NFL will find football thriving in Mexico
When the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers play at Azteca Stadium on Sunday, they’ll discover something Mexicans have known for some time: Football is alive and thriving in this country.
And that’s without the NFL.
Consider the annual Clasico, a nasty rivalry that goes back decades and pits the National Autonomous University of Mexico’s Pumas against the Aguilas Blancas, or White Eagles, of the National Polytechnic Institute.
This is Redskins vs. Cowboys, Raiders vs. Chiefs — Mexican style.
“What a game,” gasped the stadium announcer, his voice straining over the din of 45,000 fans. “And you, the fans, are witnessing history!”
Gloria Gonzalez, a 22-year-old school teacher and Pumas fan, was crying herself hoarse at the game, which her team won 37-28.
“When people think Mexico, they think soccer,” she said. “But here we are, the entire stadium full, crazy for football.”
The Cardinals-49ers game will be the first in the regular season played outside the United States in the NFL’s 83-year history.
Attempts to sustain a Mexican professional league have fizzled, but ONEFA is the country’s answer to the NCAA. The Pumas, Aguilas Blancas and 10 other teams play a nine-week schedule that draws hundreds of thousands of fans to stadiums all over the country. The champion is decided by a playoff.
More: msnbc.msn.com
Football: Mexico City to stage NFL game
merican 'tackle' football is coming to Mexico. The National Football League (NFL) announced the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers would play the first regular-season contest outside the United States on October 2nd.
If the game is well received, it could mean more NFL games played outside the United States.
The league will evaluate all of the markets that have indicated an interest in hosting games around the world, including several in Europe, Canada, Asia, according to Roger Goodell, the league's executive vice president.
Goodell spoke at a news conference to talk about the
FIFA Slaps Mexico Football with Heavy Fines for Doping
Football's (soccer's) world governing body FIFA has fined the Mexican football federation after two of its players were expelled from last month's Confederations Cup in Germany following positive doping tests.
In a statement Wednesday, FIFA said it fined the Mexican Federation more than $583,000 after Aaron Galindo and Salvador Carmona tested positive for the steroid nandrolone.
The Mexican Federation tested the players before the tournament, which began on June 15. However, the men were not expelled until June 22, after they played in Mexico's 2-1 victory over Japan and 1-0 win over
SAM DOWN MEXICO WAY
MEXICAN skipper Jared Borgetti wants to go to Bolton - and has told his club Pachuca to sell him to Sam Allardyce's side.
Bolton have bid ÂŁ900,000 - less than German clubs Hertha Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt have offered. But striker Borgetti, 31, top scorer for his country, is keen to come to England on a two-year deal and fulfil a dream. And he has such stature in his homeland he can sway Pachuca to do business.
More: mirror.co.uk
First-ever game between Mexico, Palmyra up next
Win or lose, Friday looms as a noteworthy day for the Mexico Bulldogs, who travel to Palmyra for a first-ever football meeting with the Panthers, currently the No. 8-ranked team in Class 2.
The Bulldogs, who have yet to meet a fellow Class 4 opponent this season, would find posting their first victory of the season more satisfying than just making a little history. After last weekends 27-0 loss to NCMC rival Fulton, Mexico stands at 0-3 at the varsity level, while 2-1 Palmyra is coming off its second straight triumph, a 55-6 romp over
Media group urges Mexico to help find missing writer
The international press freedom group Reporters Without Borders on Tuesday urged Mexican authorities to find a radio and newspaper reporter missing in the northern border state of Coahuila.
Rafael Ortiz, 32, was last seen before dawn Saturday after leaving the offices of the daily Zocalo newspaper in the city of Monclova, about 135 miles from Eagle Pass.
We urge the Coahuila state authorities to do everything possible to find Ortiz quickly and to alert the new prosecutors office that specializes in attacks on the press, the New York-based media watchdog group said in a
Sports
Cuauhtémoc Soccer Stadium
Puebla has one professional soccer team, "La Franja". The biggest soccer stadium in the city, "Cuauhtémoc", which seats 45,000, was built in 1968 as a second soccer field for the 1968 Olympic Games. Matches for the 1970 and 1986 World Cups were also played in the Cuauhtémoc Stadium.
Puebla has two professional baseball teams, "Pericos" and "Tigres". Puebla, along with Monterrey, has the best baseball teams in the Mexican League.
Puebla, through the conurbated area of Cholula, has one professional American football team, the "Aztecas" of the Universidad de las Américas. The Aztecas have won the championship three times
Korea Beats Football Legends Mexico 1-0
The South Korean football team finished up its overseas training on a high note with a victory over FIFA sixth-ranked Mexico. Lee Dong-gook was in luck 15 minutes into the friendly at Los Angeles’ Memorial Coliseum, netting the winning goal in the 1-0 game. Korea dominated for most of the match, but out of the multiple scoring opportunities allowed by the Mexican defense, Korea was only able to convert one.
This victory comes four years and eight months after Korea’s last win over the formidable Mexicans, a 2-1 triumph at the Confederations Cup in
Goalkeeper Rogerio penalty gives Sao Paulo win in Mexico
Sao Paulo goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni converted a late penalty to give the defending champions a precious 1-0 win away to Guadalajara in the first leg of their Libertadores Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
Rogerio scored in the 85th minute to put the Brazilians in command after substitute Aloisio was hauled down by Francisco Rodriguez.
Guadalajara goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez tried to put his counterpart off by wobbling at the knees and jumping up and down, but the Sao Paulo captain sent him the wrong way and slotted the kick into the bottom left-hand corner.
It was the
Mexico hit by new naturalisation row
Mexico's national team has been hit by another row over naturalised players after coach Ricardo La Volpe said he was interested in the services of Argentine-born midfielder Walter Gaitan.
La Volpe already has two naturalised players in his squad -- Brazilian-born midfielder Antonio Naelson and Argentine-born foward Guillermo Franco -- and the subject has split Mexican football down the middle.
Critics are especially angry because La Volpe has overlooked Mexican-born midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco and striker Adolfo Bautista, who many feel deserve a place in the squad.
The volatile Blanco, in particular, is regarded by
NFL seeks Hispanic demographic as sport grows in Mexico
By Kent Somers, The Arizona Republic
The NFL is the monolith of professional sports leagues, so powerful in its hold over fans and sponsors that it's hard to imagine that it could grow in popularity.
Yet that's the plan, and a chief target is Mexico and the Hispanic market in the United States.
The NFL sees those markets as vital to continuing the phenomenal growth the league has enjoyed over the past 50 years. That's why NFL officials view the Arizona Cardinals' game against the 49ers in Mexico City on Sunday as
