Mexico, U.S. revisit hostilities

It's not such a big deal if Mexico defeats the United States today in a World Cup soccer qualifier in Mexico City.

The U.S. national team hasn't won on Mexican soil in the 72-year series, owning an 0-22-1 record there.

But Mexico still stings from a loss in 1848: the Mexican-American War.

"This goes back to Santa Anna," said T-shirt vendor Roberto Hernandez, referring to the 19th-century Mexican president whose military losses to the U.S. cost Mexico half of its territory. "This isn't just a game. We're talking real resentment here."

Hostility flared as the teams took the field in Guadalajara in 2005 when Mexico fans booed the U.S. national anthem and chanted "Osama! Osama!" in reference to al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The U.S. crowd countered with "Superpower! Superpower!" Riot police protected the U.S. fans as they left the stadium.

"We know the history," U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard said. "We're well aware of it, which makes the challenge that much more special."

Mexico trails Costa Rica, the U.S. and Honduras halfway through the final round of regional qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup. The top three teams from the North, Central America and Caribbean region advance to the Cup, and No. 4 faces a playoff for another berth.

"Geography has put us next to this superpower that dominates us in every sense, economically and politically," said Walter Gonzalez, editor of Mediotiempo.com, a soccer Web site in Mexico.

• GOING SOFT -- Del Mar today becomes the first horse track in California to require the use of softer horsewhips during races.

The use of riding crops that can't raise welts has been mandated by the California Horse Racing Board. The whips are made of softer leather or fabric and are supposed to get the horse's attention with a popping noise rather than causing pain.

Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif., will use the softer whips this fall. Tracks in Kentucky, New York and Maryland already require them.

• GAME ON -- If you have a spouse, a sibling or some other relative or friend who loves football and video games, don't expect to see much of him this weekend. "Madden NFL 10," the latest installment of the series that took armchair quarterbacking to a new level, comes out Friday.

EA Sports usually launches "Madden" with a party -- last year's "Maddenpalooza" was at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. But this year, EA wants to "reach all our fans in all corners of the country," marketing director Nathan Stewart told The Associated Press. The main promotional effort involves a tie-in with ESPN's "Monday Night Football," which returns to television Thursday.

The first "MNF" game is a preseason rematch between last season's Super Bowl teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals. Not coincidentally, the cover of "Madden NFL 10" features Troy Polamalu of the Steelers and Larry Fitzgerald of the Cardinals.

COMPILED BY JEFF WOLF LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL