{"id":13698,"date":"2019-05-10T08:00:40","date_gmt":"2019-05-10T13:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/hats-off-to-marcelino-bernal-by-jose-oseguera\/"},"modified":"2026-05-07T12:52:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T17:52:08","slug":"hats-off-to-marcelino-bernal-by-jose-oseguera","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2019\/05\/10\/hats-off-to-marcelino-bernal-by-jose-oseguera\/","title":{"rendered":"Hats Off to (Marcelino) Bernal by Jose Oseguera"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links is-content-justification-right is-layout-flex wp-container-core-social-links-is-layout-765c4724 wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-facebook  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61556140010887\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" 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s-0.009,2.688-0.052,3.637c-0.04,0.877-0.187,1.354-0.31,1.671c-0.163,0.42-0.358,0.72-0.673,1.035 c-0.315,0.315-0.615,0.51-1.035,0.673c-0.317,0.123-0.794,0.27-1.671,0.31c-0.949,0.043-1.233,0.052-3.637,0.052 s-2.688-0.009-3.637-0.052c-0.877-0.04-1.354-0.187-1.671-0.31c-0.42-0.163-0.72-0.358-1.035-0.673 c-0.315-0.315-0.51-0.615-0.673-1.035c-0.123-0.317-0.27-0.794-0.31-1.671C4.631,14.688,4.622,14.403,4.622,12 s0.009-2.688,0.052-3.637c0.04-0.877,0.187-1.354,0.31-1.671c0.163-0.42,0.358-0.72,0.673-1.035 c0.315-0.315,0.615-0.51,1.035-0.673c0.317-0.123,0.794-0.27,1.671-0.31C9.312,4.631,9.597,4.622,12,4.622 M12,3 C9.556,3,9.249,3.01,8.289,3.054C7.331,3.098,6.677,3.25,6.105,3.472C5.513,3.702,5.011,4.01,4.511,4.511 c-0.5,0.5-0.808,1.002-1.038,1.594C3.25,6.677,3.098,7.331,3.054,8.289C3.01,9.249,3,9.556,3,12c0,2.444,0.01,2.751,0.054,3.711 c0.044,0.958,0.196,1.612,0.418,2.185c0.23,0.592,0.538,1.094,1.038,1.594c0.5,0.5,1.002,0.808,1.594,1.038 c0.572,0.222,1.227,0.375,2.185,0.418C9.249,20.99,9.556,21,12,21s2.751-0.01,3.711-0.054c0.958-0.044,1.612-0.196,2.185-0.418 c0.592-0.23,1.094-0.538,1.594-1.038c0.5-0.5,0.808-1.002,1.038-1.594c0.222-0.572,0.375-1.227,0.418-2.185 C20.99,14.751,21,14.444,21,12s-0.01-2.751-0.054-3.711c-0.044-0.958-0.196-1.612-0.418-2.185c-0.23-0.592-0.538-1.094-1.038-1.594 c-0.5-0.5-1.002-0.808-1.594-1.038c-0.572-0.222-1.227-0.375-2.185-0.418C14.751,3.01,14.444,3,12,3L12,3z M12,7.378 c-2.552,0-4.622,2.069-4.622,4.622S9.448,16.622,12,16.622s4.622-2.069,4.622-4.622S14.552,7.378,12,7.378z M12,15 c-1.657,0-3-1.343-3-3s1.343-3,3-3s3,1.343,3,3S13.657,15,12,15z M16.804,6.116c-0.596,0-1.08,0.484-1.08,1.08 s0.484,1.08,1.08,1.08c0.596,0,1.08-0.484,1.08-1.08S17.401,6.116,16.804,6.116z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Instagram<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\"><strong>Hats Off to (Marcelino) Bernal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Jose Oseguera<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">We jumped out of our seats<br>As high as our Nike Airs allowed us,<br>And yelled Viva M\u00e9xico<br>In spite of being reprimanded<br>By our teacher not to speak<br>Spanish in the classroom,<br>Even though it was technically recess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\u201cEl pinche indio Bernal<br>Scored a hell of a goal<br>On those fancy, cocky-ass Italians,\u201d<br>Kept running through my head,<br>Neck to neck with my adrenaline<br>As the two Italian defenders<br>Who couldn\u2019t get there in time<br>To prevent his shot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">We celebrated his goal<br>Not as if he had equalized a losing game<br>But as if 1994 was finally the year<br>That Mexico would win the World Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The goal itself was as well-placed<br>As it was unceremonious.<br>Mexico\u2019s number 6 sprinted in celebration\u2014<br>Faster than he had all game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Marcelino\u2019s mullet flapped on<br>The nape of his neck<br>Like black crested caracara feathers,<br>His white jersey thrashed loosely<br>Under his arms as eagle\u2019s wings:<br>Our hero,<br>Our cock in the fight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I was sure that had his teammates<br>Not tackled him,<br>Bernal would have flown out<br>Of Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium<br>Into the blue skies of Washington DC,<br>Over the Lincoln Memorial,<br>And into heaven like Elijah.<br>The English-speaking commentators<br>Were speechless\u2014<br>Jaw-dropped as they saw a prince<br>From our tribe be marvelous, divine\u2014<br>So quiet that our teacher was afraid<br>That all of our jumping around<br>Had somehow broken the television.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">They couldn\u2019t describe what they had seen:<br>A flyover country scaling Olympus<br>And landing a jab on Zeus himself?<br>Had these journalist found it<br>Worthwhile to research Marcelino\u2019s stats\u2014<br>Butchering his name<br>As if reading it for the first time\u2014<br>They would\u2019ve known that<br>That 5 foot 11 inch man of bronze skin<br>From Tepic, Nayarit<br>Had a rocket-launcher of a right leg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">As dumbfounded as they were,<br>They deemed the phenomenon an error<br>On the part of the Italians\u2014<br>A fortunate rebound,<br>An act of voodoo chichimeca<br>Rather than a feat of athletic ingenuity\u2014<br>Their analytical minds<br>Couldn\u2019t understand what<br>Three bean-and-tortilla fed<br>Fourth-graders knew in their hearts;<br>Something their aunts and uncles<br>Never allowed them to forget:<br>\u201cNobody ever gives nothing to people like us.<br>That\u2019s why we need to celebrate<br>All the small victories<br>Because who knows if we\u2019ll ever hit it big.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">We crossed our fingers,<br>Held our breaths,<br>And prayed a Hail Mary<br>For every minute of play<br>Until we turned blue all over.<br>We were prepared to die<br>On the field along with the Mexican team:<br>Playing a game of a lifetime,<br>Yet losing as everyone expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The school bell rang,<br>Our teacher switched off the TV<br>And flicked on the lights.<br>The sweaty chatter and sneaker screeches<br>Of our classmates flooded the room.<br>We rubbed our eyes<br>Adjusting to the incandescence<br>And wiping tears of joy<br>For the men in whose faces we saw our own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">We knew that after the goal<br>Mexico would probably get trampled on the field<br>Because there were still 30 minutes left of the game.<br>But maybe, just maybe<br>A goddamn, sumbitch indio<br>Would get away, for once,<br>With more than he could ever dream of:<br>More than any of us ever deserved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Jose Oseguera<\/strong> is an LA-based writer of poetry, short fiction and literary nonfiction. Having grown up in a diverse urban environment, Jose has always been interested in the people and places around him, and the stories that each of these has to share; those that often go untold. His writing has been featured in <em>Meat for Tea<\/em>, <em>Sky Island Journal<\/em>, <em>Jelly Bucket<\/em>, <em>The Inquisitive Eater<\/em>, and <em>The Main Street Rag<\/em>. His work has also been nominated for the Best of the Net award and the Pushcart Prize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>__________<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"438\" height=\"211\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15484\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg 438w, https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1-300x145.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 438px) 100vw, 438px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\">&lt;&lt; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2019\/05\/06\/three-poems-by-romeo-oriogun\/\">Back<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2019\/05\/17\/learning-to-plant-trees-with-my-father-while-my-mothers-ghost-sings-by-nome-emeka-patrick\/\">Next<\/a> &gt;&gt;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">To learn more about submitting your work to <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/boudin-submissions\/\">Boudin<\/a><\/em> or applying to McNeese State University&#8217;s Creative Writing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/mfa-application-submissions\/\">MFA program<\/a>, please visit Submissions for details.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hats Off to (Marcelino) Bernal Jose Oseguera __________ We jumped out of our seatsAs high as our Nike Airs allowed us,And yelled Viva M\u00e9xicoIn spite of being reprimandedBy our teacher not to speakSpanish in the classroom,Even though it was technically recess. \u201cEl pinche indio BernalScored a hell of a goalOn those fancy, cocky-ass Italians,\u201dKept running&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[253,17],"tags":[67,18],"class_list":["post-13698","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-boudin-2019-spring-edition","category-poetry","tag-joseoseguera","tag-poetry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13698","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13698"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13698\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22532,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13698\/revisions\/22532"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13698"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13698"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13698"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}