By: Luis Arroyave
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March 10, 2007 11:44 AM
Chicago Tribune
CHICAGO - As rumors of the Fire signing Mexican superstar Cuauhtemoc Blanco heat up, so do the debates between fans as to whether the Fire should want him.
At 34, Cuauhtemoc (pronounced Quahk-temo) has been slowed by knee injuries in recent years.
But Blanco still is considered one of his country's most dangerous scoring threats. He currently is second in scoring on his team, Club America, with four goals. Blanco's passes are crisp and he plays with the sort of flare and creativity MLS needs.
It was Blanco who tucked the ball between his feet and hopped past a defender during the 2002 World Cup.
The Fire's Justin Mapp is one of the few MLS players known for his artistry with the ball and, with Blanco, he could give the Fire one of the strongest and most entertaining midfields in the league.
On the other hand, Blanco wouldn't have as much time to create in MLS because defenders are more persistent and aggressive than they are in Mexico - a quality that could frustrate him.
As soccer fans already know, Blanco has been known to get frustrated easily.
He has pushed a reporter whose question he didn't like, made obscene gestures to fans and was suspended from playing in South American tournaments for a year after instigating a fight with an opposing team during the 2004 Copa Libertadores tournament.
His public feud with former Mexico coach Ricardo LaVolpe reportedly cost him a spot on the team's 2006 World Cup roster.
Blanco's fans and teammates praise his competitiveness and his win-at-all-cost personality. Opponents say he's a diver, whiner and cheap-shot artist.
''He would pretend like he was dying sometimes,'' U.S. midfielder Landon Donovan said after his team's 2-1 loss to Mexico in 2005.
''Blanco was being an idiot. That's how he plays.''
While Blanco is a villain to many, he's an icon in the eyes of Club America fans.
He is a hometown hero who grew up an America supporter in Mexico City, signed with the club when he was 17 and spent the majority of his career with it.
Not only is America one of the most successful clubs in Mexican league history, it's also one of the most popular. And who better than America's most beloved player to keep the buzz going in MLS after the Los Angeles Galaxy's signing of David Beckham?
This is why MLS wants Blanco in the league so badly. This is why Fire President John Guppy flew to Mexico last weekend to meet with Blanco, a source told the Tribune.
He could be a draw in for the Fire. Last year's Fire game against Chivas USA, an MLS club with Mexican ties, made for one of the loudest, most exciting soccer atmospheres all season at Toyota Park
But can Blanco thrive in a league where other Mexican superstars have failed to make a significant impact - including Luis Hernandez, Carlos Hermosillo, and Jorge Campos?
Can Fire coach Dave Sarachan, not known for ruling with an iron fist, control one of soccer's most controversial figures?
And if Blanco does stir up a little drama, is that necessarily a bad thing for a team in need of exposure?
No matter what, some Fire fans will insist they never could cheer for Blanco.
But didn't Bulls fans once say the same things about Dennis Rodman?
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(c) 2007, Chicago Tribune.
