Photo of the Day: Get A Job

Frontrunners who want to look like hardasses do have an American equivalent, they're called "Red Sox fans." They started the faded/tattered cap trend so you could look like you've had the hat forever and grew up in Southie. The truth of the matter is, now that they've won 2 of 3 Series, it's time to drop the whole "Pulling for the doomed/cursed Red Sox" routine. (Sorry chris)

As a "confessed fanatic" of La Academia and hater of the Gallinas and the Bosteros, I find Maradona symbolic of Argentina and Argentine football (explained further if needed). I'm not an Argentine, but I have lived there twice and I've always found Maradona a compelling mess, a physical and psychological mess, used and abused his entire life, an irresponsible and uneducated kid from the villa...STILL. Let him be who he is and ignore him if you want.

But, he'll stay in the news exactly because of who he is: a train-wreck and such an improbable (former) superstar. He's news, especially to the North American and European crowd who follow football in Argentina from afar, wear Boca kits (w/o the slightest knowledge of true club, its historic traditions, its fans, its corruptions), etc. etc. Annoying? Yeah, I agree with you Mauro. But, he's not a "real" problem; after all, he's not from the borrochos del tablon or anything. Hell, he's not Grondona either...

By the way, I've always thought that the worst fans in Argentina, in a concentrated sense, were Charcarita fans. Boca fans? Bad? I don't know, they're passionate and the stadiums got serious atmosphere, and have a huge following (like River). But, a host of them are front runners and wanna-bes. I mean, how hard is it to be a Boca fan? "Let's see, I want my club to win just about every year? So, I can either be a Boca or a River fan. I want to look tough and pretend that I'm from the neighborhood. Yeah, I'm a Boca fan." There's really no comparison in American sports.

Sorry, above link to the Philly fans survey got messed up somehow, here it is: http://www.rateitall.com/t-165...

Your Raider Nation analogy is WAYYYY off. See this article a female ESPN writer did on a day with the Black Hole... I think you should probably replace "Raider Nation" with "Philadelphia sports fans." , which I got from Googling "worst sports fans" certainly agrees. ::Ducks to avoid batteries and beer thrown at head from Lincoln Financial stands::

It's no secret that I'm a confessed fanatic of River Plate. So, it's with this in mind that you should read what I'm going to say.

This guy is the biggest turd in the world.

In fact, if he never played a touch of football, he'd still be there in the stadium doing what he does leading what is, in effect, the Raider Nation of Argentine football. Sorry, I had to say it, and it's true. No one that's not a Boca fan, likes Boca fans.

With that said, I have so much contempt for him. When Pekerman left the national team, he campaigned through the press, like he always does, to be appointed for the spot. Instead of doing it like a serious professional and presenting a plan and strategy for the job he cries to the media.

The Argentine FA stole, there's really no other way of putting it, Alfio Basilé from Boca and Maradona bitched and moaned that his club team was left effectively head-less and what not. The Argentina FA president Julio Grondona, famous in FIFA offices for his turkey neck, came out in the press and shot back at him that if he wants to be a coach, than there is the perfect opportunity, right in front of him at the head of Boca. Maradona responded, through the press again (I believe that Grondona won't even pencil him into his agenda), that he can't take the reins at Boca because Boca deserves a serious coach.

So I'm thinking (because I'm a bit of a cynic), "than what the hell is the national team? A place where you can do whatever you want?" Sorry, but this really bugged me and was the last thing he did that really pissed me off. Believe it or not, there are a lot of Argentines who DO NOT like him. Loser.