Local Beer, Local Soccer: The Illusory Nicaraguan Dilemma: Tona y Victoria (Nicaragua)

The CONCACAF Champions League is back! Actually last night as winner Monterrey opened their campaign, but the North American sides join in the fun tonight. A perfect chance to launch a new series here on the FBM that focuses on both the local game and the local beer of a particular place.


We can't be everywhere, but our readers (and potential contributors) can educate us all on soccer and beer in their corner of the world.


Submit a piece on your cities/state/country's soccer and beer by e-mailing us at freebeermovement@gmail(dot)com.


By Elliott Turner / Senior Senor Correspondent


Several months ago, you saw an odd image on TV. Thanks to the CONCACAF Champions League, Toronto FC, a Canadian MLS team, butted heads with Real Esteli of Nicaragua in Nicaragua. The Estadio Independencia Esteli offers floodlights and some covered seating, but the pitch was a disaster. I love my adopted homeland, but the mudfest and stadium similar to a US high school did not offer a particularly glamorous image of professionalism. And a glance at the brewsky options in Nicaragua leaves an even more bitter taste in the mouth. 

First, the footy. Real Esteli is one of the top teams in the Nicaraguan league. If they don't win it all, then they are breathing down the champions' neck for most of the season. Conversely, Toronto FC regularly fails to make the playoffs despite breaking attendance records. Toronto FC's presence in a tournament called "Champions League" discredits the entire concept. This appeared a mismatch, right? Kinda, at least if you conveniently overlook the entire sporting, political, and historical context of the two teams.  

Canada is a first world country that has largely avoided the global economic recession. Despite Richard Whittall's grumblings, Toronto is a sizable, bustling metropolis. MLS is a respectable league, despite what you just read on BigSoccer. Real Esteli is the pride of the Nicaraguan national league, but perspective is necessary. Nicaragua has been ravaged by earthquakes and civil war in the last few decades. Also, the entire country is the size of a US state. Managua is a decent-sized city, comparable to modest Midwestern places like Kansas City. However, Esteli is a much smaller city near the mountains. I have no doubt the Romans pitted the strongest and best fighting Christians against the laziest of Lions, but Goliath tramples David nine times out of ten.   

Americans and fans of MLS have slowly witnessed a growing stream of fine soccer players from Honduras and El Salvador. We even have cried when dual citizens have forsaken the USMNT for a shot at Central American national team glory. Most folks hate Carlos Ruiz, but know he is from Guatemala. The Costa Rica national team ties or beats us at their suffocating and cursed Saprissa stadium. But Nicaragua? The Nicas have only recently adopted soccer over baseball, and normally immigrate to nearby Costa Rica in lieu of the US. Close USMNT watchers may have noticed when former US & Chivas USA player John O'Brien visited Granada, a small colonial town, a few years ago with Futbol sin Fronteras, but no Nica star has lined up for any MLS team yet. In sum, Nicaragua was off your radar until last July and August, when Toronto FC beat Real Esteli 4-2 on aggregate to advance in the CCL. 

But it shouldn't be. Don't let the muddy field fool you, Nicaragua is a place of staggering natural beauty and warm people. Folks looking for Latin American fun sans the Mexican drug violence and expensive South American airfare should visit this diamond before the rough edges get too smooth. And, of course, when visiting the place or watching Real Esteli, you need to select the appropriate alcoholic beverage. Flor de cana is the clear winner in rum, but, for beer, the deceptively ugly side of Nicaragua rears its ugly head: the false selection dilemma. 

Between the jaw-dropping volcanoes and great lakes, mirages pollute Nicaraguan politics and beer. The false selection dilemma is when an individual is presented with two allegedly different options that are in fact almost identical. The rational individual then racks his or her brain, trying to discover a meaningful difference and make the ideal selection. The individual finds no difference, but doubts their own sensory capacities and suspects they are missing something. They often end up making no decision, with is the worst result, especially since making any decision would have had the same positive result. D'oh! In Nicaragua, don't let the superficial fool you into this trap. 

In politics, Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 100 Years of Solitude is playing out, but replace Macondo with Managua. Former President Arnold Aleman was convicted and incarcerated for rampant corruption during his term. This was a major blow for transparency and justice. However, near the end of Daniel Ortega's recent term, a strange thing happened. Aleman was released. Then, he decided to run as a candidate for President. And, to top matters, Daniel Ortega blatantly disregarded the Constitution's ban on consecutive terms and decided to run for re-election (and won in equally shady circumstances). On the surface, Nicaragua appears to have two parties (actually quite a few more). However, in reality, backroom deals and disappearing ballots rendered any decision unimportant. No matter who you voted for, Daniel was going to win. A rational citizen's head would explode. 

The land of beer is sadly not so different. In theory, there are two competing major label brands: Tona and Victoria. Victoria is a Pale Lager. Tona's most popular drink is a Golden Lager (though they have recently offered some new flavors). The difference in taste between these Lagers is negligible, even for a developed beer palate. Why so similar? Well, if you scratch below the surface, you find an odd occurrence: despite being alleged competitors, they are owned by the same company: CCN. Thus, between catching waves at San Juan del Sur, when your waiter ask you your drink, don't hesitate in your decision. Either beer should do if you're looking for a Nicaraguan Lager, and the aftertaste will be assuredly less bitter than the recent stolen Presidential election.  



About Elliott


Elliott blogs about soccer at Futfanatico.com. He is the author of An Illustrated Guide to Soccer & Spanish. 



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That's On Point: "Canal Kings" (USMNT vs. Panama Review)

It's about time, right? We've got ourselves a U.S. National Team writer. Mike Cardillo, who we've been reading for YEARS on his site, "That's On Point", for US preview/reviews and English Premier League musings will be providing some coverage of the Nats as they begin their 2014 World Cup Qualifying campaign.

Mike's has been writing about the National Team for as long as we've been reading about American soccer on the Internet! He's got a quick wit and pop cultural references up the ying-yang. 

So welcome Mike to the site and your opinions on the USMNT fly!

-----------------------------------------------------------

By Mike Cardillo / Senior National (Team) Correspondent


U.S. 1, Panama 0. 


First thing's first, there is a special ring of purgatory reserved for an American soccer blogger/writer with the temerity to poo-poo a result on foreign soil ... even in a no-stakes friendly. In that regard, let's say a hearty well done for Graham Zusi for being Johnny on the spot and scoring inside of 11 minutes and the rest of the U.S. players for holding off a semi-dangerous Panama team for about 30 minutes after Geoff Cameron's straight red card.


It gave Jurgen Klinsmann a solid 2-0-0 start to the 2012 campaign before next month's higher-profile friendly with the dastardly Italians in Genoa. If anything, it's better to see U.S. 1, Panama 0 for the next couple hours on the ESPN crawl, right?


At the same time, there was something, let's say retrogressive about Wednesday night's friendly, though not from a sporting standpoint. It simply felt, oh, like it was 1995 all over again.


During the afternoon on Wednesday American soccer fans were treated, first, to a taunt Liverpool second-leg Carling Cup semifinal victory over Manchester City on Fox Soccer, followed by the second-leg of the Copa del Rey quarterfinal between eternal blood rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona. Depending where you were those games were aired in crisp, sparkling HD with pulsating atmospheres at hallowed soccer grounds at Anfield and the Camp Nou, where the eyes -- and tweets -- of the world cast their gaze.


This isn't a "U.S. can never be as good at soccer as it is in Europe argument", yet here it was a couple hours later and the U.S./Panama match wasn't available on cable in English, relegated to ESPN3 online and Galavasision's embarassingly awful Spanish broadcast in murky, standard definition.


Again, this is probably taking complaining on the Internet to another level, yet this felt like the days when my father and I would scramble and cross our fingers a U.S. game would -- if we were lucky -- air on Univision.


In short, everything felt a little second rate from what we've grown accustomed to, if in a totally spoiled first-world problem (ugh, buzzword) type of way.


However you frame it, the eyes of the world weren't exactly fixated on the Estadio Rommel Fernandez(*) for the U.S.'s 1-0 win over host Panama.  


(*) Wonder if David Lee Roth and or Van Halen have ever performed a concert there? (C'mon, you know I'm not writing anything about Panama without sneaking a Diamond Dave or Teddy Roosevelt reference, however forced.) 


Again, quality result for the U.S. "B/C" team. Did anyone on the field against Panama -- or Venezuela -- exactly distinguish himself for Herr Klinsmann going forward? Considering the German head coach still seems to rate Michael Orozco-Fiscal, it's thoroughly impossible to read between his ears.


Brek Shea, hellbent on a move to England apparently, is a lively player with a lot of drive and power wherever you stick him on the field. Nick Rimando, too, is solid as per usual in goal and should even at 32 remain in the mix as a second or third keeper.


The Bob Bradley-approved "Captain" Jermaine Jones and Ricardo Clark didn't do anything great or awful. Jones, for better or worse, appears right in the thick of Klinsmann's plans, even if the German-born midfielder's best chance to help the U.S. was probably in 2010 rather than 2014. If Jones reigns himself in, he's effective, but it all depends on what his role is: destroyer? disruptor? creator? shield? He launched some missiles from deep, but again drew a yellow card.


Clark? Glad he got a positive memory with the 97th minute winner vs. Venezuela, but if Kyle Beckerman didn't withdraw from the squad does he even see the field? Hard to see Clark vaulting past Beckerman or Michael Bradley or Maurice Edu or even Stuart Holden in the middle of the U.S. central midfield pecking order.


Moving on.


Tactically(*), with the U.S. playing a standard 4-4-2, until Cameron's sending off, the main focus of the attack seemed to come from the flanks. If this is going to be the main offensive strategy going forward, when the full U.S. team is called in it better be somebody like Shea serving crosses toward Clint Dempsey, not the other way around. If there's one thing Dempsey does -- obviously he does more -- but the Texan knows how to finish off movements in the box.


(*) These two matches weren't exactly the free-flowing, revoluntionary soccer Klinsmann hinted at in August, no?


Hard to say any of the U.S. forwards who saw the field did enough to declare themselves worthy of being called in for the Italy match -- which figures to be Euro-based player packed. Teal Bunbury has potential, but at what level? CONCACAF or a higher international? Chris Wondolowski is a nice MLS grinder and has the worst luck in a national team shirt, getting denied on an absolutely brilliant reaction save by Luis Mejia.


In typical U.S. two steps forward, one step back fashion Cameron shined against Venezuela only to get sent off for an arm bar on Blas Perez, who'd run behind the defense and had a clear 1-v-1 with Sean Johnson unless the Houston Dynamo man interceded. Did Perez let his feet go out from him rather easily? Sure. At the same time, in the state of the modern soccer game what is and isn't a red card anymore? Who knows. Cameron might have been better off stamping on Perez rather than leaning into his with his forearm.


Again, considering his track record it's probably fruitless to guess what Klinsmann gleaned from this month of practices and two friendlies. Aside from the Bundesliga Badboy, "Captain" Jermaine and Shea nobody else who featured is a sure-thing to play next month in Italy. Maybe a couple of the players, say, Zusi did enough to warrant a spot on a roster vs. a CONCACAF minnow to save guys like Dempsey or Landon Donovan a trip across the Atlantic. 


Like most USMNT January friendlies, the best approach is to take the Homer Simpson reaction to the family's ill-fated shortcut to Itchy & Scratchy Land. So, as he said, "Let us never speak of this again."


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NEWS WATCH - Blazer Donzo With CONCACAF

"I'm retiring to spend more time with my iPod."

Chuck Blazer, CONCACAF's General Secretary, will step down at the end of the year he announced today. Blazer, a frequent homeless person impersonator, will still remain a member of FIFA's Executive Committee.

“My passion for soccer is undiminished and it is time for me to explore new challenges within this wonderful sport,” Blazer said in a statement. “Running a governing body has been an incredibly fulfilling job, but there are so many other areas of the sport where as a senior executive, I will make a great impact.”

Blazer, 66, a gregarious, larger-than-life figure, has been in charge of CONCACAF for 21 years. During his tenure, he grew the confederation’s revenue from $140,000 to $40 million through various initiatives, including the increasingly popular Gold Cup and CONCACAF Champions League.

Blazer has also been a member of the FIFA Executive Committee since 1997. He will retain that position.

“Chuck’s contributions to the sport over the last 30 years are unparalleled,” US Soccer president Sunil Gulati said. “All of us in CONCACAF owe him a great debt of gratitude for his sustained efforts in helping to take the sport to where it is today. There is no doubt that he will continue to make an impact in whatever role he chooses.”

Blazer’s tenure was not without controversy. He played an integral role in the drama surrounding the bidding for the 2022 World Cup, which many thought would be awarded to the US. Instead, it was awarded to Qatar.

During the FIFA presidential election earlier this year, Blazer was again involved in a controversial episode when he initiated an investigation into ethics violations, including bribery allegations, involving CONCACAF vice president Jack Warner several Caribbean federations and FIFA presidential candidate Mohammed bin Hammam of Qatar. As a result of the investigations, bin Hammam was eventually banned for life from all football-related activities and Warner, of Trinidad, resigned from football administration duties.

“In looking back at my years at CONCACAF, I have great satisfaction in having achieved all my objectives, including unprecedented revenues, new initiatives in competitions and modern technology in administration,” Blazer said.

Also, Blazer will still continue his duties as the bringer of joy to boys and girls around the world each December 25th.


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CONCACAF Champions League Expert Commentary

Awesome Sporting News soccer reporter Brian Straus adds some context for everyone on Major League Soccer's surgence (not re-surgence... we had to be good before... which we weren't) in the CONCACAF Champions League.

MLS teams are heading south and kicking a**, heading to Mexico and finally kicking a**, and making their mark in the region. Seems like Real Salt Lake's final run last season really inspired our MLS sides.

This. This is how you increase exposure to American soccer. Start building winners. The first Champions League winner out of MLS is going to see some big time props and a big time bump. America loves winners.

Legggo!




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VIDEO: CONCACAF Gold Cup Preview - Group C

Know thy enemies...meet the champion.

Group C: USA, Canada, Panamá, Guadeloupe.




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VIDEO: CONCACAF Gold Cup Preview - Group B

Know thy enemies.

Group B: Honduras, Guatemala, Jamaica, Grenada


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VIDEO - CONCACAF Gold Cup Preview: Group A

Know thy enemies.

Group A: (Defending Gold Cup Champion) Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Cuba



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VIDEO - CONCACAF Champions League 360: Real Salt Lake Vs. Columbus Crew

While much of the world will focus their beady, little eyes on  the European Champions League (and we can't blame them), MLS fans and fans in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Honduras all have horses in CONCACAF's version of the Champions League.

American soccer has a chance to make a big mark on the regional stage. As the quarterfinals kick off this week Major League Soccer has two... count 'em... TWO... teams making an appearance and a run at the tournament title.

Real Salt Lake and Columbus Crew will face each other in the first of two home-and-away matches to see who progresses onto the semi-finals.

Consider it an MLS appetizer as the regular season is LESS THAN ONE MONTH AWAY!

And check out this epic, nearly thirteen minute look into tonight's American soccer throw down produced by MLSSoccer.com

We're above picking sides in this match, but no matter what happens between the two, an AMERICAN team will book their place into the next round and be one step from the tournament final (guaranteed against a Mexican league side as all four clubs from Mexico were drawn into the same side of the bracket.. suckers!).

The match kicks off from Columbus Crew Stadium at 7pm (CT) on Fox Soccer Channel.



Photo Credit: Concacaf.com

Video Credit: MLSSoccer.com


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