The Governor of PR is so unpopular that even the athletes made their point at the inaugual games ceremony. (Courtesy META)

Mayagëz, PR:  The only major problem that these games have experienced so far has been from mother nature that has decided to pour more water on the island that at any other time in recent history. The West Coast of the island usually experiences very little rain during these summer months, however, someone forgot to tell Mother Nature that fact and as a result has poured the island and the West coast with rain almost everyday since these games began.

From the incredible 75 MPH winds that struck and destroyed much of the set up for the opening days celebration, thus forcing the event to be postponed and moved to the following day, to downpours on subsequent days that did not let up and forced the Puerto Rico vs. Guatemala baseball game to be stopped in the seventh inning.  Puerto Rico was winning the game 9-0, but I’m sure Guatemala would of loved to have played another two innings to try and score some runs. The following days baseball game at 4 PM was postponed and they have to play the game at 11 PM to try and evade the rain. On all other fronts, Mayagüez and all the Western towns hosting these games have done an incredible job in logistics, coordination and the planning of these games.

Security & Traffic

Police have been assigned to every corner of every major intersection, thus helping to keep the traffic moving smoothly at all hours. The police presence is not only visible, but also very helpful. The day that I was without a car I ventured out to use the bus system that they have set up to move the close to one million people that they expect to be moved for these games. I needed help finding the correct corner to catch a bus. Everyone was giving me the run-around. I finally went to a police officer who went out of his way to not only find out the correct corner for me to go to, but also went out of his way to get a cold bottle of water to take since I had been out in the sun for over ¾ of an hour. Now if we can only get the NYPD to be the same?

Over 1000 busses and mini-busses have been contracted to move athletes and fans to the different venues in and around Mayagüez and to the other nearby towns that are also hosting some of the sports venues. Special lanes have been set up with police escort thus the athletes have been getting to all their meets and practices on time.

What Happened to Soccer?

One sport that is obviously missing from these XXI Central American & Caribbean Games is soccer. What happened, why is soccer missing? Depending on whom you ask the answers are as follows. The Puerto Rico Olympic Committee which is the organizing arm of these games stated that FIFA refused to sanction the games because according to them the soccer fields were not ready as promised to host the games. The committee argues that they were indeed ready and that they had all the fields in Cabo Rojo, Mayagüez and Aguada ready for the games. They petitioned FIFA because the countries with a soccer delegation wanted to play since they had been prepared for the competition. FIFA reviewed the case and sanctioned the games to be played in Venezuela, somewhat of a distance from Puerto Rico and they were to start the second week of competition. As of today, we have heard that hey have been altogether cancelled because several countries refused to travel to Venezuela for these games. Puerto Rico is studying the possibility of a legal suit against FIFA since they felt that they had invested a large amount of money to prepare the existing fields in the smaller towns and build an incredible state of the art stadium in Mayagüez. That was the official explanation given to us the members of the press on day one.

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting a Puerto Rican soccer coach who spoke to me anonymously and he told me the following. Apparently FIFA did not pull the games from Puerto Rico because of the new facilities not being ready, they pulled them because there were not other facilities to have the practice games. Under FIFA rules the teams can not practice in the same stadium that they are scheduled to play, therefore, other fields had to be made available for the team to hold their practice different from the fields that they were scheduled to play in.

According to my source Puerto Rico had enough fields to make them available for practice,

“All the focus here is baseball, MLB, basketball, the NBA, but little attention has been given to the worlds #1 sport, soccer. You would think that would change at the heels of a very successful and exciting World Cup in South Africa,” the coach stated. Thus, no soccer being played in Puerto Rico for these games, the reason: Puerto Rico was not prepared.

Terrible TV Coverage

Olga Tañon, the very popular singer who performed the official song of these games in the inaugural event was livid at the coverage of her presentation and the overall production that was being seen live on TV. “I have received so many comments on my Facebook page and all of them are critical of what they saw. I was seen distorted, out of focused,” she stated in her own press conference the day after the production.

Olga was not alone, the number of complaints on the TV coverage was pouring in faster than the rains we have had here in the West Coast. For example, the camera would focus on one performer, while the one who was singing was not covered. Another major criticism was that José Juan Barea, NBA Dallas Mavericks player who was the official flag bearer fro Puerto Rico and who was born and still resident of Mayagüez was seen once, or twice as he carried the Puerto Rican flag into the stadium, yet the cameras focused in and zoomed over 40 times on the Governor who was dancing with his wife in his private suite.

I spoke to Carlos Baerga, former baseball player and the 3^rd LatinoMVP recipient who has been an analyst for the station. He told me he was leaving to work with any other station because “these people don’t know what they are doing.” Carlos coming from ESPN Deportes would know a thing, or two about professional TV productions and coverage.

Here is the deal: Carlos Cruz was appointed President over a more experienced former station manager, Gilberto Acevedo who had been at the station and in all facets of production for 30 year’s. Many believe that Mr. Cruz was appointed by the Governor, Luis Fortuño over the more experienced, Acevedo simply for political reasons because Mr. Cruz had no formal experience in TV productions. Mr. Cruz had worked only in radio productions and knew nothing about film and TV. During his tenure in radio he was said to have been very supportive of the Governor’s campaign. Apparently all the employees felt that Mr. Acevedo was shafted since he was the obvious experienced choice. Mr. Acevedo was a veteran who was well respected throughout Puerto Rico as a top professional in the film industry. So much so that many producers would travel from San Juan to Mayagüez to have their shows produced under his direction.

This situation created much tension at the station and Mr. Cruz made life difficult for his potential rival, thus Mr. Acevedo who had more than enough years to retire, did so. The result is that these games are being televised under the worst production possible and everyone, viewers, athletes and officials have been very critical.

Puerto Rican athletes are very Nationalistic when it comes to the PR flag (Photo courtesy META)

In Puerto everything, I mean everything is divided by political lines. Therefore, everyone in the Governors, PNP (Statehood party) has been defending and finding incredible excuses to defend the governors incompetent choice. However, the governor’s appointed Secretary of Sports & Recreation, Mr. Henry Newman breathed a sign of fresh air on the subject in a recent interview. My Newman was honest, and did the morally correct thing of stating the truth. Mr. Newman stated in the interview that he was disillusioned with the television transmission for these games. He stated many of the problems that had been reported and said that he will be taking his concerns to La Fortaleza (the Governor).

We commend Mr. Newman for his integrity, something that is needed more of in Puerto Rican politics.

Athletes Protest

During the inaugural march into the stadium Puerto Rican athletes used the opportunity to show their protest against the Governor’s policies by displaying a huge banner that read: “Targeta Roja Para Gobierno” de Puerto Rico (Red Card for the Government of Puerto Rico). A Red Card in soccer means expulsion from the game, thus the message is quite clear in letting the world know that the Governor, Luis Fortuño’s policies are so unpopular throughout the island that they even appeared here in the opening ceremony of the stadium. The delegation was fined $2000 dollars but not one athlete was sanctioned. All the interviews with other athletes who were not part of the delegation that held up the banner were in support of those that did. “I did not know anything about it, if I did I would have joined them as well,” stated one of the female Puerto Rican tract & field participants.

Julio Pabón, President fo Latino Sports & Secretary of Sports & Recreation, Mr. Henry Newman where he was honored for his support to members of the press. (Photo LSV)

Another interesting thing is that there has not been one American Flag raised, or American national anthem played in any of the inaugural, or other sessions. The inauguration performed the Mayagüez anthem and the Puerto Rican anthem. Both flags were raised an that was it. Many members of the PNP (statehood party) voiced their concerns. The mayor of Mayagüez, José Guillermo Rodríguez was very clear when he answered that these were Central American & Caribbean Games where the USA does not compete & that they were playing in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico where both had an anthem to be played, end of argument!

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