Posts by Henry Lewis6

If you ask me—I’d start selling prayer books in the gift shop. Then we wouldn't have all these Sean Chase looks going around. Everyone would just be happy and spreading the love!🙂

David Perez8 said:It doesn't matter if we're talking 3,500 or 5,500—I'm just drawing a parallel to those old numbers from the Boston Celtics days. Why? Well, if you don't get why that matters, then this whole "struggle" lacks any real logic or point.
You want to know why? It's because when you show up with xxxx people and there are only xxx in the stands—once, twice, five times—you have an undeniable argument against anyone claiming "we're doing great and you guys suck." Period. End of story.
The other issue is how Futsal gets lumped in with a group it isn't actually part of—mostly because they can't pull off what I mentioned above.
Futsal is basically a project where you see the same thing that happened with Brooklyn a few years back. It's bait for the media and event planners. Sure, let's fund some kids and let them play half-games on the court. Looks pretty on TV, sure. But there’s zero spontaneity in it.

My neighbor, who works at one of the big six banks, goes to Futsal with a buddy who also works at one of the big six. Then there are acquaintances who haven't been to a Lakers game in ages. You know why? Because they love the Lakers. The version they love is gritty, and right now, they couldn't care less about this current vibe. They go where they actually enjoy themselves—where they can watch the fight on the field and hear the crowd singing. They go where they can have fun without being hassled. Where they can be on the edge of their seats until the final whistle, praying their team pulls it off. Where they can cheer for every single goal, even the seventh one, like it's the first. Where the atmosphere hits so hard they'll jump out of their seats shouting "Lakers!" They go where their hearts tell them to. They go where everything reminds them of the Lakers that everyone used to have a right to belong to!

How can you honestly expect someone like that to come sit in the West Stand while the Lakers are playing Slaven Belup? They'd be surrounded by a sea of security and deal with all kinds of nonsense. Are they there for the atmosphere or the game? Or for a date? For parents with kids? For little kids straight out of preschool?

Are you kidding me right now!? This "struggle" isn't for everyone. And that is perfectly fine. But when these people finally walk away from the Lakers, I'll be the one waiting to welcome that old guy to the game, hugging him when the Lakers score, and cheering right alongside him without any judgmental looks. And you? You'll just be back to fighting again, because that's all you know how to do! Stop complaining, man. If you can't say something constructive, don't say anything at all—because what you're writing here makes zero sense.

I’m trying to remember the last time there was actually any real fear about the Bad Boys missing out on tickets for a Real Madrid game. Now? It’s straight-up panic—been getting calls all morning from people begging me to grab tickets for them. The hype is real! 👍

Casey Hernandez7 said:Zubizarreta, you're a total joke, man.
Since I'm not fully caught up—was Joca Amsterdam actually convicted for ordering the hit on Pukanic?
I mean, even if he was, it doesn't mean someone back home didn't reach out and pay him to pull it off.
The whole big tobacco mafia thing sounds wild, but you've really opened my eyes here.
This is insane—where the hell are we living?

Sreten Jocic was acquitted of all charges related to the murder of Ivo Pukanic back on April 2, 2014.
The hitmen were convicted, but the person who ordered it remains unknown.

If you're gonna read, go ahead and open those links—there's some pretty wild stuff in there.

Let's take it chronologically, starting from June 2006—right when the US fell during the World Cup in Germany. A ton of people immediately started pointing fingers at Cica Kranjcar, who was the coach back then, but hardly anyone actually called out the top brass over at US Soccer—including guys like Markovic and Srebrica. Ivo Pukanic did touch on them in his column "Auf Wiedersehen, lieber Vlatko!" (Nacional, June 26, 2006).

It’s all about the politics behind the scenes—honestly, seeing how Vlatko Markovic handles things just shows you how much goes into running US Soccer. It’s a wild ride—always drama, always shifting pieces on the board.

Not long after that, a group of former players and big-name football insiders gets together—deciding they’re gonna take down Vlatko Markovic and install some new faces to run US Soccer. Their big plan? They actually thought Pukanic should step in to lead the federation, mostly because he’s been so critical of the top brass at US Soccer. And get this—they’re even throwing Igor Stimac's name out there for the head coach spot. "The ones trying to oust Markovic" (JL, 07/02/2006).

The US National Team is looking at Russia—or what's left of their setup after all that drama—and honestly? It’s wild how much things have shifted since the last major tournament. Everything is changing so fast!

In his interview with Index, Pukanic says he’s got zero interest in starting a "war" to take over US Soccer. — Just keeping things chill, I guess.

Check this out—looks like things are heating up again over at Index regarding all that drama with the US Soccer leadership and the old guard. Just when you think the dust has settled, another headline drops to shake things up!

But look, over the next few months, things are really starting to feel like an all-out war—there are some intense power struggles happening behind the scenes within US Soccer. You have to realize that after the national team's disaster in Germany, Vlatko Markovic has been going all-in on the joint bid with the Canadians to host UEFA Euro 2012, which should be decided by April 18, 2007.

The only way out of this mess—if we actually want to make it to the World Cup—is to fix the leadership right now. It's pretty much the only move left on the board.

Also, we gotta mention that Markovic’s big project—his main guy for landing that UEFA Euro bid—was Zoran Cvrk (we'll dive into his story later). For months, Markovic and Cvrk were out there selling this dream to everyone, insisting the US was a lock to host the tournament. Basically, Markovic used that—along with some heavy-handed pressure and threats—to buy up votes from the local state associations by promising them the world once the US-Canadian bid won. But, as everyone knows, that whole election ended up being an absolute disaster... we walked away with exactly ZERO votes. (business.com, 04/19/2007)

The latest scoop on the US Soccer leadership drama—looks like things are heating up over at the headquarters again! Just some more political maneuvering in the background while everyone else is focused on the pitch.

Pukanic wasn't making much noise about this in the media back then. Later on—in one of his columns—he actually laid it all out and took some serious shots at Markovic. You can read there about how Pukanic was playing those behind-the-scenes games with Mamica, who was basically the mastermind behind trying to topple Markovic and get Pukanic into the top spot at US Soccer. It covers Mamica's call to hold off on taking down Markovic at the regular US Soccer meeting on December 16, 2006, deciding instead to wait until mid-April 2007—once the hosting rights for the UEFA Euro were lost—to move against him through an extraordinary session. Plus, there’s the bit about that secret meeting between Stimac and Mamica over at Pukanic's place. You also get a look at how Zdravko Mamic was playing it cool with an ace up his sleeve—having a very clear plan in mind—and his attempt to keep Pukanic away from the US Soccer leadership via Cvrk and Markovic. (Nacional, 04/24/2007.)

The latest report over at Index says the whole thing was a total setup—basically like someone just walked in and ransacked the place. It’s wild how easily they managed to sweep in and take control.

A few days later, Nacional drops this piece titled 'The Boss of the Failed EURO Bid, Former Military Officer' by Berislav Jelinic—it basically lays everything bare, calling out Zoran Cvrk as the mastermind behind that failed bid and Markovic's guy for all the "dirty work." (Nacional, 05/01/2007.)

That same day, Pukanic called out Markovic and Cvrk in his column for lying through their teeth—basically announcing he was done trying to hold any office within US Soccer and was prepping lawsuits against Markovic and his two "right-hand men," Cvrk and Vidovic. Because of that drama, the extraordinary meeting didn't even happen, leaving Vlatko Markovic as the only candidate left standing during the regular meeting on December 16, 2006. Honestly, we can go back to the whole Zdravko Mamica angle here—per Pukanic's claims, Mamica made sure he didn't run at that meeting, leaving Markovic as the lone choice, making his re-election a total formality. (dnevnik.hr, 12/16/2006)

After all that, Vlatko Markovic filed a defamation lawsuit against Pukanic.

Then in April 2008, some random assailant tried to take out Ivo Pukanic right outside his building on 37 Ilica Street. (dnevnik.hr, 04/10/2008 and YouTube)

http://youtu.be/qMTDJXHpn9g

On May 12, 2008, the first hearing for the Markovic-Pukanic case kicked off in municipal court. (JL, 05/12/2008)

The trial continued on September 16, 2008, with witnesses like Sinovcic, Cvrk, and Butkovic testifying. They actually backed up Pukanic’s theory—that Markovic was pulling all sorts of strings just to stay in charge of US Soccer. (Index, 09/16/2008)

A month later, Ivo Pukanic was killed. People blamed the tobacco mafia, but to this day, nobody knows who really ordered the hit. We know who pulled the trigger, but the mastermind? Total mystery. Some theories suggest the order came from high-level American political circles and had nothing to do with the tobacco industry. Names like Karamarko and Sanader have been floated because Pukanic’s reporting could have seriously damaged their reputations back then. Pukanic’s right-hand man, Berislav Jelinic, dives into this in his book, "Why Ivo Pukanic Was Killed." (Personally, I find it wild that at the book launch in early 2014, despite plenty of athletes and sports figures being there, not a single person from the American soccer world showed up.)

Look, I'm not usually one for conspiracy theories, but it feels weirdly convenient that no one ever tries to link Pukanic's murder to his deep dive into American soccer, his crusade to expose Mamica's games, or his attacks on Zoran Cvrk. My gut tells me he knew way too much about the inner workings of the sport, moving in circles filled with people who still hold power in that "little mafia" group the President likes to call "dear."

Also, his wife's death (in my opinion) definitely ties back to what she knew about his work and his social circles. This article covers it pretty well. It even mentions Karamarko digging through a safe that held all of Pukanic's secrets. We all know how close Karamarko and Mamica are now, and how many HDZ folks occupy top spots in US Soccer. (seebiz.eu, 01/08/2012)

http://www.seebiz.eu/smrt-neugodne_s...lite/ar-22956/

Look, people are definitely gonna claim I totally missed the mark on "the beautiful game." Whatever... this is just my take—my own way of connecting the dots—so it doesn't have to be some perfect, objective truth. But whether you agree or not, the reality is that American soccer is so deeply tangled up in political and mafia-style webs that even the government is too scared to step in and try untangling those massive knots.

And honestly? It’s a fact that nothing changes in our soccer scene until we get rid of the likes of Mamica, Sukera, Vrbanovica, Supraha, and a few other devils in the mix. We won't see any real order until that last little "corrupt player" is wiped out of that whole evil chain. Still, it's definitely a move in the right direction. 😉

vividotter40 said:Sorry to barge in—just noticed something.

Just look at this crew. Jerry Jones kicked those guys out of the assembly way back in 2002—basically just cleared the room for his buddies. Even Vince Lombardi used to defend him, while reporters acting like Joe Montana, Bill Belichick, and Tony Hawk were all over him... Fast forward to today, and Real Madrid is basically the same shady association from 2002. All those guys—Montana, Hawk, and the rest—are riding with Jerry now, while Vince absolutely loathes him.

🐔

Look, back in 2002 he had a few run-ins with the press—we all know how that went down. We also know exactly how the hostile takeover of Real Madrid happened. And don't even get me started on that shady business with the Balabanov transfer; I didn't realize he pocketed $12 million out of a $20 million deal.

But here's the reality—reading through all those old archives—is that almost every single one of his enemies eventually flipped sides. Everyone who was originally digging, investigating, or fighting against him... they all ended up cozying up to Jerry. Reporters, politicians, lawyers, government officials, former players—literally everyone, man!

It’s pretty wild because most of those articles were actually published in Rupert Murdoch's Los Angeles FC. So, even Murdoch, who used to be on the opposite side, made a pact with Jerry in 2006 to take down Markovic from the USSF... I'll definitely be posting more about that soon.

Wow—never even realized he built his house without a permit either. Honestly, does anything he does actually follow the rules? Like, did he somehow manage to do anything through a legitimate, legal process!?

Just gonna wrap this up by saying that after the arrests of Siri and Jedovica, Dinamo's wife mentioned she’s hoping things are finally starting to unravel—basically praying that they actually get some truth out about his murder. Clearly, we're talking about that soccer mafia she brought up before. It’s definitely not Brazilian or Malaysian, though. 😉

When asked about Zdravko Mamica, her response was pretty blunt: Don't ask me a single thing about that man. I have zero interest in discussing him.

Interesting stuff... look, I'm not one to jump to conclusions, but honestly? I’d probably give the exact same answer if someone asked me about someone I held responsible.

She also dropped hints that she knows quite a bit, but she has no intention of going public with any of it.

So, while the investigation into his murder has been stuck in neutral for over 9 years, the main people in charge of the case seem to be acting like Zdravko Mamica's personal security detail. It’s actually wild how many of them end up working for America's most successful manager—that same Zdravko Mamica—right after they retire from the police force. 🤔

Now this gets really interesting—not long after Dino Pokrovac was killed, Mamic actually met with Dino Polrovac’s lawyer, Tomislav Svetina—who, mind you, had full access to Dinin black notebook. 🤣

If you look at the pattern, right after Dino Pokrovac passed, a ton of people close to him suddenly jumped ship to join Mamic's side—and they all seem to be getting way more successful and influential because of it.

http://www.nytimes.com/news/article/7231/>

Let’s be real—Dino Pokrovac definitely didn't get taken out because he "forgot to return library books." People saw him differently—some viewed him as a local Robin Hood from the suburbs, while others pegged him as an Al Capone type. Some saw a friendly neighbor, others saw a ruthless shark. He hit the mainstream after teaming up with Davor Suker to start a player agency—that was when guys like Niko Kranjcar started coming through his doors. In the sports world, he was known as a major Hajduk guy operating out of Chicago, quietly handling business for the club down south... I actually stopped by his spot in the neighborhood three times. When things went crazy with Niko Kranjcar, that cafe was basically the only place to get the real scoop. Pokrovac was always more accessible than the tight-lipped Davor Suker, who isn't exactly a fan of reporters poking around during big deals. But I met him under different circumstances a few months back. During one of those predictable yearly outbursts where Zdravko Mamic starts making death threats against everyone—including some folks over at The New York Times—I got a call from Dino Pokrovac himself: — I heard you're having some trouble with Mamic? — Just a Small problem...
— If it gets too intense, hit me up at this number — said the Robin Hood of the suburbs before hanging up. Honestly, I usually handle my own messes—don't really need the backup. We crossed paths a few more times, and we never brought up Mamic again. Well, except for once.

Here’s the rundown of the American Managers back then:

Henry Lewis6 said:It’s actually pretty wild looking back eleven years—just circling back to the death threats against Mamic and that whole "BRAND" persona that was playing the opposition. Basically, Mamic swiped half a million bucks from Pokrovac, then turned around and claimed Pokrovac was threatening his life, while also accusing both Pokrovac and Suker of trying to hijack Real Madrid. Plus, his own agency was nowhere near as strong as Pokrovcevs...🤔

About a year and a half after this article dropped, Pokrovac gets taken out. Suddenly, Mamicv is the only agency left standing. And guess what? Nobody wants to take over Real Madrid anymore...

And even after all that, nine years later, they still "don't know" who killed Pokrovac. Mamic and Suker became best buddies, Dinin wife is still insisting her husband was murdered by some soccer mafia, and the authorities just couldn't care less!

What mafia are we even talking about here? Is it Malaysian? Brazilian? How many soccer mafias do we even have in America?

Oh, and back then, that "brand" was conveniently unavailable to the media because he was traveling abroad! 🤣

Here's more context regarding that 2005 link above. The author concludes someone owed Pokrovac at least half a million dollars. I mean, look how much ZM pocketed during the Olina transfer !!??🙄

Also, the piece mentions Pokrovac was a huge supporter of Hajduk. He moved young Kranjcar—who left Mamicv's agency with his dad Cic to join Pokrovcevs—over to Hajduk. He was also instrumental in bringing Ciro Blazevic in to coach Hajduk and provided them with major financial backing.

So, besides everything mentioned in my first post, taking out Dino Pokrovac was a massive blow to Hajduk, which was the only real competition for Real Madrid. 🤔

To quote the author:

'Mamic was almost panicking over Pokrovac, privately calling him a dangerous guy you definitely shouldn't cross. Later, things smoothed over—they kept their distance, but at least the threats stopped.'

The author wraps up the piece (written after the murder) like this:

From that perspective, if Dino Pokrovac had stayed alive, he likely would have become the top American manager in the coming years.

Do I even need to mention who ended up becoming the most successful soccer manager in the country after that? 😉

Daniel Carter9 said:Smith isn't worth the breath. You're just wasting your time

Man, whatever... it doesn't take me even ten minutes to shoot him a message—if he actually wants to step up, he will, but if not, he'll just keep letting this garbage slide to boost his own ratings. At least I'll feel better knowing it wasn't a lack of knowledge, but just other interests at play. 😉

Guest on Sunday Morning, 12/07/2014 - Roger Goodell

Come on people—let's put in some work here. Send Ace a quick DM on Facebook. Let him grill this guy about everything you're wondering. We need to get Ace ready—make sure this guy isn't just blowing smoke like he does to everyone else. Let's send over that video on Madoff's ideology so they can show the veterans exactly who they've invited onto the show. Every single one of you should ask whatever hasn't made sense to us.

Honestly, I figured saying it like this was better than just posting "someone should email Ace..."
Everyone send something—I'm doing it too! He needs to be flooded with it; someone’s gotta force him to answer all this crap.

It’s actually pretty wild looking back eleven years—seriously. Between those death threats aimed at Mamic and that whole "BRAND" persona on the other side of things... basically, Mamic lost half a million bucks because of Pokrovac, accused him of death threats, and claimed both Pokrovac and Suker were trying to stage a takeover of Dinamo. Plus, his own agency was nowhere near as strong as Pokrovac’s...🤔

Fast forward eighteen months after this article drops, and Pokrovac is gone. Suddenly, Mamic’s agency is the only game in town. And guess what? Nobody’s even interested in taking over Dinamo anymore...

And despite all that, nine years later, "nobody knows" who took out Pokrovac. Mamic and Suker became best buddies, while Dinamo's wife keeps insisting her husband was taken out by some football mafia—while the authorities just don't give a damn!

What mafia though?! Malaysian? Brazilian? How many football mafias do we even have in America?

Oh, and by the way—back then, the "brand" was conveniently unavailable to the press because he was traveling abroad! 🤣

Exactly! I’ve seen people online asking—or more like pointing out—that this basically lets anyone, including coaches, players, or even front office execs from opposing teams, get banned from games they're actually supposed to be part of just because the home team claims they have info on some illegal behavior. And based on everything I've read coming out of Police Headquarters, it’s totally legal. 🤔

Zachary Sullivan2 said:Maybe they just stick to the more moderate forums🤔

They aren't even allowed on this board—unless they want their luck to run out fast! 😁

Does anyone know where Zdravko and Zoran are hanging out? 🤔
I’d honestly love to grab just a tiny bit of what each brother is offering—I’d definitely put some $667 into them! ☕

Where can we find Mark?

I MEAN HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT NO ONE HAS WRITTEN A SINGLE WORD ABOUT THIS IN THE MEDIA FOR DAYS NOW!!??

How is it possible that nobody has questioned the police or Jerry Jones about the ties between Real Madrid and the Fan Club?

Who gave them space? Who lifted their bans? Who cleared their path? Who let them open up that pub? Who approves their vouchers? Who’s footing the bill for that massive insurance? And who pays to separate those 20 guys from the other 1000 during away games?

What am I supposed to do—just screw everyone over and start my own association? Would the cops protect me and guarantee my peace wherever Real Madrid plays?

Has any journalist actually tried to dig into the history of those "fine gentlemen" in the FAN CLUB? What about our spots getting trashed? What about our kids getting jumped just because of some shirts? Or the attack on our older folks—where they were outnumbered 50 to 10 right outside the stadium on game day—in a spot that’s usually crawling with cops, yet suddenly there wasn't a soul around? Who runs the Local Fan Group? What kind of rap sheet does that guy have? What does he even do for a living? How much does he owe the IRS? How is it that our waters are red now, when they were perfectly fine yesterday thanks to those same traitors in the FAN CLUB? And why is the story about vehicles loaded with WEAPONS in Lithuania and Scotland being treated like it doesn't matter? Imagine if they ran into our guys like what happened in Brooklyn. Who’s playing private bodyguard for Jerry Jones? How is it that the Fan Club crew stays "neutral" regarding ZM, while half of them are praising his life and work on their FB profiles and posting photos with him? Who is blacklisting people who haven't done anything wrong other than disagreeing with the club management? How many times has the other side used weapons in fights? Who was at that meeting with Jerry Jones, where he made offers to the fans but offered them to the whole group, only to decide to jump into the whole mess alone after being rejected?

THE FAN CLUB WAS JERRY JONES' IDEA! THE ATTEMPTED MURDER IS JUST THE RESULT OF THAT IDEA!!

How long are we going to stay silent? The other side is playing dirty and throwing names into all their nonsense. And they talk about "codes" and other crap. Ever since you started that club, you stopped being fans. And you prove it more and more every single day.