Enrique Meza

 
This week news came out announcing the end of Javier Aquino’s career at Cruz Azul. Aquino was sold to Spanish second division club, Villareal. He and the club agreed to a new contract that will keep him at the club for three plus years. Although Villareal is currently in the second division in Spain, this is still a win for Aquino who could prove himself in Europe within closer view of other European clubs. This is a good move for Aquino and great move for Mexico.

The first leg of the Liga MX final played out last night in Tijuana. For many, the end result was very much the expected. Tijuana came out with a 2-1 victory on their home field and will take their one goal advantage to the second leg in Toluca on Sunday. The end result might have been expected, but how it came to pass was a little out of left field.

I decided to go with a Polynesian Torta this week for no other reason than its inherent deliciousness. This weekend's matches were quite good as well. We don't have too much time to relish in their loveliness however - Jornada 11 starts tonight. To aid in digestion, be sure to click on the header links for some semi-related movie clips. Buen provecho.

 
Results (and therefore standings) in Liga MX tend to be somewhat unpredictable. The look of a matchup alone rarely predicts the outcome. Hence, the standings in the league table from week-to-week, though sometimes unexpected, are never shocking. Toluca is now atop the table with a perfect record through five matches. This is indeed shocking.

 
Tuesday, Enrique Meza's tenure with Cruz Azul came to an end. This, his fourth go-round with Cruz Azul, lasted four years. Meza's contract not being renewed came as little surprise. He is only two weeks removed from having garbage hurled at him by the home crowd at Estadio Azul. This is generally not a sign of longevity for a manager. The necessity for this break had become apparent long before the trash chucking.

Heading into halftime of last night's Copa Libertadores match at Estadio Azul, things got interesting. The visiting team, Libertad of Paraguay, was heading in to the locker rooms. Unfortunately, for them, they were down a goal and were now targets. Normally, giant inflatable train-shaped tunnels escort the players, coaches, and referees into the locker rooms. For Copa Libertadores matches the tunnels are gone and the air filled security blanket is missing. The fans acknowledged this and rained the Paraguayan squad with beer cups, pizza boxes, and free game programs.

 
Cruz Azul’s season came to an abrupt conclusion on Sunday. Their season ended with a disappointing draw at Estadio Azteca to Club America. Their failure to get the needed three points was emblematic of their season as a whole. Dropping points early followed by a late charge that comes up short.

Every coach approaches training sessions in a different manner. Some prefer to simulate game situations to recreate the feel of the game. Some coaches really focus on the physical component and building endurance. It's also common for some coaches to spend much of their training time in front of the 'chalkboard' focusing on tactics. Enrique Meza and Cruz Azul take a different approach. They spend a good part of training focusing on head butting.

Watching Wednesday's Copa Libertadores match I couldn't help having the feeling that I was witnessing evidence. Not evidence in the sense of proving or disproving any of my theories of this Cruz Azul squad, but in the sense that this game was evidence in some match fixing scandal. So poor was the play of the majority of Cruz Azul's players that there seemed to be no other explanation. This is a team with many flaws, yet Wednesday revealed some gaping wounds. No, I don't actually think there was anything afoot in this match.

"The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. And like that, poof. He's gone."

Kevin Spacey as Verbal Kint in The Usual Suspects convinced us that he truly was scared of Keyser Soze. And it made sense. This, possibly fictional, character was the epitome of evil. Surely, he would look the part as well. When the chatty nuisance that was Verbal finally revealed himself to be Keyser Soze, everything we thought we knew about this character was flipped upside down.