Ganhou o Rio...agora, o que?

Umas das coisas mais revelantes dos Jogos Olímpicos é que eles nos oferecerem um pacote espaço-temporal que nos permite entender determinados padrões do mundo. Por exemplo, os Jogos de Los Angeles 1984 cumpriram o papel de fortalecer o rôl de capital privado em determinar a forma e jeito de megaeventos, e a retirada do setor público refletiu a onda Reaganiana de privatizar servicos públicos. Desde então os jogos têm sido cada vez mais comercializados e utilizados tanto para o city marketing quanto para a inserção de regiões urbanas na econômia global ou como mecanismos para estimular o orgulho da cidade em alcançar metas políticas mais pragmáticas (Alemanha 1936, Moscou 1980). A Copa do Mundo de 1994 nos EUA também marcou uma transição para um modelo mais capitalista / corporativa da FIFA, que têm consolidado sua posisção hegemônica sobre o jogo global desde aquele evento. Nada contra os estadunidenses, mas esses dois eventos marcaram as maiores transições nas maneiras em que os megaeventos são conceitualizados, produzidos e consumidos.

Nick Paumgarten, escrevendo na revista New Yorker em 2009, comentou que as espetaculares cerimônias de abertura e encerramento dos jogos chineses, além de ser uma chocante festa de debutante, podem ser entendidas como o climax de uma época caracterizada pelo consumismo desenfreado da mão de obra chinesa por consumidores europeus e norte-americanos. O “show de bola” dos chineses marcou o fim sinfôncio daquele era porque foi logo depois de que as luzes do Estádio Nacional apagavam que a economía global fugiu do ninho.

Também não foi longo depois das ceremônias de fechamento em 2008 que os organizadores dos jogos de Londres 2012, fazendo seu melhor representação de Hugh Grant, començou limitar as expectativas de seu performanance. Com a economía global em plena queda, gastando dezenas de bilhões de libras em infraestrutura esportiva deixa de ser uma boa ideia. Entre o competição pelos jogos de 2016.

Depois de chegar em quinto lugar de sete candidatos de algum jeito o Rio pulou sobre Doha para entrar a ronda final de candiatura. Desde então, o RJOGOC (Rio de Janeiro Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games) embarcou numa campanha de marketing global para sua candidatura cujo valor já superou R$100 milhões. Obviamente, seus esforços tem sido bastante exitosos, levando o Rio ganhar os jogos.

Os argumentos principais que utilizavam o RJOCOG para cediar os jogos no Rio são emocionais (ver video abaixo), baseado numa visão da cidade calamitosamente limitada e idealizada. No seu incansável promoção da candidatura, Presidente da Silva tem esperneado numa fúria adolescente, dizendo “não é justo” por que os outros paises já cediaram os jogos e agora “é a vez” do Rio de Janeiro. O questão de “justiça” aqui está equivocada, dado que a Caixa Federal subsidirá dezenas de hoteis de 3 a 4 estrelas em cuando mais que 1.2 milhão de pessoas moram em mais que 950 favelas na cidade. O video faz das tripas coração para tocar espectador e apresenta o Rio como uma combinação sensual de tesoros culturais e naturais.


Não quero dizer que o Rio não seja isso também. Mais, é que aquele encapsulamento só mostra uma parte bem limitada da Zona Sul e não diz nada. Não há duvida que o Rio tem beleza natural e uma vibrante cultura popular e esportiva. Mais, não há duvida que o Rio seja perigroso e disfuncional. Nas semanas recém-passadas vivemos incidentes de bandidos fazendo arrastraões em túneis, moradores de apartamentos sequestrados, assaltos em restaurantes, transporte público queimado por traficantes, furtos, robos e escandolos governmentais (além da luta mortal cotidiana entre traficantes e policía). A bahia de Guanabara é suja demais, transito sempre está engarrafado e só 15%-20% das escolas publicas têm equipamento ou espaços de lazer. O RJOCOG sempre fala “O Rio precisa os jogos mais que os outros” – surgindo que se o Rio não tem ganhado, o situação na cidade sigue feliz da mesma forma? Ou, como suregiu Lula, sediar os jogos seria bom para auto-estemo do povo brasileiro. É cada vez mais dificil levar-lo a serio.

A parte séria da candiatura é o orçamento e a maneira em que o RJOCOG pensa em transformar a cidade. Os tres niveis de governo já garantiam orçamento de R$28,8 bilhões. Rodrigo Zeitan, economista da Unigranrio diz: “Não existe orçamento que não é estourado. Falar que um orçamento está estourado é dizer nada. As perguntas principais são: quanto e por que?” Sim duvida nenhuma esse foi o caso dos Jogos Pan Americanos 2007, cuando os governos de cidade e estado gastou 1000% (dez vezes) de orçamento previsto, eventualmente chegando a R$3.5 bilhões. O processo de construcção foi chieo de escandolos de corrupção, projetos incompletos e eventualmente, a privitização de quasi todas as instalações esportivas. Agora que o Rio sediará os jogos podemos anticipar gastos publicos entre R$40 e R$50 bilhões. Bilhões gente. As mesmas pessoas estão encargadas, o que será diferente? O orçamento do Rio foi mais que os outros tres candidatos sumados, e considerando que a maioria das instalações já existe, a situação levanta mais questões que um exército de mendigos.

O consenso no Rio é que os Jogos transformarão a cidade, mais ninguém sabe como. O modelo de transformação urbano e social é Barcelona 1992, sem duvida uma olimpíada que afetou muito a cidade. Não obstante, Barcelona é uma cidade pequena de 1.5 milhões e tem um área urbano relativamente pacto e fica perto aos maiores centros turisticos no mundo. A Espanha recebe mais que 50 milhões de visitas touristicas cada ano, e é o segundo no mundo depois de Françia, à 200km distancia de Barcelona. O Brasil está em 41˚ lugar, entre a Índia e a Austrália, atraendo apenas um milhão de visitas mais que a República Domincana. Então, o reestruturação urbana de Barcelona pelos Jogos de 1992 foi só um elemento num processo de desenvovimento muito maior, que aconteceu durante anos e não foi um só evento com a intenção lançar a cidade aos holoflotes globais. Os problemas do Rio não emergiam numa noite e não disaparecerão de aqui há seis anos. O orçamento em sistemas de segurança de US$293,599,000 que antecede aos jogos é testemunho que o RJOCOG tem conhecimento que nem todos queriam ser “transformados” pelos jogos.

Os Jogos Olímpícos do Rio são baseados no idéia que gastando bilhões em infraestrutura esportiva, turistica e de transportes, de alguma maneira vai transformar o crecendo abismo entre os ricos e os pobres. Mais, os lugares alvados pelo investimento e “transformação” já são ricos (falo assim entendendo que qualquer lugar em Rio pois bem mais cumplicidade que aquela duplicidade rico-pobre). Por limitar o visão da cidade à municipalidade do Rio (6.1 milhões) e não incluir a região metropolitana (12.3 milhões), o RJOCOG assinalou o seu deseo concentrar o desenvolvimento em regiões que menos precisam dele (sem falar das favelas no ambiente Olímpico). Entretanto, as mudanças prevista pela zona portuaria e investimentos nos chamados “elefantes brancos” nos bairros de Jacareparaguá e Barra de Tijuca inevitávelmente benificiarão o sector immobilário, deslocando moradores de baixa renda e creando paisagems de consumo.







Mapa: Rio Olímpico vs. Rio Metropolitano. Não existe nenhum linha de transporte que ligará os suburbios da zona norte e Baixada Fluminese ao paisagem Olímpica onde o sistema de transporte é bastante precario. As linhas propostas incluem uma linha de metrô novo e os demais seriam linhas de BRT (Bus Rapid Transit). A dependência em technologia de transporte pouco modificada desde o século XIX caracteriza os plans do Rio e provavelmente exacerbará os graves problems de transito na cidade e causaria um impacto prejuicosa meio ambiental.

Os três niveles de governo já firmaram um acordo e legislavam a respeito da criação da Autoridade Público Olímpico (APO). A APO (já existente) tem o poder de utilizar o orçamento de R$28,8 bilhões, adquirir terreno atraves de desapropriação e coordinar a segurança por um período de dez anos. Isto representa nada menos que a instauração de um regime autoritário, autorizado e financiado pelo propio governo com a meta de reformar a paisagem social e fisica da ciadade em concordância com planos elaborados sem discusão público (por exemplo, IPPUR/FERJ, o principal centro de planajamento urbano do Rio não foi consultado). O COI demanda control centralizada sobre o producção dos seus jogos. Também demanda orçamento garantido de mutíciples nivels do governo. O Rio estava bem no frente dessas demandas, senalando há muito tempo que qualquer solitição de COI seria cumprido com gusto. O monstro APO está vivo já e os tres niveis do governo estão estudando o que fazer com seu Frankenstein.



O video acima é impresionante na sua interpretação da cidade, mais emquanto eu me sento aqui em meu apartamento no nono andar com uma vista da baía de Guanabara, a brisa está levando o cheiro de polução ao meu cuarto. As instalaçòes previstas da Marina da Gloria serim dificeles levar ao cabo dado ao seu entombamento e resistência dos moradores, mas o empresário Eike Batista está disposto gastar R$150 milhões no projeto. Também são dignos de questionamento os eventos em Copacabana e na Lagoa, devido à densidade de população e o problema crônico de transporte. Pior ainda, a maioria das instalações serão construidos numa zona de Jacarepaguá e Barra de Tijuca que é umida, pantanosa e ecologicamente frágil. A Villa Pan já sofreu problemas graves na sua estrutura apenas dois anos após a inaguração. Temos alguma razão para acreditar que as instalações para os Jogos Olímpicos seriam diferentes?

Em qualquer Olimpíada (Los Angeles 1984 aparte), pode-se considerar o investimento público massivo como um desinvestimento parcial em outras prioridades socias e urbanas. No caso do Rio de Janeiro, a escala de investimento planejado (e garantido pelo governo) é tão grande que as “transformações” sociais e espacias exacerbarão as desigualidades já existentes por mais um geração, uma vez que os espaços, quando transformados e concretizados, têm tendencia a formar e reificar relações sociais.

É muito facil ser crítico de movimento Olímpico e das maneiras em que os políticos brasileiros tenham postulado o país e a cidade no ambito interncaional para trazer os jogos ao Rio. Os Jogos Olímpicos transformaram-se em um monstro com fome de dinheiro. Um possivel motivo para não ceidar os Jogos em Madri foi porque eles já tinham 78% das instalações construidos, diminuindo a ncessidade por um orçamento maior. Como foi o caso em Barcelona, Sidney, Atenas, e Pequim, os jogos modernos permanetemente transformando as cidades onde caem. Os Chineses até incorporavam o Ninho de Passaro eo Cubo d’Água na pasigem antigua e celestial de seu capital. No seu deseo cego de trazer eventos internacionais ao Rio, para para se expor como numa vitrine (com a meta principal de atraer turistas internacionais e capital global), o COB e os três niveis de governo consistentemente negavam pensar na cidade em sua totalidade. O resultado, em 2007, foi a acirramento das desigualidades sociais e espaçias, enriquecimento das cartolas e das redes de empresários e uma falta geral de transparência na contablidade e democracia. Ainda que os legados do Pan não tinham sido completamente negativos, a sociedade carioca tem que ficar atenta que desta vez as instalações não sejam privatizadas e para que o largo processo de preparação será democratizado.

Lindo as cetenas de paginas de dossiê da candidatura (o cual já se tournou o plan mestre da cidade), não existe menção de preservação o investimento cultural, nenhum indicação como vão estimular participação publico em esportes olímpicos de base pra acima, pouco investimento em educação, nem um assesorio honesto ao que é que necessita tão desesperadamente (nem fala de violência). Os livros de candiatura presentam um versão de realidade embranqueada e disfarça o que poderia ser a meta final dos jogos: transformar o Rio de Janeiro á uma cidade “espectacular” e global que esta marcada por uma clase operário dócil, barata e immovil; uma cidade com paisagems iconograficas com comodidades culturais para turistas internacionais; um local onde grandes impresas (clientes da cidade empresarial) internacionais pode negociar com lucro e tranquilidade; e cada vez mis a construcção de uma cidade ser consumida e experiênciada, não criada e vivida. Esso tem sido a trajetôria da cidade desde o primer mandato de Cesar Maia na década de 1990s e os Jogos Olímpicos podem representar o culminação de um amplo processo de re-imaginação e re-estruturamento socioespaçial da cidade. Como falei, é facil ser cínico, mas as mesmas palavras deles contam a historia:

Dossie da Candidatura Analysis Discursivo

Olympic Bid Book Discourse Analysis

Palavra ::Vezes utilzado
Cidadão :: 11
Transformação :: 38
Educação :: 43
Social :: 63
Cultura :: 74
Sustentável :: 121
Legado ::129
Infraestrutura :: 141
Desenvolvimento ::145
Cliente :: 154
Segurança :: 230

Agora, o trabalho dificil é encontrar um jeito de transformar a Olimpíada numa coisa que vai benificiar a cidade em sua totalidade e não só para algumas sectores da cidade e segmentos da população. Mesmo o caso de Barcelona 1992 que fooi tomado como o modelo mais bem-sucedido, também existiram problemas graves com a transformação da cidade. No Rio, a tarefa de solucionar os milésimas problemas da cidade atraves de megaeventos seriá ainda mais dificil dado a falta de transparência e de processos de controle social (marcas registradas de COI e da FIFA), o quase completa hegemonía do Rede Globo, a ausência de movimentos de resistência nos ambientes electrônicos e redes sociais e os poderosos discursos de esporte e o movimento Olímpico que condenam as vozes de oposisção em categorias de “anti-patriotico”, “anti-progressista”, ou “extrema esquerda”.

O processo de construir, sediar, entregar os legados e sobrevivir aos jogos durará uma década. A tarefa de lutar por uma olimpíada mais inclusiva e democrática començou no 2 de outoubro. Os movimentos socias da cidade e pais têm que articular bem claramente como pretendem inserir-se no processo de construir a cidade olímpica para trazer os beneficios de o nivel historico de investimentos ao maior publico possivel.



Rio de Janeiro
8 outubro 2009

Countdown to Summer Olympics 2016

On Friday October 2 the International Olympic Committee votes on the host city for the 2016 Summer Olympics, do you know where your president or prime minister is? If you are Brazilian, Spanish, Japanese or USAmerican, your democratically eleced leader is in Copenhagen, Denmark lobbying to install an authoritarian Olympic regime in Rio, Madrid, Tokyo or Chicago.

One of the most interesting aspects of Olympic Games is that they offer tidy space-time bundles that allow us to understand larger trends in the world. For instance, the 1984 Games in Los Angeles are generally considered to have stimulated the role of private capital in determining the form and function of mega-events, and the retreat of the public sector reflected the Reaganite wave of privatizing public services. Since 1984 the games have been increasingly commercialized and utilized as much for city marketing and the insertion of urban regions into the global economy as they have been for civic pride or attaining pragmatic political ends (Germany 1936, Moscow 1980). The 1994 World Cup in the USA also marked a transition to a more fully capitalistic / corporatist model for FIFA, which has since consolidated its hegemony over global soccer. Nothing against the USAmericans here, but those two events marked major transitions in the ways that mega-events are conceptualized, produced and consumed.

Nick Paumgarten, writing in the New Yorker in 2009, commented that the insanely spectacular, hyper-organized, and "we're here, look out" message of the Beijing opening and closing ceremonies can also be understood as the symbolic and functional money shot of an era characterized by unbridled consumption of cheap Chinese labor by the USA and Europe. The show de bola (as the Brazilians say) of the Chinese also marked the symphonic end of that era, as it wasn't long after the lights in the Bird's Nest went out that the global economy flew the coop.

It also wasn't long after the closing ceremonies in 2008 that the organizers of the London Games, doing their best Hugh Grant impersonation, started to limit expectations of their performance. With the global economy in free fall, spending tens of billions of pounds on sports infrastructure no longer seemed like such a great idea. Enter the competition for the 2016 Games.

After finishing in fifth place amongst seven candidates, Brazil somehow leaped over Doha to enter the final round of candidature. Since then, the Rio Organizing Committee (RJOGOC) has embarked on a 50 million dollar campaign to market its bid around the world. The effort has been remarkably successful, propelling Rio to the role of favorites according to gamesbids.com and aroundtherings.com

Rio's primary arguments for hosting the games are emotional (see video below), based in a woefully idealized vision of a very small segment of the city. In his tireless promotion of the Rio bid, President da Silva has been stomping his feet in adolescent fury, saying that it's simply "not fair" that other countries have hosted the games and that it's Rio's turn. The question of "fairness" here is misplaced, given that if Rio wins the bid it will heavily subsidize the construction of dozens of 3 and 4 star hotels while more than 1.3 million people live in 950+ favelas scattered throughout the city. The video does gnaw at the heartstrings, however, and presents Rio as a sensual combination of cultural and natural treasures.



This is not to say that Rio isn't all of those things, but rather that this encapsulation doesn't actually say anything. There is no question that Rio has natural beauty and a vibrant popular and sporting culture but it is also beyond doubt that it is dangerous and dysfunctional. In the past few weeks there have been several incidents of bandidos robbing cars stopped in tunnels, kidnapping and robbing entire apartment blocks, buses falling off overpasses, and assaults in restaurants (in addition to the daily mortal combat between police and drug traffickers). The bay is polluted, traffic is constantly snarled, and only 15-20% of public schools have recreation areas. The RJOGOC has repeatedly said that "Rio needs this, the others don't" - meaning that if Rio doesn't get the games, the situation in the city will continue along its merry way? Or, as Lula suggested the other day, hosting the Games will be good for Brazilian self-esteem. It's increasingly difficult to take the man seriously.

The serious part of Rio's bid is the budget and the ways in which the RJOCOG envisions transforming the city. The federal, state and city governments have combined to guarantee a budget of R$ 28 billion. As Rodrigo Zeitan, an economist at Rio's Unigranrio university told me a couple of weeks ago, "There's no such thing as coming in at budget. It simply can't happen. To say that a budget went over the proscribed amount is to say nothing at all." This was certainly true in the case of the 2007 Pan American Games, when the city and state governments of Rio were 10 times (1000%) over budget, eventually spending about R$ 3.5 billion. The building process was fraught with corruption scandals, incomplete projects, and the eventual privatization of all but a few venues (and those are not currently being used). If Rio wins, we can expect to see public spending in the range of R$ 40-50 billion along with similar post-games privatization schemes. Rio's bid is larger than all of the other bids combined, which, when one considers that many of the venues are already built begs more questions than an army of street children.

The consensus in Rio is that the Games are going to transform the city but no one really knows how. The model for urban and social transformation is Barcelona 1992, an Olympics that undoubtedly had a major impact on that city. However, Barcelona is a city of only 1.6 million in a relatively compact area and close to major tourist centers (Spain is the second most popular tourist destination in the world, just behind neighboring France, Brazil ranks 41st, between Australia and India, drawing just one million more visits than the Dominican Republic). Therefore, Barcelona's makeover for the Olympics was one element in a much larger process of development and economic restructuring, not a one off infusion intended to launch the city into the global spotlight. Rio's problems did not emerge overnight and they will not disappear in the six years leading up to the Olympics. The US$ 293,599,000 outlay for security leading up to the Games (RCOGOC Bid Book, Theme 13, p. 29)is evidence that the RJOCOG is well aware that not everyone might want to be "socially transformed" by the Olympics.

Rio's candidature is based in the idea that spending lavishly on sporting, tourist, and transportation infrastructure will somehow transform the growing gap between the rich and poor. Yet the very places in which the majority of the "transformation" will take place are already wealthy. By limiting the vision of the city to the municipality of Rio (6.1 million) and not including the greater metropolitan area (12.3 million), the RJOGOC has signaled its intent to concentrate development in the regions that need it the least. Additionally, the planned changes to the port area, and added investments in suburban regions such as Jacarepagua and Barra de Tijuca will inevitably benefit the real estate sector, displacing lower income residents and ushering in landscapes of consumption.





The greater Rio metro area vs. the Olympic City. There is not one proposed transportationn line that would link the northern suburbs (Baixada Fluminese) to the Olympic landscape. The proposed transport lines include one new subway line and the remainder will be RBT (Rapid Bus Transit) lines. The dependence on 19th century transportation technology characterizes Rio's bid and will likely serve to exacerbate prodigious traffic problems in the city.

Three levels of government have already passed legislation to construct the Public Olympic Authority (APO), which will have the power to manage the budget, acquire land through eminent domain, and will coordinate security services for a period of ten years. This is nothing short of the installation of an authoritarian regime that is empowered and funded by the government to reshape the social and physical landscapes of the city according to plans that were drawn without public input (for instance, IPPUR, the main regional planning center at the Federal University of Rio was not consulted). The IOC demands centralized control over the production of its Games. It also demands gauaranteed financing from multiple levels of government, something that until recently had stalled the Chicago bid. Wherever the 2016 games land on Friday, there will be an authoritarian regime directing the form and function of that city for at least the next 6 years.




The above video is impressive in its rendering of the city, but even as I sit here in my 9th floor apartment overlooking Guanabara Bay, the wind is bringing the stink of pollution. The installations for the sailing competition in the Marina da Gloria will be difficult to complete (due to its legal status as a protected area), as will the proposed events in Copacabana and Lagoa, as these are two of the most densely populated areas in the hemisphere. Additionally, the majority of the facitities are planned for Barra / Jacareapagua which is a swampy wetland with unstable subsoil. The Pan American village has suffered terrible structural and engineering problems in the two years since its construction. There is no reason to expect that the Olympic constructions will be any different.

In any Olympics (save LA 1984), the massive public investment can be considered a partial disinvestment in other social and urban priorities. In the case of Rio de Janeiro, the scale of planned investment is such that the social and spatial "transformations" will likely exacerbate existing inequalities for the next generation.

It's easy to be cynical of the Olympic Movement and the ways in which Brazilian politicians have been posturing on the national and international stage to bring the Games to Rio. The Olympics have become a cash hungry monster, permanently transforming the cities in which they land. The Chinese even incorporated the Bird's Nest and Water Cube into the celestial order of old Beijing. In their blind desire to attract international events in order to put Rio de Janeiro and Brazil in the international shop window (with the goal of attracting global capital and tourists), the Brazilian Olympic Committee and all three levels of government in Brazil have consistently neglected to take the larger city into account. The result, in 2007, was the re-enforcement of spatial and social inequalities, the propagation of a good ol' boys network of contractors and politicians that made off with billions, and a general lack of transparency, accountability, and democracy.

In reading through the hundreds of pages of plans for the city, there is no mention of cultural preservation / investment, no indication of stimulating public participation in sport, no investment in education (English for taxi drivers, for instance), no honest assessment of what it is in Rio that is in such desperate need of transformation. The bid books present a whitewashed reality that disguises what very well might be the larger economic and political ends of the games: transform Rio de Janeiro into a "spectacular" global city that is marked by a docile, cheap, and immobile labor force, iconographic landscapes and cultural facilities for international tourists, the locus of multi-national corporations (along with their haute bourgeois workforce) and increasingly, a city to be experienced and consumed, not lived and created. This has been the trajectory of the political economy of the city since the mid-1990s and the Olympics might represent the culmination of this re-imagining and socio-spatial restructuring of the city.

The difficult work is finding ways to turn the opportunity of the Olympics into something that really will benefit the city. Barcelona was successful and is the paradigmatic best case scenario to date, but there were major problems as well. In Rio, this task will be even more difficult because of the lack of transparency and democratic process (hallmarks of Olympic regimes), the nearly complete hegemony of the OGlobo media network, the absence of organized social movements vis a vis electronic and social networks, and the powerful discourses of sport and the Olympic movement that turn opposition voices into categories of "non-patriotic", "anti-progressive", or "radical fringe".

If Rio does win the bid on Friday, it will be a long and trying struggle to keep the decade long process of constructing, hosting, and delivering the legacy of the Olympics in the light of day, avoiding the pitfalls and pratfalls of the 2007 Pan American Games. The existing social movements must articulate very clearly how they plan to insert themselves into the process of building the Olympic City in order to bring the benefits of this historic level of investment to the city at large.

Rio de Janeiro
29 September 2009


p.s. Below is the first video produced by Rio 2016. Note the difference in emotional tone and slickness of presentation between this video and the final version above.

Learning to swear, carioca style

Fluminese 1 x Coritiba 3
Campionato Brasileiro, Serie A
Maracanã
16 August 2009

For many years, when I told people that my research was "stadiums in Latin America", the inevitable response was, "Have you ever been to that huge stadium, I can't remember its name, but it holds, like, four hundred thousand people, that must be crazy." The name of the stadium is Estádio Mario Filho, aka Maracanã. Yes, I have been there, many times, and it doesn't hold nearly as many people as it used to. It can be crazy though it’s also just a local stadium where people go week in, week out to watch soccer.

The Maracanã is arguably the most famous stadium in the world. Built for the 1950 World Cup, the original capacity was somewhere between 180,000 and 190,000. The Brazilians were so sure that they were going to win the 1950 World Cup that they offered to paint this colossus, the biggest stadium in the world, the grandest stadium since Imperial Rome’s Circus Maximus, the stadium that was to represent Brazil’s emergence as South America’s post World War II industrial, technological, and cultural leader – in the colors of the winning team. On 16 July 1950, 220,000 people witnessed the unthinkable. To this day the Maracana is celeste, the sky-blue of Uruguay a continual reminder of the folly of hubris. It is surprising that so few Brazilians know the story behind the colors.

Despite the infamy and drama, going to the Maracanã is really just an ordinary thing to do on a Sunday afternoon in Rio. I arrived late to the game but there were so many others doing the same that I wondered if the kickoff hadn’t been delayed. I bought my R$20 ($US 12) ticket for the cadeira comum and hustled into the stadium. Fluminese were a goal down after fifteen minutes and the fans were clearly angry. There wasn’t much to recommend in the play of either team – Fluminese entered the game second from bottom and Coritiba third from bottom. This was a mid season relegation battle.



Before half-time, I moved from behind the goal to behind the player’s benches and below the media cabins. This is usually the most crowded section of the stadium as the fans are within earshot of the coaches and players. When I first started going to the Maracanã in 2003, this area was known as the geral, an open area where young men ran back and forth screaming at the players, coaches, and referees. The geral was eliminated in 2006, reducing the capacity of the stadium to 87,000 (from an already diminished 119,000) . Families have taken the place of the ruffians and it is no longer possible to watch the game form the railings as Military Police shunt everyone into seats before kickoff. This hasn’t stopped the streams of vitriol flowing from the stands to the pitch, but the police are omni-present.



One of the other changes that has come with the architectural modification is that prices have increased from R$5 to R$20. It literally goes without saying that when you put people in seats they become more sedate. But there is plenty of evidence to suggest that the former geral, now cadeira comum, continues as a place where the norms and mores of Brazilian society are transferred from one generation to the next. I can’t decide if it’s funny or not, but hearing dozens of pre-teen voices fill the air with “Oi juiz, vai tomar no cu!” (Hey referee, go take it up the ass!) is pretty funny.





One of the main differences between going to a stadium in Europe or the USA and Latin America is the amount of information about the event. At the Maracanã, there is a scoreboard but no game clock, no game day programs, no stats, no player profile magazines, nothing. People just know these things. There is also no place to buy souvenirs, and no half-time show. There is half-time entertainment, though it hardly compares in Lolita-esque sensuality with the RailHawk dancers. I hope to get an interview with this guy in the coming weeks. He goes the length of the pitch and then returns to midfield, which takes him about 15 minutes.



Fluminese went 2-0 down mid-way through the second half, thanks to some shocking defending and even worse goal-keeping. The newly reinstated coach, Renato Gaucho, clearly had nothing and no one to bring off the bench and paced the sideline with his head in his hands. Somehow, a long ball out of defense combined with a lucky bounce and a bit of pace to pull a goal back for Fluminese, but hope was short lived as Coritiba killed the game on a counter-attack. Once the result was beyond doubt, the fans spilled into the old geral to take up their swearing positions. There was nothing the police could do but let the abuse wash over them and onto the coaching staff and players.

In the movie clip below, there is an impressive diversity of ages, all screaming “Frangeiro” which can be loosely translated as “chicken shit”. Those familiar with Monty Pyton will be surprised to see a cameo by the “It’s” man. Just another Sunday at the Maracanã.

World Cup 2014 Memory Project

“A Copa é nossa, a memoria é global”

Overview

The FIFA World Cup is one of the world’s most powerful sources of collective memory. Every time a World Cup Final occurs, it is the most watched event in human history. World Cup games define national and personal histories, stimulate exchange between distant and disparate cultures, and renew rivalries that resonate through time and space. Since 1930, the quadrennial World Cup has marked time for billions of people, connecting generations and cultures through a shared memory.

The World Cup is a global event that occurs in local stadiums. These stadiums function as stages for sport but also serve as repositories of global memory. Players, coaches, dignitaries, residents, tourists, and television audiences share the emotional and cultural space of the stadium, remembering what happened there long after the floodlights dim. Despite the importance of the game and stadium in peoples’ lives, there are very few mechanisms through which they can build upon, share, and connect with the memories and events they helped to create. Long after the World Cup has passed, the stadiums and the games they host occupy a permanent position in the global memory of sport.

Twelve Brazilian cities will host the 64 games of the FIFA 2014 World Cup. Incredibly, there are currently no stadiums in Brazil that meet FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) requirements for the month long event. Therefore, the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) in conjunction with national, state, and city governments have embarked upon an ambitious stadium building program. The minimum projected cost for seven renovated and five new stadiums is in excess of R$4.3 billion (US$ 2.15 billion). The estimated investment in transportation, communication, and tourist infrastructure is a staggering R$100 billion. The historic nature of the World Cup and its profound impact on Brazilian cities call for a project that can contextualize and memorialize these monumental projects.

The mission of the 2014 World Cup Memory Project (2014WCMP) is to document, enhance, and catalogue the histories and events associated with the stadiums of the 2014 World Cup. This unique project will serve as a resource and archive for laborers, project managers, government officials, residents, tourists, researchers, and policy makers. Multiple forms of public engagement will allow a diverse cross-section of Brazilian society to interact with international tourists so that the experience and events of the 2014 World Cup can be preserved as a living history.

The Calm Before the Storm

In preparation for the 2007 Pan American Games, Rio de Janeiro invested heavily in sporting infrastructure. The urban and social legacies of the Pan 2007 are deeply ambivalent yet have positioned Rio de Janeiro and Brazil in a situation where more investment in sporting infrastructure is forthcoming.

Twelve Brazilian cities will host the 64 games of the FIFA 2014 World Cup. Incredibly, there are currently no stadiums in Brazil that meet FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) requirements for the month long event. Therefore, the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) in conjunction with national, state, and city governments have embarked upon an ambitious stadium building program. The minimum projected cost for seven renovated and five new stadiums is in excess of R$4.3 billion (US$ 2.15 billion). The financing for the stadium projects and their associated tourist, communications, and transportation infrastructures will come from the public sector with significant contributions from private enterprise.

The World Cup is a global event that occurs in local stadiums. These stadiums function as stages for sport but also serve as repositories of global memory. Residents, tourists, and television audiences share the emotional and cultural space of the stadium, remembering what happened there long after the floodlights dim. Despite the importance of the game and stadium in peoples’ lives, there are very few mechanisms through which they can build upon, share, and connect with the memories and events they helped to create. Long after the World Cup has passed, the stadiums and the games they host occupy a permanent position in the global memory of sport. My 2014 World Cup Memory Project intends to augment and preserve this memory in multiple forms.

Brazil is also one of the four remaining candidate cities to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. On October 2, 2009 the IOC will make its choice between Rio, Tokyo, Madrid and Chicago. If Rio de Janeiro is chosen, the process of preparing for the Olympics will begin immediately, stimulating large scale construction projects thoughout the city. In the event that Rio is selected I anticipate beginning a longer-term project.

My research into mega-events in Rio de Janeiro will build upon my book, Temples of the Earthbound Gods (University of Texas Press, 2008). In Temples, I trace the development of soccer stadiums in Rio and Buenos Aires, situating the stadiums in their political, urban, and cultural contexts. The book was runner-up in the Association of American Geographers's Globe Book Award competition and was called a "damn fine geography book" by one of the reviewers. There is a permanent link to the book at the right of the page.

I am really excited about heading off to Rio for the rest of the year and hope that you subscribe to the blog so I can keep you posted on what I'm up to.

Ate mais!

2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics Research - Press Release

2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics Research

The years 2014 and 2016 may seem distant, but for Brazilians they are very much in the present.

In May of 2009, FIFA confirmed twelve Brazilian cities as hosts of the 2014 World Cup. Incredibly, there are no stadiums in Brazil that meet FIFA’s architectural specifications. In order to host the 2014 World Cup, Brasilia, Cuiaba, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio De Janeiro, Salvador, and Sao Paulo are building or renovating stadiums, constructing new hotels, upgrading transportation systems, and preparing for the quadrennial soccer tournament. Construction on all twelve projects will begin in 2010.

According to the Brazilian Soccer Confederation (CBF), the cumulative cost of the 2014 World Cup stadium projects will be R$ 4.648 billion ($2.32 billion Dollars). The average stadium project will cost around R$ 387.3 million ($190 million Dollars). Billions more will be spent on upgrading transportation infrastructure and communications facilities, building new hotels, and security. Host cities and states will bear the brunt of the financial burden as the current economic climate has reduced partnerships with the private sector.

On October 2, 2010 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will select either Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, Chicago, or Madrid as the host city for the 2016 Summer Olympics. GamesBids.com, the leading indicator of Olympic Games selection, places Rio de Janeiro in a dead heat with Tokyo. The Olympics have never been in South America and the Brazilian federal government has guaranteed financing for the R$80 billion project (US$40 billion). The Rio Organizing Committee (RJOGOC) has already spent in excess of US$ 100 million in preparing and promoting the Olympic bid. Rio de Janeiro has hooked its Olympic Bid to their experience with hosting the 2007 Pan American Games. The cumulative cost for the Pan 2007 was in excess of US$ 5 billion, more than ten times over budget. Hosting Pan 2007 was a process fraught with corruption scandals, incomplete projects, and militarization of parts of the city.

While politicians and construction firms see mega-events as opportunities to accelerate development projects and promote cities and country on a global stage, others point to the inevitable corruption, graft, and uneven distribution of financial burdens and rewards as evidence of continuing social injustices. The state and city of Rio de Janeiro continue to invest heavily in the constellation of facilities necessary to host global mega-events, using these events as mechanisms to accelerate social and economic development. Whether or not this works as a strategy for solving Rio’s grave social and urban problems is debatable. The evidence from the 2007 Pan American Games suggests that the promised new and/or improved transportation lines will not be completed, environmental remediation projects will stall, and that construction of vip accommodation in stadiums and five star hotels will take budgetary priority.

As a recipient of a Fulbright Scholar Grant from the U.S. Department of State, in the Fall of 2009 I will be researching the social and urban effects of mega-events in Rio de Janeiro and Brazil. My recent book, Temples of the Earthbound Gods (University of Texas Press, 2008), traces the history and culture of stadiums in Rio de Janeiro from the late 19th century to the early 21st. My current research is a continuation of the themes I cover in Temples: exploring the larger political, cultural, and geographic worlds of Brazilian cities through an analysis of their building projects relatative to the 2007 Pan American Games, 2014 World Cup, and 2016 Olympics. In addition to my research, I will teach a course on mega-events in the Department of Geography at the State University of Rio de Janeiro.

If your media outlet is in need of background information, interviews, or news stories from Rio de Janeiro, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank You,

Chris Gaffney


About
Dr. Christopher Gaffney holds a PhD in Geography from the University of Texas at Austin and is on leave from UNC – Chapel Hill where he teaches Urban Geography and International Studies. His book, Temples of the Earthbound Gods: stadiums in the cultural landscapes of Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires, is available on Amazon or from the University of Texas Press. Gaffney hosted a weekly talk show called Soccer Mad on 91.7 KOOP (Austin, TX), has been a radio and television commentator for the USL-1 Carolina RailHawks (Cary, NC), and covers the RailHawks for the Independent Weekly in Durham, NC. He covered the 2006 World Cup at www.soccerprofs.blogspot.com and maintains a blog at www geostadia.blogspot.com. He is also a principal of Six Dimensions Sports Consulting (www.6dsports.com). He can be reached at geostadia@gmail.com or by phone at 512-585-9866 (USA) or 011-55-21-xxxx-xxxx (Brazil).

Battery charges by RailHawks 2-1

May 7, 2009
Cary, NC
USL-1
Carolina RailHawks vs. Charleston Battery

On a night when thunder and lightning knocked out an hour of power and heavy rain unequivocally defined the term fair weather fan for several dozen families who sheepishly made their mini-vanning way home, the Charleston Battery and Carolina RailHawks huffed and banged their way through 90 minutes of football.

Carolina entered the game on top of the USL-1 table and had never lost to their Southern Derby rivals, posting a 7-0 record over the past two seasons. Keeper Caleb Patterson had not conceded a goal in his RailHawkian tenure and Martine Rennie was able to field his strongest side with the exception of Josh Gardner who had picked up the flu in Portland. 4500+ fans braved the game-time tempest and were rewarded with cool weather and eerie, ominous skies. It looked like a promising night for the home side.

Things had obviously changed in Charleston in the off season however. The cutting of MLS rosters has been a boon for USL-1 as some excellent players have come to ply their trade in the second division. Rumors about the Battery’s new Japanese signing Tsuyoshi Yoshitake proved to be accurate as he made a number of incisive passes and was able to get the better of Carolina’s right back Gilkerson as Charleston dominated the early stages of the game.

In the third minute, Yoshitake played a diagonal ball into the box that fell for Dan Antoniuk (who had a frustrating year for the RailHawks in 2008). Antoniuk found himself with three yards of space, and stroked the ball into the bottom right hand corner of the goal. It was a portentous sign for the RailHawks as they have never come from behind to win a game.

The goal clearly unsettled the ‘Hawks as they looked uncomfortable on the ball and had difficulty finding a rhythm to their passing. Cunliffe was a liability on the left side of midfield as he was frequently caught in possession and seemed to lack a sense of urgency in the final third. Bundu was left to battle for possession in attack and was constantly swarmed by two or three players. The RailHawks managed to win a corner in the 18th and then the wheels came off as Amir Lowrey went in late and high for a header with his elbow raised. The referee showed him a red card. This was the first of ten cards brandished on the night.

Carolina battled bravely as the Battery bandied the ball to and fro without making productive use of their man advantage. Low managed a twenty five yard effort at goal in the 26th minute which was the first of the night for the RailHawks. Then he and Kreamelmeyer picked up yellow cards in the space of six minutes. There was a general sense of randomness when both teams had the ball and the remainder of the half was entropic. The fans were practically begging for the half-time circus to begin.

Carolina came out in the second half resolved to get at least a point. Watson signaling their intent by shaving the post with a right footed drive from the top of the box. More yellow cards followed as the referee tried to add some spice to the game.

In the 54th minute, Frankie Sanfillippo added all the spice that Charleston would need. Following a poor decision by Patterson to clear to touch instead of collecting the ball in his box, the Battery played the ball to Antoniuk’s feet. Antoniouk laid off for the former RailHawk captain who somehow curled a drive with the inside of his right foot from the top right hand corner of the penalty box into the top left corner of Patterson’s net. Sanfillippo ran to the press box side of the stadium and did his best Napoleon Dynamite imitation. “The best goal I ever scored,” said Sanfillippo. Not the best dance, mind you, but a stunning goal. Two former RailHawks playing for the Battery, two goals, two nil and a mountain to climb.

In the 68th minute, Rennie brought on Plotkin for Watson and in the 72nd Glinton for Bundu. McKenney played a long searching ball into the box, it fell to Plotkin 25 yards out and he ripped a shot with his left. Dusty Huddock spilled the ball to the onrushing Glinton who scored with his first touch of the game. 2-1 and the game finally sprung to life.

Charelston had begun to find their rhythm playing against eleven and nearly put the game out of reach in the 78th minute but the ball pinged against the far post and fell into Patterson’s hands. The ensuing counter attack went through Plotkin who found Glinton streaking into the box where he was foiled by a saving tackle. The crowd screamed for the equalizer.

The screams intensified in the 83rd when Charelston’s Wilson was shown a straight red for a horror challenge on Plotkin. The atmosphere was tense as the players shoved each other. The game was finely balanced. Two minutes later Plotkin was again the victim of a terrible knee high challenge that echoed through WakeMed Park. The referee made the sign of the ball, repeatedly curling his hands as if he were conjuring a mini-pizza. When Carolina won a corner he then decided to go for his book for Plotkin who was involved in the usual hurly-burly in front of the keeper. My head is still bleeding from the vigorous, querulous scratching I gave it.

The crowd raised its collective voice to urge the Orange on to the equalizer. Carolina was able to dominate possession for the remainder, but they were unable to fashion any real chances and the Battery claimed their first victory over the RailHawks, taking the first leg of the Southern Derby Cup 2-1. The RailHawks play their next three games on the road at Miami (May 16), Cleveland (May 22) and Austin (May 24). The Cleveland game will be shown live on Fox Soccer Channel and the others can be seen on usllive.com

Squawk!

RailHawks grind Rhino horns into powder, rebalance trade deficit with China

USL-1
Carolina RailHawks 1, Rochester Rhinos 0
18 April 2009
Cary, NC

In the murky wilds of Cary, NC the Carolina RailHawks claimed the collective hide of the Rochester Rhinos with a 53rd minute goal by Salleu Bundu. The goal poacher from Sierra Leone gave the home fans a much-deserved reward for their consistent, if tepid exhortations. This was the first time in six attempts that the ‘Hawks had been able to sink its talons into Rochester and now have maximum points from their first two league matches.

The goals should have been faster in coming and if not for the inspired play of long time Rhino’s netminder Scott Vallow, the second half would have been devoid of tension. Carolina dominated possession for much of the opening stanza and though the game had become choppy and increasingly violent by the end of the first half hour, it was clear that the crash of hyperborean Rhinoceros was lost in the Appalachian piedmont ecotome.

While dominating in possession, Carolina struggled to find clinical form inside the 18 and 6 yard boxes, squandering a beakful of chances. Part of the trouble was the lack of support provided to lone runner Bundu by attacking central midfielder Plotkin, who remained anonymous throughout most of the half. His Rochester counterpart, the 5 foot 6 inch Johnny Menyongar was well marked out of the match by Lowrey, Stewart, and Schulte whose combined height gives the RailHawks 18 feet 7 inches of defense in the middle of the park.

Rochester did not manage to sustain any possession at all until the 41st minute and their forward surge left them open for a swift counter that Paladini contrived to blunder when all signs pointed to a half-time advantage for the home side. It was an encouraging display, sullied only by a lack of crispness in front of goal and three yellow cards for the ‘Hawks, McKenney’s coming on the stroke of halftime.

The second stanze opened with an attackin flurry that may have been inspired by the syncopated thrashings of the half time tae-kuon-do performance. In the 47th minute Vallow again came to the Rhinos’ rescue as he saved well from Gardner who profited from Bundu’s muscular efforts and delightful lay-off. In the 52nd, Plotkin made his presence known with a steal deep in the attacking half, and played Paladini into the box with Vallow well beaten. Yet a casual toepoke sent the ball against the post and back to the grateful keeper. It was only two minutes later that Bundu slashed into the six yard box to expertly turn in Gardner’s cross.

A frustrated crash of Rhinos is a dangerous thing. In the 56th, left mid Earle came raging into Kreamelmeyer from behind and received a straight red. This turned out to be the best thing possible for the visitors who took advantage of Carolina’s newly relaxed attitude to fashion several chances. Yet Carolina continued to have possession and created more good chances of their own, the best falling to Plotkin who flubbed a rolling ball past the far post with only gnats and oxygen to beat. The Hawks’ lack of precision in front of goal should have cost them at least two points in the 73rd and 82nd minutes as the looming Tai Atieno might have done better with a pair of free headers at the RailHawks’ back post.

The game became even more delicately balanced when RailHawks right back Devon McKenney was shown his marching papers for a second bookable offense. There was some suspicion of softness about each of the cards he received, but the tone of the game had deteriorated to overt aggression towards the end. Rochester’s Ball was shown a straight red in the 90th minute for unknown reasons, brining the card total to 6 yellow and 3 red. Carolina finished with an 11 to 1 advantage in corners, and 12 to 8 in shots - strong indications of which side of the field most of the game happened.

The RailHawks look for an unprecedented third victory in a row next Sunday at 2pm against the Minnesota Thunder.

The Shirt

This is the text of a speech delivered at Trinity University on March 27 as part of the 2nd annual Timothy Isom fund-raising banquet. Dozens of soccer jerseys were auctioned off to raise money for a memorial. Isom died suddenly at the age of 22, just after his graduation from Trinity.

The shirt

Soccer’s great poet-historian Eduardo Galeano recounts the tale of a Gimnasia de La Plata fan who, knowing he was going to die, asked to be buried in the shirt of their bitter rivals, Estudiantes de La Plata. His lifelong friends, shocked that he would betray them at the end asked, ¿por qué?. He responded: so I can take one of those bastards with me.

From a distance, you can tell this is a soccer shirt. It’s not a Hawaiian, or a polo, or a tee, it’s a soccer shirt. It has a badge, distinct colors, a history. Sure, it has a sponsor and a globally recognized corporate icon and is probably manufactured in a sweatshop, but it’s stylish, comfortable, embodied, laden with meaning. You have likely seen this shirt before, in person with tens of thousands, or tele-visually with hundreds of millions. You are receiving messages; the shirt is doing the talking, it awaits your response.

Manchester United formed in 1878, when Florida was still a Spanish possession. Arsenal first took the pitch in 1886, the same year Geronimo surrendered his guns after 15 years of resisting the U.S. army. Liverpool first kicked about in 1892, just as British ships left ‘Pudlian docks for the Opium Wars in China. Chelsea arrayed themselves on the pitch in 1905, prompting Einstein to propose his theory of relativity. Red Devils and Gunners, Reds and Blues their histories contained within the collective memory of those who have worn and loved the shirt. The shirt is talking to you more than it was a minute ago.

Lao Tzu (sage footballer that he was) was asked by a student how he could best demonstrate love for his team. Master Tzu, who practiced a form of goalkeeping known as “saving without diving”, replied: score goal, kiss shirt.

One of the greatest signs of respect in the beautiful game is to trade shirts with a worthy opponent. With this act, you give your number, your shield, your identity, your sweat and blood, your shirt for gods’ sakes, to your adversary; a mutual exchange that years later, when you find it in your bottom drawer, you will remember the man, the moment, the game, the stadium, the result. The shirt gets heavier by the day.

Shirts bring us closer to those who see them hanging in their lockers. We buy their likeness so we can be part of the team, even though we could never play for it. The Argentines respect the shirt of the fan more than that of the players, because the fan will wear it for longer. You may easily pull one on, but it may be impossible to take off.

It is time to call it what it is: a complex symbol of multivariate interaction that both defines and transforms the individual while communicating socio-geographic messages of identity, place, and meaning. It is a symbol, a fashion statement, encapsulated history, a marker of identity, a sense of belonging, a memory, a man, a teammate, a son who is no longer with us.

Shirts. What do they tell us?

FIFA thinks they are so sacred that you can’t take one off in joy or anger. Referees tell us to tuck them in, opponents pull them to gain advantage, they expand in the middle over time. Archaeologists may have discovered that the shirt was born when a group of cave dwelling lads decided to go out hunting rabbits. “What shall we wear to hunt rabbits?”, they asked. “How about a shirt?”, they answered. It is unclear what the rabbits wore.

A shirt does not only function in one direction. The shirt takes everything you will give it: your heart, sweat, blood, passions, your life. Ideally, it comes to represent that which is best in us, shows us our limitations and helps us to overcome them through a collective commitment to something greater than ourselves. Although it is not necessarily a badge of courage, the badge is worn with courage (especially in enemy territory). It is defended and honored and kissed and held high. When a sea of fans transforms a stadium with their shirts, they become greater than the sum of their parts – they create and participate in history.

Tonight we ask you to think about the value of a shirt. You can walk into any soccer store and pay $80 dollars for any shirt you want, scribble a name on it and Bob’s your bloody uncle. The shirts collected here tonight are special because they come directly from the grandest temples of the beautiful game. These shirts have touched human greatness, handled personally by the earthbound gods of our time. Their namesakes have performed on our brightest stages for incredible stakes. This is a chance to touch that, to wear it, to feel the power of the shirt.

These shirts represent the apex of an entire complex of relationships, spaces, places, and events. Right now, in Manilla and Marfa, San Antonio and Sao Paolo, Durban and Dublin, there are millions of kids practicing, dreaming that one day they will pull on one of these shirts in a competitive match. They have been doing so for more than a century.

With this global context in mind, these shirts are much more than they appear. They are powerful symbols recognized the world over. Tonight they take on extra significance, an extra level of respect and meaning.

We are brought together by the shirt, the team, and the community that meant so much to Tito. Tito wears the Trinity shirt in his final resting place. To remember his life, his love for the shirt, and what he gave to us, we gather to create place, to build a stadium, to erect a memorial so that those who follow will better understand the meaning and memories behind the colors.

We are here to honor and remember those who have worn the Trinity shirt, lived with this second skin, been marked by it and left their mark on all that follow. This is a Trinity University soccer shirt. This is me, this is you, this is us, this is Tito.

USA 3, Sweden 2

Cary, NC is a sad and dark place. Beware to those adventurous souls who brave its divided highways to go to a faux Irish pub to watch the national team in action. The most impressive feature of O'Denny's (aka Hibernian) is that it manages to get two apostrophes in its name. They also serve a mean pork chop. But for watching a game of football, it's absolute rubbish.

Though it is a stretch to correlate the quality of the US national team's B side with the geopolitical quagmire of Cary, it seemed like a reasonable assumption at the time. Most USAmerican soccer players come from suburbia, Cary is the paradigm of suburbia, therefore the shameful quality of the side on display against Sweden witnessed in the simulacra of an Irish pub on a non-descript street in the middle of an equally anonymous landscape was a direct result of the socio-spatial conditions of its production.

There was plenty to be appreciated in the play of Sacha Kleijstan however. Though Sweden offered scant resistance other than their ubiquitous christian muscularity, Kleijstan was clearly in command of the game. Fresh off a week's trial with Glasgow Celtic, the CD Chivas USA midfielder looked the business well before he stepped up to lash a 30 yard free kick into the top left corner. A stunning way to score one's first international goal. His second came before half time through a half-deserved penalty as right back Wynn was caressed to the penalty box grass. Kleijstan's third was borne of a piece of brilliant control from Ching, who brought under control a ball that came over his head, took a touch, and slotted through two defenders to the onrushing Kliejstan who side footed home with his left. A glorious hat trick - unfortunately, the shameful defensive line of the USA made sure all three were necessary. (all goals available at www.tvgolo.com)

All in all, our B team is one goal better than Sweden's B team. Kliejstan cemented his roster spot for 2010. R We may see him in the starting lineup against Mexico on Feb. 11th. odgers (especially), Bornstein, Perkins, and Thorrington are out of the mix and that is as good as finding someone to fill a position at this point for head coach Bob Bradley. The Mexico match starts the final round of qualifying for 2010 and will be a blood and guts battle in Columbus.

Railhawks announce new head coach

Railhawks announce Martin Rennie as head coach

The Carolina Railhawks announced Scotsman Martin Rennie as the team’s new head coach. Rennie comes to the Railhawks from the Cleveland City Stars of the USL’s Second Division. At Cleveland, Rennie compiled an impressive record, taking the Stars to the USL-2 semi-finals in his first year and winning the league in his second year. This is clearly a coach who knows how to develop and implement functional tactical systems. Rennie is also noted for his ability to maximize player potential. A high percentage of his acolytes went directly into the MLS or foreign professional leagues following their stint in Cleveland.

Rennie comes to Cary with Europe’s highest coaching qualification: the UEFA “A” license. This is an unusual accomplishment for someone who has yet to begin plucking grey hairs before press conferences. Rennie also carries the UEFA youth license, which will be a huge asset in identifying and developing local talent to bring through the Railhawks’ fledgling development system. He has significant connections with professional teams in Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean and suggested that he will immediately look to add to the international character of the Railhawks’ squad.

During today’s well-attended press conference, Railhawks owner and president Brian Wellman identified the synergy between the Railhawks organization and Rennie saying “we are here to deepen our roots in the community, promote a family-friendly soccer environment, and put a championship team on the field. Martin will bring us consistency, a winning attitude, and a proven track record of success.” Wellman was also very clear that the Railhawks are not content to just compete in USL-1 but will continue to bring in top Mexican and MLS teams, and will target the new CONCACAF Champions League which would bring meaningful (and lucrative) international competition to WakeMed Soccer park.

Among the key changes that fans can look for will be a new attitude on the training ground. Rennie gave every indication that he expects players to work within his tactical system and to be committed to team play. The individual midfield peregrinations of Nuñes, Watson, and Fusilier may be a thing of the past. “Winning is not enough,” Rennie said, “we want to win with style and we want to win as a team.”

Fans can expect Rennie’s Railhawks to play a fast tempo game that is possession orientated (vs. lumping the ball forward), that builds from the back, and that works collectively to defend (vs. waiting for Chris McClellan to work miracles in goal). Perhaps the most encouraging statement of the afternoon was when Rennie said, “Winning is nice, but it is much sweeter when you can share the joy with the community.” While the Railhawks represent a bigger stage on which to display his coaching acumen, Rennie seems to understand that he is part of a much larger endeavor.

The Railhawks have a hugely talented group of players to draw from and Rennie will have much work to do in the coming months as he restructures what has been a disfunctional team culture. The Railhawks will host open tryouts on December 13th and 14th and hope to capture some local talent who are knocking around in the many Latino leagues in the Triangle. Though the 2009 season seems impossibly far away, it began in earnest today. The Railhawks have made a hugely positive step in hiring Martin Rennie: bienvenidos al triangulo, laddie.

Rilhawks weekend preview

Railhawks v. Battery Preview

In a final flurry of very ruffled feathers, the Cary-based Carolina Railhawks flap into a doubleheader against the Charelston Battery and Portland Timbers in USL-1’s final weekend. The stakes are high, as anything less than six points will snare no better than an 8th place finish for the sophomore ‘Hawks. In addition to winning two in two, they only make the playoffs if Atlanta and Minnesota choke.

On the bright side, if they do manage this Sisyphean task, they will be in the playoffs, which is of uncertain benefit other than fashioning a mantle of Cinderella to be lugged about. On the confusing side, why are there only seven teams in the playoffs? The Hawks finished 8th last year and made it in before being beaten soundly by Seattle.

It has been a rough year for the Railhawks who have struggled to find consistency, though they have been playing much better of late. The additions of players from Cuba, El Salvador, Mexico, Uruguay and Chile have begun to gel with those from Raleigh, California, Colorado, England, and Cote d’Iviore (to name a few), scoring 21 goals in their last nine games. There is a core of young talent spiced with some graybeards in their early 30s, which bodes well for the future. This season will look better in the Annals of American Soccer.

Before the avoidable 1-1 draw with Rochester last weekend, Scott Schweitzer pleaded for patience from the fans, and possibly the management. It was a pretty convincing plea, until with a 1-0 lead in the 82nd minute, an attacker was pulled off for a defender and in the 82nd minute it was 1-1. Even the staunchly supportive commentating crew were aghast at the decision which left the ‘Hawks scratching out a point when three were beak-bound.

Regardless of their chances of getting to the playoffs, I always recommend that people go to see the Railhawks play. They feature a great mix of international and home grown soccer talent in a comfortable, public transportation-free place to watch it. Almost like home, with all the niggling beauty of reality. You might also want to see proof of the old Wall Street adage: even if you don’t make it, they will come.

Carolina Railhawks v. Charleston Battery

USL-1 Regular Season Match

Wake Med Soccer Park

Cary, NC

September 6, 2008

Wake Med Soccer Park is one of the finest venues in the United States to watch soccer, if you have a car. The total absence of public transportation to the stadium would be more noticeable if anyone seemed to mind.

A light crowd came out to see the last place ‘Hawks roll the dice in their bid to reach the post-season. They were facing a Charleston Battery team that had looked very impressive in a 2-1 loss to D.C. United in the final of the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday. Almost everything went well for the home side as they notched three goals for the third time in five games.As Charleston sat back and hoped to spring on the counter, Carolina dominated early possession, attacking with fluidity through Ronald Cerritos in the center of midfield. When they were able to get the ball to the flanks, Nuñez took on defenders with his usual aplomb, creating trouble in the Battery backfield.

As the ‘Hawks opened some space they were reluctant to play early balls over the top, and after several abortive attempts Cerritos finally hit a one time ball through to Diallo who was bundled over in the box in the 25th minute. The ref did not hesitate in pointing to the spot, and Kupono Low stepped up to slot a wonderful penalty past the outstretched arms of Huddock.Inexplicably, Carolina did not press their advantage in possession but resorted to lobbing balls into the 6’4” Antoniuk, who paid dearly for his yeoman efforts in a nasty aerial collision with the 6’4” Nylen. An all too typical clash of monsters in the USL. It wasn’t long after that Cerritos, who should simply know better at his age, went flying into a 50-50 ball, smashing heads with a Battery defender and crumpled in a heap on the grass. The ref called for a stretcher, but all that could be found at WakeMed was a roller chair. One wonders if the trainers ask the players for their insurance cards. Unfortunately, Cerritos could not continue after the half-hour mark.

In the 37th, Charleston finally came to life and demonstrated some of the flowing soccer that put them in the Open Cup final. Five deft touches through midfield released Richardson on the left wing and his cross put Carolina’s back line to the test. Soon after, another midfield combination released Jamie Holmes on the right wing and his angled slot slid perilously close but Carolina escaped the danger.After a period of listlessness, Carolina responded through another series of passes in which play switched from left to right. Nunez released Diallo on the left, who played centrally to Waston, who slotted to the overlapping Curfman. His cross was directed into the net by Alewari in the 43rd minute. Charleston nearly pulled one back in injury time, but McClellan ended the half without having to make a save.

The half time entertainment featured the Railhawk Dancers performing a mock gang war, ironic given the recent escalation of gang violence in both Raleigh and Durham that seems a world, and not miles, away from Cary. There were also racing dogs and kids playing small sided games, in case anyone keeps track of these things.

Nothing much was generated by either side in the opening 20 minutes of the second half. Diallo continued to look slippery and dangerous running at the defense but it was Antoniuk who deserved the third goal of the night. Receiving a bouncing ball with his back to goal, he flicked over his defender and took the falling ball at full volley, sending it screaming to the top left corner. Hudock was equal to the task, flying across the goal to tip just over. This alone was worth the price of admission: two moments of athletic genius within one second.

The Battery are a good side, and they continued to look for combinations through midfield to prize open the heretofore stingy defense. A neat one-two in the attacking third allowed Spicer a chance to outmuscle Stokes and power underneath McClellan, who will wish he had another chance.

In the 74th minute, Diallo was taken off and Carolina looked to lock down their 2-1 advantage. They managed to give much of the initiative to Charleston who could not make too much of ten minutes of sustained pressure. As Carolina began to go backwards as much as forwards, this commentator was anticipating the worst, until a long sequence of passes ended with Curfman finding Watson on the right wing. Watson neatly turned his defender, dribbled to the line and cut back for the surging Cuban, Rey Martinez, who scored on his home debut. 3-1, and three points for Carolina.

This was one of the better displays of the season for the Railhawks who looked intent and confident. They continued their mastery of Charleston, running their all-time record to 5-0 against their Southern Derby opponents.
With three games to play, Carolina will need to put together even better performances if they are to defy the odds-makers who last week put their chances at a playoff spot at 5%. Nonetheless, they played well, scored some goals and will keep those that were there coming back for more.

Railhawks lose again, come to screeching halt in cellar

Montreal Impact v. Carolina Railhawks

USL-1

8 August 2008

Cary, NC

Wake Med Soccer Park

Do RailHawks bounce when they hit the ground?

The numbers are not pretty, but do tell the story. In the last 6 games, the Railhawks have scored two goals, suffering five shutouts. They have scored just 19 goals in 22 games, conceding 31. They have not won since June 27, and since then have taken 3 out of a possible 27 points. The strains of Ozzy Ozborne’s “Crazy Train” that play as the team is introduced should be replaced with Tom Petty’s “Freefalling”. It might soften the blow for the crowd.

At the end of another anemic performance marked by mental lapses, bitching at the ref, another churlish red card for Stokes (3^rd in 10 games), and a gear grinding attack, the disgust was about as palpable as it is likely to get in Cary. A dozens fans took their souvenir Frisbees and heaved them onto the pitch, a strong statement in staid suburbia.

This was the first choice team for coach Schweitzer and on paper one that looks the business. But after an opening five minutes of nice possession and good movement, the wheels fell off as Montreal countered, breaking the trap. Segovia lost precious ground as he remonstrated with the linesman. Jefferson took full advantage, turning the Chilean in the box and slotting past McClellan into the far corner. That really made an Impact. Having NEVER won after going a goal down, the only remaining work was to chart the positives and negatives of the players in terms of possession and influence.

Player	Positive		Negative
McClellan	3		2
SanFilippo	3		9 hideous going forward
Segovia	2		2 ball and fwd, not ref!
Stokes	2		3 another red card!
Worthen	2		0 pulled hammy, really odd luck there
Fusilier	0		5 subbed at ½ time
Low	7		3 solid in DCMF role
Watson	4		7 lost on right wing, more comfortable in middle
Nunez	5		4 no service in 2nd ½
Cerritos	3		5 static
Antoniuk	2		1 lack of service, hard work
Diallo	1		1 sparked attack briefly
Norkus Curfman		1	5 not a left back, easily gave away poss. Late sub, some nice touches
		2

It’s hard to know what to say about a team with no clear direction. For now, the only way to go is up, but that seems increasingly unlikely given the force of the impact of their crash into the cellar. Next up: Miami FC and the return of Connaly Edozien. Has enough time passed to call him prodigal? No matter, he’ll likely score a brace.

Vancouver Whitecaps v. Carolina Railhawks

Vancouver Whitecaps v. Carolina Railhawks
USL-1
1 August 2008
Cary, NC
Wake Med Soccer Park
Partly cloudy, balmy, perfect field conditions
TV: Fox Soccer Channel

It was a big week for Carolina in the front office. Gone was Connoley Edozien, last year’s leading scorer and stylish poster child. In comes fading El Salvadorian star Ronald Cerritos and rising Mexican estrella Eddie Gutierrez (click for more details). National television cameras were rolling, skies were clear, a much needed three points for the 9^th place Railhawks , lovely night for optimism and football.

After the most soulful rendition of “O Canada” this commentator has ever heard, it took less than one minute for Vancouver to score. Carolina kicked off, passed backwards (as is their wont), Low lost possession at left back, and gave up a foul deep into the right attacking third. Vancouver threw five players into the box (five of them 6’1” or bigger, with two verifiable monstros at 6’5” 220+ pounds), the ball bounced around, got rammed back across the front of goal, one nil, Bob’s your uncle. Carolina had the pleasure of being the first team in USL-1 to kick off twice within 75 seconds this year.

Nine minutes later, the groans were even more audible from the directors box. After right wing Fusilier rashly fouled in the depth of the ‘Caps’ tidal surge, McClellan bobbled the threatening cross, no ‘Hawks could move with so many huge standing waves around, 2-0. Bob’s your uncle and your father.

Things weren’t too bad for Carolina after that. Though they continued with their nasty habit of wasting free kicks and corners and their forwards have lost the confidence to take people on with the meager service they get, they looked pretty good for long stretches. Vancouver never really got much going, depending on the physicality of their forwards and pace of their defenders to generate and close openings. Santiago Fusilier gave some real delight to the home fans with an 18^th minute strike from outside the area. A thing of beauty, artfully lobbed over the ‘keeper, dipping just below the bar, diving into goal over the head of an outstretched Whitecap. Lovely stuff and well deserved. Hope sprung. It was mortally wounded in the 35^th minute.

For the third time in two home games, the ‘Hawks gifted a goal that left McClellan with no chance. Low’s one time pass to retreating center midfielder Solle (who had a disaster) was intercepted, Segovia was exposed holding a high Chilean line, and Eduardo Sebrango didn’t need his tiocubano to help him make it 3-1. The sound of air leaving a roof-less stadium is very odd indeed.

Though all was lost, the referee soon completed his rightful duty as an entertainment manager and expelled Vancouver’s incredibly pacy right back Takashi Hirano in the 43^rd minute for a blistering two footed tackle on Dombrowski. Carolina made no use of the ensuing freekick or man advantage until the 83^rd minute.

After Zuzga, Lemons, Curfman, Worthen and Antoniuk had been thrown into the mix for Norkus, Diallo, Fusilier, Dombrowski, ,and Solle, Nuñez pulled back a deserved goal for Carolina. As the game inexorably moved to its end, Vancouver held on to their three points like barnacles to a boat. Carolina screwed away several chances, hit the post, were denied by good saves, and their own lack of je ne sais qua.

They may be under some kind of curse. This is the thirteenth winless game on the trot. They have never once won after being a goal down and have only scored 3 goals in their last 5 games. Why then does the game get handed to the opposition within 60 seconds? Is there no idea of what to do at the very beginning of the game, much less adjust to it as it gets increasingly complicated? One wonders how this is going to translate to the new signings. Bienvenidos amigos, nececitamos ayuda. No le pasan la pelota al otro equipo, por favor.

Railhawks match report, 7/18/08

July 18, 2008

USL -1

Wake Med Soccer Park

Cary, North Carolina (National Geographic Article, very telling)

Carolina Railhawks 0 v. Puerto Rico Islanders 2

As usual, it rained just before the game, “killing the walk up”. Game time rain means many thousands of lost dollars to team management. Playing simply and intelligently in the back should mean more to the coaching staff. Both Puerto Rico goals were gifts: Carolina’s Solle and Stokes contrived to put Hansen through in the 16th minute through a bungled clearance. He simply couldn’t miss. Left-back Low’s seeing eye pass to attacking mid Villegas needed a touch but left McClellan no chance in the 34^th and the game was effectively done and dusted. Carolina has never come back to win after being two goals down, and there was the general sentiment that one point would constitute both moral and pyrrhic victories.

The first was perhaps the worst half of soccer Carolina has played all year. If not for the enterprise and bustle of the alas rioplatense, Nuñes and Fusilier, there was little energy to be found in the Railhawks’ nest. Like a climate threatened glacier, attacks were slow to develop and quickly ended. Set pieces were pedestrian, rarely threatening, and ill-rehearsed. To be fair, on the occasions when Carolina did get the ball into the box, the referee could have gone for three penalties and certainly should have given at least one. Does he have no sense of how to build positive emotion amongst a partisan crowd? For Chris’s sake (very funny), it’s a second division game in a suburb, it’s the 70^th minute of a 2-0 game, give a damn penalty to the home team to make it interesting!

The Hawks stay in 8^th place in the league, while the Islanders jump up to the top of the table for the first time this year, perhaps ever. Next up for the Hawks are the Rayados de Monterrey, Mexico who will be starting their first eleven in front of a partisan, Mexican crowd. If Carolina does not solve their back line problems soon, Jared Borgetti (you tube) will be shitting bird feathers for a week.