Fossils

When we talk about fossils here on the blog we are not talking about decomposed plant and animal matter trapped inside the earth's crust from millions of years and has become bony and hard due to exterme about of carbon or neither are we talking about my former Geography Mr. Sargaent who I strongly believe was alive since the world continents were fused together and there was just one sea. The gentlemen in fossils or old but not that senior but know this every person who is regarded as a fossil in this the beautiful game is a legend a person worthy of praise and is timeless and will be etched in the book of football folklore forever.

Name: Jorge Francisco Campos Navarrete

Nickname: El Brody/ Chiqui-Campos

D/O/H: 10/15/1966 (age 42)

Place of Hatching: Acapulco, Mexico

Position: Goalkeeper/Foward

Prefered Claw: Right

Height: 5'8 ft/inches

National Team: Mexico

Caps: 130

Club Teams: Pumas (1988/1995), Atalnte' (1995/96), Los Angeles Galaxy (1996/97), Cruz Azul (1997), Chicago Fire (1998), Pumas (1998/99), Tigres (1999/2000), Pumas (2000/01), Atlante (2001/02), Puebla (2002/04)

Decomposition: 2004

Flamboyant, flair, fantastic, free, fanatic, freakish,feral, flyer. Well maybe not feral but every "F," mentioned prior can describe the man in picture and yes I picked the most eye bleeding jersey I could to display to show what kind of a man this guy was. To me he is a deity and if you were fortunate to read my previous entries on goalkeepers you will know that I have a very strong bias towards them going as far as probably saying they are worth more than fowards. If you did not read the previous entry may you endure the flames of Hades when Charon ferries acorss your corpse acorss the river Styx only for Ceberus the three headed demon dog torments your soul. I really don't mean that but you should take a look back at those stories because I worked really hard on them. As will I on this piece, I love my keepers but this man started it all for me I remebered his eccentric ways his Cirque du Soleil like arcobatics and dwarf like stature, the goal he stood in front of literaly eat him alive. I will try to do him justice in this article, a man I regard above others.

Jorge Francisco Campos Navarrete was born on the 15th of October 1966 in the sunny sea port Mexican city of Acapulco. Standing at just five feet eight inches goalkeeping would have been an unlikely of choice for most people of that height but the man nicknamed "El Brody," did not let this vertical obstacle deter him and a life in goal was the route taken by the knee high Campos. In 1988 a great year if I do say so myself marked the begining of Jorge Campos career. He joined Mexican side Pumas for the first time hoping to be the top custodian at the side but this wasn't to be for he could not oust then number one Adolfo Rios a veteran in his own right. So a dilemma was on hand for the diminutive dynamo wanting to be a first team regular, so instead of fighting for a position that seemed impossible to grab, he did the next best thing he played out of goal as a striker. That is right our brave young keeper started life tormenting opposition defences. For Pumas that year he netted an incredible 14 times lets also take into consideration this man is still a keeper at heart, this heroic act even saw him challenge for the top goal scorer award in the Mexican first divison. Although this act was commendable Jorge knew what he wanted and in the following season like the true luchador that he is he wrestled away the coveted spot between the post from Rios. He hunted with the Pumas for silverware until 1995 but it was to elusive so he looked for a new home range leaving his old one that same year, 199 appearances and a bounty of 35 goals not bad for a keeper. Cancun was his next hunting ground from 1995 to 1996, Atlante FC was the name. The Cancun outfit for they many glories could not offer him what he wanted that first title 26 run outs and a nice goal was his industry for that year "Los Portos de Hierro," aka The Iron Colts, a fresh start was required but where was the question. Campos answered and like so many Mexicans I know a cross border treck was taken. Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer borders were breached by the Mexican in 1997. No goals this time for Chiqui-Campos but a respectable 43 appearances with the American side in his solo year thus far stateside. Unlike most Mexicans Campos went back home, not being cynical just being truthful, if you are Mexican and is reading this know that I respect and love your country it is a proud industrious nation a leader of the Americas, a nation I hope one day to see. Now enough of the pleasantries and back to El Brody. Cruz Azul a club I rate highly beckoned and Campos heard her cries and in 1997 he was there. He won his first title the Mexican winter season which I am guessing is the Clasura of back in the day my Iberian cultured fans and critics please correct if I am wrong. This was merely a consilation due to the fact Campos only featured twice in the campaign playing understudy to a younger Oscar Perez Rojas another Mexican great. In 1998 saw the short one back in the states this time with the Chicago Fire this term not even worth mentioning eight times in goal for that season. Moving on to better times the old predator returned to his old territory yet again Pumas welcomed him back 43 appearances and back on the goal scoring trail sounds funny for a keeper but he is Captain Campos as I like to call him but with ever the itchy feet as should he, a firmly rooted to the ground keeper gives me the fits, he was off again this time to another feline inspired named club Tigres."The Tigers," obviously in translation is another massive club in Aztec country Campos appeared 17 times for them from 1999 to 2000 with no title to show for his efforts. Yet again on the move Pumas came calling yet again for the last time in his career in 2000/01 season, the goals dried up sounds funny to say yet again but 26 times he played for Pumas before up rooting himself. Who say you could never go back, well my ex girlfriend certainly thinks so but not Chiqui-Campos Atlante for round two in the 01/02 season notching 33 appearances and a healthy no trophy count. As with all good things they must come to an end and Campos retired in 2004 not before trying to fill his relatively baron trophy cabinet with Puebla in 2002/04 season but to no avail, 21 times in goal for the little club and an end of an era for Mexican football.

For Mexico Campos was a hell of a competitor playing 130 times for his country which all started in 1991 and ended as recent as 2004. The man is a showman and what grander stage than World Cups to parade thy self. World Cup 94 and 98 were his greatest moments of his career. Although never winning them I surely remember him in 98 he was fantastic a very well drilled and marshalled shot stopper who restrained himself going foward for the sake of his country.

The first time I saw Jorge Campos played I was I think ten or eleven years old and that was at the 1998 World Cup. Being a very impressionable youngster I immediately grabbed my chubby older cousin, a football and our make shift goal post and planted my carcass between the sticks and order my cousin to take shots at me. Anyone can make the arguement at that age most kids probably would have done the same thing or any other cool stuff they would have seen but what is important is that I actually did. I was drawn to him, could have been his monkey like movements or his neon rainbow outfits or the fact at ten he was the only adult you could have looked directly into his face who knows. I liked him alot, looking at what he did for the game one has to say it is nothing more that miraculous. He showed the world that goal keepers were just more than a brick wall they had silky skills and can play with their feet to me he gave birth to the ball playing keeper. His greatest attributes was his great leaping ability and his speed the latter today's keeper has seem to forgotten. Now I know your career I can see that you were not as successful as I thought and I really wish who had moved to Europe but that was a different generation so I will not be so hard you. El Brody was the man and one of the all time greats of the game thanks for the inspiration lad.

Reptile