The Blog of Eric M. Ruiz

Exploring the differences that make us the same

The Best Dorky White Guy + Rapper Collaborations

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One of the most underrated and overlooked eras of hip-hop was the Rapper + Dorky White Guy period of the mid 2000’s. People forget, but it was a thing for singer-songwriters to collaborate with hardcore rappers. The former personify the “misunderstood I’m probably from an affluent background but I’m paying a lot of money to look like a bum” archetype. This is a stark contrast to the flashy, bombastic rap personalities they collaborated with. Let’s never forget Birdman wore a Rolex on each wrist in the “Bling Bling” video.

The best collabs after the jump.

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El Pibe del Barrio: Understanding the Latin American archetype and what it means for U.S. Soccer

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In 1928, the editor of the Argentine sports journal El Grafico, Borocoto, penned the perfect description of the Argentine footballing spirit. He described the “pibe”, the kid, as one with:

“… a dirty face, a mane of hair rebelling against the comb; with intelligent, roving, trickster and persuasive eyes and a sparkling gaze that seems to hint at a picaresque laugh that does not quite manage to form on his mouth, full of small teeth that might be worn down through eating yesterday’s bread. His trousers are a few roughly sewn patches; his vest with Argentinian stripes, with a very low neck and with many holes eaten out by the invisible mice of use.”

As English author Jonathan Wilson comments, it’s an eerily accurate description of the best Argentine player — and maybe the best player period — Diego Maradona, almost a quarter century before El Diego would make his debut. The term “pibe” has been used by many writers and pundits to describe the Argentine footballing ethos.

As such, it’s a term we rarely hear discussed in the United States. However, by understanding this archetype, which runs throughout Latin America in one name or another, we can better understand the Latin American temperance and what it means for U.S. Soccer. [Read more…]

Remembering My Time at Waze by Exploring FC Barcelona

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LinkedIn was nice enough to remind me that I just completed my fifth year at Waze. Good looking out, LinkedIn. That was very nice of you! Although I’m no Leslie Knope when it comes to dates, I’m pretty good when it comes to remembering important anniversaries. My friend Jaime just celebrated the fourth anniversary of having me at his wedding. So there’s that.

I began with Waze in 2012 and over the course of my five years I have changed roles, moved cities, traveled the world and oh yea, been part of an acquisition.

My time with the company has been an unforgettable experience. But putting this experience to words is often difficult. For nothing I say will ever do justice to the lessons and challenges I’ve experienced during my career with Waze. But lately I’ve found an outlet that can make reflecting on the last five years somewhat possible. [Read more…]

Meet a Pinche Gringo! Harry Doull on Leaving Google, Starting a Candle Company and Growing up in a French Village

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I met Harry Doull about a year ago. I was at my desk, wearing a sweet AS Roma shirt when he came up to me and said “…nice shirt. Are you a Roma fan?”

Truth be told, I had just returned from a trip to Rome and had bought the shirt as a homage to my trip. But Harry is a big Roma supporter and an even bigger soccer fan. So with that, a friendship was struck.

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The Cultural Impact of “Danza Kuduro”

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Pharrell was featured on a new song by Colombian Reggaeton singer J. Balvin. The song, “Safari” is produced entirely by the Virginia native and has him singing in Spanish. Unfortunately, Pharrell’s verse isn’t long enough for me to properly assess his fluency in my mother tongue (he does sound better than Kendrick though). Despite that, the verse-and song- serve as an interesting artefact for Spanish language music in popular culture.

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5 Johan Cruyff Quotes on Soccer and Life

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Johan Cruyff is one of the most iconic figures in soccer. He helped reshape FC Barcelona, leading them to titles and records as a player in the seventies and as a manager in the nineties. Furthermore, he re envisioned how football should be played, embedding his philosophy of “Total Football” across the European continent. As the renowned writer Jonathan Wilson said, “Johan Cruyff invented modern soccer.”

Sadly, Cruyff passed away on March 24th at the age of 68 after a battle with cancer. While his legacy will live on through the numerous teams he’s influenced and through the countless disciples he’s amassed over the years, Cruyff will also be remembered for his insightful-if idiosyncratic- comments on soccer, and life. [Read more…]

Fashawn and Our Relationships with Hometowns

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Two hours south of my hometown of Modesto, Ca., is the city of Fresno. With a population just north of 500,000, it’s colloquially referred to as a “bigger Modesto.” The description is apt, as both cities share an agricultural heritage and both cities have fallen on economic hard times. Forbes has both cities ranked back-to-back as some of America’s Worst Cities For Jobs. And if that weren’t enough, a quick Google search has the neighboring cities on a wide array of unflattering lists. [Read more…]

4 Lessons From Legendary Coach John Wooden

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I am fascinated by a story former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden shares in his book Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections. At the first squad meeting before the beginning of each season, Coach Wooden would take the time to personally show his players how to properly put on their socks.

“Carefully roll the socks down to the toes, ball of the foot, arch and around the heel, then pull the sock up snug so there will be no wrinkles of any kind.”

After they finished with one foot, Wooden would have the players move on to the next foot with the same meticulousness and carefulness. Once the players had finished putting their socks on, Coach Wooden would have them carefully inspect their feet to make sure there were no wrinkles, folds or creases present.

It may seem more like a scene from Full Metal Jacket. After all at first glance, it does sound excessive. But Coach Wooden had his reasons.

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