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18.9.12

Everton Remembers Hillsborough

Hillsborough disaster is one of the worst stadium events in the history of sport spectacles. 96 away supporters of Liverpool died in a stadium crush, as thousands rushed to enter the stadium for the match against Nottingham Forrest at the neutral Hillsborough grounds in Sheffield. A subsequent cover-up by the police and UK governments has prevented the families of the 96 and the rest of the football community from hearing the full truth of the day's events. In the aftermath, the incompetence of the police was masked by claims of football hooliganism, playing on the then Thatcher government's portrayal of football supporters as savages. Most notably The Sun of Rupert Murdoch ran the following head-lines four days later: "Some fans picked pockets of victims""Some fans urinated on the brave cops""Some fans beat up PC giving kiss of life". Stories ran with the stereotypical drunken hooligan that had become villain number one of right-wing media in de-industrializing England.

In truth, it was the police who were slow to react to the obvious tragedy and emergency services were not initially provided, leading to a much greater loss of life. The incompetence of the police and their gross attitude against football supporters before and after the tragedy were concealed from the public eye for two decades, only last week have thousands of files been finally made public; a demand made for by the families of victims since the beginning. The now famous Taylor Report followed the tragedy, with the greatest emphasis and consequence being the redesign of football stadiums in the UK - most notably the recommendation for all-seater stadiums.

In Argentina, there is no stadium that is all-seater for league matches and many of the stadiums do not apply to international standards, let alone post-Hillsborough European standards. Popular-sections of standing-only can be packed, as was the case last Sunday in Newell's stadium in Rosario. There the small funnel like entrance and high-fenced pen has obvious potential for severe danger in case of a need for evacuation. What is potentially more dangerous however is the on-going relationship between police, hinchas, and the media. The popular portrayal outside of footballing circles of the savagery of in-stadium football supporters, coupled with the mistrust between police and hinchadas, is a potential spark necessary to legitimize in the moment a series of incompetent behaviours similar to what happened in Sheffield.

It is important for football supporters around the world to remember these events and struggle against the negative images promoted in the media. There are few rivalries as important historically as the Merseyside Derby between Liverpool and Everton. Thus when at kick-off of last Monday's match between Everton and Newcastle at Goodison Park, Everton's home stadium, this tribute was played to the Hillsborough victims to the standing ovation of the full stadium, we were all reminded in football there are some things more important than the rivalry on the field.


Everton tribute to the 96 who died at Hillsborough por emmysguysandgals

15.9.12

A weekend of Football.

Last week in Bajo Flores, the neighbourhood of San Lorenzo's stadium, football returned with an uncommon display of fluidity and grit with a deserved 2-1 victory for los Santos over Colon from Santa Fé. My lack of updates mirrored the under-performing, at times absent, and more or less struggling San Lorenzo side. New signings over the summer, 17 in total, along with a longer list of players cut contributed to Manager Caruso's calls for calm after the team's slow start. Weeks of on-and-off intense rain and two transfer started by Argentina's tax-man AFIP were also to blame.

Football, despite all the attention on Messi's dazzling dribbling skills and curving free-kicks or Ronaldo's solo runs at defenders, is a team sport. Familiarity and a shared 'understanding' of how to move the ball forward a disputes nd collectively occupy space can lead to more success than any 'star' ever could bring – ignoring that most stars fail to have an impact in the modern game without their supporting cast. Messi's performance with Argentina, until recently, is a testament to the sport's duality: individual talent vs. collective effort and intelligence.

Nearly five weeks ago in Cordoba, San Lorenzo's attacking hopes were ruptured along with the ligaments of 'Pipi' Romagnoli's left knee in an otherwise uneventful 0-0. Then San Lorenzo lost at home, something that had yet to happen to Caruso at the Nuevo Gasómetro, 0-1 to Estudiantes de La Plata. Another underwhelming performance, San Lorenzo failing to find any offensive creativity; unexceptionable for a “Grande” in Argentina. Doubts were growing about Caruso. Viggo Mortenson, the most internationally recognizable Cuervo, even participated in the media critique – claiming that Caruso's line-ups had been uninspiring and unfit for San Lorenzo's history. Caruso retaliated before a mildly genial resolution was orchestrated by the media who had created the crisis. In the bars and terraces, debate raged about the merits of Caruso's training – never really the most informed places to look for tactical advice, but certainly the most passionate and entertaining. I've heard that San Lorenzo has a team comparable to Barcelona and that it's been Caruso holding them back.

Off the field, politics at the club was happily marching forward to the democratic coronation of Vice-President Tinelli with his President Mattias Lammens. Rather than political campaigning, finding a replacement for Pipi was their central concern. Despite the free flowing rhythm of the country's most famous players, the tactical imagination of Argentines feels constrained. Positions are described by their number – 2 and 6 in the centre of defence, 5 is a defensive midfielder – a tradition less common in other parts of the world because of changing formations. A team without an 'enganche' – the '10', a forward given free reign to attack across the final third – produces anxiety about the offensive potential of the team. San Lorenzo lined up diminutive Rolle in the interim and quickly found him lacking. Ignacio Piatti returning from to Argentina after a short stint at recently descended Lecce in Italy was presented as the solution. Before supporters were given a chance to judge, however, the Argentine tax-man had some questions about his contract. Striker Stracqualursi's contract also drew AFIP's attention leading to a suspension of both players (Piatti's entrance, in reality, had yet to be completed).

AFIP's investigation appears justifiable given that Piatti as well as 'Straqua' arrived to San Lorenzo on loan. San Lorenzo, reportedly, did not pay a cent for the loans, strange. Welcome to the wonderful world of Argentine contracts, mysterious black boxes of multiple owners and divided percentages. Complex and one of the more likely places of corruption given the millions of pesos that are spent during each transfer period. Making sure tax is paid on these transactions seems like the only active motivation to clean up this part of Argentine football.

It was bad timing. San Lorenzo was to play their first 'clasico' of the year against the returned River Plate. For Caruso, though, an away-match at River's Estadio Monumental lowered the expectations for attacking football. In the mythology of Argentine football, when visiting any of the Cinco Grandes – Boca, Independiente, Racing, River and San Lorenzo – it is acceptable to 'play for a tie'. This suited Caruso's compressed and defensive 4-4-2 starting line-up. And while San Lorenzo came close, Jara crashing the cross-bar, most of the match was spent smothering the midfield and preventing former French international Trezeguet from influencing the match. A 0 – 0 tie was not pretty, not very useful in the fight against relegation, but for the most part understandable. For the most part San Lorenzo's hinchada was contented with humiliating the “Borrachos del Tablón”. A reported 55 000 people, around 6000 cuervos, filled the stadium but it was hard to believe at times given the silence that characterized River's hinchada. During half-time, we taunted “Que silencio atroz,” before shushing our voices and revealing an eery silence. Those watching of television could clearly make out the lyrics of San Lorenzo's songs.


Caruso, known to be more concerned about losing points than winning them, had continued his defensive team when we travelled up to Victoria to meet Tigre. Last season Tigre romped to a 3-1 victory, sending San Lorenzo into utter panic. Tigre in the interrum have lost several key players and found themselves under pressure. But a lapse in concentration led to an open header for Castaño on the corner, Tigre one up. San Lorenzo responded in four minutes. A wonderful 16 pass goal by new Uruguayan midfielder Aguiar showed that San Lorenzo has the potential to orchestrate meaningful attacks; but stupidity and tired legs prevented anything more in the second half. Franco Jara, carrying a reputation for diving, received a yellow card early for falling too easily in the penalty area. He picked up the matching pair at the start of the second for practicing Tai Kwon Do and was sent walking; Caruso soon joined him in the locker room. Outside of the goal, there wasn't much of value to the match and the second half was a huge disappointment. Nothing to cheer for and it seemed that those who talked about 'anti-football' had some evidence to their claims. How much longer would supporters allow this boring show to continue? Six points in five matches wasn't going to keep San Lorenzo from relegation.

Patience. It is a paradox for football supporters – it is at the same time necessary and dangerous. San Lorenzo still carries the very real risk of descending at the end of this season. They need to collect points to lift their three season average. Ties and worse losses are lost opportunities to lift the average or stay just ahead of the pack – so the campaign that Caruso had been organizing was taking San Lorenzo in a dangerous direction with few wins against “small” Argentine clubs. On the other hand, all the new players needed time to become familiar, develop a collective awareness and style, which is in part the responsibility of the manager. A deep debate amongst San Lorenzo's hinchas was how much time was going to be 'too much'.

For me last Saturday's match felt like the first watchable match of live football I've seen in Argentina. I'm sure my memory is playing a few tricks on me. But seeing plays build out of the midfield, reach the strikers in areas of potential danger – whether the final pass was lacking or the finishing didn't put the ball in the back of the net, the sensation of 'the next one' coming at any moment and watching the opposition pushed back into their own half is an experienced raised to great heights when shared by thousands of yelling and singing fans.

Emotionally the last season's match against Newell's, where San Lorenzo's hopes were saved by an unlikely 3-2 comeback victory, or the back-to-back must-wins vs San Martín and then Instituto to avoid regulation were more captivating experiences than last Saturday. But there is a different feeling of satisfaction of watching your team play well. It was far from a perfect performance, physically it is obvious the starting eleven do not have more than 70 minutes of gas. Physical fitness continues to plague the team, particularly in the centre of pitch, despite dropping several kilos over the summer. It remains to be seen if this will be an ongoing problem, or is a symptom of the recent 'lack of football' for many players.

Buffarini returned to a form that he had last season; an irrepressible, if undersized, winger who seems to bounce back onto his feet after every rough challenge. More importantly, after all of his hard work for San Lorenzo he was finally rewarded with a goal – driving to the fair post to meet the ball that Piatti had passed sharply across the goal. Buffa's impact was once again felt when his curling cross took an opportunistic bounce and Stacqualursi's header buried the ball into the back of the net. Piatti's presence in the enganche position was important, providing inspiration and a fluidity to the passing. Prosperi, another new recruit, continued his string of decent performances at right-back. But the dominant performance began to wain, as San Lorenzo's limited fitness continues to be a problem especially in the final 15 minutes. Concentration dropped in the defence, a horrible give away at the top of the box and defenders caught watching allowed Gerardo Alcoba score right from an onside position in front of the goal. San Lorenzo's “doble-cinco” of Kalinski and Mercier in the midfield seem not yet to have match-fitness and again the problem of 'patience' returns. How long can San Lorenzo keep trying Mercier to see if he can regain his speed.

Colon's small hinchada left the stadium to the Butteler's full voice, singing against arch-rivals and 'friend' of Colon, Hurucan.


Unfortunately all of this exciting build-up from last week has dissipated in two days of training. Prosperi and Piatti will be out with injuries, not making the trip to Rosario for Sunday's match against Newell's Old Boys. Caruso is sounding a return to the team's earlier withdrawn and defensive form; I wonder though if it would not be worth the risk to search for the win. Newell's sits two points above San Lorenzo in the promedios, while also sitting near the top of the table. Newell's is not considered a 'small' club in Argentina – Rosario's two big clubs, Central being the other, seem to be outside of the “grande” vs. “chico” debate – and their attacking prowess gives legitimacy to Caruso's plans but it would be unfortunate to be teased with a match of entertaining football only to see another 90 minute grind, where not even a tie is ensured.

In other footballing news – and in some ways more important to me than San Lorenzo, was the uplifting win at home for Canada's men national team last friday against Panama. Hopes were only to be disappointed by a flat performance and 2-nil loss in the return leg. Canada's world cup qualification route is not impossible but requires a very-possible win against Cuba before heading off to hostile Honduras looking for at least a single point.

7.8.12

The day that the football returns.

Professional football is returning to Buenos Aires and not soon enough. I admit my addiction has become overwhelming. A three week distraction travelling through Bolivia: seeing some of the world's finest sceneries and meeting people from fascinating cultures; was not enough. As my brother will half-jokingly tell you, “he misses football so much that we sat down in the centre of La Paz to watch two teams made of ladies from the market”. Besides the spectacle of organized women's football being an interesting gendered phenomenon in Bolivia, I did have to restrain myself from yelling “¡DALE! ¡CANTA!” at the restrained and for the most part quiet Bolivia audience. Even the more lively – if the four red cards and numerous yellows – of the professional Cochabamba 'clasico' between Wilsterman and Aurora has not satiated my hunger. Friends and families were divided between the azul-rojo of Wilsterman and the celeste-blanco of Aurora but sitting together. I don't think Bolivian football often elicits the passion, nor the violence, found in Argentina.
Clasico de Cochabamba
Luckily the break has been relatively very short, only one month compared to the long arduous four summer months that hockey fanatics endure. But one month is more than enough time for the drama to make many twists and turns. Following from a distance, trying to keep ahead of transfer rumours and backroom politics was difficult. I've returned to a club in political upheaval but apparently more secure footing on the pitch. Previous President Abdo and his Vice-President have renounced their positions and political factions – known as agrupaciones have been preparing their campaign lists for upcoming elections on September 1. The familiarity of Canadian snap elections.

In league play San Lorenzo was back at Nuevo Gasómetro last Sunday against San Martin of San Juan, a rematch of the final league match last year. With a new look. New jerseys – which are still ugly, poorly designed and too expensive for their quality, thank you Lotto – and new players. In 17 new faces as of today; gone is the overweight club of Bottinelli (controversially to River Plate), Gigliotti, Ortigoza (looking for the parrilla in the UAE as we speak), Bueno and Chávez (who is returning to Napoli's pizzarias). As you can tell my hope is that the addition of Juan Mercier, Furch, Prósperi, Franco Jara, Luis Aguiar, and Denis Stracqualursi will at least be a slimmer more committed team.

Sunday's 2-1 win was messy at times but did deliver an entertaining and more athletic first half. Goals for Pipi Romagnoli, who picked up the ball in the box while I was claiming “penalty” to place it neatly into the corner, and Jara came without the agony and force that seemed to be required last championship. Jara's celebrated his goal by climbing the fence in front of the hinchada, earning the title of “Jaraña” (play on the word for spider). On the less optimistic side, Stracqualursi showed haunts of Gigliotti, missing wide after running in on goal and the defence did get nervy in the second half against a team likely to be close to the bottom this year. But after so many changes, the team has only had one week together and hopefully these problems come from the lack of familiarity.

In the stadium, the hinchada had a 'new look' as well. Within the City of Buenos Aires, the large trapos -ribbon like flags- famous in Argentine stadiums have been 'banned'. Security officials for the city argue that illegal activities occur underneath the trapos because they obscure the watchful eye of the cameras – which seem to conveniently malfunction anyways. The trapos seem like a convenient symbolic target to cover up the reality that drugs and weapons enter the stadium through the 'watchful' eyes of hundreds of police officers each week. It will be interesting to see if such a ban holds and forces a slight change in the symbolic culture of the hinchadas. I doubt it will make the illegal activities any more visible.

The voice of the hinchada was as strong as ever; the loud boom-ba-ba-boom of the banda underlying the chorus of 25 000+ voices with the tribuna bouncing to the rhythm of thousands of jumping feet cannot be simulated anywhere else. The sunset behind the Platea Norte during the second half was spectacular. In the end, winning the first match without too much stress for once was comforting. Promedios are still a problem and plenty of matches to worry about.

Nuevo Gasómetro in all its 'under-construction' beauty
Off the field, everyone's focus is on the 'return' of Argentina's most famous TV personality: Marcelo Tinelli. Tinelli is a well known hincha of San Lorenzo, with millions of pesos to back up his interests in the club's well being. Olé reported that he was at the match last Sunday in his palco (box) after a three year absence – whether or not he actually had stayed away... when Tinelli wants to be seen and heard, the media gives him attention. Being a major financial source for many of transfers to the club, Tinelli has also manoeuvred into a political position behind his preferred interim President Mattias Lammens and receiving the position of first vocal on the new board of directors. Lammens and Tinelli are also organizing an agrupación, likely 'winners'. Interim President during elections becomes full time President, politics in football clubs.

One of Tinelli's biggest impacts, however, has come in the increase in socios and media attention for San Lorenzo. A few second plug on his top-rated, and at times easily mistaken soft-core porn, celebrity dance program Showmatch has created a sharp increase in the numbers of socios. Whether these people stay officially affiliated to the club for more than three months is a debate amongst the 'regular' hinchas. Being a 'real' hincha myself, with my abono-visitante and extreme travelling for San Lorenzo (to Salta twice in four months), I'll have to wait and see.

Football is back in Argentina; and just in time to distract from the low medal count at the Olympics. Canada may not be doing great but every Argentine is envious of our 10 medals. Unfortunately they missed the best football match/worst officiating this year: the Canada-US women's semi-final. Onto the Bronze ladies; its hard to beat 12 US players but you managed to take it to the 119th minute. 

3.7.12

When San Lorenzo wins a promotion match...

It looks like this:


Incredible feelings after weeks of suffering. I've heard mixed opinions on celebrating such a match, but the symbolism of the sports - cups and the rest - is all relative to the emotions that these moments elicit. What is at the heart of any festivity is the moments of shared emotions not its analysis (though at some point I'll have to try to put one into words!).

I'm lucky enough to have been at this match, been under a pile of people when we fell over on the terraces, and tossed into the air. All things I'll put into words for everyone soon!

1.7.12

The night before: If we struggle today; the future will be ours

The night before. Tomorrow at 14:10 San Lorenzo will kick off its final match of the 2011-12 season; and it remains a possibility that it will be their last match in the Primera. An unlikely possibility after defeating Instituto of Córdoba 0-2. Instituto must win by three or more goals to achieve ascension into the Primera. The Nuevo Gasómetro is once again sold out with all of the tickets reportedly gone before the end of Friday after two furious days of sales at both club locations. Line-ups measured in blocks filled with cuervos hoping to be in the stadium this Sunday; I spent an hour and a half waiting with families mid-Friday to purchase a ticket for a friend. Father and son, friends, a mother with her three daughters, the lone hincha stood waiting – only to hear by noon that there were no tickets for 'invitados', non-members of the club. The remaining tickets for members soon sold out.

I've only recently recognized how much this championship has been weighing on my own emotions. All the matches, the conversations with hinchas, the time spent with Cuervos debating the problems and seeing how life's problems become enmeshed within the successes and failures of the team - I've become suseptible myself to the trials and tribulations of an hincha. I've been defending San Lorenzo over dinner, in a bar, or over facebook to hinchas of Boca or some other middle of the table team. My own day-to-day issues have become a part of the difficulties of San Lorenzo.

Thus when, after a struggle to purchase tickets - a story unto itself - standing on the old terraces of Instituto's small stadium cheering "GOOOLL!!!!!!" while in the embrace of six cuervos, knowing that the 2-nil lead put San Lorenzo for the first time in the fight against relegation "in control", I could feel the stress just lift. Our 24-hour journey to Córdoba and back - with little sleep in the cramped mini-bus smoke hazed minibus - actually 'felt' worth it. Not just the value of "what great research material!" but what it means: to be able to smile and laugh with ease again. Friday in the Bar San Lorenzo the release was palpable - the cuervos were untouchable to jokes or jabbs and more than ever the loud Italian voices boomed across the tables.

There is still risk for Sunday's match. Instituto's defence was clearly not prepared to play the match, overwhelmed by the magnitude of situation, and were dominated by Carlos Bueno's two goals. For brief moments, however, their forwards demonstrated the promise of the team that had lead the Nacional B table. Nothing has come 'easy' for San Lorenzo this year and every step forward has seemed like a mountain climbed by the hinchada, who only find themselves sliding further downwards. Thus it would be arrogant and dangerous to say Sunday will be a guaranteed party. It is not, San Lorenzo needs to play to win; not a given in their recent history.

But if San Lorenzo wins - I'm sorry Boca Juniors and River Plate fans - but it will be the most meaningfully celebrated match this week and this year. One more Copa de Libertadores might be shiny and end up in a cabinet and on a wikipedia page, but suffering for 10 long months to find salvation only at the very last possible moment will be memorized by every hincha of San Lorenzo and immortalized in the emotion of the songs of the hinchada. "Che" Guevara once said, "Si el presente es de lucha, el futuro es nuestro." - If the present is struggle; the future will be ours.

26.6.12

San Lorenzo is from the Primera and in the Primera we'll stay


“Jugadores, jugadores hoy vinimos a alentar. San Lorenzo es de primera y de primera no se va!” We are singing again but to a much smaller audience of people riding a Buenos Aires bus. An older lady at the back of the bus sparked our latest outburst after she began an older San Lorenzo song when she saw our blue and red colours get on the bus. As soon as we finished one song, some one would start the next one and we kept singing. The San Lorenzcista clapped along while grinning and ignoring her husband who kept saying “and Nuevo Chicago too!” every time she said “vamos cuervos!” Normally, despite being dressed in the uniforms of an hincha of San Lorenzo, my friends are reserved on the streets of Buenos Aires; keeping the terrace culture to the stadium. I also usually pay more attention to how 'the public' reacts to the sight of our group of hinchas but in this moment I didn't care – we laughed and sang the whole ride. Three hours after the match our emotional high had yet to fade: San Lorenzo defeated San Martin of San Juan 3-1 and passed a defeated Banfield to escape direct relegation. We were celebrating being in the “promoción” as if we'd seen the players lift the league cup, which incidentally went to Arsenal de Sarandí on the same night.

24.6.12

Until the last breath... we are San Lorenzo

It is the night before. A cuervo's friend's facebook status currently reads: "Please open Bidegain [the Nuevo Gasómetro] now! If they open it we will fill the terraces to get through the night of the Azulgrana insomnia". I will be getting up early tomorrow (this?) morning to participate in the San Lorenzo pilgrimage to the virgin of Lujan and returning by noon. Hardly the longest journey to get to the Nuevo Gasómetro - the Peña de Salta are travelling over 1600 km or 20-plus hours to be in the stadium, which has been sold out completely. Over 39 000 anticipated local entrances. No matter the result, at the final whistle there will be a large collective gasp of air.
Sold out: No relegation or promotion can control such passion.
Rather than write my own last minute thoughts, I would rather translate some of the words of two of the thousands of San Lorenzo hinchas struggling to express themselves. Unfortunately I don't have too much time or energy at the moment, but I hope that these small excerpts illuminate the world in which my own emotions have been enveloped within.

One of the most famous hinchas of San Lorenzo is Viggo Mortenson. And by hincha, I do mean one of the hundreds of thousands who will attentively and emotionally invested in tomorrow's match. After loudly cheering the end of the San Lorenzo - Newel's match several weeks ago, Viggo was approached by Washington airport security and told to calm down. His passion leads him to contribute to a regular column, drawing widely from the storied history of the club. In his latest exchange, Viggo states his San Lorenzo:
El partido contra San Martín será emocionante, pase lo que pase, sea o no el último del torneo. Veremos si podemos ganar y después tener al menos la suerte de jugar dos partidos para quedarnos en primera. Como decís, Fabián, esperamos que nuestros hermanos y hermanas del CASLA procuren portarse dignamente en nuestra casa, canten lo que canten o digan lo que digan los del otro equipo. Tampoco hace falta recordarles a nuestros directivos, jugadores o al equipo técnico que vamos mal. Lo sabemos todos de sobra. Mi sincera esperanza es que alentemos y juguemos hasta el último suspiro como lo que somos: los más guapos del fútbol argentino.
The match against San Martín will be emotional whatever happens. Our only chance is if we win. Then with some luck there will be two more matches to see if we can stay in the Primera. As you say Fabián [Viggo's interlocutor], we hope that our brothers and sisters in CASLA carry themselves in our house with dignity, no matter what the other club may sing or say. Nor that our leaders, players or team forget that we are in a difficult time. We all know it. It is my sincere hope that through our cheers and play and till our last breath we truly show who we really are: the most beautiful in Argentine football.
Now more than ever, I am an hincha of El Ciclón.
Pablo Jelovina wrote a letter to the players, which has since been posted on the San Lorenzo club website. In his last paragraph he writes:
Y así, cuando escuches el alarido salvaje de las tribunas, vas a poder entender que ese grito de guerra lo tenés en las entrañas. Que sale de tu más profunda voracidad como una bandada de cuervos dispuesta a sacarle los ojos al destino preanunciado. Porque vos, jugador de San Lorenzo, vas a sentir que por tu sangre corre nuestra hombría, nuestra ira, cada una de las esperanzas que, juntas, suman una realidad. Porque vos, hombre hecho ciclón, podés arrasar con cualquier tristeza, si te abrazás a nuestras lágrimas de ilusión
And when you hear the savage roar of the terraces you will understand in your guts this battle cry. Enter with the profound ferocity of a murder of crows determined to gouge the eyes of their foretold victim. You are a San Lorenzo player: you will feel running through your blood our manhood, our rage, every one of our hopes that together add up to a reality. You are a man made by the Ciclón. If you embrace our tears of hope you will be able to defeat any and every sadness.
One hincha, though I suspect that there are many more, has etched onto their body their life long sentiment and commitment to San Lorezno:
I swear that in difficult times, I will always be with you.
So I wait for the gates of the Bidegain to swing open so that I can be beside and with all those who will be present with their hopes and passion.

Hasta el ultimo suspiro con todos nuestros lágrimas de ilusión somos San Lorenzo. ¡El Ciclón! ¡El Ciclón! ¡El Ciclón!

22.6.12

the true meaning of an hincha's hope


Sitting at a late-night cafe with cuervo friends, the topic of conversation has once again returned to the importance of hope and possibilities. “What more can you do? It's better to be hopeful and positive. I'd rather go to the stadium expecting the best. It's my opinion – what do I know?” states a friend. San Lorenzo has one game left to save itself. It is hard not to hear the resignation in their voices despite all efforts to find the positives. Reality, the poetic enemy of hope, for San Lorenzo is stark with their fate is only partially within their control.

An online survey by the popular mundoazulgrana.com.ar website over the past few days reveals the lack of optimism resignation of many cuervos. Most believe that San Lorenzo after this Sunday will be in one of two direct relegation spots and no possibility of salvation.

Expectations for the performance of the team have sharply dropped over the past two weeks. After an expected but demoralizing 3-1 defeat to Tigre in Victorino – the names ominous enough even before considering Tigre is currently sitting first while also carrying favour with the politicos of AFA – San Lorenzo's still was in control. Two victories in the last games would have guaranteed a fighting chance to stay in the Primera possibly even salvation. Unfortunately, the reality is San Lorenzo hasn't won two straight matches in over a year.

Last Sunday the group met under low and looming grey clouds. In Buenos Aires it is not the temperature of winter, it is the damp humidity that invades through your clothing which makes you feel cold. Little did we know, the miserable light drizzle would turn out to be a perfect fit for the 'spectacle' we were about to see. Independiente de Avellaneda vs. San Lorenzo de Almagro is supposed to one of the 'clasicos' of Argentine football. The 0-0 tie was probably the worst match I've seen this year by both teams. Standing at the top of Independiente's partially completed and ironically grafittied “¿estadio europeo?” I felt already emotionally prepared for what was to come. As we prepared for the match, the supporters seemed more concerned by the poorly placed San Lorenzo banners that blocked the view of the goal far below. And to hurled insults of “you are in the B” by Independiente, a friend responded in a moment of brain-to-mouth: “you'll join us next year!” before another friend chided him with a sardonic laugh “hey, hey, be careful what you say!”

There is not too much to say about the match itself, though a last-minute goal-line clearance after a comedy of errors by San Lorenzo may turn out to be a perfect metaphor and important moment in this year's tournament – if they stay in the Primera. As the referee blew the final whistle for the first time this year the majority of San Lorenzo's supporters headed directly to the exit without applauding the players. Mid-game as the hinchada tried to sing through the lines “todo juntos podemos, nosotros alentamos, ustedes pongan huevos” felt more like an angered plea falling on deaf ears. Sports commentaries function through simple metaphors: but It is easier to watch the team 'go down fighting' then to see resignation.

One of the most important expectations of an hincha is that their players “show their feelings for the colours” - losing comes after the indignity of watching and supporting a team going through the motions without playing with emotions. The driver of our group had threatened to not enter the stadium, earlier in the week explaining “After the Newell's game, where the players did nothing, it was the hinchada singing that basically won the match... like the song 'all together, we support and you play with guts' [my translation]... and everyone in the stadium was crying but most of the players don't feel this way. It just make me feel angry.” He nearly missed the game, dropping us off two hours before the match to avoid the murder of cuervos expected to be waiting outside of the stadium looking for extra tickets. He had given his ticket to a friend and our group entered without him. Only to see him again one hour later – how he got another ticket I'm not sure – climbing up the now half-full terraces. “Where else could I watch the game?” he said after I asked him.

It is not a cliche that such difficult moments create problems for the hearts of sports fanatics. Another friend three weeks ago spent several days in the hospital to have his arteries cleaned and missed the last two visiting matches. He'll be returning to the Nuevo Gasómetro this Sunday afternoon: “It would be worse for my heart if I was at home watching the game alone; I'd rather be with friends if they lose.” Which is not to say there is resignation to lose but the debates about possibilities and realities are beside the 'real' point.

And I think that is the feeling underlining the 'hope' for San Lorenzo fans: the need be with the club and all that it represents. There will be time later to fight over the politics of poor performances. In the past two days the ticket sales for the final match of the tournament have exploded. Yesterday there was a line-up five blocks long in the city centre office, two blocks at another location, to buy tickets. I imagine many fathers, uncles and older relatives who don't normally go to the cancha anymore will be holding those tickets, standing beside the family and friends that share their passion for their club. Hundreds, if not more, will wake early Sunday before the match to make a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Luján asking for a favour or some luck.

San Lorenzo de Almagro the club is transcending San Lorenzo the team. Hinchas are pleading among themselves through social media that difficult times need not lead to violence; to be different from the riots that followed River Plate's relegation last year.

"This Sunday, whatever happens, do not forget San Lorenzo de Almagro. The club is of the people of San Lorenzo, not the players nor the leaders; it is ours. Beyond the anger and sadness, together we will not hurt the club. Honour the San Lorenzo that we Cuervos deserve because no one else will. We remind ourselves what we think of those who destroy their own clubs. Be the example we always are. We are San Lorenzo; do not forget it"

Whatever happens on the pitch is bound to bring strong emotions for the tens thousands of Cuervos in the stadium (and many more watching on television) – elation at one more breath or great sadness – but all in the hope to share the experience with people who will understand 'what it feels like'.

28.5.12

Crying for a Victory

At the moment there are few words to explain the emotional low to high of yesterday's match. Starting the match in the direct relegation, San Lorenzo, at home, needed to win again Newell's Old Boys of Rosario - a team at the other side of the table fighting for first place. Few other clubs can claim to have 30 000 supporters when their team sits in the lower middle-half of the table and fighting relegation; the anticipation in the stadium was palpable. Newell's first goal was a deep cut into the spirit of the nearly sold out Nuevo Gasómetro. The second caused hundreds, more likely thousands, of fans to break down into tears. Those who weren't crying were left to sardonic and sarcastic comments about their upcoming chance to 'see Argentina' - a reference to the travelling to the remote teams in the Nacional B tournament. During the 15 minutes between halves it was the only defence for many against the deep depression of facing three more and final matches in the Primera.

What happened next has been described as a 'miracle' and is worth seeing the full 10 minutes of highlights:


Vindication started for the player worthy of a large share of the first half scorn; Emmanuel Gigliotti had been eating up goal scoring chances, unable to put the ball into the back of the net or run more than 10m to win it back. But for every 45 minutes of playing as a 'burro' (mule), he manages to be a striker for an all important moment. He finished with the all important first and third goals.

Carruso, the technical director for San Lorenzo, made the necessary changes during the second-half bringing on "Pipi" Romagnoli - already a Ciclón legend from 2001 and starting on the bench because of a ongoing injury - and Carlos Bueno, the Urguayan striker for defender Alvarado. Buffarini - the ongoing savoir and stadium favourite of San Lorenzo in this tournament - was dropped back into right defence but with the determination to play anywhere on the pitch that gave his team the advantage. Running up the wing, it was Buffarini's perfectly placed cross that led to San Lorenzo's second all important goal off the head of "Charlie Good".

Gigliotti's third goal seemed to come out of the force-of-will of the thousands of supporters jumping and singing in the popular section. An explosive rupture in the tension marked by "GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL" followed; I must have been one of the few within the 30 000 incapable of reacting spontaneously with a river of tears. Friends and complete strangers everywhere, except the completely silent visitor section, were huddled in euphoric embraces, and in some cases precariously tumbling piles of bodies - fear and caution not being emotions worthy of the moment. In the final 8 minutes, the united hinchada of the Butteler sang with every ounce of voice left, only becoming silent minutes after the final whistle when its thousands of vocal chords and emotional highs finally gave out. Even after the gates were opened for the local side, many could not or did not want to leave the stadium, some were still in tears 20 minutes after the match.

San Lorenzo has not been 'saved' - the religious language appropriate for a such-named team of 'suffering' - and has yet to play direct rivals in the fight against relegation: Tigre away in two weeks. A difficult match, politically and footballistically, and without Buffarini, out on five yellow cards. For now, San Lorenzo is living in a miracle but three matches remain. Everyone is as important as a cup final.

12.5.12

Autumn in Buenos Aires: San Lorenzo and Carrefour

Autumn has arrived in Buenos Aires and the clearest sign is the number of sweaters and scarves that the Porteños are wearing. Mid-day today I was the only person walking around in short sleeves - 16 degrees and quite pleasant in the sun. My Canadian reaction to autumn is "enjoy it, it's not too cold after all" for an Argentinian it seems to be: "brace yourself, it might get really cold". At this rate, Argentinians are going to wearing Arctic parkas for 5 degrees above zero.

Coming winter also means the looming end of the Clausura tournament. San Lorenzo is sitting two points above near-top of the table Tigre and direct relegation to the Primera B. Of the remaining six matches, San Lorenzo needs to win at least four - and hope that Tigre struggles fails in at least two of their matches. Just to avoid direct relegation. Right now San Lorenzo is sitting in the third last spot of the promedios while sitting in the middle of the table, the Argentine-way of deciding which teams are the worst. The promedio is the ranking the average of points-per-game of each team over the last three seasons in the Primera A. San Lorenzo's greatest difficulty is that the two teams directly above, Rafaela and San Martin, have only had one season in the A. The mathematicians among us could explain better, but the result is that each three-point win for Rafaela and San Martin is more valuable. Tigre, thankfully, has had three seasons in the A and could create history by being the first team to win the league while directly descending to the B. It is a suitable reality for football in Argentina, where something is broken if it makes sense.

Today San Lorenzo is playing Olimpo of Bahia Blanca. The yellow and blacks are sitting at the bottom of the promedios and the table; guaranteed to be spending next year in the B. After some work, the Nuevo Gasómetro will be ready to host a night match. Two weeks ago, San Lorenzo needed to host Arsenal in the middle of the day because the stadium lights had yet to be fixed following the damaging storm. Enough of the lights will be working, hopefully, tonight for a 8 o'clock kick off. And yes I'm expecting to feel the cold.

While the Nuevo Gasómetro remains 'a work in progress', and I'm not talking about the completed stands and new roof promised by current club president Carlos Abdo, the march for the 'vuelta a Boedo' and the return to the Viejo Gasómetro hit a stumbling block. A week ago Wednesday, without much of their own publicity, Carrefour opened their Av. La Plata store. The French company has been working on the site for over a year putting a new roof - one that must be mentioned appears to be easily removed in pieces - on the building.

The group behind the Legislation of Historical Restitution and the marches for the Vuelta a Boedo has been organizing a few gatherings in front of the Carrefour; I was there a week ago Wednesday when they had opened. We were about six to ten persons (San Lorenzo was playing in the Copa Argentina at the time), equal to the number of military police sent to watch over us. Carrefour avoided any promotion of the opening and in the end very few people tried to shop, a few senior citizens from close by, parents picking up their children after school, and a few cars were all that passed us by to calls of "¡Complice! ¡Militar! ¡Sangre!". All references to the military dictatorship, which forced and profited from the sale of the Gasómetro. I should say, at times I wasn't too comfortable with things that things people from San Lorenzo were shouting. Racism is everywhere and football supporters in Argentina are trained from a young age to associate the release of anger to discriminatory language. "Bolivianos, Paraguayos, Peruanos" are used as insults because immigration from surrounding countries, much like in Canada and the US, has supplied cheap labour in Argentina. Any person with darker skin entering Carrefour was labelled as from a neighbouring country and told to "Go back to your country!" Not really the things I'd like to hear or support, but reflective of a much more complicated reality within Argentine society.

Today hinchas began protesting in front of the Carrefour at 10 in the morning. Later on, I'll be part of the procession from the "Tierra Santa" to the Nuevo Gasómetro 30 blocks away for the evening match against Olimpo. Carrefour is likely to suffer hundreds of football hinchas at its front gates for every local San Lorenzo match for the rest of the season.

Autumn is in full swing; the metaphor of transition is an ominous one for San Lorenzo - both in the relegation fight and with Carrefour. But if they make the best of it, win a couple of matches and keep the pressure on the city and Carrefour, maybe winter will arrive without too much trouble.

20.4.12

Support Canada's National Team


Men's CONCACAF World Cup qualifying is entering into its next and second last phase. Canada, quadrennial failures, is preparing once again for another run. I prefer at the moment to be realistic about Canada's chances - slim - at qualifying because there will be plenty of time later for me to get caught up in the hopes and dreams and likely disappointment...

Nevertheless, win or lose, Canada's national soccer teams have some of the best fans in North America. Best in terms of being positive, proud and most of all entertaining. Known as the Voyageurs, they will show up to cheer, sing and party for the local guys and girls in red. Standing with these people is a great time - and not that expensive.

If you've only watched soccer on the television, you should get off your butt and stand - yes stand, don't be lame and sit - next to the Voyageurs. Better yet, tickets with the Voyageurs are often a steal.

The dates for upcoming qualifying matches:
June 14, 2012 vs. Honduras
Sept. 7 2012 vs. Panama
Oct. 12 vs Cuba

And the 100th CSA Anniversary Friendly vs the Yankies:
June 3rd

You can buy tickets here.

More importantly, even if you are not a big soccer fan or don't live in Toronto, there is a chance for you to participate - or at least send someone in your place. The Voyageurs have partnered with Toronto Community Housing, which has a Youth Engagement program with 800 involved youths, to offer charity tickets (right now still real charity and not tax-evasion). You can buy a ticket to the Honduras match ($20 each) for one - or MORE!!! - of these kids. Toronto Community Housing provides low-rent alternatives to 164 000 tenants in the city, people from a diversity of backgrounds. Being on the other-side of the world, I've decided to send the equivalent of my fanaticism and bought three tickets.

Send some kids now!

Teó Gutiérrez and how to play in the Libertadores

If you asked me who the next big transfer target in Argentina for European clubs, I couldn't tell you. It seems that many of the best players in the league are too old – often on the tail end after some years in Europe – or too much of a liability. Case in point: Teófilo Antonio Gutiérrez.

The Colombian is a player brimming with on the field talent and at age 26 should be reaching his peak. And playing at Racing Club, one of the 'big five', should be enough to warrant continued attention for Teó, despite a failed attempt in Europe while playing for Trabzonspor of Turkey (8 goals in 23 matches) in 2010/11. And if 2011/12 had gone like the 2011 Clausura, where Gutiérrez scored 11 in 16 for Racing, he would have once again generated interest across the ocean. It wasn't to be.

Racing, while under pressure to gain some distance for the promotion, were not only doing well but challenging for the top of the table. Gutiérrez had other plans on his mind – if not plans, some sort of thoughts that weren't related to helping. While bagging 6 goals, he mistakingly believed seven yellow and two red cards to be his real purpose on the field. The worst came in a stupid expulsion for pushing the referee during the Boca-Racing clasico. The match was the last serious challenge of Boca's undefeated championship and Gutiérrez's red card was the moment that really took Racing out of the match.



First came the pictures. In Argentina, big club players drive big expensive cars. So it was quite comical to see Teó walk out of Independiente's stadium to a common taxi, probably waved down off the street. Teó had been kicked off the bus – both literally and figuratively. Then came the news why. Following a heated argument with his fellow teammates Teó pulled out a gun, a paint-ball gun, in the dressing room. Understandably nobody felt comfortable sharing a bus with Teó.

At the same time that the Mario Balotelli experiment at Manchester City seems to be coming to an end, teams would be wise to think deeply about their ability to harness the capabilities players with known concentration problems. Racing for the moment has given up on the Teó experiment.

You would think that pulling a gun, even a paintball gun, on fellow teammates would be enough to end one's competitive career. Yet somehow, the incident appears to be a 'step up' for Teó, at least till the end of the season, because he will be playing in the prestigious Copa de Libertadores for Lanús. While not necessarily a historic powerhouse, Lanús has recently had decent form and one would think decent management.

If given such power, I would generally side on cautious and long-term management of players. To me a 'professional' footballer should respect the position and opportunities they are given, which come from the thousands of hard-working supporters who make football 'valuable' in a dollar-and-cents kinda way. Introducing the Balotellis and Teós of the footballing world into a relatively stable dressing room can be a disaster. I also find it insulting.

But from the perspective of Lanús, I presume, Teó is seen as a high quality – but relatively cheap given the circumstance – reinforcement for the Libertadores. Until now, being a smaller club has meant Lanús has had to choose between the league and the cup, electing to keep the best players rested for Libertadores ties while their league form suffered. Bringing in Gutiérrez might be a solution to this problem but comes at high risk. For the moment Lanús players have decided to welcome Teó. Hopefully Lanús, for the whole team's sake, is only giving him this one chance.

16.4.12

Occupying the Bombonera

After half a year watching football in Argentina, I've been to a many of the famous stadiums in the region: El Monumental, El Cilindro, and Uruguay's Centenario, but I hadn't been to arguably the most famous: La Bombonera – the chocolate box, as the home of Boca Juniors is named. Going to a Boca Junior match, a highlight of a lot of generally ignoranti tourist's visits to Buenos Aires, has not made it onto my list of activities. My problem is that it is very difficult to get tickets without spending a fortune. Boca benefits from being a hugely popular team that is winning, with the ability to aggressively promote its corporate image internationally. For those reason, as someone posting a comment on an Ole article noted, there are only seats in the Bombonera for “socios, turistas, y ladrones” (members, tourists, and thieves). Tickets from members are often sold to tourists, sometimes by thieves, for 200 and often more pesos; at least twice the cost of the most expensive popular tickets for other Argentine clubs. They say the Bombonera is one the experiences in world football, but for me I'd rather see All Boys play surrounded families wearing the black and white rather than in a herd of 20 tourists ushered past paid off security guards. So for all my time here, I'd not been in the Bombonera.


Until last weekend that is, I can now say I've stood, sang and celebrated not just one but three local goals in the tribuna of the Bombonera. And unlike other foreigners, I entered with my socio card. A perfect solution:
San Lorenzo was forced to play their local match against Godoy Cruz in the Bombonera after the Nuevo Gasómetro was closed for safety reasons. Two weeks ago a strong wind storm blew through Buenos Aires, living significant damage, collapsed buildings, and several people were killed. Thousands were without electricity in the poor parts of the city for several days as trees and buildings had fallen on power lines.
The athletics facilities of the Club Atlético de San Lorenzo de Almagro were amongst the most damaged, including a collapsed roof over the roller hockey and debris destroying the windows of the capilla de San Lorenzo. A young female athlete was also injured by falling bricks while training. And a large section of the visitor's tribuna was blown out:
It was decided that this damage was significant enough to force San Lorenzo away from their stadium and given the complexity of matches this weekend – the “superclasico de Avellaneda” and Huracan visiting El Monumental de River – it was chosen to host San Lorenzo in the Bombonera. No word on what San Lorenzo will be doing in two weeks, their next home match.
While we didn't fill the the Bombonera with socios, turistas and ladrones (we were missing out on many from each category), we did fill the Bombonera with a few songs from the banda of the Gloriosa Butteler.
We sang,

and sang,

and sang,

(I was somewhere above the second trapo from the left, that feel at some point in the match because of all the jumping).

I need to keep better statistics and it may be creeping bias, but I don't think I've heard any other hinchada sing as many different songs for their team. And there are dozens more, since retired from the stadium, that you now only hear sung on the travelling buses. In spanish “fuimos a copar la Bombonera”.
And for the first time, I've seen San Lorenzo win a 'local' match, coincidentally when they were not in their local. Godoy Cruz is having a difficult time likely because of their efforts to play in both the Libertadores and this championship and falling behind in both. Good for San Lorenzo, who completely dominated, winning 3-nil even with a missed penalty.
Because of the win, San Lorenzo continues to sit just above Tigre, who also won against Boca 2-1 this weekend, a spot away from the direct relegation. Every one of the last 9 matches are high pressure 'finals' for San Lorenzo, every win is a chance to celebrate:
Next Sunday, the banda of the gloriosa travels to the suburb of Banfield.
iIgnorant because many tourists often do not know anything more about Argentine football beyond “Boca Juniors”.

9.4.12

'Clasico de sufrimiento'



El Clasico de San Lorenzo - Racing no tuvo un nombre 'oficial' como "superclasico" o "clasico de Avellaneda" antes ahora. Para mi, es claro que esta noche ellos vayan a jugar un clásico de sufrimiento y esperanza. Un club tiene un nuevo técnico, el otro un técnico que pueda ir después de hoy. Los dos están muy lejos de ser campeón con intereses a mantener su posición en la A. Si San Lorenzo ganaré puede superar unos equipos en el ascenso y Racing tiene la oportunidad a ganar tres puntos importante para el año que viene.

En mi opinión Carusso es un loco, posiblemente esto es suficiente para ganar los últimos partidos del campeonato y salir (este año) del ascenso. SanLore necesita toda la suerte que no tuvo antes que hoy para hacer esto, y para mi, nadie puede seguir con su sufrimiento sin la esperanza que mañana va a ser diferente.

Y en reconocimiento de este 'clasico de sufrimiento' voy a llevar mi camiseta de Toronto FC; a ser hincha de TFC está en el diccionario bajo la palabra "sufrir".

____

Today is the "Clasico" between San Lorenzo de Almagro and Racing Club de Avellaneda. Unlike the 'superclasico' or 'clasico de Avellaneda', this clasico doesn't have a name. As I see it, tonight they will be playing the clasico of suffering and hope. One club, San Lorenoz, has a new manager, while Racing's could lose his job after tonight. Both are very far from the top of the table and are focused on staying in the Primera A. If San Lorenzo wins, they will rise in the ascenso while Racing needs the three points for next year's ascenso.

In my opinon, Carusso, San Lorenzo's new manager, is crazy. Maybe this is what San Lorenzo needs to win the final matches of the season but they need all the luck that they haven't been getting this year. They can only with their suffering with the hope that tomorrow they will be better.

In honour of the "clasico of suffering" I'm going to wear my TFC jersey, because in the dictionary below the word "suffer" is the definition "to be a supporter of TFC".


Image from: http://playfutbol.infobae.com/notas/641162-Racing-San-Lorenzo-un-clasico-de-necesitados-y-que-tendra ; http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1122548-struggling-reds-to-battle-mexican-power-santos-in-concacaf-semi-final-play

Can you 'pick' your team?

One of the most basic questions in Argentina is ¿De quien sos?, who are you from? It's a football question. In most contexts, few here will think you are asking about their parental or nationalist history, though both are deeply intertwined with football. I've tended to follow this question with a second, ¿Porque?, why?

I'm starting to realize that this might be the wrong question, or one without a very good answer. The typical response is because someone in my family, usually the father, is from the same club. I've been told that the feeling one has for your team is something inexplicable, like love. You can have 'reasons' but these do not explain why you have such a deep feeling. At least there is no systematic way to categorize how someone becomes a supporter of a team. It is something you carry with you 'in your blood', for some it is their blood. I've heard a San Lorenzo supporter defend their fanaticism by pointing out, "what colours are your blood? You have blue blood and red blood, just like San Lorenzo."

For a Canadian football ('soccer') fan, fairly removed despite the internet and television, from most of the major footballing cultures it is hard to participate in the cultural processes that make the deeply emotional experiences that many supporters feel. For a long time, small bars hosting Saturday morning Premier league games served as the small enclaves of social interaction that I'd argue is an important part of the emotional development of a supporter. Football culture is starting to open up in Canada, however, and has gone 'public' with the re-invention of professional soccer in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton and now Montreal. Previous street celebrations in ethnic neighbourhoods during World Cups and Euro Cups have also played a big part. Hopefully the national teams will also play a bigger role in the coming years.

Nevertheless, soccer is not broadly embedded into the social culture. In Canada, Who you are from? is a question about your ancestors. And if you encounter a soccer supporter who has a team in Canada, their response to my second question "why?" is a rational question that you respond to with reasons. Recently, on the Footy Blog journalist Richard Whittall provided a "Guide on How to Pick a Football Club", advising you on the criteria that you can use to 'pick' a European team. Whittall suggests you can pick a team based on a moment of glory, results, team history, or personal ancestry; and support local (don't be a snob!).

It is an interesting example of how 'relevant' soccer is becoming in Canada, that people are interested in having 'my team' and reasons 'why'. The comments are interesting; a mixture trying to fit into the categories given, while a few are sublimely unreasonable: Adam @ 4/5/12 3:31pm writes "Gunner till I die!!!!!!!!!" or Johnny @ 4/8/12 3:34am, who writes:

Lazio till death do us part.
Loved them since I saw Signori wear the magical Sky blue.
I’m football crazy! Just like Giorgio Chinaglia.
Curva Nord forever!

I think these unreasonable posts 'make the most' sense to the question of "why" you are a supporter. In reflection of all the responses I've heard here in Argentina to "why", the most understandable response is that there is not a reason "why" - you just are. The same person who compared their team to love explained how he had taken eight of his nephews and children to see Racing Club play every game, bought them all Racing clothes, and in the end "only" two turned out to be 'from' Racing - as if it was determined. A few, inexplicably, turned to rivals Independiente. There is no 'reason' or explanation he told me just the feeling. When you have a team you 'know it' deep inside of you. It's a very romantic response within a world seeking 'rationality' to the acceptable response.

It forces me to rethink the question from ¿porque? to ¿como y cuando? - How and when? When did you know you were from X club? And, How did you know? If being of a team (or 'having' a team) is truly a deep feeling, as I'm pretty sure it is at least in Argentina, then the moments that make such passionate fanaticism will be meaningful and often memorable. At the very least, the next time I ask a taxi driver how they can support Boca, I'll hear more than the dull and fairly meaningless excuse "because my father was from Boca".

3.4.12

No way to celebrate a birthday

As the clock turned to midnight, a thousand or more cuervos celebrated the 104th anniversary of their club's foundation. Thirteen hours later, San Lorenzo de Almagro should have played in front of tens of thousands of more. But the dozens who were allowed into the stadium to watch San Lorenzo play to Velez Sarsfield had this view:

Adding further pain to the celebration of the historic club's past, San Lorenzo lost the match 2-nil. A disappointing (pathetic?) show for everyone forced to watch it on television.

Visiting fans from Velez had already been suspended because of a recent history of violence between supporters of the two teams, including the shooting death in 2008 of Velez supporter Emanuel Álvarez en route to a San Lorenzo match and the death of San Lorenzo supporter Ramón Aramayo as the result of claimed police violence before last year's match.

The Asociación de Fútbol Argentino (AFA) suspended local supporters earlier last week because of confrontations between the police and dozens of persons from the platea following San Lorenzo's last home match. Those confrontations were sparked by the controversial goal decision of the referee. I would have to add, from what I've heard (I'd left the stadium before incidents had taken place), the lack of proper preparation of the police in an obviously explosive situation that led to a strong overreaction, in which several members of the San Lorenzo community who had not attempted to enter the change room were pepper sprayed and hit with police weapons.

Watching the match on television, there were periodic shots that panned the stadium, empty. Normal angled shots revealed the advertising that is normally covered by banners that proudly claim "I am here" from the various barrios and cities in-and-around Buenos Aires and from further away. In the background, each kick of the ball echoed around the stadium and the shouts from the managers could be clearly heard. As a supporter of the Canadian national teams, I've seen more than a fair share of streamed matches in front of empty stadiums (thankfully a quickly disappearing occurrence if played in Canada). But still, it was eeiry. I'd never seen many parts of the stadium empty and it didn't 'look right'.

Certainly not the best way to celebrate a birthday. San Lorenzo had a little bit of luck on the day as Rafaela, Tigre, Olimpo, and All Boys all lost their matches, meaning they didn't fall into a deeper hole on the table of average points-per-match. But a better present would have been to benefit, with a home win, and leave the descenso.

El Ciclón will have to try again next Sunday, visiting Racing Club de Avellaneda - a Easterday 'clasico' (has a North American sports-day feeling!), and under a new manager. Madelón renounced his position immediately following the loss; his charismatic passion for the blue-red not being enough. I think it is better to say I'm watching a soap opera unfold.

The birthday party that was kept to the streets and out of the stadium:

29.3.12

San Lorenzo es un equipo de sufrimiento

It is uncommon in Buenos Aires to encounter a taxi driver who does not associate with Boca or River. Not impossible: I've met taxi drivers from Racing, Independiente and even a handful from San Lorenzo; but uncommon. A taxi driver outside of the 'big five' is very rare. Taxi drivers are, at least in their football teams, representative of Argentine society.

In my first months in Buenos Aires, taxi drivers easily identified that I was not from the country (I can now give my address with a sufficient accent that their interest is not piqued). Conservation invariably reached the question: “what are you doing here?” and to football. Given the composition of taxi-drivers, I did not receive too much sympathy for my team choice. More, however, than an Argentine would.

Descriptive labelling is integral to Argentine conversation. Person's names are often replaced by ambivolent physical descriptions: “¡ey flaco!” “¿que tal gordo?” “bien bien, ¿y vos negro?” (Suaréz wasn't making up his defence from nothing, 'negro' is often used). Foreign players, and foreign immigrants, are often called by their nationality. Examples of San Lorenoz players: Ortigoza is called “el Paraguayo” and Salguiero is “el Uruguayo”. It is not always positive but unlike such labelling in North America it is also not always negative.

Hinchadas of football teams are also reduced to several descriptive labels. The most common and one of the most insulting is to say 'pecho frio' – literally cold chest, but I think cold heart is a more accurate translation. Vélez Sarsfield is the classic example – if they are losing “la gente” (people) don't go. At least that is how non-Vélez supporters see it. It may be jealousy, as Vélez has been consistently good since the 1990s. Nevertheless, for most hinchas what is worse than having a losing team is to have an hinchada that does not show its support through the 'buenas y en las malas mucho más' (in the good and in the bad, even more).

Two teams that don't consistently earn the label of 'pecho frio' from Buenos Aires taxi drivers are Racing Club de Avellaneda and San Lorenzo de Almagro – first because both are large enough to general topics of discussion. Instead most will agree they are clubs 'de sufrimiento' – of suffering – spoken with the tone of grave sincerity but approving nod of the head. In a twisted world, suffering is seen as an undesirable but admirable trait. In footballing terms, it means that people show up in the stadium to see their team lose.

And San Lorenzo is living up to its label this year. Last weekend I travelled to Rafaela, Santa Fe with buses organized by supporters – it is a seven hour trip of singing and drinking, on the way up at least. Around 600 people made the journey is a similar fashion (most from Buenos Aires and around, but others came from La Plata, Cordoba, Santa Fe, and other cities). We arrived early to pass the midday in a park. 600 cuervos eating choripan, relaxing in the autumn sun, sporadically groups launching into another song. While I heard people mention that they were nervous and anxious about the game, most came with an enduring hope that their collective presence would help lift their team.
It wasn't going to be a good result, despite pulling thousands (including many locals and people who found their own way) to Rafaela, their support was not enough to pull San Lorenzo back into the match that they briefly were leading. The 2-1 loss to Rafaela is a disaster in terms of San Lorenzo's position in the decenso; the team is within a hair (or another Tigre victory to be precise) of the direct decenso. No opportunity for redemption at the end of the season if the ciclón's fall continues.

The flow of the match has a big impact on how supporters react. I'm finding that an hinchada is willing to sing in matches that are a complete disaster (Lanús) but are disillusioned and likely to fall silent if their moment of hope is snatched away. San Lorenzo supporters walked out of Rafaela without singing, without applauding or even swearing at their players. “Why are you clapping, they don't deserve anything” someone said. Silence from thousands of people is one of the most imposing sounds.

How much suffering can people take, however, before they reach their limits? There are 12 matches to be played, the next one against the pecho frios of Vélez – still standing near the top of the table – behind closed gates. The incidents from two weekends ago led AFA to suspend local supporters. San Lorenzo supporters have a lot of potential suffering to endure – given how this team is playing and the troubles going on behind the scenes. They are not going to get any breaks; in Rafaela there was again more controversy with penalties not called in San Lorenzo's favour.

But as the bostero or gallina taxi drivers will admit, to a foreigner at least, there is an Argentine dignity to enduring suffering. I think to suffer means you do not have a cold heart, even more literally: not dead. With suffering there is passion and life, thus optimism that at the very least tomorrow and “siempre te voy a acompañar” - I will always be with you.

 Image from: http://larevistadelciclon.blogspot.com.ar/.

21.3.12

Injustice at the Nuevo Gasómetro?

Its three days after the controversial match between San Lorenzo de Almagro and Colón de Santa Fe ended in a tie. Colón scoring in the '69 minute from a potentially offside play waved off by the referee. After the match one article on Mundo Azulgrana finished:
Lo que se vivió el domingo ante Colón fue como diría Eduardo Galeano, el mundo del revés, Patas para Arriba: el que metió la mano se fue custodiado, y a los que se la metieron, reprimidos.
What I lived on Sunday against Colón was like what Eduardo Galeano wrote about in Upside Down, the world in reverse: he that did wrong was protected and those who were wronged were punished.

Undoubtably this match does nothing to abet the hincha's perspective that Club Atlético San Lorenzo de Almagro is the target of prejudice: A club regularly suffering against the injustices of authority. The narrative shared in the return to Boedo and to the stadium taken from the club by the dictatorship.

San Lorenzo needed a win against Colón to stay above Tigre, who is surging out of the promotion table. The very dangerous reality for San Lorenzo is not only that they are in the bottom four but that they may end up descending directly.

I think much worse than recognizing the need to win, for the hinchas there was also the feeling that they would win the match. Coming off two victories, a gutsy come-from behind triumph in Cordoba against Belgrano and a sloppy penalty-kick win in the Copa Argentina against Chacarita, there was some optimism. The banda had even changed its entering tune:

With lyrics like:
Hoy San Lorenoz hay que ganar Today San Lorenzo needs to win
No podemos perder We cannot lose
...
Yo dejo todo mi corazón I give you all my heart
Solo te pido salir campeón I only ask you to finish a champion

These hopes seemed realistic after Colón forward Fuertes was sent off for a hard body challenge in the 30th minute. El Ciclón had already the fair share of attacking opportunities, their chances improved greatly by going a man up in the hot afternoon sun with two-thirds of the match still to be played. More than anything else, however, finding the back of the net seems to be San Lorenzo's greatest problem. Their finishing in the box is dreadful.

It was an ugly goal but San Lorenzo found the advantage just before half. A strong strike from Kalinski ricocheted off of Colón defender Bastia into the back of the net. Underneath the rain of fire-hoses, La Gloriosa Butteler sang their team into the half-time locker room:


The 2-nil loss at home to Boca was forgotten, 4-1 in Lanús a distant memory, and in a couple of wins San Lorenzo would be out of the ascenso. In retrospect, all of the hope and good omens were only going to make what happened next worse.
In a short spell of Colón pressure coming out of the half, San Lorenzo was pushed back onto its defensive heals. San Lorenzo soaked up most of the pressure, but on a well defended attack, an innocuous blocked shot by a defenders head of would lead to a goal that has occupied sports news in Argentina for days.

From the perspective of the stands, it was impossible to understand what happened. Seeing Colón players celebrating led to an irruption of disbelief. Clearly Colón's player had been called offside by the linesman and his cross to Garcé in the middle was not serious. San Lorenzo's players had reacted to the raised flag by walking towards half, believing the play had ended. Even Garcé's tap-in was taken in the customary after the whistle style. But no whistle had been blown and the referee Abal had even wagged his finger at the linesman. Abal pointed to the centre signalling goal and was immediately surrounded by players. The stadium didn't know how to collectively react; every applicable insult and swear word was yelled simultaneously from every direction.

The goal is here:


Personally, I'm unsure about how the offside rule in this case should have been interpreted. The goal did come undeservedly against the run of play, the linesman did raise his flag to signal offside, and genuinely players from both teams did respond as if the play had ended. There is debate about how to interpret an “active” attacking player at the time the ball is passed forward, as clearly the Colón player was in an offside position. But there have been other times when a deliberate redirection by the defensive player to an offside but “unactive” attacker has not been called. A similar but different case is dealt with in #3 of You be the Ref.

What has really surprised me, however, is how the post-match reactions have failed to really pick up on two themes that are 'natural' from my North American “soccer” perspective: first San Lorenzo players did not play the whistle. Probably one of the most basic lessons any child would have heard their coach yell many many times. Second, they did not score a second goal despite playing a man up for 60+ minutes. Both of these problems I feel would have at least been raised in another cultural context to counter the sense of injustice experienced by San Lorenzo; in Argentina even in reading and listening to commentators normally against San Lorenzo these points were hardly raised.

Ending in a tie was a huge disappointment but the reaction in the stadium and after went to another level. Supporters in the normally posh Platea Norte refused to let the referees leave the pitch, throwing bottles other objects, and threats. Police with their shields were needed to escort Abal and crew off the field safely. Being in the Platea Sur, myself and friends were the most removed from the chaos and left the stadium fairly calmly. At a relative distance away from the stadium, I noticed people were focusing back onto the stadium, and that the police helicopter had come significantly closer. It was not until much later in the day that I saw the news: several hinchas of the Platea Norte had attempted to enter the change rooms.

The police response was heavy – they fired tear-gas and rubber bullets into the crowds. The populares, filled with barra bravas as well as families, by many accounts had not been involved but yet were nevertheless victims, having their eyes and throats burned by the gas. As I finish this post, the Asociación de Fútbol Argentino (AFA) is deciding whether San Lorenzo will face a two-match ban against local supporters. Supporters are already planning a march on AFA for this Friday in protest of the expected ban, with many writing: “without out hinchas, San Lorenzo doesn't play”. I'm not sure if the word ordering has the same effect in Spanish – turning the phrase from a threat into a statement of support.

It is going to be another interesting week with San Lorenzo. At the very least, next Saturday I'll be off to Rafaela (many Argentines have even asked, “where is that?”) to be with the visiting supporters.

8.3.12

Plaza de Mayo filled by Cuervos

This was the biggest march I've ever participated in - way more than all the anti-war mobilizations in Ottawa including George W. Bush's visit - and all organized by a group of supporters and members of a football and sports club. Somewhere between 65 000 (LaNacion, which buried the story) to well over the 100 000, all to hear 40 minutes of speeches and put pressure on a municipal government to take action. I'd expect some academic friends to easily make the argument "but there are things more important than a football stadium" - before anyone takes the cynical route, just imagine 100 000 people coming together, happy and energized, to participate in the political process to demand restitution from past injustices and possibilities for community in the future. It is worthy to congratulate the organizers on what all those with just political causes regularly fail to do, speak to the emotional passion that moves people to participate. The organizers proposed an idea 10 years ago and have worked, as volunteers in their own time, to make this:

I'll have more later. Hopefully an edited video from the caravan and analysis. It might take a bit of time because I'm off to see San Lorenzo play in Cordoba. For the moment: gracias gloriosa ciclón! sos tenes una hinchada sin igual, ¡que fiesta pendejo! A volver, a volver, San Lorenzo a volver!

7.3.12

Todo Por La Vuelta

On 2 December 1979, San Lorenzo played their last match at their stadium on Av. La Plata in the heart of Boedo. Known only by its popularized name “El Gasómetro”, the stadium had been built in 1916 on land bought by the founders of the club. Over the years, the massive wooden stadium, holding at its peak 75 000 people, hosted many of San Lorenzo's greatest moments and players – spectacular goals by club idol José Sanflippo, the undefeated 1968 “Matadores”. Forced to sell the stadium property during the military dictatorship, the club spent the following 14 years borrowing rival clubs' stadia. In 1993, San Lorenzo moved into its Nuevo Gasómetro, located in the close by barrio of Bajo Flores. The sentiment of the club's unjust dislodging from Boedo, however, has permanence within cuervos, San Lorenzo's hinchas. Tomorrow, March 8th, the Sub Comision del Hincha (SCH)– originally formed by a small committed group of hinchas and socios of the Club Atlético San Lorenzo de Almagro (CASLA) – will bring an expected 100 000 people to Plaza de Mayo, asking the City of Buenos Aires for one thing: to return their club to the neighbourhood of Boedo.

The campaign began over a decade ago as a small project among friends; supported by the dedicated work of club historian Adolfo Res. Res has been central in uncovering and constructing the narrative of the vuelta. As the story is now told – I do not mean to say 'ficticious' story – is that the City of Buenos Aires, under the control of the Brigadier Osvaldo Cacciatore of the military dictatorship, forced San Lorenzo to sell El Gasómetro for $900 000 with the excuse that the land was needed to connect the streets and improve circulation in the south of the city. As most football clubs, CASLA was legitimately in debt and was also told they would also lose access to city land in Bajo Flores where the club was planning on building a new sports complex if they did not accept. Four years later in 1983 not a single street had been extended; the land was sold to Carrefour – a French supermarket chain – for $8 million; an ironic 'cross roads'. Rumours have swirled about corruption and flows of money and questions about Carrefour's own role in the dirty business dealings.

By the late 1990s, hinchas of San Lorenzo began to talk about the possibility of regaining the club's presence in Boedo – particularly the property known as “Tierra Santa” where the Viejo Gasómetro once stood. Drawing upon the narratives of justice and historical memory that have combatted silence and immunity in post-dictatorship Argentina, the campaign found traction within the popular consciousness of the hinchada. In 2010, supported by legal volunteers, the SCH presented the “Ley de la Restitución Historica” (Law of Historical Restitution) in front of the legislature of the City of Buenos Aires; with the intention to return the 'stolen' property to CASLA.

Since 2007, popular mobilization has arisen as a necessary strategy to push the proposed law through the legislature. 20 000 participated in the second march on April 12 2011, then 40 000 went to the city legislature on July 5th 2011. Around 7000 got together in December to hand a letter to the French Ambassador. I was fortunate enough to participate in this march, which was unlike any other 'protest' I'd ever been to: the culture of the terraces was transferred into the streets of Buenos Aires' most exclusive neighbourhood. All for a letter! Read something like this (over course more formal): “France you have a company that has the land of our stadium, we would like it back. Please talk to them. Thank you very much, signed the hinchas of San Lorenzo”

Standing in the terraces of El Nuevo Gasómetro, you will undoubtedly be exposed to this narrative. Most songs written by the hinchada in the past few years includes at least one reference to “la vuelta”, “a volver”, or to Boedo. If you are from San Lorenzo, you are from Boedo, and your dream ('ilusión' in Spanish) is to return. The passion for the return to Boedo is undeniable, what amazes me is the people driving this campaign: those who are too young to have any memory of El Viejo Gasómetro or San Lorenzo in Boedo.

In many ways the ideology of San Lorenzo is deeply embedded within the constructed social-cultural memory of “El Gasómetro”. This memory is made, reinforced, and defined by the generation of fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and all those who make up the previous generations of cuervos. For the previous generations, the Viejo Gasómetro was a place where they learned from their father how to curse at the referee, played football under the stands, spent summer afternoons in the pool, and went on their first date.

I asked an older cuervo, “Why does the Gasómetro have such a sentimental value?” He told me, “If I closed my eyes, I could tell you exactly how it was.” Of course I asked, “How was it?” He began to describe, starting with all the club facilities beyond the actual stadium, the layout, playing football under the stands, and meeting the players such as 'El Sapo' Villar, before even mentioning watching matches from the stands with his friends. Very typical of the generation now occupying Boedo's cafes. Eventually most descriptions from those of earlier generations reaches the conclusion: My life was in the Gasómetro, every minute outside of school and home was at the club, I grew up in the Gasómetro.

Those in the 'new' generation grew up not in the Gasómetro, but hearing these stories; as most hinchas are hinchas because someone older in their family is an hincha. What is more interesting is that the 'life' of the social club that is told by the older generation figures heavily in the justification of the new generation's desire to 'return'. Returning to Boedo, in this regard, is like a time-machine. Anyone who has seen the film “La Luna de Avellaneda”, about the loss of the sports club culture in 1990s Argentina, will likely have some skeptical reservations about such nostalgia. But it is undeniable that the hincha desires San Lorenzo to have a significance more than being a football team – and they have latched onto the memory of previous generations to describe a social-cultural sports club.

Today, talking to a cuervo, this dichotomy figured heavily in his reasoning why he supported the vuelta: some see San Lorenzo as its professional team, and he wanted San Lorenzo to be his club that also had a professional football team. What is pulled through this single campaign, I believe, is the same struggle that many supporters face around the world – how to define one's passion as something 'more' than the 'business' that surrounds the professional game. For the Cuervos of San Lorenzo, the “vuelta” is both a physical and metaphoric. Regardless of individual opinions on the political possibility of regaining the property from Carrefour the marches have become the physical manifestation of the ideology of San Lorenzo: “mas que una pasión”.

For these reasons and more, thousands – maybe even 100 000 – hinchas of San Lorenzo and sympathizers will take over the Plaza de Mayo on March 8th 2012.