LSOTP Special: 6 days in Mexico City w/ Chuy!

Johnson catches up with Chuy after his 6 days in DF. They discuss the city coming alive, seeing the Azteca for the first time, the future for El Tri and the political movements surrounding it all. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:21

What up y'all? It is Johnson, left side of the pitch with an exclusive interview. I got the homie Chewy here, and we are hanging out on a beautiful, beautiful Tuesday afternoon at Distrito Catorce in lovely Boyle Heights. The air is uh probably the best it's been in a while and hopefully continues to get better. Uh, but I'm gonna let him introduce himself. Um, can we get name, pronoun, and then let us know who you want to win the uh World Cup, who you're afraid will win the World Cup, and then who you think actually will win the World Cup.

SPEAKER_02 0:55

For sure, for sure. What's up? My name's Jesus Perez. I go by Chuy. My pronouns are he, his, him. Um, of course, I want Mexico to win the World Cup. Shocker. Um, who I'm afraid or who I wouldn't want to win, but my win is Argentina. And who I think might actually win it is is France, who's playing right now, and they're up 1-0.

SPEAKER_00 1:16

Yeah, yeah. Definitely one of the uh one of the top picks for sure, and they they look pretty good here. It's uh halftime in the France-Sweden match. Uh Mbapped just hit one probably in the 42nd or so minute, well, 1-0 to France. We'll see how this one ends. Um, but Chu, you you hit me up and and we're excited to talk about a recent adventure you just had. Um, got to spend six days in uh DFE and um just had an amazing time from what it sounds like. Can you give us kind of a big picture overview of uh what those six days look like? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:50

So, you know, I I I wanted to feel the World Cup vibe. I wanted to see what it was like out down there, so I I went down there. And as soon as I got there, that first day, you know, I I I check into my hotel, I walk down the street, and you think Mexico was playing that day. Like everybody was wearing green, everybody was out on the streets. I wasn't in Centro Historico, which is the main downtown area. Sick. But it was like I said, it looked like Mexico was playing that day, and I think Japan played that day. Okay, and so like all the bars were full, everybody was just like in World Cup mode, and and I was like, oh shit, yeah, I'm I'm here for this.

SPEAKER_00 2:22

So so it was just like noticeable in the air, like you could just tell the whole country uh was absolutely hyped and just excited, and there was a bit of a buzz, yeah?

SPEAKER_02 2:31

Yeah, I mean, even just like exiting the airport, right? Like the billboards, like all the all the art everywhere. It's just like in your face. But yes, you could just feel it in the air. Um, everybody's everybody just looks like they're in World Cup mode, like they're they're paying attention to what's going on, and it's just like I'm talking about like senora, senores, little kids, families, everybody's out and about. It was a Saturday night, but still, like I said, Mexico didn't play that night, and it's still very much followed like Mexico played. But like I said, I was there for six days, and and if it was like that every day, right? There was all these other games that were happening that didn't involve Mexico. Mexico didn't play till that Wednesday, and every single day that I went to the fanfest, it was full. There was a line to enter. Um, people were dancing, singing, all the restaurants were full, um, selling Mexico jerseys everywhere, every day. Hell yeah. Um, there's like all the museums had like special exhibits. Um, anything that you would buy out there had something related to the national team. Damn. Um, everything, everything, right? Like uh you go to a McDonald's and like there was something Mexico national team related or whatever. Like anywhere that you look, you would see the the national team, a fucking donut, whatever. Like it was it was really amazing, and um, that's what I wanted to see. Yeah, I was like, what is it like? Like, let me see what it's like in Mexico, like what is it like over there? And it's it's what I had imagined. It was like, no, they they take that shit seriously, dude.

SPEAKER_00 3:53

I I I I love it, and you kind of fulfilled um a dream that I think uh a lot of people had um who weren't even planning to to attend a match in Mexico, but just like I just want to be there, I just want to be there at the Socolo, at the fan fest, and just like have it, you know, in the air, everyone's just alive and excited and all that. Uh, and I'm sure that experience alone was amazing. Um, how was it watching some of those other matches? Um, and did you know anything stand out to you on the crowd? Or did you see supporters from the the other teams that were there um, you know, pretty pumped or hyped? Or how was that?

SPEAKER_02 4:30

Yeah, the the first day that I went there was uh Uruguay was playing, I think, Capo Verde, I think that's the game they tied. Okay, yeah. Yeah, and um exciting game too. Yeah, and so it was cool. I think most of the crowd was neutral. Um there's a lot of Argentinians there. Okay, but um uh after the game finished, there was like a DJ set for like an hour, and everybody was dancing. Everybody started dancing like again, like if Mexico had played that day. Everybody's dancing, everybody's freaking vibing, and it was fucking amazing. Damn, and then the next game, this one, this one was my favorite. Um, well, not the next game, but a few games later, I went to go see Colombia. Oh, that's besides the Mexico jersey, the jersey that I saw the most was Colombia. No way, yeah, and because Colombia had played there the previous week. Right, and I guess a lot of Colombians decided to just hang out, just kind of stick around, yeah. So um, that was a night game, and I was there, the game finished, there was no music after, so everybody got kicked out. And I'm walking back to to my place and I hear music, I turn around, there's like a there's like a little parade coming my way of Colombians and Mexicans dancing. And and so I'm like, I start recording them, they catch up to me, and I I had to join them. And we danced all the way to from El Zócalo to el Palacio de Bell Artes. And then once we get there, we dance like a couple more songs, we dance Caballo Dorado, and and that was like the end of the night. Again, Colombia didn't play in Mexico City that night. Mexico didn't play that night, and it was like amazing, it was like a party. It was a party, and and then luckily my hotel was by there.

SPEAKER_00 6:10

So they pretty much walked me home. Dude, they pretty much danced you home, it sounds like and and that's the thing I forgot to mention.

SPEAKER_02 6:15

I went completely by myself. So it was like, what is this gonna be like, you know? Like I'm there by myself, yeah, yeah, yeah. Traveling solo and all. And it was amazing. Everywhere I went, I would sometimes tell people, hey, I'm here by myself. Like, is it cool if I join your group? They'd be like, Oh yeah, come with us. Damn, like like these were like Mexican citizens. And yeah, they were just kind of like the dummy for the night, and like I'd hang out with them for that night, or like kick it with them in the Zócalo, or let's say if I was out at a restaurant. Damn. So um, yeah, it was. It sounds amazing, bro. It was, it was. I think I also saw Argentina and the Portugal game. Okay, and you know, as you would expect, there was a lot of Messi fans, surprisingly, and there was a lot of uh Ronaldo fans. I think I saw more Ronaldo to be honest. Did you? Yeah, maybe because it was a day game. Okay, um, but yeah, people were out there, like, you know, every game was a big game. Yeah, I think for people, like they were like they were gonna watch it, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:07

That's funny. Super cool. So you were there a good couple days prior to um the match day on Wednesday, yes, uh, Mexico v Czechia at the Estadio Azteca. Yes. Um, had you previously been to that stadium um and what was it like in the in the build-up? Like were you getting pretty nervous, or just like a lot of anticipation as the you know kickoff time approached and you were getting to the the stadium, um, and then walk us through that experience.

SPEAKER_02 7:38

Yeah, yeah. So actually I have never been to El Estadio Azteca, and I hope I don't get any haters, but I'm an Americanista, so that's you know, that's a bucketless dream. And so um, you know, I was like, there's some World Cup games here in LA, and I considered going to some of the early ones. Yeah, like I ran, I considered going to that game, but I was like, my first World Cup experience has to be at Estadio Azteca, it has to be watching Mexico. So as you can imagine, I was extremely excited. Um, I was like, it's a mission to figure out like how am I gonna get there? Because from the downtown area to there, it's like a good hour. Oh shoot. Okay, so I went, I took the train. So even that was a whole experience itself. Okay, but the day before you start hearing that there was gonna be like 19 screens set up on Reforma, which is the main street that takes you to El Ángel. Okay. So, like I said, they take it very seriously. Like they're like, okay, you know what? The fan fist is gonna get filled. We're gonna just put up 20 screens all across downtown. That's fine. So we want everyone to watch it. Again, this game on paper didn't matter because we were already qualified. Right. But they didn't care. It was like the city's gonna shut down that day. It didn't matter that it didn't matter. Yeah, so so it was cool because I was like, okay, if I didn't go to the game, I was still gonna get to experience that. That's so cool. I took the train, it was crazy, like crazy pack. Like I was sandwiched between people, and then I got on another train, which is called the Trendly Hero, that's like a little faster. You get off, you walk up the steps, and there's like a ramp, and you're right there. Just there. Like the stadium's there. And I think I think that's the moment where it hit me. Like once I I wasn't even inside yet, just like seeing it right there. Okay, I started to feel like a lot of emotion and like just like crazy excitement. And yeah, I was just kind of like, oh shit, like I'm actually gonna go in there. Wow. Yeah, and and everybody's taking pictures right there. Like, that's where I took some pictures too, because it's like the stadium's behind you, and you're a little elevated. And then I was there like four hours early. Everybody was there four hours early. It was extremely packed. Yeah, so you go in and it and it's like, you know, as soon as you enter again, it's like a party in there. There's like mariachi, there's like all kinds of activations. Um, everybody's like eating, getting drinks, because there's like four hours till the game. That's crazy. It was uh forecasted to rain. Okay. So like I took like a poncho in my bag and everything, but like this the sky cleared up. It was like super sunny. And by the time the game started, it did drizzle a bit. But um, so yeah, I'm just kind of like hanging out there for like two to three hours before I actually went to my seat. Um, once I went to my seat, that's all that was a whole other experience too. Like getting in there, um hearing the national anthem. Like, I'm I'm not I'm I I'm I was born in LA. I'm I'm I my parents were Mexican, I was raised around Mexicans, but when I heard the anthem, like I'm not gonna lie, like tears came down my eyes. Uh and and and like um a helicopter passed by with a flag, a jet with like the three colors of the flag, and I was able to catch that on camera, and um it was just like the game hadn't even started, and like I had already cried. Dude, and and so yeah, you know, first half wasn't the best. Not at all, you know. You know, and and and I forgot to mention this before the game, I was like, damn, like, am I gonna see like a not so great game? Like, are we gonna tie? Right, you know, are we gonna win 1-0? And so I was kind of nervous about that. I was like, man, I don't know what kind of game it's gonna be, you know? Is Ochoa gonna play? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:48

I heard he was gonna start, and then all of a sudden he wasn't starting, and I'm like, what the heck?

SPEAKER_02 10:53

And I saw the lineup and I was like, ah, I like it, except I'm not gonna say names. There was one player that I didn't that I didn't like in there, and so the first half was it wasn't the best, right? And then second half starts, we score that first goal, and it's like it's like everybody woke up.

SPEAKER_00 11:07

At halftime, were you were you worried you were gonna see just the most dreadful nil-nil draw? Kind of and and just you know, your your very first World Cup and very first Estadio Azteca experience was this gonna be the like a stinker of the game.

SPEAKER_02 11:20

Oh yeah, I I really was like, man, I was like, and here's the thing, like I nobody knew I was out there, like except my family. Sick. Like I wasn't sharing on social media, and so I think I shared my first picture during halftime. Oh wow, yeah, during halftime, and so then it was like, well, we'll see what happens, you know? And then second half was amazing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, first goal, second goal, and then the last goal, we I thought at 2-0 we were done. Yeah, after 2-0, um, we start seeing um Ochoa warm up. Yeah, everybody starts chanting for Ochoa. He comes in, you just see like everybody just take it, you know, everybody knew what that moment meant. Yeah, bro. And and I was I wasn't like the lower section, so I think I was around like you know, different vibe of people a little bit. Okay, like first half at least it was pretty calm, I would say. But second half, everybody stood up, everybody woke up, um, everybody was so into the game. Wow. Um, I think first half you could sense that people were getting upset. Uh-huh. Um, like whenever I'm gonna say his name, but whenever Jorge Sanchez, when he would he was struggle, like people were bowing him really about that because it was so loud. Like I was in the 100s level, so it wasn't even a matter of if he heard or not, like he's totally heard it. Yeah, and so yeah, and even the the check out players, I know that they would hear everything that was being screamed at them because it was loud. And so, yeah, I mean, once we start once we scored the first goal, like everybody was happy, dancing, then the second one, or choa comes in, and then we score the third goal. So it was like it was like a fairy tale ending. It was really I think I stood around for like 30 minutes after just like literally taking it all in and taking pictures, and hey, it was just and a bunch of people did that. Like everybody was just there, like it was like, whoa, I can't believe we just experienced that. Yeah, it was it was amazing, and and like I said, yeah, on paper the game didn't matter, but it it mattered to everyone there, it mattered to everyone in the city, and I'm sure out here in LA too. You know, I I heard of like the watch parties and everything. Um, so honestly, it was it was like one of the best experiences of my life. I'm not even lying.

SPEAKER_00 13:16

Yeah, dude, that's that that's amazing, man. Um, I mentioned to you before I I watched that match at a watch party at Boomtown Brewery, and kind of same similar vibe, everyone was just kind of on pins and needles, everyone was a little anxious. There's you know, some some shouts, some like, come on, what's what's happening? Halftime comes, and you know, folks go get more beer because they're like, What the hell is this? And then it just explodes second half, and then what was it, 80th minute or so, 70 something, when when when it when when they flash to the sideline, you see Memo up next to that fourth official, about to have his number, you know, uh put up on the board and all that, and the place exploded. Um, just amazing scenes. And then my favorite part, um, and and this is coming from someone who supports the US national team and has plenty of animosity towards Memo for all the times he's tortured us and and you know pulled L3 out of the ashes in Gold Cup games and qualifiers and all that kind of thing. Um but had to absolutely recognize uh a total legend. Um and I just love that moment um after the match, and he's on one knee and his arms are kind of crisscrossed on that knee, and and and you had previously said I stayed after 30 minutes, just kind of taking it all in, and it was like just like memo. Like he was you know what I mean, because he he he knew that that's gonna be his his last ever time with L3, especially last time in a World Cup, you know what I mean. I'm expecting, and I'm sure other people have mentioned um, you know, him probably announcing his international retirement at the conclusion of this World Cup and all. And so just to see him be able to soak it up, 3-0 win, um, you know, home stadium, and just all the love I I'm sure from from Czechie F fans as well, just that recognize um, you know, an an absolute legend. Um, yeah, he you you you just pulled up uh an amazing photo of the scene I just described. Dude, it was it was like I'm chills like talking about it right now and and and all. Um and so yeah, just incredible. You could just see it like how much it meant to him, and then therefore how much it meant to everybody else, and yeah, just what a moment, what a moment. And it's it's it's one of those times where we love this sport, and like obviously in the grand scheme of things, sports are dumb. Sports don't matter, but of all the things that don't matter, sports matter the most, right? And especially football matters the most, and then just connecting this with um you know, he's a human being at the end, and he's wrapping up this amazing storied career, and he gets to do it in such an amazing way. Like, you know, some people retire and they haven't played in 18 months and whatever, and just like the send-off he got to have from this, I'm sure was just amazing and so meaningful for y'all.

SPEAKER_02 16:04

And yeah, yeah, no, I I agree. I think um, you know, maybe like the last few years, you know, people were like, Ochoa shouldn't go to the World Cup, you would hear that. But I think, like you said, like he's given us so many happy moments. There's some World Cups where like our star player was Ochoa. Oh, yeah, right? And like literally kept you in matches for a long time. And I think um they released an interview like a couple of weeks before the World Cup started, and he talks about that, how he literally gave up his whole life.

SPEAKER_00 16:28

Oh, France just scored. France just hits the second goal, it's 2-0 France over Sweden, 53rd minute. Um, looks like it was Barcola, from what I could tell. But yeah, France is just a juggernaut, bro. Yeah, they're so good. That's what I said. That's what I'm saying. I don't know who's gonna stop them. Yeah, for real. But um, but you were saying uh, you know, some of the the criticism, but then he was the one that like he said, oftentimes player the match and yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:57

But in that interview, I think he talks about how he people don't see it, but like this is his career, right? It's not like he's yeah, I'm sure he's having fun and like they're getting paid like a lot of money, right? But he sacrificed his life for this career, yeah, for sure. So he said, I think he would even kind of talk about it like, oh, now I get to like live another life, you know, because it's like his life has been that, you know, and so yeah, it was amazing, and obviously as an Americanista, like Ochoa as my man, you know, and so I've been following him since back then. But um yeah, and I think other other moments too, like the first goal by um Chavez, Mateo Chavez, like he's young, he's like under 25, and like to see him score. Then later I saw videos that his dad was there, and I guess his dad, um, he was in a team in the 90s, and that he he he got cut of the World Cup squad. No way, and so he got to see his son score a goal. That's it. So, like, there's all these things. Get to that level that he never could. Yeah, yeah. Menyo Gaquinones, who's like born in Colombia, you know, scoring, and Fidalgo was born in Spain. Yeah, and you know, I I was I'm not gonna lie, I was one of those people that were like, well, you know, like are they taking the spot of someone else? And then like these pe these players are like they completely adopted the team and the badge, and like absolutely, yeah. It was just like amazing. Like, so far, I feel like Mexico's uh journey in the World Cup has been like like fairy tale-like.

SPEAKER_00 18:17

Uh kind of seems it. I mean, three wins out of three have not given up a goal yet. Yep. Um, are you seeing that group stage success in purely positive terms? Are you kind of worried that they don't know how to like work through adversity or or battle through a tough game or you know, push for a late goal when they need to or anything like that? Or are you you feel like they already have so much you know momentum and positive vibes and just the fact that they won their group and they pretty much have home home field advantage for I think the next at least two, maybe three matches if they continue on, right? The next two. Um what are you thinking about again that group stage performance leading into this knockout?

SPEAKER_02 19:04

I think the way that that we played, like the way that we played the second half against Chechia, I think that makes me feel like confident. Uh I think that that that solidified that like they were able to adjust, they were able to like still win the game because that that first half did not look good. Um I don't I don't think we were gonna lose it, but it looked like we weren't gonna be able to score. Um and so I think that showed that they have been learning game by game, that they have been growing as a group, and now I feel like we I feel like we have all the momentum in the world. Um and I think Mexico reminds me of other teams in the past where we see them like they kind of like build up as a tournament goes. I feel like that's the kind of that's the kind of team we're being in this tournament, which we haven't really seen that um in previous like World Cups recently, where like it's like okay, maybe our performances weren't the best. We won. Not in the not in a pretty way, but we won. And then it's like that third game, it's like okay, we won and we we we won nicely and it was pretty, and it was a party, and we gotta say goodbye to Otroa. So I I'm feeling very confident going forward after that, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:04

And if you look at the the six halves of football that they've played, it's probably best to end on your strongest leading into it, right? So you're you're you're you're at your most you know lethal when it comes to scoring, and again you have that uh three consecutive clean sheets at the same time, and you you mentioned growing into a tournament. We have um Ecuador, who was an early pre-tournament, not I wouldn't say favorite, but a lot of people were talking them up. I consume way too much soccer uh media and podcasts and and shows and all that, and a lot of folks were were tapping Ecuador to like easily get into the knockouts and and maybe even challenge to win the group and and you know, maybe a round of 16 um appearance, and then they kind of stunk it up that first match, yeah. So so second match, and then really found it obviously um against Germany. Uh huh. You know, talk about momentum they're coming off of beating four-time champion Germany um in in very convincing fashion. Um once once they did score, Germany kind of had no response. 2-1 win for Ecuador. How do you feel that the two teams match up and um maybe give us like a heart and head prediction for tonight? Hearts obviously what you want and have happen, head is what you think is gonna actually happen with tonight's round of 32 matches.

SPEAKER_02 21:32

I think you're right. I think I heard that Ecuador finished like second in their qualifiers, right? Um I didn't know that before. Um, so they're obviously a good team, right? And they have like some players that play in top leagues and top teams. Um, yeah, I I think I don't want to be overconfident. So I I think we're gonna win. That's what my heart is. Okay, but I think if we win, it's gonna be a one zero or or like a one zero and extra time. Oh, okay. Yeah, I don't think this is gonna I think this is gonna be a gritty match. I don't think it's gonna be pretty. I think we're gonna be like anxious a whole match, but I think I think we're gonna win it. But I I think it's gonna be a 1-0.

SPEAKER_00 22:07

So 120 minutes of anxiety and angst and I think nervousness with like a 118th minute winner from Quinones or something like that.

SPEAKER_02 22:17

Yeah or Jimenez yeah yeah I I I just I think that Ecuador is gonna know how to neutralize us. Okay. I I feel like they are gonna know how to do that and and I think it's just I think it's just gonna be like a hard fought match. Yeah I'm not I'm not I don't think we're gonna breeze through it. I don't think so.

SPEAKER_00 22:34

Okay. Hopefully you caught yesterday's matches and two of which went to penalties and both of which were pretty damn awful penalties when it comes to it like it always blows my mind how it seems like do they even practice penalties? Like like they're just so bad at it. Should tonight's match go to pens do you think Mexico's prepared and they're gonna hit their spots and you know really really uh you know be competitive when it comes to the the ultimate game decider that a lot of people dislike I personally like pens but um yeah it could be could be a tough one what do you think if it if it ends up like that I think I think our I think our shooters are gonna be good.

SPEAKER_02 23:17

I think I'm not too worried about that. I'm a little worried about Rangel not because I don't think he's good enough I think because this is his first major tournament I think he's an amazing goalie but I don't I don't know you know I don't know if what that pressure is like the height of nerves right at a World Cup and and but I I think it would come down to how Rangel does it. Yeah yeah I think it would come down to that and you know it could be the the start of another beautiful story like Ranghel making history you know could be even though he's like from Chivas like I'm gonna admit that he's fucking good he's amazing. Okay and um I never I never I didn't think he was gonna be our starting goalie uh two years ago. I didn't see that. So you know can he rise to the location? I think so but we also haven't seen him perform like at like let's say penalties at a World Cup like you know that's where the experience I think comes through but also you know that's also where stars are born so who knows that's true like you got to get the experience somewhere right yeah yeah why not why not here I'm confident in our shooters I'm nervous about our goalie it's rad man just sounds like an amazing experience I'm I'm super stoked that you were able to do something that you know a lot of folks talk about and probably never accomplish and so yeah I I did want to show something really quick if it's okay yeah yeah I know you mentioned in the beginning you know I I um uh the air in Bo Heights and stuff like when I first went out there it's when the air was like really bad and so I I even I made like a little poster that said like saludos to Bo Heights because I just was like hey I'm about to live this amazing experience but like my neighbors and my community they're like they're suffering you know and like I'm not gonna lie and say I I wasn't thinking about that I was thinking about it like like Bo Heights is like still in my heart even out there uh as I was I was I was living that experience and and I was sending pictures to like my my family who most of them live in Bo Heights as well and you know it's just um there's that and even just also like the political climate right like I almost canceled my trip or I was gonna move my hotel because of the protests and not because I was against the protest but because I was like I I don't want to I don't want to cross the the the picket line you know I don't want to I don't want to cross them like they're they're they're there to fight for what they feel is right. Really good point yeah but you know things were kind of calmed down when I got there but the political messaging is everywhere like it's like not like you can't ignore it. Like anywhere you go right you go to El Ángel you see posters everywhere on your way there on the stadium in the bus like like they're very politically like like the art is just like in your face. So unless like you really have no idea what's going on you see it everywhere. There was one protest when I was there it was uh mujeres artesanales so the ones that make like little necklaces and and all like the like the souvenirs they had a little protest I think that's that Monday. Yeah and so um you know it was kind of hard to get around which is fine but um you know they have their protests and they they had their messaging and and you you would even in I went to celebrate a Lange Laughter which I had to because that's like part of the experience you'd still see people out there with their signs saying like my family member has disappeared or like Los Aparecidos um like numbers or um I don't know if you saw it online but it went kind of viral they would have pictures of the the Saparecidos with Mexico jerseys. Yeah so I I got to see that there too like so it's um you know I I understand there's unprivilege in me going as someone from the US out there but it it's still it's still in your mind it's still in your in your face and sure and I think that's good you know because I don't want to also forget how you know messed up things are for people out there. Right, right. And you would see every every once in a while you'll say you'll see like um fuck FIFA or queas FIFA like in random like bus stops or like in the restroom of a restaurant. So um I just Mexico's amazing like you you kind of just get a mix of everything. I love it. I love it.

SPEAKER_00 26:57

Yeah I was I was about to say um you know I appreciate the match recap and just your overall experience but um left side of the pitch we always like to say it's you know almost more so about the stories from off the pitch and the stories of the people who who who really make the game you know as beautiful as we as we know it and all and so um yeah I appreciate all of that and I know myself and my other um collaborators uh chavez and and Romo in the previous episodes we were really thinking um and and kind of paying attention ahead of the kickoff of of the actual uh copa itself like just mad props to the to the teachers yeah um you know we're we're we're both educators here and and just seeing the levels they go to where they're like if we don't get our our demands like we're gonna fuck with this copa like like it's not gonna happen we're gonna we're gonna burn it down we're gonna you know do all this and you know um I feel like LA teachers and we're both part of a really militant really progressive teachers union but I feel like UTLA could learn a lot from the the the mexico teachers and and how they just like nah we're gonna shut shit down. We're not even going on strike we're shutting shit down. You know what I mean? And so um did did you see any of that specifically of the the teachers or anything specific to education or or any other specific movements other than the the the ones you already mentioned.

SPEAKER_02 28:23

I think I saw like the the the tail end of it. Sure um you know they did barricade a lot of businesses um so I think the I maybe like two days after I got there they took the barricades down. So I think I saw like the tail end I'm not sure if like they they were able to get to land on a deal I'm not sure what happened because um mind you I'm there the third week right I'm like the last week of the group stage. Sure. But I know like the first two weeks they were so very activity I didn't see it as much as I thought I was um like I didn't see any like major teacher protests. Okay. I think you just kind of like I kind of just know I think like you said as an educator like it was in the back of my mind. Yeah and I think that's that's what's like what I really liked about over there was that like it wasn't like you know it wasn't like there was like people there to watch the game and they're ignoring like what's going on right like you you would see just people from all walks of earth and like life like like even social class right like everybody was I think when Mexico played it was like you know yeah we're all we're like we're probably struggling every day but like today we're gonna cheer for Mexico. You know or like or maybe they didn't even watch the game I don't know but everybody was wearing their jersey right from like from street vendors to like business people that were coming out of like these these these like tall buildings but um I didn't get to see too much of it. Like I said I think it was like the tail end of it. I think it was more of like the the art and the messages that were left behind on the walls um everywhere you looked right you would see that um but it just it just felt like it wasn't I think a lot of the times like um US soccer gets criticized because it's like oh we're not we're not um it's not accessible to like to like poor folks right or to like yeah and and over there it's just like I mean football is just like everyone plays it here too right I think that that's changed a lot but I I you could just tell again like I said that it like you didn't have to have money. You don't have money to go watch the game you don't have money to go watch it at a bar it doesn't matter there's 19 screens all across the city for everyone to watch the game. Love it. So um yeah you know I'm a sociologist at heart so I'm like paying attention to those things and like social class and all that and and um for me it seemed like the whole the whole country was was watching the game and I'm sure you know still fighting for like things they believe in.

SPEAKER_00 30:35

Thinking of that class stratification and you know fuck FIFA and their price gouging and all that um was it as bad there as far as the the you know crazy cash grab with tickets and with um you know transit and anything else related to to the matches because I know here um there was quite a few matches at SoFi I got to go to uh Switzerland uh Bosnia and we were able to take the metro there for like $1.75 it was amazing parking at SoFi is three hundred dollars you know what I mean it's just stupid and then I I haven't been able to see teams that I actually support because those tickets are like three thousand dollars a pop and I'm like yeah just it's not gonna happen. So wait was it as bad there or a little bit less or yeah how'd you see it?

SPEAKER_02 31:25

Unfortunately it was it was bad I think um like the Mexico games are the most expensive games oh in the whole World Cup yeah besides like the final oh yeah it it was bad and and I don't know that it necessarily was like Mexicans it because you know we had access to buy those tickets too right so like the resale like market was insane. So yeah you know I I had to I made a big sacrifice to make it out there. It was a lot I'm not gonna lie um but when it comes to like public transport and like the city I mean there's a lot of people but like I still felt like they had it under control. I think the train ride was like less than 15 pesos combined. Okay. So less than a dollar. Okay. And and I went from like downtown like the heart of downtown to the stadium which you could say is maybe from downtown LA to SoFi right it was like less than a dollar to get there. And and it was safe like they were super secure about it. Like there was volunteers everywhere even at Elangel like when I went to Elangel after there was volunteers out there which I was surprised it was like midnight and there's like people out there taking care of people. Wow I'll never forget because it it poured I guess it was raining outside of the stadium. It didn't rain in the stadium and it looked like a river had gone through Reforma which is the street that leads you to the Elangel and um there was people out there volunteers with brooms pushing the water down the drain so that people wouldn't like walk in the water. Wow mind you this is already like midnight like everybody's out there partying and like they just take care of each other. Like it's hard to explain but like I mean not that we don't do that here but it was just like these are strangers.

SPEAKER_00 32:51

Yeah just another level yeah another level of community care and not waiting for anyone to come do it or save them or anything else.

SPEAKER_02 33:02

It's like no we're like we're gonna take care of our own community and look out for each other right yeah so um you know I I think in regards to like transportation and all that because I would hear rumors oh Mexico's not gonna handle it. There was a lot of people I'm not gonna lie but I felt like they handled it pretty well really I felt like they did you know well they did the best they could but like I never felt like in danger I never felt like oh man I'm gonna get like stampede right here like yeah there was a lot of people but it was like there was also just a lot of people helping out um these were like official FIFA volunteers I guess but also just like I'm not sure what their titles were they had like a different kind of like um like vest on sure it was a different color it wasn't FIFA related it was like things through the city um because they're the ones that set up the screens they were setting up the screens screens at like 10 p.m the night before love it um so people were just like taking care of each other you know um my my path to Elangil was like it was like a little blog party in every corner and it was like maybe like a 30 minute walk to Elanghel and it was just amazing. There was like live music out there.

SPEAKER_00 34:01

I think I sent it in our slack there was this um this little grupo and like they they cuss out the president of Mexico uh you know so it was like again like I said you you just see every like you there's just like another level of awareness there like yeah yeah as we kind of wrap up um in previous episodes and especially this this most recent one we've talked a lot about the love shown between supporters of different teams oh yeah we're calling it like the the cross cultural pollination um whether it's you know the Ecuador and and Germany supporters like uh uh uh exchanging jerseys or just all the love between uh mexico and and uh South Korea supporters or anything else like that did you see any of that um kind of like bridge building and and people just getting you know brought into whatever the the dance party was or whatever it was um at that match you know either either between Mexico and and checking supporters or just in a in a generalized sense?

SPEAKER_02 35:00

Yeah yeah so generally I did see it like I mentioned that my I got to party with some Colombians um there was that the day that Japan played I saw it too right like Japan would score and like people would rent to like whoever the first Japan person Japanese person I saw and they would like cheer them up and and and whoever it was right there was like two people I think with Japan jerseys in the restaurant I was at and everybody would turn to them and like hype them up. The other one against Chechia I think I didn't see too many folks. I know they were there because they were behind the opposite side of the goal that I was at it was like all red. But I did meet a lot of people from other countries that were there and they were wearing green. So like I was in line for the bathroom and I was talking to some two dudes from Australia you know and they were like yeah we're here to see Mexico. Like we just came to see Mexico play. No way on my flight back there was this there was an another two dudes that were from England and they're like oh yeah we came for the Mexico game. Wow and they were like that match was more exciting like the atmosphere than any England match we've watched in England. Wow no way and so like you had people from other cultures from other parts of the world that were in Mexico for the same reason I was right for the World Cup vibes and either or to watch the Mexico game. Yeah which is just like I'm sure it's happening here in LA but like some of these folks are were like you know they didn't even come to the US they went to Mexico you know and so um they knew they knew yeah yeah so you you did you did see like a lot of a mix of cultures and and most of them were like adopting the Mexico green jersey I would say. Love it man but um there was a lot of Colombians some Japanese folks the the Czech folks were there um I didn't I didn't interact with them too much but they were there I think we we were they were in the same train ride. Okay. They had a chant I'm not gonna repeat it but where they they do it for every team. Okay. And so they they were chanting that I don't think they knew what they were what we were saying. But um yeah I I think it's at the end of the day it was all like friendly fire right like there was no like bad blood I didn't see between anyone at all my whole time there. That's great man. Yeah at all yeah that's great love it love it um anything else you think we missed or uh you want to mention about the trip or about you know the the the remaining knockout stage or anything like that for anyone listening if you if you're thinking about going to Mexico and you don't got a game ticket and maybe you feel a little silly about it don't like the vibe is different like you are going to experience something different than in the US and you're not gonna regret it like you're you're gonna love it.

SPEAKER_00 37:23

It is it is a different experience and that's how I started it I got a ticket last minute but originally I was just going for the vibes and and I don't regret it because I was having a blast before the game even started 3-0 it's the 74th minute Mbappe hits his second it is 3-0 France over Sweden pretty sure they've punched their ticket to that round of 16 where they will face the Viking cyborg Erling Holland and his Norway team definitely one of the the bigger and most anticipated matchups of the knockouts um for these early stages there you see uh Alexander Isak and Gilkoresh hands on hips wondering what the heck went wrong and where it all fell apart but yeah I'm I'm pretty sure France is through at this point. They play Paraguay next France Paraguay oh is it France Paraguay and then the winner of Norway and um Brazil oh duh that's right that's right it is Norway Norway uh Brazil and then France Paraguay oh that's right yeah because after Paraguay knocked out Germany yesterday it was like okay yeah like the winner gets to go lose to France at that point so yeah as you were saying just if anyone's got the the the travel bug and is is thinking about it you highly recommend that they just go for it and go for it.

SPEAKER_02 38:47

It is a privilege right I understand not everyone's able to do that right for different reasons but it is amazing I think you know that's what the World Cup is it's just like brings people together you get to see different cultures and you get to see it here too right I I'm not gonna lie and say I don't see it here in LA because I do you have people who like maybe don't watch soccer year round and they're out here cheering for their country they're they're watching MIPS score you know and so that's what I love about about the sport but that's what I love about the World Cup. Every four years it's like even other years where the World Cup isn't here right like people just like show up and are there to learn about the game and I learned a lot as a kid watching the World Cup. That's how I learned about different countries and and like the geography and also like the racial makeup of those countries. Yeah and so um I'm glad that that's probably happening to like my nieces and nephews because we have them watching all the games as well. So you know just the World Cup is just it's just a beautiful game and it's a beautiful tournament and I know there's a lot of corrupt corruptness that goes into it. So it's like you know let's acknowledge that and also but at the same time like you know let's enjoy let's enjoy what we can.

SPEAKER_00 39:48

Yeah yeah and you know again in previous episodes we talked a lot like like fuck FIFA fucking infantino fuck Trump fuck all this shit but they aren't the game they don't get to take this experience away from us exactly you know what I mean and we have all these internal contradictions and and you know uneasiness and maybe even a little bit of guilt but it's like you can't just enjoy it enjoy it once in a lifetime opportunity and and uh just really stoked you you you got to have this adventure and you know an amazing amazing experience I really appreciate you sharing everything with us and um yeah thank you so much man thank you for letting me share of course