A big Brazilian flag can be seen from the intersection of San Pablo and MacDonald avenues in Richmond. Smart BR Coffee, a Brazilian restaurant-coffee house at 4820 Bissell Avenue, has the flag painted covering the front of its building. During World Cup matches, the restaurant’s parking lot fills up and cheers can be heard from the street in the middle of the day.

In addition to a Brazilian flag outside, the café flies fabric flags of the U.S., Mexico, Honduras and South Africa both inside and outside the building. “Welcome,” reads one big sign hanging on the interior. There’s a wall covered with flyers, postcards and cards advertising the many Brazilian events and businesses all over the Bay Area.

A crowd watches the Brazil vs Chile game at the Smart BR Coffee in Richmond. Photo by Veronica Moscoso.

“I come here to eat typical Brazilian food, find friends and community and watch the game,” said Cesar Menezes, a Richmond resident and Brazilian immigrant whose work maintaining soccer fields is flexible enough that he can come and watch the World Cup at Smart BR Coffee.

Menezes was one of about 60 people who showed up at the restaurant to watch Brazil’s national soccer team play Chile at 11:30 a.m. on Monday. Most of the spectators were Brazilian and were wearing the team’s T-shirt, caps or some item that represented their country.

Opened just eight months ago, Smart BR Coffee is a spot where Brazilians who live in or near Richmond come to have a little taste of home. Richmond has only three Brazilian restaurants, but different Brazilian communities organize events to make sure they gather together with their compatriots.

The Brazilian Consulate in San Francisco estimates that there are 40,000 Brazilians living in the Bay Area. “We don’t really know because we don’t have them registered,” said Rosana Sa, Assistant for Cultural Affairs from of the Brazilian Consulate.

The high rents in the Bay Area have led many Brazilian immigrants to choose to live in Richmond because housing is more affordable. Menezes said that’s the case for his friends and himself. “I found a cheap place in Richmond and it’s a nice place,” he said.

Two printed Brazilian newspapers — Brasil Best and Brazil Today — circulate in the Bay Area. Three of Richmond’s Christian churches — the Bay Area Brazilian Church, The First Presbyterian Church and the Church of the Living God — offer Portuguese-speaking ministries.

Olavo Dourado, owner of Smart BR Coffee, happy to show World Cup matches at his restaurant. Photo by Veronica Moscoso.

William Silva, or “Pastor William,” as his parishioners from the Bay Area Brazilian Church know him, said that Brazilian immigrants usually work in construction, as baby sitters, drivers, delivering newspapers and in the hauling business. “They work hard,” he said.

Olavo Dourado, owner of Smart BR Coffee, said that he was one of the first Brazilians to move to Richmond 23 years ago, and that during the past 20 years the population grew. However, “about 30 percent had left in the past two or three years,” Dourado estimated, saying that the recent economy here had pushed some immigrants to go back to their home country.

Eddy Delima immigrated from Brazil 24 years ago. He’s seen the growth and decline of the Brazilian population, too. Delima is member of Saint John the Baptist, a Catholic church in El Cerrito. On Sundays his church offers mass in Portuguese. According to Delima, about 140 Brazilians are members of this church, and half of them are Richmond residents, including himself.

Delima was one of the organizers of Festa Junina, a traditional Brazilian June Festival related to St. John the Baptist’s holy day. The festival took place June 5 at Richmond’s Veteran’s Hall, where more than 500 people showed up to enjoy the Brazilian food, live music, costumes, and a play. Delima said that events like these are important because, “We want to celebrate our culture and keep it alive.”

Acording to Delima, Brazilian immigrants work too hard and don’t have much of a social life, so his hope is that, “if they are feeling homesick, they can come to the event and have fun for one day,” he said.

Maria Rodman watches the World Cup and cheers for Brazil at Smart BR Coffee. Photo by Veronica Moscoso.

“We get together to celebrate because we are lonely,” said Thais Silva, owner of Pikanha’s steak house, a Brazilian family-owned restaurant in Point Richmond. She said that Brazilians like to hear happy music and to feel at home with one another because, “We miss our country.”

Pastor William says that most Brazilian immigrants in Richmond are young people in their twenties who left their families behind. “They work so hard that they don’t have a life anymore,” said the pastor.

Like Delima’s church, Pastor William’s Bay Area Brazilian Church also organizes events, like a Brazilian celebration this past Saturday that included capoeira, food and music. “People started to came at eight in the morning until eight at night,” he said. His church has a TV screen where parishioners can watch the World Cup games — they had one last Sunday, when Brazil was played the Ivory Coast, which was followed by a barbeque.

Maria Rodman, who was born in Brazil and is now a U.S. citizen, has lived in the country for 38 years. She came from Berkeley to the Smart BR Coffee to watch the match against Chile together with other Brazilians, “We are patriots, we like soccer games and we like to cheer up together,” she said. Brazil beat Chile 3-0.

Salesian High forward Desmond Simmons was winded. He’d played more minutes than usual, and the Haas Pavilion Court – longer than the high school courts he’s used to – wasn’t helping.

But playing on the big stage of the Martin Luther King Holiday Classic in front of a big crowd at Haas, Simmons said he hardly noticed he was tired.

“The magnitude of the game took over,” he said.

Simmons scored a game-high 17 points, and made some key free throws and defensive stops down the stretch to help Salesian, ranked No. 1 in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Chronicle, knock off the No. 2 team, Newark Memorial, 47-37 on Monday night in MLK Classic’s featured game. Salesian improves to 15-1 on the season.

Simmons, an athletic 6-foot-8 forward who plays like a shooting guard, is used to playing in big games and big gyms, as are his teammates. Salesian returned 11 players from last year’s CIF Division IV state title-winning team. It’s a deep team, too – coach Bill Mellis said eight players have a chance to start.

One of Salesian’s starters from last season, Kendall Andrews, lined up on the opposing side Monday. Andrews, who scored the game-winning basket in the Pride’s 65-64 win over Bishop Montgomery in the state championship game, transferred to Newark after the school year.

Andrews is one of Newark’s leading scorers, but he was held to three points Monday. Newark’s other leading scorer, Khion Sankey, scored six.

“That’s why they struggled,” Mellis said. “We were able to take them out of what they do best.”

Andrews did have one of the game’s highlights, when he ran down the court to block Devon Montgomery’s shot with a vicious spike that had the crowd buzzing. After the block, Montgomery bounced up and went right up to Andrews with a big smile on his face.

“I think that was a little personal,” Simmons said with a laugh, before adding Andrews and Montgomery are good friends. “I think (Andrews) really wanted to get a block on Devon tonight.”

The MLK Day win begins a big week for the Pride. Salesian faces league rivals St. Joseph-Notre Dame of Alameda and St. Mary’s of Berkeley this week – playing at St. Joe’s on Wednesday and at St. Mary’s on Saturday.

Salesian beat St. Mary’s in the Northern California championship game last season, and the teams could be on a similar collision course this season. St. Mary’s (13-4) is ranked third in the Chronicle poll.

BOYS SOCCER

Richmond at El Cerrito, 5:30 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER

El Cerrito at Richmond, 5:30 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

De Anza at Berkeley High, 7 p.m.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Berkeley at De Anza, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, January 13

BOYS SOCCER

Swett at Kennedy, 3:30 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER

Holy Names at Salesian, 3:30 p.m.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Kennedy at Albany, 5:30 p.m.

Salesian at Swett, 5:30 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Kennedy at Albany, 7 p.m.

Salesian at Swett, 7 p.m.

Thursday, January 14

BOYS SOCCER

College Park at Salesian, 3:30 p.m.

De Anza at Richmond, 6 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER

Richmond at De Anza, 5:30 p.m.

Friday, January 15

GIRLS SOCCER

Albany at Kennedy, 3:30 p.m.

St. Joseph at Salesian, 3:30 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER

Salesian at St. Joseph, 3:30 p.m.

Kennedy at Albany, 5:30 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Hercules at De Anza, 7 p.m.

BOYS BASKETBALL

De Anza at Hercules, 7 p.m.

Pinole Valley at Richmond, 7 p.m.

Piedmont at Kennedy, 7 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Richmond at Pinole Valley, 7 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER

Kennedy at Northgate, 3 p.m.

De Anza at El Cerrito, 6:30 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Richmond at Concord, 7 p.m.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Kennedy at Swett, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, December 16

BOYS SOCCER

Albany at Salesian, 5:30 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER

Salesian at Albany, 3:30 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Kennedy at Pinole Valley, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, December 17

GIRLS BASKETBALL

De Anza at Swett, 5:30 p.m.

BOYS BASKETBALL

De Anza at Encinal, 7 p.m.

Friday, December 18

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Salesian at Oakland, 6 p.m.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Bethel at Kennedy, 6:30 p.m.

Richmond at Casa Grande Tournament

BOYS SOCCER

Kennedy at Piedmont, 3:30 p.m.

Richmond vs. Archbishop Mitty at De La Salle Showcase, 3 p.m.

Saturday, December 19

BOYS BASKETBALL

Richmond vs. Clovis West at De La Salle Showcase, 1 p.m.

Then in his postgame comments, he made sure to mention his hometown. A quote attributed to Ganther from the Washington Post:

“Coming from this area, coming from Richmond, you guys know how it is. It’s a blessing just to be able to make it out of that situation.”

Ganther can count it as a blessing that he was able to see the field this season. Washington’s top two running backs are injured, allowing Ganther to see the field for the first time this season in Week 10 on Nov. 15 vs. Denver. He was released less than two weeks before that, on Nov. 6, before being re-signed on Nov. 12.

Ganther, a 5-foot-9, 214-pound running back, was born in Oakland and attended Fairfield High. He was a junior college All-American while at Citrus College before transferring to Utah. He rushed for 1,120 yards his senior year at Utah and scored seven touchdowns.

Ganther, 25, was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the 7^th round of the 2006 draft and played for the Titans for three years before joining the Redskins this season.

BOYS SOCCER

St. Mary’s at Salesian, 3:30 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER

Salesian at St. Mary’s, 3:30 p.m.

Mt. Diablo at Richmond, 5:30 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Salesian at Middletown, 5:30 p.m.

Kennedy at McClymonds, 5:30 p.m.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Fremont at Richmond, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, December 9

BOYS SOCCER

Kennedy at St. Joseph-Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Richmond at Northgate Tournament

Thursday, December 10

GIRLS SOCCER

Kennedy at Ygnacio Valley, 3:30 p.m.

Richmond at Pinole Valley, 5:30 p.m.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Montgomery at Kennedy, 6:30 p.m.

Richmond at Northgate Tournament

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Richmond at Alameda Tournament

Friday, December 11

BOYS SOCCER

Salesian at St. Patrick-St. Vincent, 6 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER

St. Patrick-St. Vincent at Salesian, 4 p.m.

Kennedy at Richmond, 5 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

De Anza at Salesian, 7:30 p.m.

Richmond at Alameda Tournament

BOYS BASKETBALL

Richmond at Northgate Tournament

Saturday, December 12

BOYS SOCCER

Kennedy at Richmond, 7 p.m.

Richmond at Alameda Tournament

BOYS BASKETBALL

Richmond at Northgate Tournament

Even seating in the auditorium was split – those with allegiance to Kennedy going one way and the El Cerrito people another.

“(After the film) a lot of El Cerrito guys came and thanked us for being fair and somewhat unbiased,” said Patterson, president of MK Productions. D’Andre Wells, co-produced the film, was the quarterback for Kennedy that year.

Patterson said about 100 people attended Saturday’s showing – a mix of Kennedy and El Cerrito alums, supporters former players and teachers, as well as current Richmond students and residents.

Patterson and partner James Farr of MK Productions are putting together a Web site, Bay Area Sports Channel, which they had hoped to launch this week but has been delayed till next week. The film will be available for purchase on the site as soon as next week, Patterson said.

Patterson said he has some other ideas for documentaries on Richmond sports, including taking a look at the Richmond Steelers Pop Warner team, which has churned out many of the top West County players, including those that played in the 1984 game. Another idea – popular with the Kennedy crowd on Saturday – would be a film on the 1988 Kennedy football team that won the North Coast Section title, the last West County team to do so. Players from that team were applying pressure to Patterson to get started right away.

“I told them, ‘Well, your 25^th anniversary isn’t until 2013,” Patterson said. “Let’s get this one done first.”

BOYS BASKETBALL

Kennedy at Fremont, 7 p.m.

Richmond at Benicia, 7 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Kennedy at Monta Vista, 6:30 p.m.

De Anza at Tennyson, 5:30 p.m.

Salesian at San Rafael, 5:30 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER

Richmond at Castro Valley Tournament, 3:30 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER

De Anza at Tennyson, 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 2

BOYS BASKETBALL

Salesian at Jeremy Jack Tournament

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Salesian at St. Elizabeth Tournament

BOYS SOCCER

St. Joseph-Notre Dame at Salesian, 3:30 p.m.

Richmond at Newark Tournament, 7:30 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER

Salesian vs. St. Joseph-Notre Dame at College of Alameda, 3:30 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 3

BOYS BASKETBALL

Salesian at Jeremy Jack Tournament

Richmond at Hogan Tournament

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Salesian at St. Elizabeth Tournament

Richmond at Alameda Tournament

GIRLS SOCCER

Richmond at Hayward, 3:15 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 4

BOYS BASKETBALL

Salesian at Jeremy Jack Tournament

Richmond at Hogan Tournament

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Salesian at St. Elizabeth Tournament

Richmond at Alameda Tournament

BOYS SOCCER

Salesian at Kennedy, 3:30 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER

Kennedy at Salesian, 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 5

FOOTBALL

North Coast Section Division IV Playoffs:

No. 7 Fort Bragg (10-2) at No. 3 Salesian (11-1), 1 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER

El Cerrito at Salesian, 3:30 p.m.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Salesian at Jeremy Jack Tournament

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Salesian at St. Elizabeth Tournament

I’ve taken plenty of tests in my life, so what’s a hunting safety education test? Avoid polar bears and don’t mistake swans for geese. Well it’s more than that, I’ve learned…

Below is an excerpt from the audio:

“Before our test, we practice loading firearms. They brought bolt action, lever action, pump action, semi-automatic and break action shotguns and rifles for us to play with. They all look pretty scary, but I’m just excited just to touch one.

One lady wearing an American flag track-suit catches my eyes. She’s teaching newbies how to load the guns without putting your nose to the trigger. I line up behind her only because she has the best outfit in the room.”

Patterson graduated the year before and was in the army. He said he was a broadcaster in high school and didn’t play on the team. Still, the win meant a lot.

“During my four years at Kennedy we never beat El Cerrito,” he said.

“It was exciting for me to find out they beat them in the Coliseum for the championship,” he added. “It was special for a lot of former Eagles.”

In celebration of the 25^th anniversary of that game, MK Productions shows “El Cerrito-Kennedy: The Game That Changed the NCS” on Saturday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Richmond Memorial Convention Center. There is a reception that starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10. Patterson and D’Andre Wells, the Kennedy quarterback that year, produce the film. The film will also be broadcast on a Web site Patterson and Wells are planning to launch next week, Bay Area Sports Channel.

The film chronicles the 18-16 win for the Eagles, a team that year that featured future NFL receivers Terry Obee and Rod Moore, as well as Wells, who went on to Cal.

The game wasn’t just a big win for the underdog Eagles, who finished second to El Cerrito in the Richmond-Berkeley Athletic League. The game changed the way the NCS did its playoff seedings, Patterson said. The Eagles win, after they were given a low seed and little chance to advance, caused NCS coaches to value at-large teams more when voting at the seeding meeting.

“It opened the door to more teams that were not league champions,” Patterson said.

This is the first documentary Patterson and Wells, area prep sports broadcasters for a decade, have produced. They have an archive of high school football video from the past 10 years for the Bay Area Sports Channel, they said.

Patterson said it was important that the documentary about the 1984 game air this year, after Kennedy had trouble fielding a varsity team this year and ended up cancelling the season.

“It’s a message of hope to the kids and the community,” he said. “This was once a very great situation for football. We want to let them know that it happened. It did happen.”