MENU TO THE RED-BLACK NATION
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Rio January 30, 2009
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Companions red-blacks,
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As I hand over the presidency to Patrícia Amorim, I would like to express my excitement at the privilege of having my life linked to the history of Flamengo for the past 33 years.
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During During this period, I served as president of the Club for six terms, totaling 14 years. I also chaired the Deliberative Council twice, totaling another four years.
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I spent 18 years leading one of Flamengo's powerhouses, at various times. This adventure afforded me the glory of being the most successful president in our history, winning the Brazilian Championship for the first time in 1980, the Libertadores and the World Cup in 1981, the second Brazilian Championship in 82, the fourth in 1987, the fifth in 1992, and the sixth in 2009.
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In these last two terms, from 2004 to 2009, in addition to the consecrating Hexa-Brasileiro campaign, Flamengo won the Copa do Brasil and was Carioca Champion four times (Penta-Tri).
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We've achieved undisputed dominance in Brazilian football, the best in the world. Flamengo has the largest and most beautiful fan base on the planet and is the most valuable club in the country.
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All This glory in football was achieved simultaneously with countless victories in rowing and basketball and the prominence of Flamengo athletes, wearing our jersey and that of Brazil, in gymnastics, swimming, and so many other Olympic sports. Flamengo has thus preserved its tradition as a multi-sport club.
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I was first elected president on December 28, 1976, and the first board meeting was on January 4, 1977. At that time, Flamengo was already very popular, but it faced serious administrative and financial difficulties. Salaries were late, the club wasn't paying taxes, and it owed more than 30 banks. In two terms, we restored credibility, organized the administration, and restored sporting prestige. We won three Rio de Janeiro championships, in addition to the aforementioned Brazilian championship. We amended the bylaws, limiting reelection to only one term.
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When I was called to run for election again in 1986, when Flamengo was once again in crisis. History repeated itself. We managed to restore Flamengo's credibility and prestige. The statute was again modified to establish direct elections.
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No Not only Flamengo, but all of Brazilian football was in crisis at the time. With Flamengo's decisive participation, the creation of the Union of Great Brazilian Clubs (Club of 1987) was consecrated in 13, a revolution in football management in our country. And the Copa União was established, whose victory by Flamengo gave us our fourth title.
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Em In 2003, the Club was once again experiencing a serious crisis. The then-president had been impeached. I was once again elected with the responsibility of facing major challenges.
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When When I took office in January 2004, Flamengo's situation was dire. Salaries were three months overdue. The club didn't even have a checkbook. The Federal Court had declared insolvency. The ruling ordered Flamengo to sell all its assets to pay its creditors. If that had happened, it would still owe R$139 million (negative equity).
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Nada This is what happened. I pledged my political credibility and my personal endorsement. We worked hard, and in these last six years, we have led Flamengo back to victory.
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Beyond Despite its hegemony in football and achievements in other sports, Flamengo is up to date with its salaries, has just undergone an independent financial audit and has signed contracts that guarantee revenues of more than R$100 million annually.
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Use I use the plural to recapture this story because I understand that victory is a collective effort. These achievements were made possible thanks to the active participation of many people. In our case, victory is the result of a fundamental value: our commitment to the Rubro-Negra Cause. This is what sets us apart from others.
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And that's why I insist on recording 274 names in this letter—even though I know that, betrayed by my memory, I may be doing others an injustice. To everyone I'm naming—friends, teammates, allies, adversaries, critics, and even personal enemies—I credit this status as people committed to the Rubro-Negra Cause, and a special mention to the club's employees over the years.
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Patricia Amorim and the new Board welcome Flamengo, which still faces major challenges, but is completely different from six years ago. Their morale is high due to their sixth title and increased credibility, and they also have projects in an advanced stage of study that could have a major positive impact on the Club's future:
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- Fla Novas Gerações, which brings together our social responsibility programs.
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- Olympic Fla, for the training of athletes and competitive teams in Olympic sports.
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- Fla Futebol, which facilitates the incorporation of CFZ, of the great idol Zico, contributing to the business management of football.
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- Gávea Revitalization Program, to renovate our headquarters and build new spaces for sports, cultural and social activities.
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Woman, a young athlete at the Club, Patrícia is from a different generation and brings a fresh perspective. When I took over as president in 1977, Patrícia began her career as an athlete at Flamengo at the age of eight.
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I know that the new president and her team are also committed to the Rubro-Negra Cause and are fully capable of succeeding, winning, and advancing even further toward Flamengo's destiny of glory.
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Happy New Year
\Marcio Baroukel de Souza Braga
\ONCE FLAMENGO, ALWAYS FLAMENGO!
\To these companions, recognition of their commitment to the Rubro-Negra Cause:
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Saint Jude Thaddeus
\President Lula
\Governor Garotinho
\Mayor Cesar Maia
\John Carlos Magaldi
\Bruno da Silveira
\Marco Aurélio Moreira Leite
\Buck
\Claudio Coutinho
\Kanela
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Adail Braga
\Adalberto Ribeiro
\Adib Jamil Amin
\Adilio
\Alain Fontain
\Alberto Celento Jr.
\Alexandre Alvarez
\Alexandre de Medici
\Alexandre Lima
\Alexandre Moraes (from Gease)
\Alfredo Passareli Macedo Costa
\Adm. Heleno Nunes
\Alvaro Barros Moreira
\Alvaro Cesar de Andrade
\Alvaro Sá
\Amauri Temporal
\Andrade
\André Gustavo Richer
\Antonio Augusto Dunshee de Abranches
\Antonio Chiacchio
\Antonio Esteves Marques
\Antonio Luiz Macahyba
\Antonio Moreira Leite
\Appearance of the Race
\Armando Brasil Salgado
\Armando Monteiro
\Arthur Lavigne
\Arthur Rocha
\Bernardo Amaral
\Concrete
\Bruno Lourenco
\Campina from FlaNego
\Carlinhos
\Carlinhos Niemeyer
\Carlos Camanho
\Carlos Eduardo Dolabela
\Carlos Henrique de Carvalho Fróes
\Carlos Langoni
\Carlos Mauricio Martins Rodrigues
\Carlos Tertuliano de Góes (Joca)
\Col. Brocchi
\Celio Cotechia
\Celmar Padilha
\Celso by Paula Garcia
\Cesar Wadih Bedran
\Chico Feitosa (Late Night)
\Claudio of the Race
\Clovis Sahione
\Cristina Callou
\D. Laura de Carvalho da Charanga
\D. Liberty da Flamilha
\D. Vanda da Flatuante
\Daltely Guimarães
\Delair Dumbrosck
\Dil Thome
\Diogo Nogueira
\Djalma Boechat
\Sunday The Forest
\Dr. Antonio Teixeira
\Dr. José Luiz Runco
\Drault Ernani Filho
\Edgard Rocha de Souza
\Eduardo Manhães
\Eduardo Motta
\Egildo Santiago
\Elias Aquim
\Elizeth Cardoso
\Elzinha Braga
\Erasmo Alfaia
\Ercio Braga
\Ernesto Albrecht
\Ewaldo de Souza Alves
\Fernando Horacio da Matta
\Fernando Lourenço Braga Pereira da Cunha
\Fernando Mibielli de Carvalho
\Flavio Alves Pereira
\Francallaci
\Francisco Horta
\Fred Gueiros
\Gabriel Pensador
\George Helal
\Gerson Arraes
\Gerson Biscotto
\Gilbert Prates
\Gilberto Cardoso Jr.
\Giuseppe Taranto
\Guido Antonio Couto Maciel
\Guilherme Eduardo Embry
\Habib Abdouche
\Haroldo Couto
\Harry Klein
\Helium Barroso
Helio Duque
Helium France
\Helio Paulo Ferraz
\Hildegard Angel
\Hilton do Valle
\Hilton Santos
\Humberto Esteves Marques
\Isabel
\Isaiah Tinoco
\Isidorio Danon
\Ivan Coelho
\Ivan Drummond
\Ivanir
\Jacob Steinberg
\Jamil Farah Melki
\Jaqueline
\Joao Araujo
\João Baptista Pacheco Fernandes (John without an arm)
\John Emilio
\João Flamengo fan from FlaPonte
\John Henry Areias
\João Nescésio Tavares Ferreira de Salles
\Joao Nogueira
\Joaquim Vaz de Carvalho
\Joel Teppet
\Jorge Bedran
\Jorge Benjor
\Jorge Curi
\Jorge Granja
\Jorge Martins Freire
\José Alberto Couto Maciel
\José Almeoni de Araújo Pinho
\José Antonio dos Santos Sobrinho
\Jose Carlos Dias
\José Eduardo Ferreira Landim
\José Fiel de Oliveira Fontes
\José Humberto Mendes Barbosa
\José Luiz Portela
\José Maria Khair
\José Maria Sobrinho
\José Narciso Drummond
\José Oswaldo Darwich
\José Quintela of the Cursed Mouth
\José Saba
\Josef Berensztejn
\Juana Saba
\Juca Kfuri
\Julius Caesar Catalano
\Junior
\kleber milk
\Leandro
\Leo Almada
\Leo Rabello
\Luiz Augusto Veloso
\Luiz de Mello Rego
\Luiz Paulo Segond
\Luiz Fernando Lima
\Lysias Itapicuru Filho
\Major Tarcisio José dos Santos
\Manoel Camilo Ferreira Landim
\Manoel Emilio Alves Guilhon
\Marcelo Antero
\Marcelo Siqueira
\Marcia Fialho
\Marcia Filippe
\Marcio from FlaAngra
\Marco Antonio Moreira Leite
\Marco Polo Moreira Leite
\Mark Braz
\Marcos de Castro
\Mark Goes
\Marcus Faver
\Marcus Vinicius de Carvalho
\Maria Elisa Guimarães
\Marilene Dabus
\Mario Arnaud Baptista
\Mário Cruz
\Mauricio Gomes de Mattos
\Melhin N. Chalhoub
\Michel Asseff
\Michel Asseff Filho
\Minister Marco Aurélio Mello
\Moraes Moreira
\Moysés Akerman
\Moysés Saubel
\Murilo Ramos Neto
\Newton Rich
\Niltinho from Flachopp
\Nunes
\Octamyr Andrade
\Odir Corado
\Onurb Couto Bruno
\Oswaldo Saad
\Octavio Florisbal
\Otavio Leite
\Padilha Sodré
\Patricia Amorim
\Paulo Brame
\Paulo César Catalano
\Paulo Cesar dos Santos Pereira
\Paulo Cesar Leal
\Paulo Dantas
\Paulo gomes
\Paulo Orro
\Paulo Roberto Martins Abran (Shadow)
\Pedro Trengrouse
\Pepeu Gomes
\Pepita Rodrigues
\Pinkwas Fiszmann
\Painted
\Plinio Serpa Pinto
\Little Quintela
\Radames Lattari
\Raul Plassman
\Raul Bagatini
\Raul de Mello Rego
\Renato Gaucho
\Renato Noval
\Ricardo Hinrichsen
\Ricardo Mussi
\Ricardo Teixeira
\Roberto Jefferson de Oliveira
\Roberto Marinho
\Rodolfo Antici
\Roger Steinberg
\Romulo Arantes
\Romulo Arantes, son
\Ronaldo Gomlevski
\Ronaldo Helal
\Ronaldo Steinberg
\Ronaldo Uchoa
\Rui from Flachopp
\Ruy Cardoso
\Ruy Castro
\Solomon Simon
\Sandra de Sa
\Sebastian Kastrup
\Sebastian Pedrazzi
\Senator Arthur Virgil Neto
\Sergio Alvarenga
\Sergio Laport Machado de Oliveira
\Sergio Malaguti
\Sergio Miranda
\Sergio Roberto Veiga Brito
\Sidney Marcelo
\Silvano Octavio Fernandes de Brito
\Sylvio Capanema
\Silvio Pellico Abreu
\Silvio Queiroz Correa
\Siro Darlan
\Sylvio de Piro
\Thiago lacerda
\Porpoise from Flamante
\Tulio Rodrigues
\Ulysses Malaguti
\urubu Warrior (my organized fan club)
\Brush
\Verinha da Flamor
\Vinicius France
\Vinicius Nagem from Fla-Paraná
\Waldemar Coelho da Costa Jr.
\Walter Clark Bueno
\Walter Felippe D`Agostino
\Walter Mattos
\Walter Mattos Jr.
\Walter Oaquim
\Washington Rodrigues
Wellington Moreira Araujo
Wilson Peixoto
\Wolf Aschkenasi
\Yatagan Anderson de Oliveira
\Zé Dragons Vaz
\Zevy Ghivelder
\Zico
Ziraldo