Haland, but it could prove to be just pure rash.

For speech one is severely punished, while for a physical act one is punished.

Well, it was another fun-day at Slainte yesterday. The bar was full of so many supporters, including neutrals whose teams had played the day before, on Saturday. Always good to see so many regular faces, including an old one not seen for over a year, and new ones. Then there were the regular patrons present only for brunch and mimosas who probably had no idea what kind of atmosphere they were entering. I love looking at their reactions to our shouts, screams, banter and songs. Patrons entering had to squeeze through the EPL fans on the first floor and the staff are always alert above the noise. Upstairs was less packed and for those wanting to sit and eat.

It was the last day for Bret Holmes for quite a while, as he and Mrs. Holmes are expecting their first child in the next few weeks. Congratulations to them both and Mr. CITEH will be missed. It’s up to Ms. CITEH, a.k.a. Karen, to lead the uproar.

I entered Slainte just as the first big match of the day, Manchester City v. Tottenham Hotspur, was finishing. This would have been an opportunity for Spurs to close the gap on the league leaders. But Mr. Showman, Mario Balotelli, put them in the lead with a late penalty given away by Ledley King, ending the match 3-2. Manchester United, no doubt paying attention to the proceedings in the Etihad Stadium from down in London, would have wished for a different conclusion.

United were to play away at Arsenal in the second and final big match of the day. In recent days the talk had been of a revenge for Wenger’s men who were humiliated 8-2 at Old Trafford in the opening weeks of the current campaign. A repeat performance was too much to expect.

The match, which was televised on local Fox affiliate WBFF Fox 45 as a way of spreading the English Premier League, began with both sides feeling each other out. It really was not the best beginning to such a game as this. But finally, a goal came at the end of the first half when Valencia out-jumped Vermaelen to head into the net. Arsenal returned in the second-half and Van Persie equalized. It was shocking, however, to see Arsenal’s best player, Oxlade-Chamberlain, substituted for the unloved Arshavin, to the dismay of Van Persie. It was the Russian’s mistake it was that led to United’s second and decisive goal, scored by Welbeck.

When all was done, two big matches and big fun at Slainte.

Obviously needs to regroup… supporters in Baltimore are just too strong not to contribute… what’s the main reason do you think that this blog is not upkept… people don’t want to write? People forget? I need a stable… who wants in..? Crickets…

So Paraguay and Italy tied at 1-1 on their first group game. Big deal? Well, actually, it is a big deal. Italy, after all, are the current World Champions. However, we need to look at a couple of things before we go proclaiming that the King is dead (and/or long live the King)…

Italy doesn’t seem to do well in the group stage. I believe the have the same syndrome that Mexico has. They play the bad teams bad and the good teams great. Remember back in 1994? They lost 1-0 to the Republic of Ireland. They barely beat Norway 1-0. And then they tied Mexico 1-1. Not a really good group showing, right? But they made it to the final only to lose to Brazil in a penalty shootout.

(Go cry me a river, Baggio... Cry me a river!)

And what about Corea/Japan 2002? They beat Ecuador 2-0, lose to Croatia (CROATIA!?) 2-1, and then, just like in ’94, they tied Mexico 1-1. I remember that game. I remember screaming at the screen as Italy and Mexico just decided not to play once they knew the score of the Croatia-Ecuador game. They would later lose to co-hosts Korea.

(Korean food is much better than spaghetti, manicotti, ravioli... And, in 2002, they were better at soccer)

That Korean food doesn’t beat Slainte Pub‘s, though. Try the breakfast while watching the morning matches. (Menu here.)

In 2006, Italy were a little stronger in the group stage. They beat Ghana 2-0, tied the USA 1-1, and then finished the group stage by beating the Czech Republic 2-0. They would go on to beat Australia, Ukraine, and hosts Germany, before facing France in the final. Who can forget that final with Zidane head-butting Materazzi over some Italian comment about Zidane’s mother (maybe).

(Indeed.)

So what’s next for Italy? Certainly, they will play better. The weaker teams (Slovakia and New Zealand) are coming up in the group stage. We’ve seen Italy climb out of adversity before. Surely, they will do it again.

Right? Right?

***”Paquinho” was born and raised in Mexico until age 10, when he came to the States and has been living the dream. When not writing about soccer, you can find him rambling on about infectious diseases.***

I was at Slainte Pub today to watch the Mexico – South Africa World Cup opener. It was a great crowd with a great atmosphere… Except for one minor thing.

That, my friends, is a staple of soccer games here in the United States, the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave. That is a White man wearing a “Border Patrol” tee shirt. You may have seen others wearing those shirts at soccer games. I’ve seen them mostly at games where a Mexican or Central American team comes to play. I saw plenty of them at RFK Stadium when Club America came to play DC United.

It appears that people like this man think that all Mexicans are Illegal (Undocumented) Aliens. Or that all Illegal (Undocumented) Aliens are Mexican. I am willing to bet good money that he wore the “Border Patrol” tee shirt because it was the Mexico – South Africa games. Surely, he expected Mexicans to be there. And there probably were. I was there. I’m Mexican.

Am I here illegally? Only if the health department hires illegals, the George Washington University hands out Master’s Degrees to illegals, and the University of Texas gives Science Degrees to illegals.

To balance out this Border Patrol a-hole, I met “Mario”, an American who was wearing the Mexican jersey. He cheered for Mexico when they scored, and we talked during the game. See, he wasn’t there to antagonize anyone. He was there to enjoy a game and support a team. He wasn’t there to make a statement about immigration.

(These guys would like to share their opinion on immigration issues.)

At any rate, this isn’t the first time that race and soccer have met. Samuel Eto’o's experience in Spain was horrible. How he kept playing there is beyond me. Hugo Sanchez also had a similar when he went to Europe. It still goes on today.

Then again, I could be taking it all wrong and this guy just grabbed the first tee shirt off his hamper and headed to the pub. Maybe he IS a Border Patrol agent. (Though Baltimore is hardly near a border. Customs Enforcement, maybe, I would understand.) So, unlike people who hate immigrants, I’m going to give this guy the benefit of the doubt.

But… What should I do if I see him there again with the same shirt? Call the 1-800 number on it (which leads to a hilarious rant about immigration)? Ask him for ID to prove he’s here legally? Buy him a Tequila drink?

***”Paquinho” was born and raised in Mexico until age 10, when he came to the States and has been living the dream. When not writing about soccer, you can find him rambling on about infectious diseases.***

Talk about a bad draw. Honduras drew into Group H for South Africa 2010 along with Chile, Spain, and Switzerland. Can anyone say “three-and-out“? Maybe. Honduras had an interesting qualifying tournament in CONCACAF. Of the 10 games they played, they won five, tied one, and lost four. Let’s look at their wins and losses…
They went to Costa Rica, which is never easy, not even for Mexico or the USA, and lost 2-0. They went to Trinidad and Tobago, the one team everyone was supposed to walk all over, and tied 1-1. They then received Mexico and, on a very wet pitch, beat the Mexican team 3-1 (almost ensuring the exit of Sven Goran Eriksson from El Tri). Honduras then traveled to Chicago and lost against the Stars and Stripes 2-1. For the fifth game, they welcomed El Salvador and beat them 1-0. Midway through the qualifying tournament, Honduras had 7 points, one better than Mexico, three less than the US.
Qualifying seemed “iffy” at best.
For the second round of the tournament, Honduras received and dismantled Costa Rica 4-0. They did the same to Trinidad, 4-1. Honduras then traveled to Azteca Stadium and almost got away with a tie, losing 1-0. They had a major trip-up when they received team USA and lost 3-2 (with a Panamanian ref that barely got out of San Pedro Sula alive). For their last game, they had to go into El Salvador (never easy) and win to get away from a playoff against a South American team. (Or hope the US tied or beat Costa Rica.) Both things happened, and Honduras was going to South Africa.
But guess what? On December 2, 2009, Honduras was placed in Group H. Then they threw in the #2 team in the world, Spain. (Some will argue they’re the best, but I’m using the FIFA rankings here.) To make things interesting, they threw in Chile. Just for kicks, Chile finished 2nd in South American qualifying, behind Brazil. And then they added Switzerland, a European team that is not to be played with. Basically, they pulled down Honduras’ pants, bent them over a barrel, and went to work on them.

No, Honduras, you may not move on the next stage!

Then, to (literally) add injury to insult (and vice-versa), Carlos Costly (SC Vaslui), one of the best Honduran players got injured and is out of the World Cup crew.
Catch all games at Slainte Pub, and say good-bye to Honduras, even from afar, all the while enjoying good food, good drinks, and a great football soccer atmosphere.
My prediction for Honduras in South Africa: They lose to Chile, then lose to Spain, and, in a game that won’t matter, they’ll lose or tie with Switzerland. There is no way around this, folks. Chile is too strong. Spain is even stronger. And the European-style from Switzerland will give Honduras trouble. All three of Honduras’ opponents are ranked better, and are truly better. Sadly, they’ll be on their way back home come June 26th or so.
Nevertheless, Honduras has a bright future. They have been playing the “giants” (Mexico and USA) of CONCACAF very, very well in friendlies, tournaments, and qualifying. Their players are doing well in Europe. So the future is bright, Honduras. The future is bright… just not this time.

***”Paquinho” was born and raised in Mexico until age 10, when he came to the States and has been living the dream. When not writing about soccer, you can find him rambling on about infectious diseases.***

Hello World,

Do you think you know Soccer? Are you ready to challenge Sláinte’s Die Hard Fans?
Make sure you sign up before June 11th on our Fantasy League:
“Sláinte Irish Pub Fells”

Click here or here to get started!

Sláinte!