Chicharito & Family

You might be wondering what that young
boy on the left is doing running next to Manchester United star striker Dimitar
Berbatov. Truth be told, this is no promotional picture; that “young boy” is
Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, 22-year-old Mexican Man Utd striker known
both for his very quick, goal-scoring touch and for his unusually supportive
and close family. Both his father, Javier “Chicharo” Hernández, and his
grandfather, Tomás Balcázar, were professional football (soccer) players in
Mexico, and they together with the rest of the football-crazy family have
played an extraordinary role in helping young Chicharito achieve success above
and beyond anything they expected. A few facts about his family: Chicharito’s
father quit his job (after he was refused leave) in order to watch his son play
for Mexico at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. When Chicharito was signed by
Man Utd last April, his entire family moved from Mexico to join him in England
as what promises to be an incredible career kicks off. Chicharito often tells
the press how important his family has been in the shaping of both his finesse
and his character in the game: patience, hard work, and keeping a steady head during
bombardment from the media are a few among many aspects with which his family has helped
him. One rarely hears in the world of football of such a relationship
existing between a star like Chicharito and his family, and I commend the Hernández
family for it. Read an interview with his father and
grandfather here
N.B. This sports section is NOT going to be come a Man Utd fan blog – we will be writing about other teams/athletes in the future.

Ryan Giggs: Hero On and Off the Pitch


by T.A. ’13

Monday night concluded Act 1 of the biggest period in the English Premier League this season, with Manchester United defeating Arsenal FC 1-0. The game featured some of the biggest names in English football, including one infamous Wayne Rooney; however, perhaps less well known that day (although not to real soccer enthusiasts), was the evergreen midfielder Ryan Giggs.

In an age where the British tabloid media literally stalks players, looking for and often finding scandal, Ryan Giggs is a truly refreshing star. Giggs burst onto the scene in the early 1990s, when he helped Manchester United win the Premier League in 1992. Since then, he has played a crucial role in all eleven Premier League Championships, two Champions League trophies, and numerous other awards that United have garnered. More important than the accolades, however, is Giggs’ impeccable conduct on and off the pitch. In 64 games for his home country of Wales, Giggs has collected only two yellow cards, and one red, and has less than 40 yellow cards (and no reds) in 851 appearances for Manchester United: unbelievably low numbers for those acquainted with the dirty play of today. One can unquestionably say that on the pitch, he is a true gentleman.

His exemplary behavior extends to his life off the pitch as well; in an arena where players like Cristiano Ronaldo, aforementioned Wayne Rooney, and Frank Lampard have been under consistent criticism for pursuing sex in extramarital situations, the tabloid press gave up their attempts to pin something of that sort on Giggs back in the late nineties. While he and his now-wife did in fact have children before they were married, they have been happily married for over a decade, with no reason for fans to think that that will change anytime soon.

Giggsy, as United fans affectionately call him, has shunned the limelight since 1997 or so, and is well and truly a family man. Perhaps he hasn’t lived perfectly (who has?) but in comparison to stars like Brett Favre and Ben Roethlisberger (American football) and Kobe Bryant (basketball), Giggs is a tremendous role model for young people in how to conduct oneself in the public arena.

Continue reading Ryan Giggs: Hero On and Off the Pitch

Are Soccer Players Fair Game for Objectification? (Part II)

5255-Philipp_Lahm_after_goal-thumb-250x226-5254.jpgThis is the fourth and final post in a series about the 2010 World Cup.

Several days ago, I outlined the problem of physical objectification, specifically in the context of the “ogling” that became something of an international pastime during the World Cup, and criticized the arguments that some proponents of this behavior had offered in their defense. I would now like to give a brief treatment of the question that naturally follows, i.e. whether it is possible for us to express our admiration for these athlete’s bodies without falling into the trap of physical objectification.

For it does seem too extreme to say that we need to strive to become unresponsive to the attractiveness, strength, and beauty of those around us in order to minimize the chances of physical objectification. Rather, one might protest, we should be at least be able to admire these athlete’s bodies from an aesthetic point of view, the way one might appreciate Michelangelo’s David, or state with an air of scientific observation, “He is objectively hot.” Could we even relax those standards further and allow ourselves to say, “Check out those abs!” while claiming, “I’m just appreciating a healthy, athletic body, that’s all!”

I would answer: yes, depending on the attitude and intention of the first type of exclamation and the sincerity of the second. It may be possible to “objectively appreciate” an athlete’s physical attractiveness, but it only takes a small step in the wrong direction to stop thinking of that athlete as a person and start thinking of them as an attractive body to make raunchy comments about and drool over. The solution, I think, is something of a mental balancing act: when you find yourself visually focusing on someone’s awe-inspiring six-pack or gawking at them as a whole, keep reminding yourself that this is a living, breathing person with the dignity of the individual. While holding those two different attitudes in your mind’s eye, bring them into an equilibrium that will keep not just your vocal comments but also your thoughts respectful of that person. It is important to note that even without the element of sexuality, one can begin the process of reducing a person to their physical appearance, judging them based on their weight or the attractiveness of certain body parts. This is not something that we only have to worry about with gorgeous celebrities and athletes on our TV/computer screen – this is a balance we need to strike with our significant others, co-workers, and even strangers on the street.

It is a fine line to walk between appreciative admiration and dehumanizing objectification, but that does not mean we can ignore it. The goal line on a soccer pitch is relatively narrow, but, as the World Cup has shown, this does not stop a global obsession with getting the ball on one side of the line rather than the other.

Are Soccer Players Fair Game for Objectification? (Part I)

5172-andres.iniesta-thumb-250x231-5171.jpgThis is the third in a series of posts about the 2010 World Cup.


During the World Cup, anyone with access to a TV was able to watch the world’s best soccer players in action, but for some, “ogle” would have been a better word.  Among the foremost offenders were sites like Jezebel and Cosmopolitan, with the former posting “Thighlights” and shirtless shots under the tag “shameless objectification,” and the latter compiling a slideshow of “The Hottest World Cup Players” which was saturated with not-so-subtle sexual innuendo. Apparently it dawned on some that this same behavior toward women would be considered less than polite, for midway through the tournament, a post appeared at Jezebel defending this double standard.

The author laid out five points as to why this behavior wasn’t hypocritical. Three of the points apply just as easily to women athletes (I’m thinking especially of women’s beach volleyball, which has become increasingly sexualized) and therefore give no strength to the argument: these athletes are healthy and achieved this level of fitness naturally (point 2), they are willingly doing something they enjoy (point 4), and there are no racial boundaries (point 3). However, the author of the post clearly states that she would be up in arms if someone had been posting photos of female athletes’ body parts for men to stare at. What is it, then, that differentiates woman-ogling from man-ogling? The punch comes in points 1 and 5 – apparently it is all about historical context and equal access. Men have historically had, and arguably still do have, the upper hand in physically objectifying, and women have suffered the consequences, from workplace harassment to rape and even sex slavery: so, the argument goes, it’s only fair that we women reverse the roles.

I will first discuss the alarmingly unsound reasoning behind this point, and then in Part II, address one argument that comes closest to allowing us to express our admiration for these athlete’s bodies without falling into the trap of physical objectification. 

Continue reading Are Soccer Players Fair Game for Objectification? (Part I)

Futbol and Fidelity

5006-clint.jpg

This is the second in a series of posts about the 2010 World Cup.

Although by now the World Cup is likely a distant memory for most, the name of  Landon Donovan hopefully still rings a faint bell. Before the U.S. crashed out of the tournament in a frustrating loss to Ghana, Donovan was the hero of the hour (see miraculous injury-time goal over Algeria here), representing America’s hopes and dreams for World Cup glory with his talent as well as leadership on the field.

It came as a dull disappointment, then, to read in the midst of all the World Cup excitement that Donovan, who has been separated (but not divorced) from his wife Bianca for about a year, was accused by a British woman of being the father of her unborn child. Donovan’s response, while disappointing insofar as it confirmed his behavior with this woman, was surprisingly mature: he publicly promised to provide the appropriate support if, after tests, the child proved to be his.

Soon after the World Cup ended, it was announced that Landon Donovan was not the father after all. In addition, it appeared that he was in the process of reconciling with his wife, and I along with other Donovan fans could breathe more easily. For me, it is always such a disappointment to discover that a talented soccer star whom I greatly respect and admire is involved in sordid scandal, and I had hoped it would not be the case with Donovan. Only recently, the great John Terry of England was involved in a messy affair with the wife of a good friend and fellow teammate, and Franck Ribery of France was charged with soliciting under-age prostitution. Here, while Donovan’s behavior was far from a shining standard of fidelity or self-control, my respect for him can remain mainly intact: although I certainly wish that he would lead a lifestyle of complete integrity, I am glad that he acted maturely when the time came to take responsibility for his actions, as so few athletes of his kind do in similar situations. To Landon Donovan I would say: thank you for your incredible leadership during the World Cup, good luck in Brazil 2014, and here’s to hoping for a happy and lasting reunion with your wife!

World Cup: Community and Camaraderie

4898-Chile-VS-Honduras-thumb-300x200-4895-thumb-300x200-4896-thumb-300x200-4897.jpg

This is the first in a series of posts about the 2010 World Cup

.

I have seen hundreds of games over five World Cups, and by far
the most exciting Word Cup experience for me occurred this summer in Chile. The
already infamous fervor of Chilean fans was intensified by the fact that they
had not qualified since the 1998 World Cup. Of course, this created many
opportunities for some typical soccer hooliganism. If you happened to be nearby
after watching the Chile-Brazil match in one of Santiago’s central plazas, you
might have seen people being water-cannoned in the face by police-tanks back down the stairs of some metro station entrances. But besides providing
an opportunity for raucous behavior, the World Cup encouraged above
all a sense of unity among Chileans. Every time Chile played, families had
barbecues, co-workers gathered around TV sets at the office, and the masses
showed up at the country’s plazas where enormous projectors were set up to
watch the matches. Clubs, bars and restaurants were packed, the country’s bus
drivers took a ninety-minute break, and schools across the country stopped
classes as soon as a game was underway. Paraphernalia with Chile’s national
colors was sold everywhere and about half of all TV commercials and highway
advertisement boards displayed images of the Chilean national squad.

The World Cup brought joy to Chileans. I watched the
Chile-Switzerland game at a local school that some friends of mine attend.
There are few times in my life when I have seen a group of people so jubilant
as in the instant when Chile scored the game-winning goal against Switzerland.
More than sixty of us were watching the game in a classroom designed for maybe thirty.
There were kids on the floor, in chairs, on tables in the back, on chairs and
tables piled on tables in the back, and on top of bookcases. And when Chile
scored, it was chaos: frantic movement celebrating victory, chants, flags,
vuvuzelas and even a drum. Within three minutes after the game was over, cars
were in the streets honking horns to a rhythm of victory. Drivers zoomed around
with people hanging out halfway, shouting and waving Chile’s flag. Some people
formed caravans and danced on street shoulders. 

Even after they were knocked out of the tournament, the Chileans
were enormously proud of what their team accomplished–after all, they had only lost
to Spain and Brazil. When Chile’s players came back from South Africa,
thousands rallied to the plaza in front of the presidential palace to welcome
the national squad back home.

The World Cup stirs the pride of nations and brings the joy of
soccer to families, friends, co-workers and nations. It has been a pleasure to
witness how celebrating South Africa 2010 in Chile has encouraged a sense of
camaraderie among the nation’s people, a phenomenon that is replicated in many
countries all over the world.

World Cup: Community and Camaraderie

4898-Chile-VS-Honduras-thumb-300x200-4895-thumb-300x200-4896-thumb-300x200-4897.jpg

This is the first in a series of posts about the 2010 World Cup

.

I have seen hundreds of games over five World Cups, and by far
the most exciting Word Cup experience for me occurred this summer in Chile. The
already infamous fervor of Chilean fans was intensified by the fact that they
had not qualified since the 1998 World Cup. Of course, this created many
opportunities for some typical soccer hooliganism. If you happened to be nearby
after watching the Chile-Brazil match in one of Santiago’s central plazas, you
might have seen people being water-cannoned in the face by police-tanks back down the stairs of some metro station entrances. But besides providing
an opportunity for raucous behavior, the World Cup encouraged above
all a sense of unity among Chileans. Every time Chile played, families had
barbecues, co-workers gathered around TV sets at the office, and the masses
showed up at the country’s plazas where enormous projectors were set up to
watch the matches. Clubs, bars and restaurants were packed, the country’s bus
drivers took a ninety-minute break, and schools across the country stopped
classes as soon as a game was underway. Paraphernalia with Chile’s national
colors was sold everywhere and about half of all TV commercials and highway
advertisement boards displayed images of the Chilean national squad.

The World Cup brought joy to Chileans. I watched the
Chile-Switzerland game at a local school that some friends of mine attend.
There are few times in my life when I have seen a group of people so jubilant
as in the instant when Chile scored the game-winning goal against Switzerland.
More than sixty of us were watching the game in a classroom designed for maybe thirty.
There were kids on the floor, in chairs, on tables in the back, on chairs and
tables piled on tables in the back, and on top of bookcases. And when Chile
scored, it was chaos: frantic movement celebrating victory, chants, flags,
vuvuzelas and even a drum. Within three minutes after the game was over, cars
were in the streets honking horns to a rhythm of victory. Drivers zoomed around
with people hanging out halfway, shouting and waving Chile’s flag. Some people
formed caravans and danced on street shoulders. 

Even after they were knocked out of the tournament, the Chileans
were enormously proud of what their team accomplished–after all, they had only lost
to Spain and Brazil. When Chile’s players came back from South Africa,
thousands rallied to the plaza in front of the presidential palace to welcome
the national squad back home.

The World Cup stirs the pride of nations and brings the joy of
soccer to families, friends, co-workers and nations. It has been a pleasure to
witness how celebrating South Africa 2010 in Chile has encouraged a sense of
camaraderie among the nation’s people, a phenomenon that is replicated in many
countries all over the world.