Since I haven't posted as expediently as one might following a resounding, end-of-the-season victory, I suppose you might have guessed how our last contest played out. Minus several key players and with several other key players playing outside of their ordinary positions, we were unable to finish off the season as we would have liked, falling by a score of 19-0.
This was very disappointing as you might imagine, considering our unblemished start that stretched into the eighth week of the season. No one likes to lose. Period. But to do so after reaching such heights really hits you quite hard. However, nothing can be said or pined over now that will change what happened, so I'm just going to leave it at that. Eight wins to two losses will have to do.
The final "Danish Football Moment" came on the opening kickoff of the game, when I made my last tackle of the season. I did so in a rather unorthodox fashion. In lieu of properly breaking down, squaring up and wrapping my arms around the ball carrier, I resorted to a different method: grabbing the back of his jersey with one hand and ripping him to the ground. I didn't do this intentionally, I assure you. Eager to rectify the transgressions committed by the previous game's kickoff unit, I focused on keeping my lane until absolutely necessary (i.e. seeing the return man right in front of me). For those who need further clarification, on a kickoff, each player running down the field must keep a disciplined path, en route to tackling the man who has the football. When players fail to 'keep their lanes,' returners are often able to exploit a specific section of the unit and run for a significant gain. I made sure to do this on this particular kickoff, busting through a frontline blocker before my blazing speed (HA) almost took me past the man with the ball. I quickly changed directions, realizing he was practically passed me to my inside and so, I just jabbed my hand into his back, grabbed some cloth and pulled him to the ground. Even in my more svelte physique these days, I still outweighed this fellow by a good fifty pounds and his forward progress came to an abrupt halt.
That was one of the few highlights worth mentioning on the afternoon. Brian's father was actually in attendance for the game, making the trip all the way from Grand Junction, CO. Upon seeing him on the sidelines immediately after the final whistle blew, he quoted the old adage, made popular by Sam Elliott's Cowboy in The Big Lebowski, ''Sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes, well, he eats you." Couldn't have put it better myself. Before long, I will come through with a much more sentimental recap of the season here, but for now, I have to prepare for a few things going on this weekend. Tomorrow, I will be joining my U16 players for an afternoon cookout while watching some archived college football on ESPN's website.
Check back Sunday for the final Travelogue and a few other posts. Enjoy your weekends out there and best of luck to all my MHS Tomahawks and Marist Red Foxes in action this weekend!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Travelogue (PAST DUE) Part II
When last we met, I returned to Denmark for a few days to catch my bearings before setting out on the second phase of my adventure. This time however, I would not be flying solo. The planets seemingly aligned to allow for an extended break in longtime friend, David LoVerme's schedule and thus, I had company for the remainder of the month. David is no stranger to traveling and has been at the game for many years now. Before we even started high school, he toured Austrailia. After that he ventured to Europe on several occasions, including a semester studying abroad in Florence during our time in college. Just days before coming over to meet me, Dave was in Costa Rica studying Spanish, though I believe he was more interested in the fruit-hungry monkeys that came on board the boats he and others took out in their spare time. In addition to this already impressive resume, Dave works in the travel business, marketing and selling educational trips to high schools interested in doing such. What better way to spend some vacation time then with some crack, hands-on, field research? As an avid NTD follower, Dave was more than entitled to his very own NTD-inspired pic, taken at the very same location as my own:
As you can see, we did some exploring in Copenhagen, which I was already somewhat familiar with, but not before we spent some time in Aarhus. Most of the time spent in my adoptive hometown was in fact, spent in my apartment, with Dave needing to acclimate to Eurotime. This also did me some good, too, as I was still recovering from my first two weeks of traveling. Sleeping, eating delicious baked goods from my favorite local joint and watching the first two seasons of 'Californication' were the norm during these first few days, though we did manage to get out some.
DENMARK
Aarhus: July 15 - 18
Copenhagen: July 18 - 20
AARHUS: Not much new info to share here, although we did take a trip to the Moesgård Viking museum just outside of the city proper. I am definitely going to devote an entire post to this place very soon, complete with some awesome pictures. While walking around, we also stumbled on something that I didn't even realize existed in all my time here. Pictured below, you will find a work of art, known as the 'Humpback Gunship,' though we gave it the far more awesome title, 'WHALE-I-COPTER.' After a few days of relaxing in town, we packed up and took a train over to Scandinavia's unofficial Capitol.
COPENHAGEN: Much of what I would write in here, I already covered back in April. We saw many of the same sights, though this time we did so in the comfort of a canal tour boat. After that we cruised the streets on bike to save time. Many thanks go out to the lovely Trine Rølle for allowing us to stay in her apartment while she and some guy I know were on their own vacation. Upon returning, the aforementioned guy (Brian) joined Dave and I for a Monday night out on the town. After some delicious Indian cuisine, we had trouble finding an establishment to unwind in. However, just when nothing appeared to be open, we came across Sam's Bar, a notorious karaoke hot spot, making our night complete. Although Brian didn't flex his golden pipes, Dave and I did the heavy lifting and the rest is history. We returned for a good night's sleep and a morning dip in the harbor just behind Trine's apartment before departing for Deutscheland.
So I know I said earlier that I wanted to finish off the rest of the trip today, but I am looking at the hour now and realize that's not going to happen. Though it isn't terribly late, tomorrow will come very soon. Bus leaves at 7:30, a side of the morning I don't typically see too often, except when the library sends me a text message saying that the movies I borrowed are due back in three days -- the future is now. In all seriousness though, I do have to call it quits. Last game of the season tomorrow against those name-stealin' Copenhagen Tomahawks. After a solid practice last night, we are looking to rebound from our less-than-stellar peformance of two weeks ago. Last chance to strap 'em up for a while, better make the most of it. Be back with a recap when I can.
As you can see, we did some exploring in Copenhagen, which I was already somewhat familiar with, but not before we spent some time in Aarhus. Most of the time spent in my adoptive hometown was in fact, spent in my apartment, with Dave needing to acclimate to Eurotime. This also did me some good, too, as I was still recovering from my first two weeks of traveling. Sleeping, eating delicious baked goods from my favorite local joint and watching the first two seasons of 'Californication' were the norm during these first few days, though we did manage to get out some.
DENMARK
Aarhus: July 15 - 18
Copenhagen: July 18 - 20
AARHUS: Not much new info to share here, although we did take a trip to the Moesgård Viking museum just outside of the city proper. I am definitely going to devote an entire post to this place very soon, complete with some awesome pictures. While walking around, we also stumbled on something that I didn't even realize existed in all my time here. Pictured below, you will find a work of art, known as the 'Humpback Gunship,' though we gave it the far more awesome title, 'WHALE-I-COPTER.' After a few days of relaxing in town, we packed up and took a train over to Scandinavia's unofficial Capitol.
COPENHAGEN: Much of what I would write in here, I already covered back in April. We saw many of the same sights, though this time we did so in the comfort of a canal tour boat. After that we cruised the streets on bike to save time. Many thanks go out to the lovely Trine Rølle for allowing us to stay in her apartment while she and some guy I know were on their own vacation. Upon returning, the aforementioned guy (Brian) joined Dave and I for a Monday night out on the town. After some delicious Indian cuisine, we had trouble finding an establishment to unwind in. However, just when nothing appeared to be open, we came across Sam's Bar, a notorious karaoke hot spot, making our night complete. Although Brian didn't flex his golden pipes, Dave and I did the heavy lifting and the rest is history. We returned for a good night's sleep and a morning dip in the harbor just behind Trine's apartment before departing for Deutscheland.
So I know I said earlier that I wanted to finish off the rest of the trip today, but I am looking at the hour now and realize that's not going to happen. Though it isn't terribly late, tomorrow will come very soon. Bus leaves at 7:30, a side of the morning I don't typically see too often, except when the library sends me a text message saying that the movies I borrowed are due back in three days -- the future is now. In all seriousness though, I do have to call it quits. Last game of the season tomorrow against those name-stealin' Copenhagen Tomahawks. After a solid practice last night, we are looking to rebound from our less-than-stellar peformance of two weeks ago. Last chance to strap 'em up for a while, better make the most of it. Be back with a recap when I can.
Travelogue (PAST DUE)
Back on August 1st, I wrote that I'd be back soon with some details from my European odyssey. It is now September 17th and I really hope no one out there was holding their breath. As my mother so astutely pointed out the other night, writing this blog served an important purpose in the early phases of getting settled into a new life here. Once that happened and as I found more things to occupy my time (like watching eight or nine movies a week), I didn't need this as much to stay connected. That being said, I do need to stop being so lethargic when it comes to mental activity. So now, after much anticipation (and much more delay), I will take you, the ever-dwindling legion of NTD readers, through a travelogue of my adventures across the Old Country during the month of July. In lieu of writing a long-winded account on the journey as a whole, I will present a blitzkrieg-type synopsis of each locale. I feel this will be more refreshing on both author and reader alike. Here goes:
LONDON: June 30 - July 04
I flew from Aarhus (about a half-hour outside Aarhus) to London-Stansted (about an hour outside London); I really think airport executives should consider renaming their establishments to more accurately reflect how far they are from each destination. I took a bus into the city and got to my hostel in the Swiss Cottage district. It was a pretty nice place, except for the very large group of German teenagers staying there as part of some class trip; they were noisy and not very consider and had terrible taste in fashion. Since this was my first time vacationing on my own, I didn't know how to plan my stay really. However, I soon figured out where I wanted to go and then just played it by ear. Over my four days in Jolly 'Ol, I took two walking tours that covered almost the entire city, allowing me to see all the necessary sights. I also took advantage of the fact the majority of the museums there do not charge admission. I went to the Natural History Museum, the Tate Modern Gallery and the Imperial War Museum; all three were fantastic. I really limited my intake of pub grub because I wanted to make sure I did it right and I am glad I did. I got a platter of bangers 'n mash from a hole-in-the-wall pub called 'The Hole in the Wall' and a basket of fish 'n chips from a joint overlooking the Thames and they were both outstanding. Each one was accompanied by an authentic hand-pulled cask ale, served just below room temperature, which were also as good as advertised. Anticipating a rainy stay, I brought a windbreaker, which I believe effectively warded off all lousy weather and allowed me to walk everywhere until I broke down and bought a metro pass, partly because I wanted to try the tube. I was happy to find that was everything it was cracked up to be. Great stay in the UK, onward to España.
SPAIN
Madrid: July 04 - 08
Barcelona: July 08 - 12
Alicante: July 12 - 14
MADRID: Spain was one of the locations I really wanted to visit while living in Europe. During both high school and college, I studied the language and the culture at great length and I was eager to see the country and the lifestyle in person. Having said this, you could imagine I was less than enthused to hear how poorly some schmuck Canadian kid spoke of Madrid at the hostel in London. He described it as grey and dismal, a real dump. He said four days was too long to spend there and that I should basically prepare for a miserable time. I felt compelled to remind him where he came from, but realized he was probably delirious from maple syrup withdrawal. In reality, Madrid was an AWESOME time. It was regularly in the triple digits there and that sun sure did not quit. I resisted the urge to siesta though, thanks to several other really cool people from my hostel (including a much more positive Canadian chap). We spent the hot afternoons in the shade of sidewalk restaurants, enjoying our share of San Miguels, Mahous and tapas. In addition to another walking tour of the city, I took in a bullfight, which was pretty gruesome and totally unfair, but part of the experience nonetheless -- I wanted the Matador to go one-on-one and see how tough he really was. I also went the Prado during its free admission hours one night, though it closed just before getting to the Goya exhibit, the one I really wanted to see. The definitive moment of my time in Madrid though had to be when Spain took on Germany in World Cup semifinal play. There was a public viewing held outside Real Madrid's stadium; I will let the video posted below do all the talking on that front. Take that, Canada.
LONDON: June 30 - July 04
I flew from Aarhus (about a half-hour outside Aarhus) to London-Stansted (about an hour outside London); I really think airport executives should consider renaming their establishments to more accurately reflect how far they are from each destination. I took a bus into the city and got to my hostel in the Swiss Cottage district. It was a pretty nice place, except for the very large group of German teenagers staying there as part of some class trip; they were noisy and not very consider and had terrible taste in fashion. Since this was my first time vacationing on my own, I didn't know how to plan my stay really. However, I soon figured out where I wanted to go and then just played it by ear. Over my four days in Jolly 'Ol, I took two walking tours that covered almost the entire city, allowing me to see all the necessary sights. I also took advantage of the fact the majority of the museums there do not charge admission. I went to the Natural History Museum, the Tate Modern Gallery and the Imperial War Museum; all three were fantastic. I really limited my intake of pub grub because I wanted to make sure I did it right and I am glad I did. I got a platter of bangers 'n mash from a hole-in-the-wall pub called 'The Hole in the Wall' and a basket of fish 'n chips from a joint overlooking the Thames and they were both outstanding. Each one was accompanied by an authentic hand-pulled cask ale, served just below room temperature, which were also as good as advertised. Anticipating a rainy stay, I brought a windbreaker, which I believe effectively warded off all lousy weather and allowed me to walk everywhere until I broke down and bought a metro pass, partly because I wanted to try the tube. I was happy to find that was everything it was cracked up to be. Great stay in the UK, onward to España.
SPAIN
Madrid: July 04 - 08
Barcelona: July 08 - 12
Alicante: July 12 - 14
MADRID: Spain was one of the locations I really wanted to visit while living in Europe. During both high school and college, I studied the language and the culture at great length and I was eager to see the country and the lifestyle in person. Having said this, you could imagine I was less than enthused to hear how poorly some schmuck Canadian kid spoke of Madrid at the hostel in London. He described it as grey and dismal, a real dump. He said four days was too long to spend there and that I should basically prepare for a miserable time. I felt compelled to remind him where he came from, but realized he was probably delirious from maple syrup withdrawal. In reality, Madrid was an AWESOME time. It was regularly in the triple digits there and that sun sure did not quit. I resisted the urge to siesta though, thanks to several other really cool people from my hostel (including a much more positive Canadian chap). We spent the hot afternoons in the shade of sidewalk restaurants, enjoying our share of San Miguels, Mahous and tapas. In addition to another walking tour of the city, I took in a bullfight, which was pretty gruesome and totally unfair, but part of the experience nonetheless -- I wanted the Matador to go one-on-one and see how tough he really was. I also went the Prado during its free admission hours one night, though it closed just before getting to the Goya exhibit, the one I really wanted to see. The definitive moment of my time in Madrid though had to be when Spain took on Germany in World Cup semifinal play. There was a public viewing held outside Real Madrid's stadium; I will let the video posted below do all the talking on that front. Take that, Canada.
BARCELONA: I had some lofty expectations for Barcelona. It seems to be one of those places that people always hold in high regard for many reasons: diversity, architecture, culture, proximity to fantastic beaches, etc. Upon my stay there, I can see why. However, if you are looking for an experience that screams 'Spain,' you best look elsewhere. This is something that is often lost in my most people's vision of Gaudi's city. Part of the ''autonomous community of Catalonia," Barcelona is every bit of such a complex monniker. Most people there would be quite content if they drifted just a bit further out into the Mediterranean. This rang out loud and clear during a Catalonian Independence rally held the night I got there, with several hundred thousand people marching through the streets saying they don't want to be a part of Spain (that is of course, until they captured the World Cup crown during my stay). Not exactly a very welcoming sight and for this reason, I didn't enjoy my time there as much as I would have liked. This is not to say though, that I didn't enjoy myself with many of the neat things the unique city has to offer. In addition to much of what I alluded to earlier, I got to check out two of the famous fountain shows, Gaudi's Parc Guell, a nice stroll around the Olympic Park and of course, spend many hours on the beach.
ALICANTE: Truth be told, Alicante doesn't offer much besides a castle overlooking its beaches and well, the beaches themselves. I didn't spend much time away from either. A small, primarily tourist-oriented city in the far Southeast of Spain, I planned a short stay here because its airport has departures that fly directly back to Aarhus. My time here was pretty uneventful, besides the brutal hike to get up to the castle, the opportunity to spend more time on the beach and the hostel I stayed in, which was run by Ukranians who only spoke broken Spanish. Coupled with my broken Spanish, we were able to communicate just fine. The place was pretty sketchy though, so I chose not spend my second night there, opting instead to catch a few hours of sleep at the airport before an early flight. The Ukranian fellow at the desk (complete with his assortment of weird figurines) couldn't undersand why.
After Alicante, I flew back to Aarhus to regroup for a few days before heading out again. For now though, I've already invested way longer in this project than I planned on. I'm going to step away for a few hours. I will be back later to finish up the trip and also preview tomorrow's last game of the season. See you soon.
ALICANTE: Truth be told, Alicante doesn't offer much besides a castle overlooking its beaches and well, the beaches themselves. I didn't spend much time away from either. A small, primarily tourist-oriented city in the far Southeast of Spain, I planned a short stay here because its airport has departures that fly directly back to Aarhus. My time here was pretty uneventful, besides the brutal hike to get up to the castle, the opportunity to spend more time on the beach and the hostel I stayed in, which was run by Ukranians who only spoke broken Spanish. Coupled with my broken Spanish, we were able to communicate just fine. The place was pretty sketchy though, so I chose not spend my second night there, opting instead to catch a few hours of sleep at the airport before an early flight. The Ukranian fellow at the desk (complete with his assortment of weird figurines) couldn't undersand why.
After Alicante, I flew back to Aarhus to regroup for a few days before heading out again. For now though, I've already invested way longer in this project than I planned on. I'm going to step away for a few hours. I will be back later to finish up the trip and also preview tomorrow's last game of the season. See you soon.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Beginning of the End (No Regrets, Part I)
Today, my U16 Tigers took the field for the final time this season. Our season ended much as it began: in crushing defeat. With a final record of one win (as a result of forfeit) and seven losses, it is safe to say that this season was not one of the more shining beacons in the annals of gridiron history. Truth be told and my players would attest to this as well, we did not have much to work with for the majority of our time together. Players came and went; some quit, others moved away, a few even headed Stateside as part of various exchange programs (and have continued to learn the game in their adopted domiciles). We were heavy on skill players and light on heavy players, a combination that often spells disaster for teams at this age group. We scored two touchdowns each on defense and special teams and another on offense, for the season. One of my kids even got his ass kicked (literally, when he blocked an extra point today).
I choose to reflect on the good, the bad and the ugly (mostly the latter two) here not to cast a negative light on my first season as a head football coach, but rather to do quite the opposite. Despite inconsistencies in attendance, a few attitudes that required some adjusting, limited knowledge of the game and the aforementioned lack of size, there stood a dedicated core of young men (and occasionally one young woman) who wore the black and white this year and put forth their best effort. Though it may not have seemed it at times, especially considering we share very different viewpoints on what effort is and is not, I recognize now that these kids all did one thing constantly: they tried. New drills. New schemes. New techniques. Whatever was asked of them, they attempted. It wasn't always pretty, but it was certainly always there. As a coach in my present surroundings, I would be a selfish man to ask for much more (okay, five kids over 250 pounds would be nice...).
We focused on the basic fundamentals of the game: running, tackling, blocking, ball skills. Over and over and over again. Given that we only met twice a week, we couldn't afford to do much more. But from this coach's standpoint, improvement manifested itself in each player across the board. They became more comfortable, more fluid and more natural as the weeks went on. This is a testament to the repeated effort which I spoke of earlier. I yelled at 'em, gave 'em a hard time (a phrase which doesn't translate here and I had to later explain in greater detail) and worked 'em with the help of my two very devoted assistant coaches and although one couldn't tell based on wins and losses, the kids each became tougher and more hardy. If they continue to build upon the things we worked at all season and all do a little growing, I firmly believe these kids will be a problem to opposing teams in years to come.
Although my record would probably stand as grounds for termination in most programs back home, I sit here now happy to have had the chance to work with some special young people over the past six months. We really developed into a tight little group and I'm honored to have been a part of it.
Before I go, I wanted to share something that came to mind today. It's been nine years since the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Flight 93. I was in Mrs. Banfield's third period English class watching CNN and initially thought the images on the screen were some kind of staged special effects. My gut response as a fourteen-year-old was, ''Oh, cool!" and then I came to realize what we were watching was as real as could be. We were a certainly a class of bewildered little freshmen and as the day wore on, we all started to recognize the magnitude of what was happening. I recall that all after school activities were canceled, including football practice. As I looked out over my players today, it donned on me that these kids were the same age I was when such events took place. Pretty wild; I thought that was a pretty interesting way to remember the day and then some.
Football has always been closely tied to September 11th for many, as the NFL served as a key rallying point for patriotism at the time. Personally, it was around that time in my life that I really became interested in the game. I had only started playing about a month or so beforehand and I loved it from the get-go. This was also when the Patriots dynasty was in its earliest phases, lead by a very young Tom Brady. I remember watching that team and being inspired by their on-field exploits. Those times really helped define where I would hold football in my life in the years to come. I can't think of a better way to honor them than by sitting down now to this week's Marist online broadcast, in lieu of going out for a while. Doesn't get much more American than that, even in Denmark.
I choose to reflect on the good, the bad and the ugly (mostly the latter two) here not to cast a negative light on my first season as a head football coach, but rather to do quite the opposite. Despite inconsistencies in attendance, a few attitudes that required some adjusting, limited knowledge of the game and the aforementioned lack of size, there stood a dedicated core of young men (and occasionally one young woman) who wore the black and white this year and put forth their best effort. Though it may not have seemed it at times, especially considering we share very different viewpoints on what effort is and is not, I recognize now that these kids all did one thing constantly: they tried. New drills. New schemes. New techniques. Whatever was asked of them, they attempted. It wasn't always pretty, but it was certainly always there. As a coach in my present surroundings, I would be a selfish man to ask for much more (okay, five kids over 250 pounds would be nice...).
We focused on the basic fundamentals of the game: running, tackling, blocking, ball skills. Over and over and over again. Given that we only met twice a week, we couldn't afford to do much more. But from this coach's standpoint, improvement manifested itself in each player across the board. They became more comfortable, more fluid and more natural as the weeks went on. This is a testament to the repeated effort which I spoke of earlier. I yelled at 'em, gave 'em a hard time (a phrase which doesn't translate here and I had to later explain in greater detail) and worked 'em with the help of my two very devoted assistant coaches and although one couldn't tell based on wins and losses, the kids each became tougher and more hardy. If they continue to build upon the things we worked at all season and all do a little growing, I firmly believe these kids will be a problem to opposing teams in years to come.
Although my record would probably stand as grounds for termination in most programs back home, I sit here now happy to have had the chance to work with some special young people over the past six months. We really developed into a tight little group and I'm honored to have been a part of it.
Before I go, I wanted to share something that came to mind today. It's been nine years since the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Flight 93. I was in Mrs. Banfield's third period English class watching CNN and initially thought the images on the screen were some kind of staged special effects. My gut response as a fourteen-year-old was, ''Oh, cool!" and then I came to realize what we were watching was as real as could be. We were a certainly a class of bewildered little freshmen and as the day wore on, we all started to recognize the magnitude of what was happening. I recall that all after school activities were canceled, including football practice. As I looked out over my players today, it donned on me that these kids were the same age I was when such events took place. Pretty wild; I thought that was a pretty interesting way to remember the day and then some.
Football has always been closely tied to September 11th for many, as the NFL served as a key rallying point for patriotism at the time. Personally, it was around that time in my life that I really became interested in the game. I had only started playing about a month or so beforehand and I loved it from the get-go. This was also when the Patriots dynasty was in its earliest phases, lead by a very young Tom Brady. I remember watching that team and being inspired by their on-field exploits. Those times really helped define where I would hold football in my life in the years to come. I can't think of a better way to honor them than by sitting down now to this week's Marist online broadcast, in lieu of going out for a while. Doesn't get much more American than that, even in Denmark.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Get a Job
Even though I just posted a few hours ago, I wanted to take a few moments to remember a really special guy. Today would have marked the 90th birthday of my Grampa, Joseph Kuzmiak. Gramp was a colorful guy, famous for many things, including but not limited to: his bone-crushing handshake, his affinity for crossword puzzles, his cardboard cuttery, his taste for ribs (which we were able to gauge his enjoyment in, based on how much sauce he managed to get on his face), his love for a good football game, his culinary prowess as a short-order cook, his role as caretaker and feeder of birds in his backyard and of course, his various catchphrases. Here are a few of his greatest hits:
"Get a job."
"Get two jobs."
"Get some means of employment."
"Tree blocks down."
"YEAH??"
Yes, dear."
He had many more, all to go with a singing voice like an angel (well, at least one who served as an MP in World War II and later worked as an auto mechanic in New Jersey). He was a great guy and he sure loved the heck out of his family, especially his grandchildren. I still remember seeing him at my very first college game almost five years ago to the day. Gramps passed away four years ago last May, but we still pull out one of his immortal sayings at least once a day around the house. I could go on and on about him but I do have to get going to practice now. More to come soon. Happy birthday, Grampa. I'm off to work, just like you always told us.
"Get a job."
"Get two jobs."
"Get some means of employment."
"Tree blocks down."
"YEAH??"
Yes, dear."
He had many more, all to go with a singing voice like an angel (well, at least one who served as an MP in World War II and later worked as an auto mechanic in New Jersey). He was a great guy and he sure loved the heck out of his family, especially his grandchildren. I still remember seeing him at my very first college game almost five years ago to the day. Gramps passed away four years ago last May, but we still pull out one of his immortal sayings at least once a day around the house. I could go on and on about him but I do have to get going to practice now. More to come soon. Happy birthday, Grampa. I'm off to work, just like you always told us.
When it Rains...
It's safe to say that I've done my fair share of griping about the weather patterns here in Denmark and as the title of this post might infer, it appears you're in for some more. However, for almost the last two weeks, it has been reminiscent of a typical New England autumn: crisp air, a steady breeze, blue skies and still enough sun to warrant shorts and t-shirts (for me, at least). It's certainly been the nicest since I've been here. Then why, you might ask, have I titled this post accordingly? Well, when considering this weekend's performance on the gridiron, it only seemed fitting.
We tasted defeat for the first time, at the hands of the Amager Demons, whom we narrowly beat in Week One of the season. In so many words, it was ugly. We played extremely poorly from top to bottom, making many small mistakes that ultimately added up to a sputtering offense, an inconsistent defense and inept special teams. We spotted them two touchdowns before their offense even took the field; the opening kickoff and our first punt were both returned for scores thanks to terrible pursuit angles by members on both units (including yours truly). We would hold them from scoring again until this second half, but we were unable to muster much offense ourselves.
In truth, I didn't see much action on offense, as I played tight end for the game and we went with several sets that did not feature the position on the field. This decision was made jointly by myself and our head coach, as we wanted to see how the OL would perform on their own against a quality opponent. They played okay, but eventually too many inconsistencies compounded and a rhythm never materialized. I focused my efforts more so on special teams, where I myself made several errors. That's about all there is to say on the matter. The officiating was absolute garbage, even by Danish standards. These clowns were pathetic, not that we could do anything about that. We sucked and it's over. No sense dwelling on a lousy performance, as we need to get back on track for our last game of the season. We play next Saturday in Copenhagen against another tough opponent: the Tomahawks. The next few practices have be very crisp to avoid a repeat of this weekend.
In other news, my U16 team is no longer winless. We recorded our first victory by way of forfeit this weekend, even though that's not how we would have liked to earn a W. Our last game is this Saturday in Aalborg.
As far as this week's Danish football 'Moment' goes, I guess it would be that I recorded my first reception ever. In one of the few series that featured me as a tight end, I ran a short spot route underneath their linebackers and hauled in a pass over the middle. It all kind of happened in a blur; I remember making eye contact with our QB over the offensive line and after that, he put the ball on a spot. I just put my hands up to where the ball was and then pulled it close to my chest (thank you very much Nike Magnigrip gloves). After another two yards, I felt a defender or two on my back and that was that. One reception, seven or so yards. The end. It sure was fun though, I can see why receivers always want the pigskin thrown their way.
Better days are ahead. I'll be back to share 'em with you.
We tasted defeat for the first time, at the hands of the Amager Demons, whom we narrowly beat in Week One of the season. In so many words, it was ugly. We played extremely poorly from top to bottom, making many small mistakes that ultimately added up to a sputtering offense, an inconsistent defense and inept special teams. We spotted them two touchdowns before their offense even took the field; the opening kickoff and our first punt were both returned for scores thanks to terrible pursuit angles by members on both units (including yours truly). We would hold them from scoring again until this second half, but we were unable to muster much offense ourselves.
In truth, I didn't see much action on offense, as I played tight end for the game and we went with several sets that did not feature the position on the field. This decision was made jointly by myself and our head coach, as we wanted to see how the OL would perform on their own against a quality opponent. They played okay, but eventually too many inconsistencies compounded and a rhythm never materialized. I focused my efforts more so on special teams, where I myself made several errors. That's about all there is to say on the matter. The officiating was absolute garbage, even by Danish standards. These clowns were pathetic, not that we could do anything about that. We sucked and it's over. No sense dwelling on a lousy performance, as we need to get back on track for our last game of the season. We play next Saturday in Copenhagen against another tough opponent: the Tomahawks. The next few practices have be very crisp to avoid a repeat of this weekend.
In other news, my U16 team is no longer winless. We recorded our first victory by way of forfeit this weekend, even though that's not how we would have liked to earn a W. Our last game is this Saturday in Aalborg.
As far as this week's Danish football 'Moment' goes, I guess it would be that I recorded my first reception ever. In one of the few series that featured me as a tight end, I ran a short spot route underneath their linebackers and hauled in a pass over the middle. It all kind of happened in a blur; I remember making eye contact with our QB over the offensive line and after that, he put the ball on a spot. I just put my hands up to where the ball was and then pulled it close to my chest (thank you very much Nike Magnigrip gloves). After another two yards, I felt a defender or two on my back and that was that. One reception, seven or so yards. The end. It sure was fun though, I can see why receivers always want the pigskin thrown their way.
Better days are ahead. I'll be back to share 'em with you.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Straight through the Heart
Back for a very brief post now. Since I proved to be a little too much for my last exercise-ball-turned-seat, I've been unable to sit for extended periods in what are some of the least comfortable chairs know to man (so much for all the hype about Danish design). However, thanks to my ever faithful father, I am the proud owner of a new $5 inflatable posture-friendly sitting apparatus. More posts will indeed follow now that I am properly equipped.
The purpose of this post is to ring in the best season of the year, with college and high school games officially kicking off across the US of A. Special shout out the Red Foxes in their season opener, tonight at home under the lights against Sacred Heart. Based on what I gathered from the guys I spoke to during camp, they are all extremely fired up about this season and I will look forward to following along with them over here, thanks to the newly installed online video feeds though www.goredfoxes.com. Check it out if you're interested in seeing some quality gridiron action. Show no mercy tonight, men; GET AFTER IT, FOXES!!!
Best of luck also to Coach B and the Tomahawks in action tomorrow afternoon against Hollis-Brookline; I'm hearing some good things about them boys from MHS this year and I'll be interested to see them take care of business in a newly aligned Division II.
We're in action tomorrow afternoon and I'll follow up with a post as soon as I'm able to. Football frenzy sweeping the lands: what a time to be alive.
The purpose of this post is to ring in the best season of the year, with college and high school games officially kicking off across the US of A. Special shout out the Red Foxes in their season opener, tonight at home under the lights against Sacred Heart. Based on what I gathered from the guys I spoke to during camp, they are all extremely fired up about this season and I will look forward to following along with them over here, thanks to the newly installed online video feeds though www.goredfoxes.com. Check it out if you're interested in seeing some quality gridiron action. Show no mercy tonight, men; GET AFTER IT, FOXES!!!
Best of luck also to Coach B and the Tomahawks in action tomorrow afternoon against Hollis-Brookline; I'm hearing some good things about them boys from MHS this year and I'll be interested to see them take care of business in a newly aligned Division II.
We're in action tomorrow afternoon and I'll follow up with a post as soon as I'm able to. Football frenzy sweeping the lands: what a time to be alive.
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