Rich Rodriguez loves to win — and he hates to lose as much as anyone.

Michigan’s coach, though, tries to keep as much perspective as he can.

Rodriguez has his wife and kids around him after practices, at the team hotel and on bus trips to the stadium. His office door is always wide open, allowing visitors to say hello.

Heading into his first Michigan-Ohio State game — where the Wolverines are expected to extend their dubious record with a ninth loss — he tried to deliver a message to fans who have lost touch.

“It’s amazing some of the things that people would say [on a message board] or yell at you of a personal nature,” Rodriguez said Monday. “You almost want to tell them, ‘Get a life.’

“There’s a whole lot bigger problems. Look at the economy.”

Although Coach Rodriguez makes a valid point he also seems to miss a big one. The whole reason for following sports is to escape the real world! For many people sports ARE their life. I love to watch sports because it takes my mind off the fact that I can’t run a sub-5 40, or dunk a basketball or play in a World Cup as much as for those several hours I don’t have to worry about my problems. Instead I get to focus on other peoples problems. So Rich how about you just start winning and then everyone will forget that you brought this horrible season on yourself.

Barca playmaker Lionel Messi has put aside club rivalries to follow in the footsteps of numerous Madrid players and sporting director Predrag Mijatovic in publicly backing Schuster, who was come under huge pressure following poor recent results.

”Schuster has given a lot to Madrid, for which some people still want him out,” said Messi at a promotional event.

”It’s surprising seeing how he has won a league. It doesn’t seem good to me that he is being questioned when we aren’t even halfway through the season.

”The fans at Barca and Madrid start to get very nervous when you lose two successive games.”

Hmmm. *scratches head* Do you think this makes Madristas want Schuster gone more or less? I’d say more. If one of the top players from my favorite teams most heated rival is saying we need to keep our manager in the seat, it would make me a little nervous. I mean losing to Real Union? Really? They play in Segunda “B”! However since I happen to be a fan of FC Barcelona I’m gonna say keep Schuster there as long as things keep going wrong for them. But this type of thing happened a couple years ago with Beckham, and all he did was carry the squad to the La Liga title. Whatever they do I hope it doesn’t work out for the best for them.

Keene, Ca._ The weather this weekend at Cesar Chavez’s gravesite was wet and windy. However there is no doubt that Chavez is celebrating the Obama victory from his heavenly perch. Very few people have contributed to the American and Latino experiences like that one tireless warrior did for the better part of five decades.

2008 was no exception. Cesar’s presence was there for every step of the campaign, especially in the form of his grandchildren who “got it” early on and were with Barack Obama, whom they knew their grandfather would have supported were here alive and with them. He always supported the underdog and would be pleased with Obama. Even though his former union went with the traditional labor supported candidate who was not bad herself, the right side for his legacy was always the Obama camp. Come to think of it “Camp Obama” was the brainchild of one of Chavez’s closest organizers, whom Chavez arguably favored over all others during their times together. Marshall Ganz will be mentioned over and over in the aftermath of this election as the key field architect of Obama’s field operations. After joining Chavez in 1966 Ganz became a top organizer with the farmworker’s union. In the years to come Chavez would assign him to work on the Bobby Kennedy, George McGovern and Jerry Brown presidential campaigns. Combining farm worker organizing and political organizing became a quest for the disciplined and driven Ganz. Even after he left Chavez’ side in 1981 Ganz continued to search for the elusive “perfect field operation,:” finding small roles in every succeeding presidential race. While teaching at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government Ganz would come into contact with top operatives for Howard Dean who gave the Ganz/Chavez/Ross methodologies and approaches a chance. Only one other campaign, the Dukakis 1988 presidential campaign, had ever employed the farmworker’s style to a national effort, but they did it reluctantly, watching in wonder and awe as the places that employed the “real deal” field operation piled up win after win. That campaign never did buy into the method and offered little or no resources or support even when it hired on Ganz, Larry Tramutola and other former farmworker organizers. To Greg Akili, George Nee, Bob Johnson Jr., Fred Ross Jr., Larry Tramutola, Scott Washburn, Richard Ybarra and others we take off our hats to you as well for your parts in pushing forward the intensity and ideas of Cesar Chavez whom all had as a common teacher.

But tomorrow’s Obama victory owes so much to Ganz and his work over the last two years to prepare and train organizers with the right system, style and habits that it took to overcome all the odds for an African American to emerge as President of the United States of America. Ganz was finally able to take this unique and effective style, not utilized by professionals and consultants from either major party, to and over the top.

Congratulations in order to all the Si Se Puede team originals along with the man who inspired them all.

USA_ The curtain comes down tonight on the longest, costliest, and most historic presidential election. Credit will be doled out to many in the Obama camp on running and being part of the best presidential campaign this country has witnessed. A news media that gets banged around a lot, especially by the political right lane, has a lot to do with the attention and interest generated like never before 2008.

CNN takes the cake and prize for having put together “the best political team on television,” one that delivered over and over and over and over 24/7, day and night. What great coverage they gave to a nation that is still plagued with being the “least politically educated and knowledgeable” of any developed country in the world. What the naysayers and whiners who want this nearly two year coverage to end don’t know or understand themselves is that a people who at one time had 71% of among them believing Sadaam Hussein was part of 9/11 take a very long time and tons of education and information to keep up with the news. CNN we thank you for all your great pundits and commentators from both sides of the aisle. People like Alex Castellanos, Leslie Sanchez, Paul Begala, David Gergen, Ed Rollins, Bay Buchanon, Borger, Crowley, Malveaux,et al – wonderful job all. Other favorites were Roland Martin, Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, Campbell Brown and John King.

Univision and the Spanish language radio across the country gave special attention to keeping the national Latino audience informed and engaged as never before in history. Their contribution will be felt for generations to come.

To the pundits like Roland Martin we thank him for being the first commentator in the country to point out that Obama’s acceptance speech in Denver was going to be given 40 years to the day as Dr. King’s “I have a Dream” speech.

To Dr. King and his colleagues, especially the black clergy, who sustained the hopes and so often dashed aspirations of a nation within a nation – we thank them as well. Come January we hope and fully expect that the Obama presidency will spell a new and exciting time in our country where we might, just might, be able to gain back a little of what was lost when JFK, Bobby and Martin were laid to rest far too early.

Latinos, who made their greatest political statements ever, we say let this be the beginning of our new day. Somehow, thru hard work of so many of our leaders, media outlets, labor groups and community actions we were able to cut to the chase and line up with Obama in the long run.

The on-going presence and legacy of Cesar Chavez was not to be left out. The spiritual and soulful leader of farm workers, Latinos and all Americans who burn with a desire for fairness and a triumphant future was as present as ever 15 years after his passing. One of his protégé’s, Marshall Ganz, was very much responsible for teaming up with Obama, whose own organizer background was a presidential first, to set up the biggest, best funded, best prepared and hottest political organizing operation in American, and perhaps world, political history. So many people caught the “si se puede” spirit and were taught the art of real community and political organizing available on the globe. Many former Chavez colleagues must also be thanked and praised for their roles in working with Ganz and others over the years to perfect the system and finally have it validated and supported from the top; with the right resources and support to let it flourish and create winning results – especially in the caucus states during this year’s primary elections.

God is about to “bless America” in new and special ways come this Tuesday and beyond.

We are back today and look forward to serving you with up to date inside stories and experienced observations of all happenings Latinos in the USA and around the world.

Thanks for staying with us; let your family and friends know to get their unique and interesting Latino perspective here.

It has been a long time since I’ve written anything due to the fact that I am like super busy all the time. (Mostly I’m just lazy.) But as I was sitting here watching Team USA take on Nigeria in their final match of group play, and with the chance to move on to knockout stages on the line, I felt compelled to write something. It’s late no one else is awake where I’m at and I’m lonely.

Rant and Rave -

Michael Orozco gets a red card in the fourth minute for a mindless elbow. I understand that there was intent in the elbow but it was such a weak way to put the US at even more of a disadvantage (Michael Bradley and Freddy Adu are out due to yellow cards). Why Orozco would throw that elbow at that time when the ref was still looking directly at him is beyond me. I’m all for doing the little things to get in an opponents head during a match but you aren’t supposed to get caught when you do that.

Now even though the team is a man down I still don’t think I’ve seen a worse half of football at this high of a level in my life. First of all why in the hell is Brian McBride in the squad? The man has been crap since before the last World Cup what made him seem like a decent choice for this squad? I’ve heard people say that McBride is a talent in the air but the US national team isn’t exactly known for it’s service abilities.

Another point of contention that involves Brain McBride, when the team went down a man why would you not take out a player with very little range and pace out and bring in a more defensive minded player? Instead Coach Novak moved some guy named Roberts or Rogers into the back line and he looks horrible back there. At the half a sub was finally brought in to replace a forward player however it was Jozy Altidore who came out! Is this guy f***ing kidding me?

Why didn’t the USA bring any of the senior team members? Did anyone really think we would have a chance against Argentina or Brazil with the squad we brought? Most of the guys playing right now seem like they have never played a soccer game before. I mean that with all sincerity and it was completely evident on the first half goal Nigeria scored. Parkhurst took an angle that would be more likely to come from an AYSO player. Then Edu, Rogers and Wynne all decided that they shouldn’t try and cover anyone in the box or stop the ball and it left Brad Guzan with his nuts completely exposed with no chance to save the goal.

Is there anything we can do about this? Hopefully Japan can hold on to draw with the Netherlands.

Without Brad Guzan back there this game would be way out of hand I can’t believe how great he has played and only a few of his teammates are even remotely capable of doing their jobs done.

Oh and by the way this German Ref is quite an a**hole… It’s nothing personal against the guy I usually think that most of them are, but he is quite exceptional.

*Update: Team USA made a valiant effort down the stretch of this match to get into a position to have a chance to draw the match. Unfortunately Charlie Davie’ header that beat the keeper was just a bit high and off the crossbar. Imagine if Davies was brought in for the entire match? Or if he and his pace were teamed up with Jozy Altidore?

Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro’ the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watch’d, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro’ the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

John McCain focused on energy and the economy but also spoke about immigration reform that he supports along with border security. After citing his respect for his opponent McCain chided that he would have liked to have had a joint appearance with Obama in a town hall format so both could answer questions from the group. He made mention of his respect for “the contributions of Hispanic-Americans to the culture, economy and secutiry of the country I have served all my adult life.” Though he has appeared to flip-flop at times on immigration, Latinos still appreciate his long standing support for their issues. He tried to strike a balance between his support for securing the border while at the same time, “respecting the dignity and rights of citizens and legal residents of the United States.” He lightly touched on the importance of the path to citizenship which must be part of any comprehensive reform.

During his speech Barack Obama went right at the importance of the Latino vote. “This election could well come down to how many Latinos turn out to vote. And I am proud that my campaign is working hard to register more Latinos and bring them into the political process. Because I truly believe that if we work together and fight together and stand together this fall, then you and I together will change the political map from top to bottom.” Obama is still looking to establish a foothold and then traction with Latino voters who supported Hillary Clinton over him by more than 2:1 margins in large part because Latinos do not know him. During his allotted time Obama mentioned, “reform that finally brings 12 million people who are here legally out of the shadows by requiring them to take steps to become legal citizens putting them on a pathway to citizenship. I will say it now and I will say it after I’m president.” Both candidates got standing ovations from the NALEO group in their quest for voters who in the most recent AP/Yahoo poll showed Obama 47%, McCain 22% and Undecided 26%. Next up in July are LULAC and NCLR to keep the candidates on their toes and after Latino votes

Washington, DC., As the two major party’s prepare their best stuff for the fall encounter endorsements are mostly going and coming from expected people and places. There is one, however, that keeps Republicans up late at night – Retired General and former Secretary of State Colin Powell. Rumors are running rampant in and out of the Beltway that this endorsement is imminent. Look for it to come but at a time when it will be of most value, like say right after both parties conventions which should be around Labor Day (the old general election kickoff day). If it’s a nip and tuck race this one endorsement will be huge and if it’s a yawner it will still be huge for Obama. Even though Powell lost some of his national luster in the aftermath of the “rush to war” he still has loads of military and foreign affairs credibility and after the way he was ushered out of the Bush administration shares a little less love for the party he served so well following his service as head of the military leadership.