El Leon no es como lo pintan y la Chiva tampoco

“History will be kind to me for I intend to write it”.
- Sir Winston Churchill

Another edition of a duel born in the 40’s, Leon will be paying Chivas a visit in a League match-up at 9 PM Wednesday night.

But these are not the same Esmeralda’s nor are we witnessing the same Chivas. The playing styles have evolved. Leon has become more streamlined under the tutelage of Ariel Holan. Vuce’s Red and White Lines have become more calculating. More mature. If you can’t see it then you are blind or ‘terco’.

Chivas played a solid 90 minutes against Santos, surprising for some. SO surprising that the Talking Heads and their dire predictions have fallen silent. At least this week, Chivas are not media cannon fodder. In this vein let us speak of ‘cosas bonitas’.

Here is a hardcore factoid for all you younglings out there: the Leon - Chivas match is the first one to have been catalogued as a ‘Clasico’ in Mexico. Approximately 80 years ago, the team from Guanajuato had become the First Champion of Mexico.

Los Esmeraldas, as they were known way back then, won the League Championship 2 seasons in a row in 1948 and 1949. After a very brief absence, The Emerald team continued its title haul by winning the 1951-52 and 1955-56 championships.

After that, it was all Chivas and ‘El Campeonisimo’. Guadalajara had become the most dominant dynasty of the time by winning 4 consecutive league championships between 1958 and 1962. 8 in total within a 13-year period between 1957 and 1970.

During late 50's and 60's, the rivalry reached its peak: Leon and Chivas were the teams to beat. Each season one or the other were league leaders, fighting for the Cup.

But it wasn’t meant to last. At some point during the 1970’s, bad management sank the Esmeraldas and they fell on hard times, ending up relegated to Minor League Divisional play, cutting the rivalry short. Guadalajara, on the other hand, rose to National and International notoriety, and the rest, as they say, es historia.

As in all things in life, predictions are easy to come by, but this one will be a hard one to put a pin in. What do I think? I don’t think, I hope. I hope we will see a strong match. Both DT’s are of the studious type.

Hopefully, we will see a revival of the age old Clasico and once again bear witness to grit and commitment. Bear witness as both teams leave their hearts on the field.

Chivas has risen. It’s another team. The confident smiles are there again. The eyes, now hardened, see a different horizon. Their focus has been redirected. The want to transcend has become stronger. Time for the Red and White lines to confirm their growth. Time for Guadalajara to write its own history.