Colin Clarke is "a bit of a racist" and more idiotic insights from the Observer

Discussion in 'FC Dallas' started by SoccerX, Jul 14, 2005.

  1. SoccerX

    SoccerX Member

    Dec 19, 2001
    Republic of Texas
    And other choice observations of FCD.
    Mario Torres is the focus but his story becomes secondary to Burn/FCD bashing by Armando Pelaez and others.


    http://www.dallasobserver.com/Issues/2005-07-14/news/feature.html

    Receiving scant attention is the fact that our ethnicity is winning.

    Screw the Latinos if they can't see the beauty of a team with:
    a ghetto kid
    a mick
    a grey haired GK
    a Finn
    SIX, count 'em, SIX Texans.(Five of whom have started first team games this year)

    Fact is, Mario just ain't good enough- either here or in Mexico.
     
  2. wcharriscpa

    wcharriscpa Member

    Arsenal FC
    Dec 26, 2000
    Austin
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Colin Clarke- "...a bit of a racist."


    Thanks for reminding me that I've been meaning to add this to my signature. What a great friggin line! Was it Greg Elliot who said this ("Our ethnicity is winning..."), and is that the exact quote? I don't remember the context. I tried hunting it down a couple months ago, but no luck.

    A little help please?
     
  3. 3rd Degree

    3rd Degree Member

    Feb 6, 2000
    Dallas
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Colin Clarke- "...a bit of a racist."

    It is a bit of a slogan or mantra for GE, he said it about five times that I can recall in "public" situations, but has said it many more in other convertaions and interviews.
     
  4. Balonpie

    Balonpie Member

    Apr 27, 2004
    Scenic Carrollton
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Colin Clarke- "...a bit of a racist."

    good read... I'm all for El Gato....

    What I learned most was how dishonest some of leagues in which El Gato played were. Paying players, playing in up to five teams in the same league. I would not think that these leagues are sanctioned by the Feds...Too bad they could participate in OPEN Cup competition.
     
  5. 3rd Degree

    3rd Degree Member

    Feb 6, 2000
    Dallas
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Colin Clarke- "...a bit of a racist."

    FYI, if you recall the 10-0 reserve game win against the Greenville League All-Stars the other day... That was the league Mario came out of.

    Which is all you have to say I think about the idea there are better players in all the hispanic leagues than in MLS.

    see USA, Chivas.
     
  6. Kevin Lindstrom

    Oct 28, 2003
    Dallas, TX
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Dallas Observer article

    Wow - what a great article.

    No, I'm not being sarchastic. Frankly, I think the title of the thread should be changed. If you read the whole thing, it goes into great depth about the team and gives everyone a fair opportunity to talk.

    Sure some of the Latin locals pop off, but when it comes down to brass tacks, Oscar says this:

    "You know what happened with Mario?" Pareja says. "He came to me on his first day and he said, 'I've never practiced with a serious team.' He had never practiced where it was organized and you do it every day. He said, 'I saw practice as a recreational thing.' I was like, 'How can that happen in this country? How can that happen when you have this talent?'"

    Pareja is unsparing in his criticism of Torres. "He has to speed up his game a little bit. He has to play with more intensity. He has to become stronger physically. He knows the game, but he has more to learn." But the veteran from Medellín is just as confident in his final assessment. "I think he's learning quickly and he's going to get his chance, because the coaches like him. I know he's going to make it--but if you had asked me three months ago, even two months ago, I wouldn't have been sure."

    And then this paragraph from Juan Garcia, with LRL:

    True, Garcia doesn't speak for everyone, a fact of which Torres is well aware. "There's a lot of Latinos that think the MLS is crap, that think there are better players on these local teams than there are in the MLS," he admits. "I'd tell them, 'Come see him in practice. Get on the field and try to do what he does. You can't.'"

    And that, boys and girls, is the truth.

    It is a very very detailed article. Part of me thinks that GE should have had a bit more to say (he is only quoted in one paragraph, and that one is explaining what was going on with the Hispanic community in the history of the team - not real complimentary of the situation) and Andy Swift should also have been able to give a few thoughts, but no article is perfect.

    But bottom line - don't paint this article as a bash of Clarke or the team. It is just an article that gives everyone a chance to say their piece.

    Emotionally, I'm sure many of us wish that it had taken a strong support of Clarke, but you know what? The people that have open minds will read the article and see what Oscar and Juan had to say. The people that have already made up their minds will read the other idiots who say MLS is crap, etc., and have a self-validation moment.

    We all know that Clarke isn't a racist. Neither is GE. And the people who say they are are wrong. All you have to do is look at Ruiz, Mina, Alvarez, Oscar (come on people, if you know soccer you know he doesn't have much left in the tank - those who say otherwise are deluding themselves), etc. Sure, this isn't the heyday of Vaca, Martinez, Zarco, etc., but so what? It is a US team. You're not going to have Hispanic numbers that high all the time.
     
  7. wcharriscpa

    wcharriscpa Member

    Arsenal FC
    Dec 26, 2000
    Austin
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Colin Clarke- "...a bit of a racist."

    Great article in that it very clearly delineates what seems to be a popular mindset of the latino community with respect to the quality of the team and its players. Reminded me of the guy (can't remember his name) who used to argue (some would have said 'trolled') on the boards (or maybe it was back in the days of the Burn e-mail group?) the merits of replacing Dir with a Mexican coach -- any Mexican coach. And replacing the players with Mexican players. Looks like that mindset continues to exist.

    My question would be something along the lines of: If an FC Dallas team (one not composed of a significant number of latinos) plays quality soccer/football, will it ever be recognized as such by the hispanic community at large?
     
  8. Kevin Lindstrom

    Oct 28, 2003
    Dallas, TX
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Level of play in MLS

    Yeah - those in the article who whine about being dissed by FCD seem to keep ignoring the fact that their players simply aren't good enough. They have had their chances, and all but Mario has failed.

    That isn't to say they should stop trying. Certainly not. And personally I hope they develop the infrastructure that their innate talent can in fact be good enough to go into MLS. (See the quote from Oscar about Mario and his prior training - if he is talented enough to make the reserve team without the right training, imagine if he DID!)

    But for them to say that the FCD FO or coaching staff isn't giving them a fair those is a crock.

    I'm just glad that the conversation is happening. It will take time, but as long as both sides keep working, I think it will pay off for everyone.
     
  9. Kevin Lindstrom

    Oct 28, 2003
    Dallas, TX
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Colin Clarke- "...a bit of a racist."

    I agree completely - and that mindset isn't going to go away overnight. It is going to take years of competition and hard work. But you see that happening in CDC - they are learning the hard way that you have to work to win in MLS. Hell, they had to work to beat a lower division team last night.

    And the local Hispanic soccer folk will (apparently) continue to try to promote their players. And I say "Great"!

    As for the average Mexican/Mexican-American soccer fan who supports Mexico over the US (most other S and CA fans seem to be able to embrace MLS), maybe their arrogance regarding US soccer in general will keep them from seeing MLS for what it is, which is too bad.

    But at the end of the day, MLS/FCD/Clarke is not racist. If anyone is being racist, it is them. But why worry about it? Move on. Embrace those willing to embrace us back. I'll take Carlos Ruiz over any Mexican forward, period. (Sure, Borghetti is damn good, but he isn't as clutch as Carlos).
     
  10. Stan Collins

    Stan Collins Member+

    Feb 26, 1999
    Silver Spring, MD
    Re: Colin Clarke- "...a bit of a racist."

    It was indeed a fascinating window into the level of self-delusion going on in the amateur latino leagues as to their own level of play vis a vis MLS. Even more fascinating is that it manages to persist despite drubbings like the 10-0 referred to above.
     
  11. ElJefe

    ElJefe Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 16, 1999
    Colorful Colorado
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Colin Clarke- "...a bit of a racist."

    And this is why I think that the article was crap.

    The author gave plenty of inches to the local Hispanic league heads to try and sell their crapola about how FCD is crap, that they've got better players, and worst of all, the completely disgusting charge that Colin Clarke is racist. But when it came time to give the other side of the story, like how the Burn and FCD have a history of blowing those Hispanic all-star team out of the water, nothing.

    It was a piece with an agenda and it sucked. For all the complaining about how the local TV sports talking heads or the local newspaper hacks giving the Burn or FCD unfair coverage, why has there never been any sort of scrutiny of the Observer? In the 10 seasons that this team has been around, they have never written anything about this team that was not negative. They've never included Burn or FCD game in the local "event around town this week" section, even though they'll list all the frisbee golf tournaments or whatever.
     
  12. ElJefe

    ElJefe Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 16, 1999
    Colorful Colorado
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Dallas Observer article

    Holy crap.

    I could not disagree with you more.
     
  13. ElJefe

    ElJefe Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 16, 1999
    Colorful Colorado
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Thread title changed.
     
  14. Kevin Lindstrom

    Oct 28, 2003
    Dallas, TX
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Dallas Observer article

    Well, a bit of perspective here.

    When I saw the thread title, I thought it was going to be an article full of piss and vinegar and nothing else.

    I'm not saying they didn't give the yahoos a medium to say stupid things. But instead of not commenting at all, or talking to someone who would have little if any cred within the Hispanic community, they talked with Pareja, and he said the right things. And they talked to Juan, and he said the right things.

    Sure, I wish that Greg, Colin and Andy had had their say, and yeah, they probably could have done a more clear job of how bad off the difference is.

    But as I quote above, Oscar said it right - Torres, the best of the local Hispanic leagues, isn't good enough, but that he is trying and improving and the coaches want him to improve.

    I'll take that over what I was expecting any day of the week. It isn't as if GE et al don't have their own places to voice their opinions on the subject.
     
  15. subbuteo

    subbuteo New Member

    Dec 17, 2002
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Dallas Observer article

    Clarke is also a homer, too, because Valakari just made the all-star team.
     
  16. ElJefe

    ElJefe Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 16, 1999
    Colorful Colorado
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Dallas Observer article

    As well he should.
     
  17. Kevin Lindstrom

    Oct 28, 2003
    Dallas, TX
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Dallas Observer article

    Where did you see that?
     
  18. asflagg

    asflagg Member

    Sep 6, 2003
    This thread reminds me of the good ole days when Bayardo was around.

    Speaking of which, I wonder if Bayardo continues to go to the Dallas games? Wonder what he thinks of Chivas USA? Must be really disapointed.
     
  19. Kevin Lindstrom

    Oct 28, 2003
    Dallas, TX
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  20. wcharriscpa

    wcharriscpa Member

    Arsenal FC
    Dec 26, 2000
    Austin
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That's him! That's the guy the article reminded me of.
     
  21. Kevin Lindstrom

    Oct 28, 2003
    Dallas, TX
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Actually, I bet he is sitting back and enjoying things. If he really loves the shirt as he said he did, how can he not? ROB is playing his kind of game, Mina is a diamond in the rough, Ruiz (when playing) is just a monster, and Alvarez has shown improvement.
     
  22. burning247

    burning247 Member+

    Liverpool FC
    England
    Sep 16, 2000
    Dallas
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    yea Clarke doesn't know what players to pick, thats why we're the best team in the league :rolleyes:
     
  23. soccercptn

    soccercptn New Member

    Aug 9, 2000
    Plano
    That is such a frustrating article to read. Can we start a poll of who is most annoying - the Eurosnobs or the Latinosnobs?

    I just sent a scathing, well informed email to the writer of the article, stating these facts:

    - Comparing latin american soccer to Brazil or Argentina is night and day. Argentina and Brazil play a physical game. Ronaldinho is not a 5'6 140 lb stick figure.

    - The reason that the US has dominated Mexico is because we are a faster, tactically stronger, physically stronger, more athletic team.

    - The reason Landon gets marked out of games with European teams is because he is 5'8, 148. Mexico doesn't have anyone big enough to mark out his skill, so he dominates against them. Size does matter in international football.

    - If MLS had a bunch of 5'8, 130 defenders running around, players like Torress and Nunez would be all-stars. But we don't. And so they aren't. Plain and simple.

    - As a coach, if you have great ball skill, a strong understanding of the game, and great practice habits, but don't have a strong physique, I will still bring you in for a look. If you have great ball skill, and a strong physique, but lack a tactical understanding, I will bring you in and see how quickly you learn. However, if you have great ball skill, but don't combine well in short game, don't have a strong tactical understanding of the game, are undersized, lack speed, and don't have good practice habits, I ain't bringing you in. And that describes most of the great players in the hispanic leagues.
     
  24. wonko389

    wonko389 New Member

    Oct 11, 2004
    jax, fl
    Colin Clarke is doing a damned good job of putting a team on the field that not only wins games but is fun to watch. They have the best record in the league, and plenty of Latinos starting. I think this Torres kid is probably like a lot of the latin weekend players who would rather do something really pretty than score a goal. I really cant stand playing pickup games with people who have really good ball skills but would rather try to dribble through someone than to pass to the open man. I hope I dont come off as a racist, it just seems that happens more often with latin players.
     
  25. burning247

    burning247 Member+

    Liverpool FC
    England
    Sep 16, 2000
    Dallas
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England

    *cough cough* Ramon Nunez last night *cough*
     

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