“We live in a dialectic whirlwind, where those that with little knowledge try to convince those that know little that they know much”.
- Dante Panzeri
When asked what the secret to his success was, Pele answered “Success is not accidental. Hard work, perseverance, study, sacrifice, and above all, love for what you do”. That is true in everything in life, not just futbol. I have found that people lack the work ethic to accomplish their dreams without cutting corners.
These days it is prevalent in all aspects of society, more so in the one in which I move, one which I love passionately. Ernest Hemmingway said tell the story as it is, and let the reader come to their own conclusions.
Journalistically, I have found that many of those who chose the path of journalism to serve the community have little intention of being only witness to the world around us, but would rather manipulate public opinion either for fame and notoriety or for a fistful of pesos.
Every Preseason it’s the same old story. Who is coming to Chivas, who is going? A few days ago I had the chance to listen to Ricardo Pelaez jokingly address the gossip coming out of the rumor mill. “No one is leaving Chivas. We have a young team. All our lines are strong. Two players are returning, Angel Zaldivar and maybe Miguel Jimenez”. That’s the truth behind the rumors. Everything else is “smoke”.
Apparently, “smoke” is well paid for. Especially when the rumors have to do with Club Deportivo Guadalajara. Social Media is teaming with it. Pseudo journalist left and right, throwing rocks from the shadows. Some in favor, others against it. The most recent rumor floating around is an image of the Rebaño’s new jersey.
It would seem that all the marketing and planning created by Puma’s and Chivas for the mediatic christening of the jersey has now been thrown down the drain. In some degree that might even be true. But this is not the case.
Phineus T. Barnum, who together with James Anthony Bailey created the Greatest Show on Earth, Ringling Brothers Circus, was notorious for hard selling his show to the public. Sometimes to negative public criticism. Once commenting on a failed advertising campaign he responded “There is no such thing as bad publicity.”
Such is the case for Chivas. The creative marketing team behind Chivas has once and again bounced back against from “leaked” and mostly untrue information and emerged well positioned in the public eye.
William Randolph Hearst once said “If you make a product good enough... the public will make a path to your door, says the philosopher. But if you want the public in sufficient numbers, you would better construct a highway. Advertising is that highway.”
What is really preoccupying is who is behind media manipulation and under what guise. The most obvious culprits are the media moguls and those that work for them. After all they have products to sell and as I said before even if the news they are “selling” is false, it is still “selling”.
The other and perhaps, least obvious, are the business people behind the players. The promoters are less than preoccupied about the damage they cause with the information they “share”, sometimes for a price. Pushing up player prices, sometimes damaging negotiations and deals which had taken months to make.
One thing is certain through all the smoke and mirrors, we move closer and closer to opening day of the Apertura 2020, July the 24th. After the Covid-19 pandemic, what can stop us? After all, “lo que no mata engorda.” Nothing can kill our enthusiasm. Paciencia ChivaHermanos y ChivaHermanas. Step out of the smoke. The ball will roll once again.
