Vieiros

[En galego]

Son canadiano, pero tamén son deportivista. De sempre fun un fanático dos deportes e cando vin vivir a Galicia non tiña acceso aos deportes que me entusiasmaban (béisbol, hoquei sobre xeo, fútbol americano...) Isto era en 1993, antes de que se fixesen populares e asequibles as canles de satélite. Tiña que atopar algo co que encher este baleiro. Axiña se fixo evidente que ese algo sería o fútbol. Desde este pequeno recanto do mundo que se chama Ferrol, seguín con interese o progreso do Deportivo na liga durante aquela temporada, a do 1993-1994. Para min o Deportivo era un equipo modesto que sabía onde quería chegar e o que quería obter.

Daquela o seu reto non se realizou... e doeume. Pero tamén me reforzou. Era evidente que un clube pequeno podía chegar a ser campión. Teño un bar e a maioría dos meus clientes son merengues e culés. Ver quen deles lograba converter o canadiano fíxose un reto casi relixioso. Pero sempre me viña unha cousa á mente... Parecía moi doado ser fanático dos "grandes". Calquera pode subir ao tren e gozar do seu éxito. Pero eu non quería iso. Sendo canadiano (somos poucos, ao igual cós galegos), era fácil para min identificarme co Deportivo. Sempre fun desas persoas que defenden aquilo que teñen preto súa. O Dépor parecíame máis caseño (e dío alguén que estaba moi lonxe da súa propia casa) cós clubes grandes. Era máis íntimo... ¡e o meu afán polo Deportivo é moi persoal!

Axiña me decatei que debía terlle lei ao meu equipo, fiel ao meu Dépor. Dépor ofrece algo que os equipos grandes nunca ofrecen, é verdade. Como afeccionado sentes que o equipo e os xogadores están ao teu alcance e que forman parte da túa comunidade.Un día camiñaba pola Rúa Real da Coruña coa miña esposa Mari.

- Dave: "Ei, mira, aí está Rivaldo".

- Mari: "No sexas parvo, el non estaría andando pola Rúa Real adiante escoitando o walkman. Ademais, míralle para as pernas, tenas tortas. Ese nacho non lle dá a un balón nin querendo.

- Dave: "Ei, Rivaldo, cómo vai"

- Rivaldo: "Ben, ben, que tal"

- Dave: "Oe, que temos que gañar o partido o domingo"

- Rivaldo: "Espero que si, faremos todo o que se poida. Ata logo".

Dave (a Mari ao marchar Rivaldo): Vaia, pois si que ten as pernas tortas.

Outro día pasaba por diante do Hotel Riazor. Ía cruzar para a parte da praia e achégase un rapaz facendo futin que tamén quere cruzar. É Fran. Intenta cruzar co semáforo en vermello e deica pouco atropélao un coche. Dá un salto outra vez para a beirarrúa e dígolle. "Coidado, que te necesitamos". El contesta, "moitas gracias". E cruza a rúa, esta vez xa co semáforo en verde.

Mauro Silva. É o meu amigo, un gran capitán, un home de equipo, fiable, é un privilexio telo no equipo. Todos os anos lévolle 20 ou 30 fotos á concentración do equipo en Vilalba e encárgase de que os demais membros do equipo asinen e lle dediquen as fotos á Peña Deportivista Champions Narón. Entrégamas 3 ou 4 días despois e déixame sacar algunhas fotos con el. Ata nos dá o seu número de móbil por se necesitamos algo... ¡Este home é ouro puro! çCalquera pode ter fotos dos seus ídolos, pero fotos asinadas e dedicadas... Iso é o Dépor.

E hai máis: Dinlle a man a Songo'o diante de Riazor (el no medio da estrada e eu no coche). Falei inglés con Rufai no Corte Inglés. Vin a Romero en Pryca, a Bassir comprando un computador... Antonio Vázquez, o masaxista, para no meu bar para saudar cada vez que visita un seu sobri´ño que vive por onda nós... e máis, e máis... Isto é o meu Dépor. O Dépor de todos. Non algo intocable, senón real.

Este ano estamos preto de ser campións. Cando escribo isto temos por xogar o último partido de liga co Espanyol, pero estou convencido de que seremos campións... e cando o sexamos, nada cambiará. O meu Dépor continuará sendo o Dépor de todos os deportivistas. Moitas veces fannos sufrir, pero sufrimos xuntos e gozamos xuntos. Gracias, señor Lendoiro, por formar un equipo competitivo que é a envexa de todo o país. Unha aperta dun verdadeiro canadiano e un verdadeiro deportivista.

David James Quinn. Presidente da Peña Deportivista Champions Narón.

[In English]

I'm Canadian, but Im a Depor fanatic. I've always been a sports fan and when I came here the sports I enjoyed watching (baseball, ice-hockey, american football, etc.,) were not available. This was in 1993 before the whole satalite thing really took off. So I found I had to fill that void with something it soon became apparent that soccer would have to be it! From this little corner of the world called Ferrol I followed Depors progression during the 1993-1994 season. To me Depor was a modest team that knew where they wanted to go, what they wanted to achieve.

At that time, their aim didn't become a reality that upset me. But it also strengthened me. It became evident that a small club could be champion. I have a bar and the majority of my customers were "merengues" and "cules". It became an almost religious issue between them to see who would be able to convert the Canadian. But something always came to mind. I kept thinking how easy it was to be a supporter of one of the so called "grandes". Anybody can board the train and ride its success. But I didn't want that. Being Canadian (were very few in numbers; like Gallegos), it was easier for me to identify with Depor. I've always been one to defend everything that is close to me. Depor seemed more homely (to someone who was a long way from his own home) than the bigger clubs. It was more personaland my support for Depor has certainly become very personal. I soon realized I had to be true to my home team; true to Depor. Depor offers something that none of the "grandes" ever offer, something REAL!

As a fan you feel the team and the players are within your reach, a part of your community. Here are some examples: I was walking down the Rúa Real in Coruña with my wife Mari.

-Dave: "Hey look, there's Rivaldo"

-Mari: "Don«t be stupid, he wouldn't be walking down the Calle Real listening to his walkman, besides look at his legs, they're twisted, that guy couldn't kick a ball if he tried"

-Dave: "Hey Rivaldo, how are ya doing?"

-Rivaldo: "Good, good, how are you?"

-Dave: "Go on , we have to win that game on Sunday"

-Rivaldo: "I hope so, we'll do everything we can, see you later."

-Dave: (to Mari as Rivaldo walks away) Man, he sure is bow legged!

Another time I was passing in front of the hotel Riazor. I was going to cross over to the beach to see what was going on and a jogger comes up beside me. It's Fran. He tries to cross with the light in red and almost gets run over by a car. He steps back onto the sidewalk beside me and I say "careful man, we need you". He says "Thanks a lot" and smiles. He jogs across the street, by this time the light had turned green!

Mauro Silva, (my friend), a great captain, a team man, a reliable person and it's a priviledge to have him on the team. Every year I take 20 or 30 photos to the team's concentration session in Vilalba. I leave them with Mauro and 3 or 4 days later I meet with him to pick them up. In this time he gets them all signed by the rest of the team and dedicated to "Peña Deportivista Champions", Narón". He always lets me take a few pictures and lets me have his mobile number in case we need anything from him.

This man is pure gold! Anyone can have photos of their idols, but signed and dedicated that's DEPOR!

And there's more: Giving a high five to Songo in front of Riazor (he's in the middle of the street, I'm in my car.) Speaking in English to Rufai in El Corte Inglés. Seeing Romero in Pryca, Bassir buying a computer, Antonio Vázquez the phisiotherapist stopping in my bar with his family to say hello when they visit his nephew, who lives near us and so on. This is my Depor. Everybody's Depor. Not something you can't touch Something real! This year we're close to becoming champions. As I write this we still haven't played the last game against Espanyol, but I'm convinced we will be Champions.

When we are, nothing will change. My Depor will continue to be the Depor of all Deportivistas. Many times they make us suffer, but we suffer together and we enjoy the team's success together. Thank you Mr. Lendoiro for putting together a competitive team which is the envy of the whole country. A warm embrace from a true Canadian and a true Deportivista!

DAVID JAMES QUINN President of "Peña Deportivista Champions Narón"