[BrianCappellieri]

Soccer365

BEBETO RETURNS TO VASCO FOR FINAL SEASON

1994 world champion Bebeto has signed on for one last go around with Vasco da Gama.

The diminutive, yet productive striker will end his illustrious career with the São Januário side.

[Playable Back]

interesting....but old news:
http://www.soccerage.com/en/13/g8313.html

[BrianCappellieri]

That particular article was put up the day I posted it.

[Playable Back]

Which was 3 or 4 days after the article I posted.

No matter....here's some new info on the situation.
http://www.soccerage.com/en/13/h0220.html

Appears he may be headed to Saudi Arabia.

[Norskie]

I watched Vasco da Gama and Flamengo play on Fox Sports World on approximately March 1 (it may have been tape delayed).

Can anyone give me the names of the goal scorers?

[Bandeirante]

Vasco 1 (Wellington)
Flamengo 1 (Ze Carlos)

[ruudboy]

Why does everyone hate on this team, I have a couple of friends from Sao Paulo, and they always get mad when i say i like Vasco.They are the only team i have seen with my own eyes, and i like the way they play, I even got a shirt of them.My friends have given me their reasons, I wanna hear your opinion on what makes you hate them, if you like Vasco, tell me why I shouldn't believe the hype.

All I know of Vasco is the way they play, no politics, history , no nothing, please help a brotha out.

[Ombak]

Bacalhau

Seriously though. The number one reason to hate Vasco da Gama goes beyond rivalries and tradition.

Caixa d'Agua, Eurico Miranda.

Even Vasco fans are forced to hate themselves because of these men.

[ruudboy]

Hahahaah, the Miranda guy always comes up, who are the other kats?

[eugene]

Although traditionally associated with colonia portuguesa of Brasil, Vasco is credited with being the first major Brasilian team to include blacks in the team.

The whole race/nationality thing in Rio futebol is tricky. In the 20's Vasco was kicked out of the Rio league obstensively because its players were paid, full time professionals at a time when Rio futebol was still in its "Chariots of Fire" epoch of amatuerism. Teams like Fla, Botafogo and Fluminense were very much institutions for young elites, "gentlemen" who were educated by day and weekend warriors playing in the Rio league. professionals (they are called "playboyzinhos" in today's Rio!) Was Vasco kicked out for professionalism or because of the black players?????

So two leagues were formed, with Fla, Flu, Bota and a few lackeys trailing behind. Vasco was joined in another Rio league by teams like Bangu, a club located in an industrial suburb by the same name who from what I've read was THE first team to have blacks (as early as 1905). Vasco even went out and built their Sao Januario grounds, which was the biggest stadium in Brasil prior to the contruction of Maracana. That made the "Vasco" league financially viable and eventually a peace was declared and the big clubs reunited.

Ironically, despite its aristocratic origins and earlier less than egalitarian racial attitudes, Flamengo went on to become "the team of the Morro" (favelas i.e. poor blacks).

In chapter 5 of Ruy Casto's book on Flamengo, "O Vermelho e o Negro", the 1925 season was seen pivotal to all this. The Rio league that year was seen (from Castro's flamenguista view) as a battle between the Portuguese colonialists and their mercenaries (Vasco) and the "real" Brasilian patriots and "pure" amatuers (Fla). Vasco eventually won the Carioca that year, but Fla defeated Vasco in an epic battle in Flu's Laranjeras stadium to up hold the National Honor. Castro's take on all this is certainly interesting, but i get the feeling it is a bit, eh, "selective" (i.e. revisionist) in its rendition . :-)

I could not possibly support Vasco for one reason: Eurico Miranda. This ************ bag should be behind bars (preferably in Bangu I where he would feel right at ome with all the other traficantes) just for his role iin the scandalous goings-on in the 2000 Brasilian championship final x Sao Caetano. I am quite sure there would be a million other dirty deeds on his part that added up would put him before a firing squad. Just read Alex Bello's book "Futebol: The Brasilian Way of Life" and you will see.

I imagine that Vascainos stick with the team despite Miranda out a a genetically-based loyalty (plus the fact that no club in Rio has clean hands!) But for sleaziness Miranda is in a galaxy of his own.

Eugene