USA vs. Colombia: Colombian media reports?

[WHOLMAN2]

Any chance that our friend Beadling Boy can provide an English translation or two for some Colombian media reports on the match? I noticed Chowderhead posted a link in the post-match thread, but I'm not well versed in Spanish. Any and all would be appreciated and appropriately repped.

[Octavius Agustus]

Any chance that our friend Beadling Boy can provide an English translation or two for some Colombian media reports on the match? I noticed Chowderhead posted a link in the post-match thread, but I'm not well versed in Spanish. Any and all would be appreciated and appropriately repped.

Link it and I'll translate either today or tomorrow.

[Beadling Boy]

Any chance that our friend Beadling Boy can provide an English translation or two for some Colombian media reports on the match? I noticed Chowderhead posted a link in the post-match thread, but I'm not well versed in Spanish. Any and all would be appreciated and appropriately repped.

Hey Wholman. Always glad to help BS’ers with translations. However, an increased workload and travel (I just spent two-weeks in Australia), and my kids getting into the “activities” age (soccer, hoops, indoor soccer, cub scouts, instruments, etc.) has kept me from posting nearly as much as I’d like. Feel free to e-mail me anytime you need a translation and, although much harder to do lately, I’ll do my best to accommodate.

Anyway, there was not too much written in the Colombian press about this game – almost zilch. One paper, “El Tiempo” has a very small blurb, with three very short paragraphs which played down the game and simply indicated that the match only served both teams as a warm-up to WCQ’s and that coach Reinaldo Rueda took advantage to mix veteran players with young up-and-coming stars.

The only site with a significant article was the Colombian FA’s web site: http://www.colfutbol.org/noticias/index.asp?mod=det&id=647. Here it is:

COLOMBIA DID NOT KNOW HOW TO REACT AND FELL 3-0

The United States national team defeated its Colombian counterpart 3-0 in an international friendly celebrated at Titan Stadium, 30 kilometers from Los Angeles. The goals were scored by Pat Noonan (25’), Chad Marshall (33’), and Clint Mathis (66’). With that victory, the U.S. elevated its record to 15 consecutive, undefeated matches (10 wins and 5 ties). It has not lost since February of last year when it fell 1-0 against Holland in Amsterdam.

Coach Bruce Arena put together a team consisting of players from their domestic league. Missing were starters Eddie Pope and Frankie Hejduk (injuries) and their stars currently playing in Europe.

Similarly, the Colombians utilized some youth players because they did not have access to their players plying their trade in the European and Argentinean leagues.

The United States, despite the absences, maintained its traditional style of play using speed, pressure, quick attacks and rock-solid defense. From the beginning of the match, the Americans took control notwithstanding the Colombians’ distress who never had the capacity to react.

Bruce Arena commented, “The idea was to apply pressure in their half of the field in order to take the initiative and not allow them to develop their short-passing and control game. The results were very good. Also, the game served to observe several young players that will be options during the World Cup qualifying hexagonal.”

The Colombian response, after a poor first half, was the responsibility of coach Reinaldo Rueda who made several changes during the middle of the match. However, he never succeeded and, on the contrary, the United States increased their lead in the second half.

END

Okay . . . off to my son’s indoor soccer game (which I coach).

[mcontento]

What a difference a decade makes having "Rock Solid Defense" "speed" "pressure" being typical American attributes coming from the Colombians??? Could you ever imagine this 10 years ago?

[onefineesq]

What a difference a decade makes having "Rock Solid Defense" "speed" "pressure" being typical American attributes coming from the Colombians??? Could you ever imagine this 10 years ago? We didn't have the athletes to do it 10 years ago. MLS has really changed the landscape. Youngsters now have something tangible to shoot for in the realm of soccer, and the fruit of that is now coming to bear.

[FormerGermanGuy]

The United States, despite the absences, maintained its traditional style of play using speed, pressure, quick attacks and rock-solid defense. From the beginning of the match, the Americans took control notwithstanding the Colombians’ distress who never had the capacity to react.


We have a traditional style of play now... cool! :)

It was quite nice hearing about our rock-solid defense, knowing that most of our best defenders were not present. Things are looking bright.

[RUUDVN]

thank God no one got shot.

[cvilleva]

Of course no one was shot -- this was a soccer game, not a hearing at an Atlanta Court, a church service in Milwaukee or a hunting trip in Wisconsin.

[luvdagame]

Of course no one was shot -- this was a soccer game, not a hearing at an Atlanta Court, a church service in Milwaukee or a hunting trip in Wisconsin.

word!

[Sanguine]

Of course no one was shot -- this was a soccer game, not a hearing at an Atlanta Court, a church service in Milwaukee or a hunting trip in Wisconsin.

yeah because nobody has ever been shot in Colombia over a soccer game...


Of course, the stakes were a little bit higher that time.

[Chowderhead]

Guys, no one in Colombia gets shot over soccer games. People in Colombia get shot because arguments boil over and macho toughs resort to the trigger. Why? Because no one ever gets indicted for murder in Colombia.

The stadium experience there has always been calm, although "hooligan" gangs have emerged and the Medellin cartel did plant bombs in stadiums, especially in Cali, in the late 80s.

In general, Colombians are sporting people. A little triumphalist, perhaps, but sporting. I went to two of their WC games in 94 and I've been to several Colombia friendlies in the US. Sure, many would have Americanized but there's never trouble when the Paisas, Rolos and the crew are in town. Nor have I ever had any trouble in Bogotá or Medellín at a footy match.

[luvdagame]

tough for us in this country to be making jokes about people being shot over silly stuff.

[Sanguine]

Guys, no one in Colombia gets shot over soccer games.

Tell that to the Escobar family.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/world/2002/world_cup/hof/escobar/

[WHOLMAN2]

Hey Wholman. Always glad to help BS’ers with translations.

Thanks! Appropriately repped.

Hoping you will be able to provide the same quality stuff, as our next four opponents are from Latin America. :)

[Chowderhead]

Tell that to the Escobar family.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/world/2002/world_cup/hof/escobar/

You missed the point. You really missed the point. Forget it. I'd be wasting my time trying to explain myself. What the heck.

ESCOBAR WAS NOT SHOT BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THE GAME. HE WAS SHOT BECAUSE HE STOOD UP TO SOME GUYS WHO WERE GIVING HIM CRAP ABOUT THE GAME AT A BAR. THE SHOOTING OCCURED LONG AFTER THE INITIAL CONFRONTATION. IT WAS NOT AN EXECUTION. IT WAS NOT PUNISHMENT.

What is this, putz week on the boards? Wake up, people. This is getting tiresome.

[Bambule GK]

You missed the point. You really missed the point. Forget it. I'd be wasting my time trying to explain myself. What the heck.

ESCOBAR WAS NOT SHOT BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THE GAME. HE WAS SHOT BECAUSE HE STOOD UP TO SOME GUYS WHO WERE GIVING HIM CRAP ABOUT THE GAME AT A BAR. THE SHOOTING OCCURED LONG AFTER THE INITIAL CONFRONTATION. IT WAS NOT AN EXECUTION. IT WAS NOT PUNISHMENT.

What is this, putz week on the boards? Wake up, people. This is getting tiresome.

I follow the game fairly closely and I've never heard this version of that shooting.

I think 95 percent of US soccer fans are in the same boat.

[JohnR]

I follow the game fairly closely and I've never heard this version of that shooting.

I researched this once and Chowder is right. Nobody went looking for Escobar. He was hanging out in the street (actually, I think sleeping in a car) by a bar at 2 AM, didn't like being insulted by some jackasses who were mocking him, the jackasses got mad and blew him away. Not really a soccer killing, more like the kind of thing that happens around bars at 2 AM. Especially in Colombia.

[Mason16]

I follow the game fairly closely and I've never heard this version of that shooting.

I think 95 percent of US soccer fans are in the same boat.

95% of US Soccer fans can't spell Colombia, let alone knows what goes on there :D

[Chowderhead]

Thanks, John R.

I've actually been to the area where it occured, Las Palmas in Medellin.

One of my best friends in Colombia happens to be the chief magistrate for Bogota. He just so happens to be uncle to another one of my best friends who is big into sports medicine down there.

Believe me, they have the straight dope, as it were. But the real version of that story emerged not long after the slaying and was reported just about everywhere.

[Professor B]

Thanks, John R.

I've actually been to the area where it occured, Las Palmas in Medellin.

One of my best friends in Colombia happens to be the chief magistrate for Bogota. He just so happens to be uncle to another one of my best friends who is big into sports medicine down there.

Believe me, they have the straight dope, as it were. But the real version of that story emerged not long after the slaying and was reported just about everywhere.

I remember the real story being reported shortly after it happened back in '94. But I also remember it not getting much play in the media. The real story (as is often true) is just not as "sellable" to our commercial media.

Professor B