Fire and Flames

Today, Racing plays against Godoy Cruz and Atlanta plays Defensores de Belgrano. The former is relatively uninteresting, the latter quite the contrary.

In the past, Defe vs Atlanta was a big occasion for us due to the dislike that both clubs fans have of each other. The last few years, there being no away fans allowed at lower division futbol games in Argentina, this has become somewhat less exciting. For this reason, well concentrate on anecdotes and moments of the past of more interest.

A not unusual scene at Atlanta vs Defensores. In Villa Crespo a few years ago…

I have a somewhat love/hate relationship to Defensores de Belgrano. There was a time (late 90s I think) when I was exiled from Atlanta. To make a long story short: One day during an away game, I was standing around behind the goal. Being the young anarchist that I was, I had some t-shirt with some politically explicit slogan which gave away my political „inclinations.“ Suddenly, from behind I hear „vos que haces aca? Zurdo de mierda!“ (roughly translated „what are you doing here? Fucking Leftist! And „zurdo“ is an especially derogative term used by fascists/cops/soldiers to refer to leftists) I turned around just fast enough to move out of the way of a fist about the size of my head headed towards me, belonging to a body about three heads larger than mine. The giant then proceeded to try to rip off my tshirt (failed), but I was eventually pushed out of the area behind the goal in a very (very) unfriendly manner.
I then began the process of organizing my friends, contacts, and generally sympathetic people in order to make possible my return to my clubs terraces. However, this proved to be a somewhat long and complicated process, as apparently the person who attacked me was an ex-member of the „Camargo Skinheads“ which were a Neo-Nazi skinhead group which had apparently been active a few years earlier in Atlanta. Although they were no longer active and werent even recognizable, they still had enough connections to be a problem.

This is all of course especially crazy given that Atlanta is the representative team of Villa Crespo, one of Buenos Airess historically (and still currently) most Jewish neighborhoods. Our stadium is called „Leon Kolbowsky“ and the derogatory term other teams fans use to refer to Atlanta and its fans is „los judios“ (the Jews). Antisemitic chants against us (and even the ocassional swastica flag) are not rare.

Regardless, it took several months before I could return to Atlanta, and an alternative entertainment for Saturday afternoons was needed. Since I had lots of friends at Defensores de Belgrano, for a time went to see Defe and travelled with them (and their barra/hooligans) on several occasions. And so, regardless of where my heart truly lied…when you get ambushed in a Buenos Aires slum because the cops steer your buses into the middle, then suddenly disappear, and the next step is you being shot at from several directions….you develop certain bonds with people through shared suffering!

On the other hand, a sector of Defes fans also slipped into antisemitic folklore and jokes which made me, while standing around there, very uncomfortable and feeling not quite safe. The high (low?) point of this was an Atlanta vs Defe in Defes stadium in the early 1999 or 2000, where Defe fans greeted the entrance of Atlantas players on the pitch by throwing bars of soap. This act was even more repulsive because the „terrace“ from which this happened is named after a Jewish leftist, and Defe fan, by the name of Marcos Zucker who was killed during the last military dictatorship (one of the most famous torture camps of the dictatorship era is located directly across the street from Defes stadium). Fortunately, I was with the Atlanta fans that day.

This phase seems to be over in Defe, as those who understand Spanish can see in the following video, where there is very positive referance to Marcos Zucker, anti-military songs being chanted, and so forth.

This video shows Defes fans in the neighborhood of their archrivals Excursionistas…who are nowhere to be found.

Finally, a video of a tragic incident in Argentine futbol and a great example of the behavior of Argentine police. What is seen here is not rare, what is rare is that it was caught on tape, and that the police went so far as to kill an already arrested fan and then claim that he died „falling from the back of the van“ in which he was being transported.

Sleep is for the Weak, and too much Red Bull is bad for you. Anyways….8th game of the season, against the mighty Boca Juniors…maybe time to actually win one?

Whatever, heres a picture and no, no photoshop was involved…

And, ummm, I forgot to put this little gem online last week.

Racing still hasnt won a game this tournament, so lets hope that „the force of history“ makes a small mistake today and allows an exception.
Gimnasia, as regular readers here will know, are good friends of ours, so off the field not much to mention. Here is a trailer of an upcoming movie about Gimnasia. It reflects the feelings of many Racing fans as well, only in an even more extreme version of „love through suffering.“ Let it be noted that Gimnasia has, in over 100 years, still not won a single championship.

Tomorrow, 20:30 Atlanta vs Comunicaciones. Atlanta has also not yet won a single game this championship (things are going great…). Racing may be the bigger and more exciting event, and certainly the one I am most passionate about, but Atlanta is special in a very different way. Atlanta is not only the neighborhood (Villa Crespo), but because much smaller and in third division, much wilder. Travelling to all forgotten and dark corners of the greater Buenos Aires area, more often than not with not more than 150-200 people. Anecdotes some other time…. Some videos…

After the games, waiting for the cops to release us. An entertaining, if idiotic sport. Cops open the doors when they get the message that visiting fans are getting on the train. The train station is about 200-300meters from the stadium. Doors open….mass sprint to the train station, usually (although not always) fruitless.

This is „how we ride“ Nice to travel hanging on the outside when all is well and we are just singing, less nice when a. other fans through stones and letting go just isnt an option, b. cops start shooting rubber bullets, c. less dangerous but more frightening….cops drive up real close and start trying to hit you with batons while in motion. Of course, since we arent allowed to go to away games anymore, this is for the moment a thing of the past.

Last year, back home after three years. Stadium went from wood to cement. Rarely so full! (Average is about 800-1000 people).

The real crazy among you can follow it on www.elshowdeatlanta.com.ar and experience how futbol commentators on Argentine radio make a whole lot of nothing happening and generally terrible futbol sound like a World Cup final.

They say that „hope dies last,“ and we Racing fans have been working hard since about 40 years to find out just how much truth there is to this statement.

Every year (and indeed twice a year, since in Argentina there are two tournaments per year), against all arguments of logic or reason, we give new birth to the illusion that the coming tournament will bring celebration, madness, and joy not only in the „tribuna“ (terraces), but also on the field. For this purpose, we drag poor old hope out and use it as a shield against reality. And so, basically every week hope gets the living crap kicked out of it, until the matter of us winning a tournament is resolved through pure mathematics, and hope can once again take a much deserved rest.

Tonight, at 1 am, viewable on rojadirecta.com, and transmitted for the first time since I have use of reason on free and public state television….Racing vs Rosario Central. What else are you going to do on a Saturday night?!

As customary, some related videos and anecdotes….

-The game is in Rosario, at Centrals stadium. This is one of the most unpleasant stadiums to visit with Racing, as the „hinchada“ of Central enjoys very strong bonds to the local police, which means that the area around the „away“ fans exit is usually a „liberated zone“ in the time immediately before, during, and after the game. Beatings, attempted robberies, smashed up cars, and so forth are not at all unusual. When does the police appear? When it seems Racing fans might defend themselves succesfully, then they come from nowhere and start shooting rubber bullets at anything that moves.

-In 1999, after Racing was declared bankrupt, the first game we played once we were allowed to play again was against Central in Rosario. 15.000 people travelled to attend it (Rosario is over 300km from Buenos Aires).

-Racing fans entering Centrals less than spectacular stadium, in which in two weeks nothing less than Argentina-Brazil (world cup qualifying) will take place.