Fotografo de Bodas, Santiago

July 6, 2010

This is like my accident — I just can’t stop blogging about it!

Last week the Chilean soccer team was invited to La Moneda — Chile’s equivalent of the White House. The Chilean president, Sebastian Pinera, received them. It’s a well known fact that Chilean soccer coach (and my hero) Bielsa, doesn’t care much for Pinera and his politics. Bielsa has never kept that a secret. So when the Chilean team headed to La Moneda and Pinera received them, Bielsa breezed through, barely acknowledging the President. He does the manly head bob for a second and then when Pinera extends his hand to him, he shakes it as fast as it is humanly possible to shake a fellow human being’s hand. Watch the video here. Bielsa is the man dressed in what appears to be navy blue sweatpants (have I mentioned that I love him yet?)

Bielsa

Anyway. The Chilean media went nuts after that. NUTS. Bielsa then issued a formal apology via written letter to FIFA saying his actions weren’t meant to offend anyone. And then Pinera’s daughter called him a “roto,” on her Twitter account, which I would equate to being as offensive as calling someone “white trash,” in the U.S.

Classy move, little she-Pinera. VERY classy.

My thoughts on all this? Well, I’m sure if a similar situation in the U.S. happened — say German coach, Jurgen Klinsmann, comes to take over team U.S.A., leads them to winning the World Cup finals and then Obama, in his second term, invites them to the White House, where Jurgen is then extremely cold to him because he doesn’t agree with his politics (please, oh PLEASE, let all of those things happen — well except the Jurgen snub part) — I’m sure the U.S. media reaction would be similar. Everybody would be all up in arms. And I’d be saying what I’m about to say next to my fellow U.S. citizens instead of Chilean citizens.

I think people need to chill out. If a foreign coach comes to live in your land and coach your team that absolutely does NOT put him under any obligation to like your president or agree with your politics. Give it a rest. On a much smaller scale, I compare it to me being in Chile, photographing a lot of Chileans, but not necessarily loving everything about the country of Chile. I am under no obligation to like all aspects of the country of Chile simply because I work for Chileans. A lot of my Chilean clients read the blog, and while they might not agree with everything I write, they’re happy that I took good pictures of them — and since they hired me to take good pictures of them, not hired me to agree with their politics and every single aspect of their way of life and culture, we’re all good.

I say, Bielsa did his job, he got the Chilean team out of a very tough World Cup group, when last World Cup cycle, they didn’t even qualify. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — he turned that team around. So he came to the country of Chile, he did his job with and for Chileans and he happens not to agree with Pinera’s politics. He has a right to believe what he wants to believe. Get over it. He was hired to coach the Chilean soccer team, not kiss Pinera’s ass.

Anyway. While we’re on the subject of the World Cup, let me show you this video of people’s reactions to Team U.S.A.’s performance this go-round. It sums up absolutely everything that I love SO MUCH about Team U.S.A.

Here is the link.

Love. Adore. Really like. Amo. Enjoy. Appreciate. There are not enough joyful verbs in the English language to say how happy watching that video made me. Yes. THANK YOU for never diving. And playing with class. And never giving up. Team U.S.A. is truly amazing and I’ll never stop being proud to be a fan.

However, since the U.S. is out, and I do have some Dutch ancestry — orange is the color of insanity! I’m predicting that Germany will beat Spain tomorrow 2-0 and that the final will be Holland 2, Germany 1. I have to be honest though, as long as they play good soccer, keeping the diving as minimal as possible (yay to the European teams that dive the least probably making it to the finals!), I really don’t care who wins.

Video.

21 Comments

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21 Comments

Ha! It didnt look like he did it on purpose. Cool Nike commerical!! I cant wait to see the U.S. in the next world cup.. will even more of America care?
I think you meant “Bielsa” in the paragraph that starts with “I say”

Comment by LanaRenee — July 7, 2010 @ 6:05 am

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I halfway disagree. Of course theres no reason he should have to agree with Pinera politics…but i think the issue is common curtesy. You shouldn't snub your host no matter what you think of his politics, that's still pretty rude.

Comment by Lydia — July 7, 2010 @ 10:40 am

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I love those nike commercials. Also, I find it hilarious that Bielsa hates PiÃ±era. Have you seen the video by Stefen Kramer imitating PiÃ±era's visit to La Roja? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1x1eA_hZrQ If you haven't seen it, you might die laughing, so be careful…

Comment by Abby Hall — July 7, 2010 @ 1:11 pm

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I think he was in his right to react as he wants. He should have the right to be vocal about his politics– after all, he is not working for the government and the right to criticize, for me, is pivotal to creating a free and equal society. Also, you have a typo (I almost never point them out, but you called Bielsa “Pinera” at one point and I was confused and had to read this paragraph a couple times (I am slow and tired because of jet lag). Sorry for correcting you. Here is the prob:

I say, PiÃ±era did his job, he got the Chilean team out of a very tough World Cup group, when last World Cup cycle, they didnâ€™t even qualify. Iâ€™ve said it before and Iâ€™ll say it again â€” he turned that team around. So he came to the country of Chile, he did his job with and for Chileans and he happens not to agree with PiÃ±eraâ€™s politics. He has a right to believe what he wants to believe. Get over it. He was hired to coach the Chilean soccer team, not kiss PiÃ±eraâ€™s ass.

Or maybe that was what you meant.

Comment by ClareSays — July 7, 2010 @ 1:35 pm

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Seriously, your soccer posts rock haha!!! I can't believe there are only 2 games left. I'm definitely going to go through withdrawal symptoms. Hey, if I had been invited to the White House and Bush was still the President there is NO WAY I would have greeted him with enthusiasm. I would have been respectful, as I always am, but I despise the man and I'm not about to pretend like I love or even like him.

Comment by GlobalButterfly — July 7, 2010 @ 1:55 pm

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Did you hear that Sabat, the mayor of Ã‘uÃ±oa, called for Bielsa to have is work visa taken away? Ridiculous. And also not very wise politically, given that the entire country worships Bielsa right now.

Comment by leigh — July 7, 2010 @ 2:44 pm

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Awesome – thanks for this post.
I did not even know that PiÃ±era's daughter is on Twitter – here it is if anyone is interested: http://twitter.com/MANENA

A friend of mine recently shook the hand of Felipe CalderÃ³n, President of Mexico & he said it is a huge thing to do to shake your countries presidents hand & a great honor even if you might not agree with the politics.

I agree with Lydia, you should respect your host – that scene was childish & unprofessional.

Comment by Andre — July 7, 2010 @ 3:12 pm

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i agree, he should had tried to be polite

Comment by Ariel — July 7, 2010 @ 5:17 pm

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I love that video about TEAM USA! It's really fucking cool!

I'm going for Spain! Even though they are known divers, which is crap. Go Spain!

Comment by kristyleaperkins — July 7, 2010 @ 6:43 pm

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I definitely thought he was more than polite enough. He nodded to acknowledge PiÃ±era and then when Pinera extended his hand, he shook it. To me that is common courtesy. If he hadn't shook his hand I think it would have been rude, but even so I still wouldn't have expected him to do it if he didn't want to.

Comment by kylehepp — July 7, 2010 @ 9:37 pm

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Man, the game today was so horrible, but they still won, go Espana! I will celebrate with Sangria if they win. And with wooden shoes if the Dutch win!

Comment by kylehepp — July 7, 2010 @ 9:38 pm

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I didn't feel it was at all childish or unprofessional. No one, no matter what their nationality, should be required to support politics they don't agree with. Bielsa acknowledged Pinera with a head not, then shook his hand. What more do people want, a big bear hug? If I had ever been invited to the White House under the Bush era, no matter what the circumstances, I would NOT have shaken his hand, rude or not.

Comment by kylehepp — July 7, 2010 @ 9:40 pm

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Haha, I did not hear that, but that's also hilarious and blowing the whole thing so far out of proportion it's not even funny!

Comment by kylehepp — July 7, 2010 @ 9:40 pm

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Ah, I just wrote that same thing! No matter what the circumstances, I don't think I could've shaken W's hand.

Comment by kylehepp — July 7, 2010 @ 9:40 pm

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No no, that is not what I meant, thank you!!! Feel free to point out typos whenever, I should definitely double check before posting but most of the time I'm too tired.

Comment by kylehepp — July 7, 2010 @ 9:41 pm

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Yes, that Kramer guy does so many good imitations, he's hilarious!!!

Comment by kylehepp — July 7, 2010 @ 9:41 pm

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YES! I did mean Bielsa, thank you!!!

I hope more of America will care, this was a pretty big step in the right direction and it made me so happy to feel like I wasn't alone in going crazy for the World Cup!

Comment by kylehepp — July 7, 2010 @ 9:42 pm

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I fully agree with you Kyle. Being polite and kissing ass are two different things. He greeted him, accepted his hand, moved on. I don't know much about Pinera's policies, but the man is entitled to disagree if he is so inclined. On a different note, I'll be cheering Nederlands on Sunday! I think I have some orange clothes somewhere…

Comment by AnnaLondon — July 7, 2010 @ 10:17 pm

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Bielsa does not have to agree with Pinera's Politics and he can speak about what he does not like about him to newspapers, magazines, TV to whomever he likes. How about constructive criticism?

If he tried to make a statement by not shaking the presidents hand why does he later apologize to the Fifa..?

Comment by Andre — July 7, 2010 @ 10:39 pm

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He wasn't trying to make a statement, that's the thing — and that's basically what he said in his letter to the FIFA, that he apologized for causing a scandal, it wasn't his intention. He was just doing what he believed in, not trying to get caught up in silly politics.

Comment by kylehepp — July 7, 2010 @ 10:42 pm

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I will celebrate with wooden shoes and Sangria no matter who wins!

Comment by Ritamae39 — July 7, 2010 @ 11:52 pm

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