The last time the NFL ventured into Mexico was in 2005, when the Arizona Cardinals beat the San Francisco 49ers in Estadio Azteca. Top-level American football is returning to the same venue in Mexico City on Monday night, when the Houston Texans and Oakland Raiders will face off in a contest that has been sold out since July.Just dont assume the 11-year gap is related to a lack of interest. In reality, Mexico is the top international hotbed for American football, with the largest NFL fan base of any country outside the United States. There are more fans of the league in Mexico City than in most actual NFL markets.But the sports popularity in Mexico goes well beyond NFL fandom. From youth leagues that are overtaking soccer in popularity in some parts of the country to a new pro league, American football is a major player south of the border. With that in mind, heres a closer look at where the sport stands on every level in Mexico and how fans there consume the game.YouthYouth leagues have sprouted across Mexico, especially in the northern half of the country, where football has firmly planted itself as the second-most popular sport behind soccer. In the northeastern city of Monterrey, the youth leagues total about 2,000 participants, estimated Alex Olivas, the commissioner of CONADEIP, one of the countrys two major college football leagues.Its actually the No. 1 student sport in whole Mexico, Olivas said.And youth football is taken very seriously. Some fields are covered with FieldTurf, the synthetic grass some college and NFL teams use. There are also Pop Warner programs in Mexico.There is a youth league in Monterrey that actually uses a $300,000 replay system, and an overturned call played a key role in one championship game for 8-year-olds. Yes, replay is used for 8-year-olds. The initial call that a player was down was challenged, and the replay review determined the ball had been fumbled and lost.According to Jorge Orobio, commissioner of the Mexican Federation of American Football, the communal nature of the sport has helped it grow. Families invest money into equipment, travel to games and are generally involved in their childs football career.Its like a culture or a lifestyle, said Hugo Lira, coach of the Tech Puebla college team. Thats why it spread all over the country.Lira, who played as a wide receiver in NFL Europe and took part in Carolina Panthers training camp in 2005, added that he thinks itd probably be bigger than it is now if local games were on TV.Orobio said another way the game could get even bigger would be if the NFL got involved at the grassroots level. As a promotion, the NFL makes a great deal, makes a great platform, but no actual development here in Mexico, he said. Promoting football here in Mexico has been great, but not actually developing it.CollegeMajor college football in Mexico is sanctioned by two organizations: ONEFA, which has been around since 1978, and CONADEIP, a private-school offshoot which was founded in 2010.Most college football games average 2,000 to 3,000 fans, with some of the bigger games drawing crowds of 15,000 to 20,000. Olivas says he has seen crowds reach 40,000, depending on whats at stake and the matchup.The Monterrey Institute of Technology might be considered Mexicos version of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Or, perhaps, Alabama is the Monterrey Tech of the United States. The Borregos Salvajes (Wild Rams) have won 21 national championships, including the 2015 CONADEIP title.The quality of college football in Mexico has been compared to the Division III level of the NCAA. Monterrey Tech has taken on teams throughout Texas, including a victory in a 2009 scrimmage against Blinn College -- a team that happened to have Cam Newton?at quarterback.It has been difficult for players from Mexico to break into major college football north of the border. University of Colorado kicker Diego Gonzalez was thought to be the only Mexican native at the FBS level in the U.S. heading into the 2016 season. Gonzalez enrolled at Monterrey Tech as a college freshman before transferring to Colorado, and he became the Buffaloes regular place-kicker in 2015. He had some tough luck this year, suffering a season-ending torn Achilles tendon in Colorados third game.ProfessionalPro football is just getting off the ground in Mexico. The Liga de Futbol Americano Profesional, based in Mexico City, concluded its first season in April, and reports said attendance exceeded 5,000 fans per game for the inaugural four-team campaign. The Mayas, Raptors, Eagles and Condors each played six regular-season games, and the Mayas claimed the championship by defeating the Raptors 29-13 in the first Mexico Bowl (Tazon Mexico). The league recently announced plans to expand to six teams and venture beyond Mexico City for the 2017 season, which begins in February.Perhaps the LFA can someday play a role in developing NFL-caliber talent. There have been only two Mexican-born players on 53-man NFL rosters since 2001, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Both were offensive linemen: Rolando Cantu, who played one game for the Arizona Cardinals in 2005 (becoming the first player to play college football in Mexico on his way to the NFL), and Victor Leyva, who played 10 games for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2002. Others have taken part in training camp, been on practice squads and played in NFL Europe.Historically, the Mexico natives who have made the largest impact in the NFL have been kickers, notably Efren Herrera, Rafael Septien, Raul Allegre and members of the Zendejas family: Tony, Max and Luis.FansNFL weekends in Mexico look at lot like NFL weekends in the United States. Fans are consumed by the games from Thursday night through Monday night. Jerseys are worn. Allegiances are upheld. Fantasy rosters are checked. Smack is talked.NFL football here in Mexico is pretty, pretty big, Olivas said. We have a lot of Cowboys fans, Steelers fans. Im a Raiders fan. There used to be a lot bigger Raider fan base here.Bars dedicated to individual team fan bases are strewn throughout Mexico City. Olivas estimated that NFL fans with cable TV can watch as many as nine games a week. According to NFL.com, nine different networks, including ESPN and Fox Sports Latin America, broadcast NFL games in Mexico.For followers to further develop their fandom for their favorite teams, theres an NFL store in a mall in Monterrey, outfitted with jerseys, apparel and other merchandise.Its just a coincidence, but Mexicos Constitution Day national holiday is observed the first Monday in February, often the day after the Super Bowl. That allows revelers to cut loose during the big game without having to worry about work the next day. Its a big-time party, Olivas said of Super Bowl Sunday in Mexico.Large house parties, with plenty of beer and carne asada, are common, and beer companies sponsor gatherings that draw hundreds of fans. Olivas said the game is televised on four different channels, widening the scope of who can watch it. As in the U.S., streets are barren in many cities and towns, especially in the northern half of the country. That stops a lot of what you do on Sundays, he said of the Super Bowl. Your day is all about football. New Balance Outlet Sale . -- Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan. New Balance Outlet Nz . MORITZ, Switzerland -- Fog prevented downhill racers from getting their Olympic dress rehearsal. http://www.newbalancesalenz.com/ . Reigning world champion Eve Muirhead of Scotland opened with a 12-2 rout of Winnipegs Jennifer Jones in a battle of teams bound for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. New Balance Wholesale . -- The Missouri Tigers might not have a roster full of superstars. New Balance Sale Nz . Fred Couples, captain of the U.S. side, put it all into perspective. "We know whos in charge," he said. When 6-foot-10, 240-pound Minnesota Timberwolves center Gorgui Dieng flattened 5-9 Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas with a moving screen, the fiery underdog popped right up and got right in Diengs face to let him know he wasnt about to be pushed around.Thomas has never let his smaller frame hold him back from excelling in the land of giants. In his sixth season in the league, Thomas is playing bigger than ever.The Boston Celtics guard is averaging a career-high 26.1 points and has helped the Celtics stay afloat while Al Horford and Jae Crowder missed big chunks of time with injuries. Thomas is averaging more than nine free throw attempts per game, using that fearlessness that turned him into an All-Star to drive the Celtics offense.He puts pressure on the defense just because he is in constant attack mode, Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. Hes always live. Hes always a threat and hes got great explosion in his drives.Diengs screen on Thomas, and the fiery guards reaction, woke the Celtics up in the second half and helped spark a rally from 13 points down to start the fourth quarter to a 99-93 victory.I mean, Im already little, man, Thomas said of his reaction to Diengs screen. You dont need to hit me that hard to get your man open. But when they try to take me out, thats when I get a little (angry).Now that Horford has returned from nine games off because of a concussion and Crowder is working his way back from a sprained left ankle, the Celtics are positioning themselves to start taking off. They play at Miami on Monday, host Detroit and Sacramento on Wednesday and Friday and finish the week at Philadelphia as they try to work their way up the Eastern Conference ladder.And even though Horford got the big payday over the summer, the green still revolves around the smallest guy on the roster.Hes a tough cover, Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau said. Hes got a great hesitation. Hell throw his body into you. He can sell it. Hes clever. Hes got a lot of different ways he can finish.---WELCOME BACKThe Neew Orleans Pelicans appeared lost through the first three weeks of the season as star Anthony Davis languished in the middle of a banged-up roster with little talent around him.ddddddddddddOne of the biggest issues was the absence of point guard Jrue Holiday, who missed the first 12 games to be by his wifes side while she underwent brain surgery.The Pelicans were 2-10 in those games before Holiday returned and 4-0 in his first four games back in the lineup. Coach Alvin Gentry brought him off the bench to provide some balance and scoring punch while he worked his way back into playing shape.New Orleans has dropped two in a row following that streak, but Holidays presence has the teams confidence rising.In my eyes, hes one of the top point guards in the league and it showed, Davis said.---THE WEEK AHEADSome games to note this week:Washington at Oklahoma City, Wednesday: Former Thunder coach Scott Brooks brings his struggling Wizards to Oklahoma City for the first time since he returned to the sideline.Houston at Golden State, Thursday: The Warriors steadily improving defense will get one heck of a test from James Harden and the Rockets.Los Angeles Clippers at Cleveland, Thursday: Two of the best teams in the league through the first month of the season meet.Detroit at Atlanta, Friday: Its always a party when Stan Van Gundy and Dwight Howard are in the same building.Cleveland at Chicago, Friday: Bulls star Dwyane Wade gets to collect on his World Series bet with friend and former teammate LeBron James.---STAT LINE OF THE WEEKKevin Love, Cavaliers: 11 of 14 FG, 8 of 10 3s, 34 points. Nice game, right? Try quarter. Love conjured his stat-stuffing days with the Timberwolves when he exploded in the first quarter against Portland on Wednesday night. It was the highest-scoring first quarter in NBA history and just three off of Klay Thompsons record for most points in any quarter. ' ' '