Back In Seinajoki

Kodie working out with the junior Crocs team

Billboards in town advertising our big game with the Butchers next weekend--- But first we have a very big game against the Turku Trojans this Saturday!

Big Sis and Little Sis having some fun in the park

We finally arrived back in Seinajoki about 4 am this morning after 9 days on the road. Things didn't go as planned for us in finding a train back from Turku, Finland last night. We spent more than 5 hours on 3 trains and another 3 hours waiting on connecting trains to our destination. This was after our 11 hour boat ride on the Viking Line. We had a really nice time, but it was good to get back to our apartment too. The family was able to visit two new countries during the trip including Latvia and Denmark. We also realized that Estalita and the kids had been in 8 different countries over a 10 day period since their arrival earlier this month. I will be posting some pictures from the trip over the course of the next week.

One of the major highlights of the trip for us was getting to meet George Contreras and his wife Laurie over the weekend in Stockholm. In some ways, I feel like I have known George for quite some time even though it was our first ever opportunity to meet in person. He and Laurie are living in Sweden this summer after spending the two previous seasons in Catania, Sicily. They are a wonderful couple and a lot of fun to be around. They have many unique and fascinating stories to tell after all their time living and traveling in Europe over the past 3 seasons. I sure hope to meet up again with them sometime in the future.

Lights out.

A Damp Day in Denmark

Our first visit to Copenhagen was a quick one and marked by sporadic rain, but the city lived up to its hype. We'll certainly return sometime in the future for a more thorough visit. The architecture in the city was truly fabulous. Stockholm still ranks as my favorite city in northern Europe, but Copenhagen is up there pretty high now too.

The three amigos in the Nynhavn district

Nynhavn is a great spot for food, drinks, and people watching

Marching guards pass us by on the world famous Stroget--- the longest shopping street in Europe

Windmills were plentiful in the parks surrounding the city

The beauty of Tivoli gardens

Tivoli Gardens amusement park is a must when visiting Copenhagen

The park is said to have inspired Walt Disney

Hans Christian Andersen

Kodie and Kamryn didn't let the rain stop them from enjoying the rides at Tivoli


Lights out.

Cruisin in Scandinavia

Sailing through the Oslo Fjord

Island living in Oslo Fjord

Fantastic Four is ready for some adventure

Kodie giving the climbing wall a go. ( Think he found a new sport!)

Kamryn near the peak--- Way to go!

Lights out.

Off to Oslo

Ski hill (joupista) near our home field in Seinajoki

Crocs starting safety Juha

"D.A." Our DE from the UK

The family made it safely and soundly to Finland on Tuesday and had a few days in Seinajoki. Now we are off to Oslo to catch our boat for a 5 day cruise on Royal Caribbean around northern Europe. We are actually taking the same ship as we did last summer, but this route is a bit different. We sail through the Oslo fjord on Saturday afternoon and the first destination is Copenhagen, Denmark. We are at sea the second day and then travel on to Tallinn, Estonia. The trip then finishes up in Stockholm, Sweden. It will be nice to revisit these cities again this summer and get the chance to scope out some new sights in Copenhagen.

We had two practices with the team this past week, but our numbers were very low at both practices. Many of the guys are traveling and getting ready for the Midsummer celebrations that are fast approaching. During this time of year, most Europeans in this part of the world are abandoning the cities for the country side and the countless summer lake cottages that dot the landscapes of Scandinavia. Remember, Finland has close to 200,000 lakes and only 5 million inhabitants in the entire nation. In other words, that means there is approximately one lake for every 25 people in the country.

It is nearly time to board the plane and the battery power on my computer is dwindling.

Lights out.

18 hours and counting

Janne our team treasurer-- he is also in the music business

The Fish Net Shirt is making a comeback in Finland

Some Finnish Folk Dancers

A German accordion-- Retails for around 8700 euros

Its Italian counterpart... for only 9600 euros

Seinajoki Music Festival

Grocery store parking lot in Seinajoki

It is now only 18 hours until I pick Estalita and the kids up in Helsinki. They are flying over on Icelandic Air with a short stop in Iceland before catching their flight to Finland. Hopefully, the volcano will stay quiet and not cause any problems. I am SOOOO excited to have them all here again for the summer.

We had a short evening practice and only 14 guys showed up tonight. That was a bit disappointing, but I expected to have lower attendance because we are nearing our break. In fact, our mid summer break starts after our practice on Wednesday and we don't play another game until the 3rd of July. We will resume workouts on Monday June 28th. In truth, we are very banged up right now and in need of this bye week.

I was disappointed to read that QB Vince Young of the Tennessee Titans got himself into some trouble by assaulting a man at a strip club near Dallas, Texas. It never ceases to amaze me how so many athletes, who are obviously blessed with extraordinary physical skills, can have such little sense and maturity when it comes to making good decisions. I guess people who have never really had to work for a living (see also Big Ben, Larry Johnson, PacMan Jones) just don't appreciate the reality of a short working life. In fact, their sense of entitlement just blinds them from the fact that there really is any kind of problem with their behavior. I am curious as to what it would be like to live in that kind of fantasy world.
I read an article on Vince Young just last week in ESPN the Magazine. I am beginning to think that he too is living in this fantasy world. In that world, pro athletes must believe that a few autographs for kids, a tax write-off check to a local charity, and a United Way commercial, is all you really need to do to be considered a do-gooder. The key is to create a perception that you are a good guy through the use of your agent, publicist, and the media. Agents like Drew Rosenhaus and Scott Boras are really smart and they have figured this out. Perception is stronger than reality. The key is to make your guy look clean, smart, and sensible, even if he is a total knucklehead and a cancer on your team. (see also Terrell Owens)
Anyway, back to Vince. In the article, he cleared the air about his rumored suicide attempt from a few years ago and also talked about how much he has matured and grown up recently. I found myself rooting for him and hoping he would stay on track and use his platform as a pro athlete to make a positive difference. I must say that I am no longer a fan of Vince Young the man or the athlete. The article I read showed a picture of Vince's pregnant girlfriend and pointed out that they are expecting their first child together. Not cool Vince. You are an expectant father who is hanging out in strip clubs and assaulting people. You say that you idolized Steve McNair and the way he carried himself and all the things he taught you. Well, Air McNair also had a secret side to him. He abandoned his family and secretly took up residence with his young mistress. Things went downhill from there and he ultimately lost his life. Wake up Vince before you throw your career down the drain again. Learn from the mistakes that your idol made while you still have the chance.

Lights out.

Back in the Win Column

On Saturday we spent about 13 hours on the bus as we traveled to lappeenranta in eastern Finland to take on the Border Knights. The border they are referring to is the one with their big neighbor to the east--- RUSSIA

It is weird to drive into the city and see road signs posted for St. Petersburg, Russia. I still haven't made it into this country and I'm not sure if we'll get there this summer. It is fairly difficult to travel there if you are trying to enter as an American. The best way to visit is through one of the no visa options either by taking a cruise with one of the big name cruise liners, or by taking a no visa cruise on the Saimma Canal into the Russian city of Vyborg.

As for the game, we were able to beat the Knights 30-28 and gain our second victory of the season. Our record now sits at 2-2. We had a 21-7 lead early in the second quarter, but then our one and only quarterback Alex Rouse pulled his hamstring and struggled to move much for the rest of the game. We had to change our game plan and move away from our option plays and rollout passing game. We struggled offensively for most of the rest of the game, but found ourselves late in the game and executed an 80 yard drive against a strong wind. That drive may have been a turning point for this team. We mostly ran the football and converted on several 3rd down situations. I was proud of Alex for toughing it out and our running backs for gaining some tough yards. Last but not least, our offensive line led my offensive tackle Pontus Bondeson challenged the offensive unit to dominate the line of scrimmage and create running seams for our backs. All in all, it was a big win for our team heading into the break. We just have to learn how to close teams out and quit trying to snap defeat from the jaws of victory.

It is now only about 26 hours until Estalita and the kids leave for JFK airport and the beginning of their journey to Finland. I am working on getting things ready for them in the apartment. It will be so great to see them and get back to being together on an everyday basis. Their stay in Finland will be relatively short as we leave again on Friday to begin Scandinavian Journey "Part Deux." Our journey will begin next weekend in Oslo, Norway.

Fourth Time a Charm ?

I DARE YOU TO LOOK AT THIS PICTURE CLOSELY-- WARNING!!-- Objects in toilet may be larger than they appear

I have reported quite often about the highs associated with coaching football overseas, but there are a fair share of frustrations as well. Paying to use public toilets, a lack of ice cube trays in the country, not being able to turn right on red, and the precipitous fall of the euro is enough to cause a guy some real stress. This season has been particularly trying, which has caused me to question what I am doing on more than one occasion. Today was one of those kind of days. I have been moved around four times since I arrived in Finland on May 2nd, and have yet to settle in and put any of my personal belongings away. There have been major issues with the apartments this season. In fairness to the team, the city is growing and there is a shortage of decent apartments in the area that open up before the college students finish their semester. In my first place, I had bugs in my bed, mold in the kitchen, and drunks causing trouble in the halls at all hours of the night. Today I relocated to my fourth and hopefully final location for the summer. The only trouble with the move was the condition of the apartment when I arrived today. The people who left before me forgot to take their mess with them and the place is very dirty. I think the Adams Family may have lived there before I arrived, but one thing is for certain. I have some major cleaning to do before Estalita and the kids arrive next Tuesday.

No this is not an abstract piece of art by Picasso or Salvador Dali--- It is a view of the walls in my living room

More art on the walls

Things are growing in the fridge

The floors/baseboard are interesting too-- Wonder if I can rent a power washer?

Lights out.

A Long Journey Back To Finland

I am back in Finland now after spending about 68 hours at home. The trip back started in Philadelphia on Tuesday afternoon and my first stop was London on Wednesday morning. I had a seven hour flight and then a six hour layover, so I decided to do a little exploring. I have been to London on 3 or 4 prior occasions ( after all I am married to an English woman), but I have been looking forward to going back to check out more of what the city has to offer. The six hour layover didn't leave me much time because I had to allow time for switching terminals and going through all the security checks. I also had about 50 minutes travel time each way on the tube, so my time was limited to about 2 hours on this occasion. The Paddington Express train would have taken me into central London in only 15 minutes from Heathrow, but the cost was 32 pounds for a return trip. So I opted for the 4.50 pound ride on the London underground train known as the tube. While in the city, I did find time for some breakfast. I guess all that flying made me hungry! The breakfast known as the "Full Monty" or the "Full English" is my absolute favorite in the world. I found one on this day in Piccadilly for only 5 pounds, which really made me happy. Now the "Full English" has been written about on this blog before, but it's mere greatness justifies another mention on this site. This artery 'cloggin' breakfast has been around for some 200 years, and I fully expect it to be around for at least 200 more. The breakfast consists of cooked mushrooms, half of a cooked tomato, two pieces of buttered toast, beans, two eggs-- fried or scrambled, bangars (otherwise known as sausages), a few bacon rashers, (which is 90% lean meat and 10% fat-- unlike the American version of clear fatty bacon), and in some cases a serving of blood pudding. Now, I have tried the blood pudding, but I am fine with leaving this out of the equation. The choice of additional flavor for this breakfast is the 'royal' HP sauce. HP is fully endorsed by the queen and it is a very like able brown sauce. It is similar to it's cousin A-1 sauce, but decidedly unique. Comparing HP and A-1 is akin to comparing the U.S.A. and Great Britain. In other words, they are very similar, but yet very different.

After devouring my breakfast, I set out for some more walking and the chance to take some additional photos. I still had a long day ahead of me including another two and a half hour flight from London to Helsinki, a 45 minute bus ride to the train station, and then a 5 hour train ride back to Seinajoki. Is this starting to sound like a sequel to the film "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles?"

After my return to Heathrow a few hours later, I decided there was only one thing I could do to help alleviate all the stress of my travels. EAT! I scoped out the menu at Gordon Ramsay's restaurant and asked the hostess if I could be seated for a quick bite before taking off. I have watched Gordon Ramsay on the telly for some 2-3 years now, most notably on his show called Hell's Kitchen. He is one of the most colorful Brits I have ever seen in action. If they ever cast him as 007 in a James Bond film, the movie would have to be rated R or maybe even triple X for all the language he can muster. In fact, he can drop more F-bombs in one minute on his show than Vice President Biden can during a campaign speech. Now, that's a lot of F-bombs.

In regards to Gordon, I have always found the bloke to be a bit cheeky. His dishes are smashing, but he likes to get into a row with his students and often tells them to bugger off. Even so, the chance for some spotted dick for only a few quid seemed just lovely to me. Plus, I was knackered from all the walking, felt like I'd been traveling at least a fortnight, and desperately needed the loo.

American translation= I think Gordon is a guy who is brash and ornery. His food is extraordinary, but he does seem to enjoy arguing and fighting with his students, while sometimes telling them to get lost. My chance to have a well known English dessert for only a few dollars was super. After all, I was tired from the walking and felt like I had been on the road for two weeks. And, I really needed to use the restroom.

I never met a pasta dish I didn't like and this one was no exception at Gordon Ramsay's "Plane" Restaurant

No Sign of Gordon

If you ever find yourself in terminal 5 at Heathrow-- check this place out

The New Terminal 5 at London Heathrow

The "Full English" accompanied by the HP Brown sauce


By the way, spotted dick is a sponge and sweet pudding with raisins or currants in it. It is usually served with hot custard and very popular in England.


Lights out.

Surprise-- I'm Home

This past weekend we traveled to Tampere, (the second largest city in Finland) to take on the Saints. We started off a bit slow, playing like a team coming off a game we had at times dominated, but still lost just the week before. Our first quarter hangover put us in a 7-0 hole and we just seemed out of sync. After settling down a bit and regrouping, the team found its way back on track and led 14-7 at the half. We made a few adjustments at the intermission and then came out after the break with more consistent play. We ended up with a 31-10 victory. Next week, we travel to Helsinki to take on the Wolverines. We have to play much better if we hope to beat this team on their home field next weekend.

Now, on to the rest of my weekend. After the Saints game, the family of our starting defensive end Janne took me to the train station at Tampere to begin my long journey home for the weekend. Once I realized the schedule for the season back in February, I began to plan a surprise trip home to see my family. The idea of not seeing my family for a period of 45 days was too much for me to deal with. I noticed a Friday night game on the schedule and then a Sunday evening game for the following week. With the extra time between games, the fact that we have a second American coach, and the approval of the management, I set to work on booking some flights and trying to keep the secret from my Estalita and the kids.

Needless to say, there were some challenges along the way. My wife has the in born 6th sense that all mothers seem to possess, so I had to find a way to keep the credit card statements from her. I involved my brother-in-law and sister-in-law in this clandestine operation and even set up a secret email account for flight itineraries and communication purposes, etc...

Then, there were some other unexpected curve balls along the way, like the Icelandic volcano, the threat of an eruption by the second larger volcano, and even some last minute flight cancellations because of the current British Airways cabin crew strike.

After navigating through all of these hurdles and a few late trains and minor flight delays, I was able to arrive back in Philadelphia Saturday afternoon. I set it up for my family to go to my brother-in-laws restaurant and sports bar (Torino's) for some pizza and this is where I showed up unannounced. Estalita and the kids were in shock and very surprised to say the least. Over the last few days, we have been enjoying the 90 degree weather in Maryland and spending time outside swimming, barbecuing, watching movies, and playing ball with the kids. Oh the joys of being home. Air conditioning, sweet tea, and soft toilet paper! I could go on and on, but these last 72 hours have been well worth the efforts it took to get here.

I am catching my flight back to Europe this afternoon and will hopefully be back in Finland sometime very late on Wednesday night. I am so thankful for the time and opportunity I had to come home and reconnect with my family.

A kayaker navigates his way down the river in Seinajoki

A nice day to be out on the water

The Tampere Saints doing their pre-game stretch

The Crocs are poised to take the field

Former Croc and current Rooster player Charles McCrea during pre-game warm-ups