From: pampa@cbnewsb.cb.att.com (ruben.a.mazzulla)
Subject: Re: BRAZIL SWEEPS THROUGH TO WIN THE GOLD
Keywords: reply to replies
Organization: AT&T
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1992 04:09:15 GMT


to argentinians & brazilians:

dear soccer fans stop those insults (`black putos', arrogant, etc), pls!!

some guys dream to have us fighting each other in soccer as well as 
in other areas, i.e., politics (the `rulers of the world' have long 
benefit from that).  in this case, with this attitude, we're giving to
our soccer `competitors' the ammunition they are looking for.  

i'm an ultra-proud argentinian (i don't have any reason to be otherwise),
and i lived in brazil for almost two years, and i'd lie through my
teeth if i say that at any given time i felt like i was in a foreign 
country or in `enemy territory' (which seems to be the message that this
cross-fire implies).  all what i found there was very nice and friendly 
people always willing to help, share and have fun ..lots of fun (can 
anyone be better than that?)  it's true that once in a while i ran into 
some "brasil, o pais mais grande e mais rico do mundo!" type of comments, 
but so what?, it can happen anywhere.

in soccer, it will be a little be extremist to affirm that argentina
trembles when facing brazil (that was out too much in the original mail),
but butterflies ...lots of them!, and the same happens against uruguay.
no because we are scared of them (either brazilians or uruguayans) but
we don't want to lose with them!; there is too much at stake in these
games (oh god, if we `must' lose not to uruguay or brazil, pleasssse!).

and the same happens to the brazilians!!; i have several (good & honest)
friends of mine that either for the `86 and `90 world cups would openly
confess to me -"gee, hope we don't play against argentina ..unless until
the final".  and that was great because it gave me the chance of being as
truly open as they were and said -"the same here!".  obviously, someone,
from either side may appear somewhere and say -"we don't care who comes
next, ...everybody is afraid of US!, or ..we're afraid of NONE!", but
hey!, they have the right to canalize their `weakness' the way they 
want (can), ...just let them use their rights to the fullest extend.

the matter of the fact is that argentinians and brazilians respect each
other in similar degreed (and `respect' uruguay as well, (those #@*^-!*
charruas may be losing all the games but at the time of playing argentina 
or brazil they're a completely different team!)).  my good friend dr. 
amarantes once said -"..we brazilians tend to see ourselves as the world 
soccer supremacy, because we're a nation of 180 millions people, have 3 
world cups and this is the land of pele', but we don't ignore the fact 
that just crossing the border is argentina, with 30 millions (6 times 
smaller in population) but w/ 2 world cups and also the land of d'steffano
and maradona", a very mature and balanced statement which is a complement 
by itself.

therefore my dear cariocas and porten~os, let's no fall in the trap of 
attacking/fighting/degrading each other for the pleasure of those who want
to see us divided to the extreme. let's keep playing soccer `with heart & 
soul' to win, but enjoying that privilege that any argentinian/brazilian 
fan can have of traveling to the other country for a game without any 
concern of being sacrificed alive in name of `nationalistic pride' (or 
total irrationality) as other fans in other areas of the world have.  

let's take futebol/futbol for what it is, not more than that (OUR WAY OF 
LIFE??, :-)), and keep enjoying it, always inspired by the idea of being 
the soccer super-powers `of this side of world', that our two countries
together (+ uruguay) count for as many world cups as 20 european nations,
and that our countries are the lands of stars like d'steffano, pele' and 
maradona ...and many more to come!!

(god bless south-american soccer!!)


ruben mazzulla



to the others netters:

ps:  re:"other Latinamericans root for European teams"(by Carlos Escobar).

     that's isn't always true.  i've traveled a lot through latin-america
     and i can say that argentina has always enjoyed the support from its
     spanish-speaking neighbors mainly in central & south-america.  the
     only exception are most of the mexicans which, in their frustration,
     support any other but a spanish-speaking latin-american brother (not
     matter if it's argentina, colombia or uruguay ...and i've heard that 
     they do the same in boxing against puerto rico) so it's `kind of 
     expected' from them.   
     besides that, cheering for other than your neighbor seems to be very
     common in most of europe too (italians don't want germans to win, 
     germans don't want british, british don't frenchs, ...and so on).
     then, no surprise if some resented latinos don't want argentina to
     win.  ...tough!  (..and who needs their support anyway?)  :-)))