2009-09-05T15:33:41-04:00
The Cuban Superfan ... For U.S. Sports
2008-09-06T18:41:19-04:00
17
2008-09-10T06:38:31-04:00
1
2
10
2008-09-10T02:57:47-04:00
http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/286/59/thumb/basil.jpg
165
MN
Nursedude
Minneapolis
28719
Great story, Grant. Senor Rodriguez has MAJOR COJONES for wearing that gettup, talking with an American Reporter and giving his name. What a courageous dude. When you think of all of the other reprehensible governments like the Chinese and the Russians (Visit Russia before it Visits you) where an American Sports fan can go without much hassel, it still seems absurd that in 2008, we still don't have streamlined travel to be able to go to Cuba.
2707098
2008-09-17T13:47:57-04:00
http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/539/889/thumb/0ac4c530f61e99bebaa1a2cf1463fd1c-getty-81972234mw537_olympics_day_.jpg
3
FL
hassan.
Miami
540329
Great story, Grant. Senor Rodriguez has MAJOR COJONES for wearing that gettup, talking with an American Reporter and giving his name. What a courageous dude. When you think of all of the other reprehensible governments like the Chinese and the Russians (Visit Russia before it Visits you) where an American Sports fan can go without much hassel, it still seems absurd that in 2008, we still don't have streamlined travel to be able to go to Cuba.
6
Nursedude,
call/email Norm Coleman ask him about why we can travel to Mongolia but we cannot go to Cuba ... that is if he will acknowledge your existence.
2769761
2008-09-07T16:46:42-04:00
11
FL
yenie
Miami
505865
Let's get him a US visa!!!!
2683923
2008-09-17T13:46:20-04:00
http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/539/889/thumb/0ac4c530f61e99bebaa1a2cf1463fd1c-getty-81972234mw537_olympics_day_.jpg
3
FL
hassan.
Miami
540329
Let's get him a US visa!!!!
5
yenie, send Manny a c-note because the interests section in Habana charges a clean one hundred US to even have one's name placed in the visa pool.
*it seems that the US would rather see Cubans take to the seas in rafts and inner tubes than to make applying for the visa affordable.
2769712
2008-09-17T13:41:34-04:00
http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/539/889/thumb/0ac4c530f61e99bebaa1a2cf1463fd1c-getty-81972234mw537_olympics_day_.jpg
3
FL
hassan.
Miami
540329
4
Well, this is proof that Cuba is freer than what Miami wants us all to believe.
Yes, this band-wagon-riding wanna-be's attention-seeking antics confirm it.
If you don't believe me, fly to Cuba and see how Cubans of all stripes have no gripe against the American people (it's the U.S. government-by-the-CANF-strings policies that upsets, frustrates, and saddens people in Cuba).
Ciao!
2769650
2008-09-13T12:32:36-04:00
1
FL
lujancita
Lakeland
531872
3
omg this is ma uncle right there, I LOVE HIM SO MUCH.......hes been like that all his life, and now that im in this country i wish he could be here with me to enjoy the freedom that he deserves, it made me cry to read this beacuse it brings back so many memories of when i was a little girl and he would teach me all about the sports, if i was in cuba i would have probably went with him....and i would have had so much fun, anyways i apreciate you guys....but its true what my couzin and ma other uncle said about going to jail....he could get in huge trouble for this, but lets pray he doesnt, im goint to be seeing him in a month cause ill be visitng there i cant wait! my parents didnt want to tell me that he had gone to jail last year, i just found out a few months ago and i cried so hard....anyways i wouldnt want that to happen again.
2734494
2008-09-12T21:50:41-04:00
2
FL
Henry Gomez
Miami
529927
2
Grant, I write for a Cuban-American blog called Babalu Blog. I'd love to send Manuel D??az Rodr??guez an authentic USA jersey and some other swag. Please email me at conductor@babalublog.com
2732447
2008-09-12T21:48:32-04:00
2
FL
Henry Gomez
Miami
529927
1
Grant, my name is Henry Gomez and I write at a blog called Babalu Blog about Cuban affairs. I'd love to send Manuel D??az Rodr??guez an authentic USA jersey and some other swag. please email me at conductor@babalublog.com.
2732501
2008-09-10T02:57:47-04:00
http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/286/59/thumb/basil.jpg
165
MN
Nursedude
Minneapolis
28719
Great story, Grant. Senor Rodriguez has MAJOR COJONES for wearing that gettup, talking with an American Reporter and giving his name. What a courageous dude. When you think of all of the other reprehensible governments like the Chinese and the Russians (Visit Russia before it Visits you) where an American Sports fan can go without much hassel, it still seems absurd that in 2008, we still don't have streamlined travel to be able to go to Cuba.
2707098
2008-09-09T21:48:10-04:00
2
FL
papitomio
Miami
519604
hey ppl this is my uncle and i love him so much he is the best uncle u can ever wish for he is so crazy!! i also want him to be over here with us his family so all his dreams can come true about playing soccer and grant my dad the one with the comment on the bottom is right dont put any of that because my uncle will get in trouble again and we went throught alot last time he went to jail worried sick about him so plz dont make my uncle got to jail again.
2706332
2008-09-09T14:19:30-04:00
2
FL
papitomio
Miami
519604
Grant ese comentario tuyo de que Manuel tiene satelite y internet es totalmente falso, con eso lejos de ayudar a ese cubano lo que estas es metiendolo preso, yo soy hermano de el y vivo en USA, el hace unos meses estuvo preso un mes por tener satelite y le quitaron el satelite y su computadora , piensa que lejos de tu buena noticia lo que haces con eso es perjudicarlo, el es superfanatico a los deportes y sobre todo al soccer, es fan fan de el equipo de Brazil, durante el mundial pasado fue muy mentado en Prov Habana por que tenia varias banderas de Brazil en el techo de su casa. ayudalo diciendo que es increible que una persona este presa por gustarle el deporte , ademas el fue muy buen deportista por que jugo soccer y pertenecio al equipo de Provincia Habana. su sueno es tener libertad pero no se lo permiten en Cuba
2702359
2008-09-08T20:35:23-04:00
http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/436/805/thumb/chargers218_51441.jpg
155
MS
Notorious O.T.T.
Hattiesburg
437245
That dude is freaking awesome...Grant, is there anyway we can get some help to this dude? Screw getting him jersey we should send the dude a freaking medal for having the biggest cojones in cuba...along with a jersey or something, a case of liquor maybe? free one year supply of satelite dish fines?
2695491
17
<p> </p><p>HAVANA, Cuba -- Meet <strong>Manuel Díaz Rodríguez</strong>. <img title="Manuel Díaz Rodríguez says that his love of American sports even got him put in jail last year." src="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008_images/t1_0906_cuban.fan_wahl.jpg" height="300" align="right" alt="Manuel Díaz Rodríguez says that his love of American sports even got him put in jail last year." width="298" style="width: 298px; height: 300px" /><br /><br />He’s a Cuban who has lived his entire life here, and yet he showed up wearing an American flag, a U.S. flag bandana and a knockoff U.S. national team jersey at today’s World Cup qualifier between the U.S. and Cuba at Estadio Pedro Marrero.<br /><br />“I love American sports,” he told me in Spanish. “In the Olympics I was very happy with the eight gold medals of Michael Phelps. It was a shame that Tyson Gay wasn’t selected from the American trials [in the 200 meters] and was injured in China. And in basketball I wanted the U.S. to win in the final.”</p><p>Díaz Rodríguez says that his love of American sports even got him put in jail last year.</p><p>“I like freedom, and I am not afraid of fighting for it. A year ago I was in jail for 32 days. You are going to laugh when I tell you why. It was for having a satellite antenna in my house. I had it, but I have no interest in politics for anything. I just love sports.”<br /><br />“With my antenna I can see all the American sports. All of them. You can see <strong>Tiger Woods </strong>in golf, you can see the NBA, you can see major league baseball. I love tennis. Just now I know that <strong>Roger Federer</strong> beat <strong>Novak Djokovic</strong> and advanced to the final [of the U.S. Open].”<br /><br />Díaz Rodríguez said that “after a lot of work” he located a guy in his neighborhood who owned a U.S. flag, and he convinced him to lend it to him for today’s game. “The problem is that I love freedom and they give us very little in this country,” he said. “I dressed this way today, and when I left [for the stadium] many friends told me, ‘You are crazy! You are going to have problems at the stadium!’ But no. I came here and I am having fun.”<br /><br />Who did he want to win the game between Cuba and the United States? “I want the U.S. to win so they [the Cuban federation] worry a little more and do not hesitate to do more with Cuban soccer. Cuban athletes in general are very good, but what happens in soccer is disgraceful. In this country we don’t have a single field that has the same condition [as this stadium does].”<br /><br />When I asked Díaz Rodríguez if he was O.K. with me publishing his name and his photograph, he said it was no problem. And was he worried about the police? “I don’t have any fear,” he said. “I like freedom. After I was in jail they fined me 800 pesos and said that every year they want 30,000 pesos more.”<br /><br />“And I am not going to pay. I don’t know what will happen, but I am not going to pay.”<br /><br /><br /><br /> </p>
1296
http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/194/315/thumb/wahl_grant.jpg
11
MD
Grant Wahl
Baltimore
194615