I saw this earlier today. It will certainly be a rough go for the reamaining team in the games they have left. I would certainly be a bit dishearted at the prospect of playing with only 10 in the next match.
Cubans do this all the time. I remember World Youth Day 2002, here in Canada. 23 defected that day. Don't know why countries still accept Cubans.
You said it Lyle...Good for them. And it sounds like they're going about things the right, LEGAL way...good luck to them all. To bad they didn't defect before our game!
Re: RE: Seven Cuban players defect Because they aren't defecting from Prison Work details. But, generally, my first reaction to your rhetorical question was 'huh?' My THINKING reaction is, "I dont know...it certainly isnt helpful".
With the new Cuban leadership, though, I could see things changing. Cuba takes great pride in their sports and the expats are even starting to support the Cuban National teams in some numbers (something that didn't happen 5-10 years ago). I wouldn't be surprised if the Cuban government came to some "arrangement" with their athletes, allowing them to compete on Cuban teams while living overseas.
It took me a while to adjust to Andy's comments, and then I thought: 1. They entered the country illegally. 2. Theyre not escaping anything -- other than not being paid to play soccer. 3. They're reacting to the Cuban-born rookie sensation in the MLS. 4. They're looking to take well-paid jobs in the MLS that Americans might otherwise get. So, why is it that we applaud illegal economic immigration from Cuba, but not from, say, Mexico?
You're kidding, right? Not in your basic premise, it's financial.. which is true enough, most likely... but your extension of the conclusion.
Don. For better or worse, the USA has a "dry feet, wet feet" policy about Cubans. If they can get into the country, they can stay and after a year can apply for citizenship. I don't personally see a reason for maintaining our hostile relations with Cuba, but I don't make the decisions. I am bummed, from a purist's perspective, that the sport is suffering (i.e., a team enters a tournament and can't field a full team) and look forward to steps being made to remove that problem.
Actually, they entered the country legally. Mexicans also aren't fleeing political oppression, just lower wage jobs.
They entered the country as part of a sports delegation to play a tournement and then go home. Once they walked away from the tournement and decided that they weren't going home afterwards, they violated the terms of their visa. So, yes, they entered the country legally -- if you don't count: a. that they'll stay beyond the end date of their vias b. and that they obviously lied on the visa application Now, I don't give a rats who comes in and who doesn't. What I do give a rats about is the uneveness of treatment. We rail against Mexicans who enter illegally to "take jobs away from Americans" [yeah, like they're going to pick lettuce for those wages], but Cubans can come in and that's laudable. Yes, I know that Castro is a bad guy, but these guys are NOT political refugees; they're looking for the big bucks.
Don, They are political refugees in that they are not allowed to live in the US and make a living playing soccer. That's cause Castro doesn't give them that right. That's political oppression, not just financial oppression. It's Castro's version of the Berlin Wall. People should have the right of freedom of movement, to play, work, travel or do whatever. ... and Don, just like Mexicans not all Cubans get to stay. Elian Gonzalez, you remember him? Under US law he had to be returned to Cuba. Why, because he was picked up off the coast and in the water (the lone survivor of some 15 people trying to make it to the US). He didn't make to the US legally, so, just like a lot of illegal Mexicans immigrants in the US who get caught... he gets sent back from where he came. So the law really isn't uneven, it's just different for political and geographic reasons. There are MANY illegal Cuban immigrants, most of whom are sitting in a US prison right now waiting to be deported back.
I can completely see what Don is saying. At this point they got into the country by lying and saying they were here for a competition, which was true at first, until they defected. And because they said they planned on this since before they even left for America, they knew they were coming here to stay, not just compete and leave... ...but I would argue how many Mexican immigrants hire a lawyer to make sure they continue to stay in the country legally, which is what the article said these players are doing??? Most don't have a problem with those who stay legally, it's just those who are illegal or become illegal because their papers expire that is frustrating.
