Saw this on the El Tri boards. Anyone want to translate? http://www.oem.com.mx/esto/notas/n889828.htm
"We Want to Make History" If anyone is pleased by “Gringo” Torres’ coming to the senior US national team, it’s San Luis defender Michael Orozco. Now there are two Mexican-Americans playing for the Stars and Stripes. “I’m happy that he’s part of the team. Obviously, it would have been useful to have him at the Olympics. We were together in qualification, and it was nice to share a room. In Mexican soccer we do things differently than in US soccer. Now I have someone to talk with about our experiences, and we feel comfortable with each other.” Orozco has just come from the Olympics: “We’re glad to have the option of being with Mexico or the US. We chose the latter, and honestly we’ve both been well-received. I was at the Olympics, I can’t complain about how I was treated.” They could play together in Port of Spain: “I’ve been preparing myself to be a starter in senior-team game, and I hope I get the chance in Trinidad & Tobago. Being part of World Cup qualifying is attractive, and I’m waiting to find out if the coach decides whether or not I’m going from the start.” LONG-TERM OUTLOOK Michael dreams of the moment: “I always had in mind playing with Mexico since I’m Mexican. It didn’t happen, and I had the chance of playing for the US, which has always been out there, supporting me, and now I want my first game with the senior team.” Michael wants to go further: “Being selected was always on my mind. It never went away, and the outlook from here onward is really good to grow and to go abroad like most of players on the US national team.” Now he feels supported by sharing a room, with Mexican-style tastes and customs: “It’s really different now. We chat, there’s a different atmosphere in the room. Now I have my Mexican teammate, and we talk about what happens there in soccer. It’s nice to have Torres here.” If the two play at the same time, they will make history by being the first two Mexican-Americans to play at the same time: “I hope we both start. I want us to be on the same field. We could make history. I hadn’t thought about it until you mentioned it. And do well Wednesday against Trinidad.” JOSÉ FRANCISCO "GRINGO" TORRES “I shivered with emotion.” 22 minutes into the second half, Jose Francisco Torres—with the number 4 on his back—stepped on the field at RFK in place of #15, Heath Pearce, and in that way Pachucha’s “Gringo” began to write his history as a member of the US national team. He talks here in an exclusive for ESTO, from the camp in Port of Spain, where the team will meet Trinidad and Tobago tomorrow. “I’m relaxed and really happy. Thanks to God I was given this opportunity to come on as a sub and to play with the US team.” Torres is living a dream made real: “Since I got to camp last Monday, my teammates have treated me really well, given me a lot of confidence, and when I went on as a sub, the guys on the bench said things to psyche me up and supported me. I wasn’t nervous when I went on. I was just looking to do things right, like the Prof asked me to.” “Gringo” entered with personality, looking to do his job well, and praising the team whose uniform he wore: “They’re teammates I never imagined playing with. They’re players with World Cup experience. You can learn from them. Donovan has class, plays good soccer and is really good in all aspects.” A HAPPY “GRINGO” Born in Texas and made a soccer player in Mexico, he’s very fluent in both languages: “English isn’t a problem. I practice it a lot with my mom. I get along well with the whole group. It’s been a week and a half, and now I’m used to how things work here.” In the RFK dressing room, after his debut he had some surprises: “Everybody congratulated me for my debut. They praised how I played, and they gave me a ball signed by everybody who played against Cuba in Washington on Saturday.” He’s honest about his feelings when he stepped on the field: “I felt really good. I shivered with emotion. The Americans received me with affection and respect. We were winning at home.” He had the chance to choose, which is a rare opportunity in soccer: “The opened the doors for me at the Mexican and US teams. Now I’m in the latter. I’m going to train well, try to be a starter, and to represent with complete pride what is also my country.” “Now, playing and being here, I realized how different it is to play in a world cup qualifier with a national team, and I enjoyed it. Now all the pressure I felt when everybody was talking about my decision has all been taken away. Now I should focus on tomorrow’s game and then going back to Pachuca with full force. I already saw on the internet that the Tuzos beat Santos, and we’re going up, step by step.”
Sounds like the other US players and the coaching staff handled Torres and Orozco's situation with total class. Orozco and Torres as Mexican Americans had a really difficult decision given the difference in cultures highlighted by the fierce Mexico/USA rivalry. The other US players respected that and seemed to do a great job welcoming them into the program. Good for them. It's really nice to read this.
A few shaky moments at the start for Torres, but I thought both he and Orozco played well enough to get more time sooner than later. One moment really stood out when Torres, like a conductor on stage, gestured to the team slow it down. He plays cool. The guys in Europe that aren't starting are going to be at a disadvantage as these two develop with their clubs.
I pointed that out to my dad as we watched it. The more impressive thing, guys listened to him (at least for a bit ).
Oooo, they're going to HATE Torres in Mexico for that quote. Good on both of them for making it to the Nats. Hope they continue to develop. Having Nats in MLS, England, Scotland, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Scandanavia, and Mexico will only help us with the variety of playing styles and experiences they will all get.
i suspect both play versus guatemala... looking towards 2010... onyewu and bocanegra are clearly two guys on the roster, barring injury.. suspect demerit is a clear 3rd... the battle for 4th ..there's really no clear leader... califf...parkhurst...spector...orozco all could earn it.. torres seems to be a nice 2nd option behind dmb... in fact, i'd say torres has a better chance to make a usa final 23, than does orozco... i'm looking forward to usa having torres in azteca... last time usa had a mexican there, usa drew the match... ok, guys, name that ex-mexican...
NOTE: Potentially very stupid question to follow. I've been out of the country for a bit, but I seem to recall "Gringo" being something of a nationalistic slur. Because of this, while watching the match on Gala, I was a little stunned by the continual use of "Gringo" Torres. So... is my perspective incorrect? If so, please correct it.
Was there one? The only hispanic guys on the team in that era that I can remember off-hand are Reyna (American-born of Argentine ancestry), Tab Ramos (Uruguayan-born), Marcelo Balboa (American-born of Argentine ancestry again), and Carlos Llamosa (Colombian-born). I can't think of any others.
I think Orozco is helped by the fact that the USMNT coaching staff believes he can play LB...perhaps better than any other backup for Pearce...hell, he may be better than Pearce! It's gonna be interesting to see how the lineup shakes out as all these young players develop over the next couple years. I don't think I'm off base in saying Bob will have a tough time filling out his 23 man roster for the cup. Which is great cause the roster has pretty much written itself in the past. Exciting times!
Martin Vasquez. Another thing about playing in the Azteca will be the fact that neither Torres nor Orozco will have problems with the altitude. Of course, Mexico still has to qualify for the Hex first...
"Gringo", along with "Mosquito" (think that's right) are likely nicknames given to him by his teammates. Just jokes about his place of birth and his size. I have a good Mexican friend whose nickname is Chino (Chinese) because his eyes are squinty.
I like Orozco, he seems to be one theyre grooming for the future. Im not sure if he's gonna be a 2010 guy, more a 2014 guy. He really is alot like Carlos Bocanegra, thats why i think BB likes him so much. He's not as strong in the air, but he has better distribution out of the back i noticed. Alot of his passes did connect all the way up to Adu or Altidore and of good quality that you generally dont see from Gooch or Boca. However Orozco combined with Califf showed us how valuable Gooch and Boca are at a few things; arial presence and getting the freaking ball out of danger. Gooch and Boca would have never....EVER let the ball chill in OUR OWN 18 yard box the way it did in that T&T match. Never should our defenders be bullied by forwards under any circumstances, and they were that game. Both Califf and Orozco were manhandled. Califf......just doesnt belong, its beyond frustrating he still gets called in. Orozco, i can see him being shaped like Boca but with good distribution from the back.
It's not a slur. Mexicans just have a different sense of humor than Americans. A chubby man/woman will be affectionately called "gordo/a". They aren't making fun of that person's weight. Now if he was being a called a "gabacho" that would be considered derogatory.