Selling A Quality Product

How Lotto and Eurosport get away with selling this shirt I don't know. For the record, it's Colombia, not Columbia. Look it up.

Lotto Colombia T-Shirt [Eurosport]

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El Che

As Lefties around the world payed their respect today on account of the 40th anniversary of Ernesto Guevara's death, it doesn't hurt to look at the connection el Che had with soccer. Well before he met his demise in the little Bolivian village of La Higuera, Guevara not only enjoyed playing soccer, but rugby as well.

During his famous travels through South America, retold in his book "The Motorcycle Diaries," he recalled a story of a stop in Leticia, Colombia. It was there in 1952 where, playing between the sticks for local side Independiente, he saved a penalty.

Today, 40 years after his death, his soccer-playing days are remembered in Jesus Maria, Argentina. It is in this small town, just over 30 miles from Cordoba, that amateur soccer club Social, Atletico y Deportivo Ernesto Che Guevara play their home games. Having been founded less than a year ago, they play in the Colon regional league, and are bottom of the table.

With a newly appointed coach, the hope is that they can climb up the table and make a name for themselves. Though that might not be very realistic, the club strive on by recalling one of Guevara's more famous quotes: "We're realists, but we dream the impossible."

El Che y 10 más (in Spanish) [Olé]

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Colombian Fans At The Copa America

The best thing about Colombia's appearance in Venezuela: the top-shelf beauties up in the stands.

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WTF?

Talk about muddying the waters. Sepp Blatter now says that FIFA will allow matches to be played at altitudes above no more than 3,000 meters (9,840 ft.). This amends the previous limit of 2,500 meters (8,200 ft.), which was implemented just one month ago. The big cheese had this to say:

This turned out to be a huge political discussion on a subject that was solely aimed at protecting players' health. We do not want to keep people from playing football at altitude ... (but) we do not want casualties on the field.

The new ruling would allow Colombia to play in Bogota and Ecuador to play in Quito. But for Bolivia and Peru, there's nothing left but to continue citing CONMEBOL's own medical panel who insist that playing at altitude causes "no major problems" provided there has been a period of acclimatisation.

Let's see if Peru ignores the ruling by playing their World Cup qualifiers in Cuzco, a mountain town situated 3,400 meters (11,155 ft.) above sea level. Now that would be pretty cool.

FIFA eases altitude restriction [Denver Post]

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Oh Freddy, Where Did It All Go Wrong?

One of Colombia's all-time greats, Freddy Rincon, has been arrested in Brazil under suspicion of laundering drug money. Panama is looking to extradite Rincon after his name came up in an investigation centered around international drug trafficking and money laundering. The money supposedly belongs to a narcotraficante from Colombia, Pablo Rayo Montano.

Montano was also taken into custody in Brazil, though that was in an operation led by the U.S. a year ago. Rincon has been trying to convince anybody who'll listen, that although he's known Montano since they were kids, he had no idea his childhood buddy had anything to do with illegal drugs.

It's a sad state to see Rincon in, it seems like just yesterday that he was playing in the great Colombian side of the 90s. I'll never forget watching him score the last minute equalizer against the West Germans at Italia '90 or taking part in the historic 5-0 win over Argentina in Buenos Aires to qualify for USA '94. What a sad ending to a career that brought so much joy to my Colombian household.

Former Colombian national team captain Rincon arrested in Brazil [International Herald Tribune]

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Time To Pay Up

Ex-Middlesbrough forward Hamilton Ricard has been sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of $134,000 for causing the death of a pedestrian in 2002. The Colomibian, with 21 caps to his name, was speeding in Valle del Cuaca when he hit four people with his car. The second man sustained serious injuries in the accident.*

Ricard has had a checkered career, playing for (at least) eight clubs, and having numerous off-the-field problems. The same year as his car accident, he was banned for twelve months for attacking a referee and making obscene gestures to the crowd while playing for Ecuadorian side Emelec. He currently plays for Danubio in Uruguay.

Ricard sentanced to three years in prison (in Spanish) [TyC Sports]

*Correction: I originally posted that Ricard had hit two people, he actually hit four. Apoligies for the mistake.

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If Mexico Had Two Stabs At It In 16 Years...

Why not the United States having a go twice in a span of twenty years? For any fan of the game looking forward to the World Cup being hosted by Brazil in 2014, here's a bucket of cold water for you. Money quote:

"There are three principal areas where progress will have to be made.

The obvious one is stadiums. Brazil does not currently possess a single stadium good enough to stage a World Cup match. This, though, is the least of its problems.

The stadiums can be built in the time available. More worrying are the other two areas, infrastructure and urban violence.

According to Brazilian sociologist Helio Jaguaribe, 'it is more dangerous to circulate in Rio or Sao Paulo than in the conflict zones of the Middle East. Our major cities will soon become ungovernable and a terrified population will seek fascistic solutions.'

He predicts that, 'the national viability of Brazil will collapse, if nothing is done, in not more than ten years.' He calls for 'a massive programme of urban reform.'"

Makes you wonder what Sepp Blatter's pie hole will be saying next November when the final decision is made on a host. With Colombia having no real chance of hosting, my guess is that the decisive date will be put off all together, to a date where Brazil can actually show it has it's shit together. If not, we could be seeing automatic qualification for the U.S. in 2014.

Time is running out for Brazil to bring the World Cup home [BBC]

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Riding High

Cucuta Deportivo's coach Jorge Luis Pinto, center, was carried off the field by his players after winning the Colombian championship in Ibague, Colombia. Yesterday's draw against Tolima secured the club's first ever Primera A title, not bad for only having just won promotion from the second division in 2005.

This will surely have been bittersweet for Pinto as he now leaves club soccer behind to take over the Colombian national team at the beginning of the year. Let's hope some of this Cucuta magic rubs off onto Pinto's new team.

In other Colombian news, the president of Brazil's FA has responded to the news that they would be having some competition in their bid to host the 2014 World Cup. Ricardo Teixeira had this to say to Sao Paulo newspaper O Estado:

"Let them come in with a bid. They have every right to to join the discussion. We will take our next step in January when FIFA sends us a calendar with deadlines concerning the bid. As far as government assistance goes, I don't want it. We will do all of it through private financing, except of course any improvements needed to roads and infrastructure."

I have my doubts about that last line. If you've seen today's news, you'd have to say that Colombia's chances of hosting are closer to none than slim. All will be known next November when FIFA is slated to make it's final decision.

Cucuta make history by winning Colombia title [The Guardian]
Colombians bid for 2014 World Cup [CNN]
Brazil Backed To Stage 2014 World Cup [Sportinglife]

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Colombia Finally Finds Their Man

After months of searching for the "ideal" candidate, the Colombian FA finally made it's choice to head the national team: Jorge Luis Pinto. He was brought before the press yesterday, saying all the right things about how happy he was and that this had always been his dream job. Pinto, about to turn 55, is currently the head man at Cucuta Deportivo. He currently has them in the finals of the Colombian Clausura playoffs, set to face off against Tolima over two legs starting on Sunday.

Pinto plans to hit the ground running on Thursday, the day after the second-leg of the finals. During his press conference, he made it a point to say that his main objective was to qualify for South Africa 2010. Not wanting to send the wrong signals, he cautioned by saying, "I don't mean to disparage the importance of the Copa America, it's a very important tournament for Colombians."

The new national team boss has coached the Costa Rican national team, six different Colombian club sides, a club from Costa Rica and another from Peru. While the speculation was that the FA might replace outgoing coach Reinaldo Rueda with a foreigner (Marcelo Bielsa was the rumored frontrunner), the backlash about not hiring a local grew louder and louder as the search ran on. In the end, they decided to play it safe hoping that Pinto could bring the country some respect after having not played in a World Cup since France '98.

Colombia hires Jorge Luis Pinto to lead national team [International Herald Tribune]

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How To Get Suspended, #263: Titty Twister

It can be a lonely existence out there for a linesman. They have to worry about getting the offside rule right, coins tossed from the stands, keeping EPL managers from each other's throat, and, evidently, pinching.

After this incident and the resulting suspension, game officials in Colombia have been advised to be on the lookout for any future transgressions. Topping the list were: wedgies, noogies, and indian burns.

Colombian player banned for pinching linesman [Guardian UK]

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El Pibe Wants A Local

Add one of my boyhood idols to the long list of people that don't like the idea of a foreigner coaching their national team. These types always come out of the woodwork when names start to be thrown around for who to hire to lead the national team.

After watching them barely make a ripple at France '98, Colombia haven't sniffed a World Cup appearance since. They won the 2001 Copa America, but they had two things going for them: 1) they were the hosts and 2) because of political reasons, Argentina didn't participate. Having Colombian coaches hasn't help matters much these last couple of years.

Because both of my parents are from Colombia, I've always had a soft spot for los Cafeteros. Looking back, September 5, 1993 will be a day I'll never forget. Watching at home with my family, we couldn't believe our eyes as a Valderrama-led team walked into el Monumental in Buenos Aires and roasted Argentina 5-0, consigning los Albicelestes to a play-off with Australia for one of the last tickets to USA '94.

If it means a more competitive side that can vie for continental honors as well as qualify for the World Cup, I'm willing to see the team under the guidance of a foreigner. If you have a different opinion on the matter, let's hear it.

Valderrama says no to a foreign coach [Guardian UK]

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