Saturday Miscellanea: Pachucamerica

Ladies and gentlemen, this summer could very well mark the end of an era.

For years now, Americans have been able to watch Fulham play and, regardless of their club allegiance, have something to root for.  Between the stints of Carlos Bocanegra, Brian McBride, Clint Dempsey, Kasey Keller, and Eddie Johnson, it's no wonder that the west London side was referred to as "Fulhamerica" by fans and media members alike.

But alas, this glorious run has been fading in recent years, with just Dempsey and Johnson under contract last season.  And with a move to greener pastures seeming imminent for Deuce and EJ's repeated loans and struggles to establish himself, it seems like we're approaching the end of the constant American presence at Craven Cottage.

Of course, there is a chance that Johnson has a breakout season, or that Dempsey opts to stay put, or even that Bob Bradley gets the head coaching gig, but all three of those scenarios seems fairly unlikely at this point in time.  After watching so many of their games over the past handful of years, it seems like we just have to accept the fact that the Fulhamerica years are quickly coming to an end.

But never fear, because it seems as if that Yank-centric foreign club team is being reincarnated.  No, it's not in the EPL, or even Europe for that matter, but it's in a well-respected league nonetheless.  And the best part is that the matches are fairly accessible on American TV.  So tune in to Telefutura at 8 PM ET tonight to christen the beginning of a new era: Pachucamerica.

Yes, that team south of the border that has done it's fair share over the past couple of years to irk American footy fans (thanks to their success against MLS sides in international competition) is now endearing themselves to Yanks everywhere.  After losing in the semifinals of the last liguilla (Mexican league playoffs), Pachuca has been looking for reinforcements to bolster their squad, and those just so happen to have come in the form of two gringos.  Joining Jose Torres in Hidalgo are now-World Cup veteran Herculez Gomez and Dallas native Marco Vidal, giving the storied Mexican side a noticeable American twist.

While there is no love lost in the USA-Mexico rivalry on the international level, it seems as if clubs on both sides of the border are embracing the principles of NAFTA (see: Nery Castillo, and reportedly Omar Bravo and Rafa Marquez to MLS, plus Pachuca's Yanks and Jonathan Bornstein's pre-contract with Tigres, amongst others).  Perhaps that will be to the USMNT's benefit, with more players plying their trade in Mexico and adding more flair (not to mention a certain level of comfort playing in Mexico) to the mix. 

(That last parenthetical really shouldn't be as big of a deal and probably won't have any kind of impact because of the infrequent nature of USA-Mexico matches at Azteca and the completely next-level atmosphere and animosity that those matches bring, but it can't hurt, right?  Having players with just a little bit more familiarity with Azteca might just provide the littlest boost to our chances of finally taking home three points from a road qualifier against El Tri, which, as someone who has an unhealthy desire to see the USMNT win at Azteca, I'll gladly take.  But that's years down the road; for now, let's try not to get ahead of ourselves and just focus on the guys at Pachuca.)

While Gomez might be a stretch for the next World Cup, he will almost certainly be in the discussion for the USMNT in the coming years, particularly for next summer's Gold Cup.  Torres, meanwhile, looks like he'll be a fixture in the player pool for years to come, while Vidal could very well work his way into the left back conversation.  All things considered, there's a good chance that a couple, if not all three, of these players will contribute significantly to the US player pool going forward, and that's only a good thing.  After all, there's no such thing as having too many good options when you take into account the unpredictable twists and turns that come with every cycle. 

It's also always great to see Americans battling for trophies abroad, and los Tuzos should contend in the coming seasons.  Add in the additional exposure and experience that the trio will get at the 2010 Club World Cup, and Pachuca seems like a great place for this group of players to continue their respective ascents. 

So if you're looking for something to watch tonight, and if you really want to watch some Yanks play abroad, just kick your feet up and watch as the Pachucamerica era gets underway with their Apertura opener against Club America.

Enjoy your Saturday, everybody.