First Live Action

Our scrimmage with Nokia allowed us to get some important reps for both sides of the ball on Saturday evening. Nokia plays in a lower division than us and they seemed to be missing several of their players. Five of our first seven running plays resulted in touchdowns, so it is hard to really estimate where we stand in relation to other Maple League teams. We appreciate the guys from Nokia coming up here for the scrimmage and the effort they gave on the field.

Sunday was an off day, so I focused on getting my laundry done and writing up our running plays against various fronts for our Oline. We only have about 25% of our offense in at this point, so we have a lot more teaching and installation to do before our home opener in two weeks.

We have practices everyday again this week and then some testing at a sports training facility on Thursday. I will be traveling out to the same training facility tomorrow morning with our other American coach Todd Klugh to speak at a seminar at the sports institute. It will be similar to the talks I gave last summer on team building and attitude/motivation. These seminars are something I enjoy, and it allows me to get out and meet Finnish business people from all walks of life. Many of them are very curious about life in America.

There are still snow banks all around the field-- I failed to pack enough warm clothes for the temps we've been getting since I arrived!

Team Nokia

American import Robert Bishop warming up during pre-game

That is team captain Thomas Cekken in the center of the picture-- He is as intense as any football player I have ever been around

One of our new defensive players we signed for the 2010 season-- Ollie played for the Roosters last season, as you can see by his helmet

Men in Black-- Me with Coach Todd Klugh-- Todd hails from New York. He is doing a superb job with our defense.

The Crocs defense is ready


Lights out.

Eve of the Nokia Scrimmage

I finished up with practice this evening around 8pm and then walked around town for about an hour before returning to the apartment. On the way out for my walk, I decided to snap a few pictures of the apartment/area where I am currently living. It is less than half a mile from where we stayed last summer.

We have our first scrimmage tomorrow evening against a team from Nokia. This is the same town that is known globally for its Finnish cellular brand namesake. I don't know much about the team coming in here tomorrow. They are a lower division team, but I am expecting a very tough and competitive group of players to arrive for the game. We are missing some of our key guys and our practices have been less than stellar over the past few days. Our defense is making some nice strides, but our offense is having a lot of mental breakdowns. We have a lot of work to do and improvements that need to be made before our Maple League schedule begins in two weeks. We open the season on May 22nd at home vs. the Helsinki Roosters. The Roosters knocked us out of the semifinals of the playoffs last season on a long scoring pass with less than 10 seconds left to play in the game. They look to be very tough again this season. Speaking of Roosters, check this bird out!

Took this photo right out behind my apartment

Here is the front of my apartment-- I dwell on the 3rd floor

View from my window

my room is the top floor on the right

the path I take to walk to the practice field

thin crispy crust, cloves of garlic, chicken, feta cheese--Sofram Pizza is out of this world.

Lights out.

A Second Time Around

I finally made it to Finland after about 27 straight hours of traveling, which included about 11 hours in the air, 5 hours by train, and a mere 45 minutes on the bus. Of course, the 27 hours does include the 5 hour layover in Frankfurt, Germany.

Things have been very busy since I arrived in Seinajoki. We have been getting our phone and internet connections sorted out, helping the import players get situated, and setting up our practice schedules. My initial accomodations weren't the greatest, so I have relocated to another apartment in town. It is close to where I lived last year, but it looks like I will be moving again at the end of the month.

We have had two practices already and there is great potential on this team. We are still missing many of our regular players, so we should be closer to full strength by next week this time.

The weather has been very chilly compared to back home. When I left Maryland on Saturday, it was 91 degrees. It has been in the 50's here during the day and evening practice temps. are probably in the mid to upper 40's. It is already getting light out at around 3:30 am, so I know we'll be close to 21-22 hours of daylight within the next 2-3 weeks.

I have only been here 3 days and here is what I've experienced so far.
1. one flat tire while driving the white bomber-- check
2.one parking ticket while parking directly in front of a bank--check
3. one administered breathalyzer test while driving back to my apartment (no, I was not drinking)--check
4. two drunks, one being thrown out of a restaurant and another keeping me up most of the night at my first apartment--priceless

For those who love Finland, it pays to discover. (ok, some of you may not get this!)

Anyway, I really am having a great time and it is good to be back. I miss my family dearly and can't wait for their arrival next month.

Here are a few pics from my journey over to Finland.

A businessman on a bicycle at the Frankfurt, Germany Airport

Lufthansa planes lined up at Frankfurt International

I think there is a bread shortage in Germany. I have seen this before when traveling here. A big bratwurst and a small bun can be a tough eating challenge. It leaves very little room for the onions, mustard, and kraut.

German race cars in the airport-- Not sure about the Hess sponsorship though?

Saved the best pic for last-- This one is for my son Kodie. I didn't realize U.S. Airways had such great taste in football teams.

Lights out.

T minus 40 hours

Well, the time has nearly come. In less than two days, I will be making my way back to Finland for my second season of coaching American football in Europe. I am returning to the Seinajoki Crocodiles and look forward to reuniting with all the veteran players and meeting an exciting core of new players. Hopefully, the volcano in Iceland has calmed down for the time being and things will go smoothly on the way over.

It looks as if we'll be staying in a familiar setting in the city center of Seinajoki. It is a great location with convenient access to shopping, parks, walking trails, and of course our favorite pizza place--- Sofram!

It will be nice to get back into a regular coaching routine, but I know I'll be counting the days until Estalita and the kids can leave to join me in Finland. I will hit the ground running again this season as our first practice begins on Tuesday and then our first scrimmage is scheduled for just four days later. I don't think we'll have too much in by then, but I sort of like the sense of urgency it creates.

The blog will also return in full force once I get settled in after my arrival. I hope to get back to posting several times a week and reporting on all the fun and peculiar situations we seem to get ourselves into. There will be plenty of pictures again this year on the blog, so stay tuned.

Lights out.

Oh Ben, Say it isn't So

I have sat back, watched and listened, while the NFL considered the facts in the Big Ben sexual assault/harassment case. I was not surprised to see the league suspend the QB for six games to start the 2010 NFL season. Most people who read this blog know I am a passionate Steelers fan, but I too am disgusted with the behavior of our franchise quarterback. I have long bragged that the Steelers organization is built on principles like loyalty, character, integrity, and patience. We have never been the type of team to chase the Terrell Owens or Pac-Man Jones of the professional football world. In fact, when one of our young players shows signs of questionable character, or is fixated on becoming a "Me" player (See also Plaxico Burress, Joey Porter, etc...), the organization generally shows these players the door. Now, the team finds itself between a rock and a hard place because of the actions of a few of its players ( See also, Ben and Santonio Holmes). Holmes was shown the door last week, and the Steelers are rumored to be entertaining offers for their star QB.

I have long been troubled by the behavior of pro athletes off the field, but that is only a microcosm of what is happening in modern society. The most baffling part of all of this for me is how willing these athletes are to throw it all away. Most of them will make more in a year than any of us will ever make in a lifetime, yet they are willing to throw it all away for a few thrills in a nightclub. I have always believed that nothing good happens in any establishment that serves alcohol after midnight. I guess we have to ask ourselves why athletes continue to put themselves in such compromising situations. Perhaps, its because they feel invincible or somehow protected from all the power, money, and adulation that follows them wherever they go.

I read an article about Ben several months ago before all of this surfaced. He was asked a question about the hardest job he ever had. His response was that he has never had a job outside of football. I actually found it rather sad that he doesn't have any work experience outside of being a football player. I believe there is something to be learned from washing dishes in a busy kitchen, putting shingles on a hot roof, or marching in formation under a hot sun. These sorts of tasks aren't associated with making lots of money, idol worship, or scoring with the ladies. Rather, they teach one the importance of hard work, discipline, and how to get through life's hurdles without a posse, publicist, or grandiose sense of entitlement. We have built the modern athlete up so much by massaging their egos and closing our eyes to their discretions. The only thing we ask in return from them is that they win. Just maybe, we ought to start asking our heroes to be more self-less. Isn't that what a hero really is anyway? Did the countless men and women who rushed to help those trapped in the burning towers on 9/11 stop to think of themselves first?

Isn't it time we also start demanding that our athletes learn a little more about being humble. Instead, we put way too much attention on pride in our society. In fact, I have seen hundreds of t-shirts in my day that have the letters P-R-I-D-E printed on them, but I have yet to come across one that had H-U-M-I-L-I-T-Y as the main slogan. Now, I know that athletes who deflect attention from themselves aren't generally going to make the headlines on Sportscenter, but there is something to be said for giving some credit to the other guy. Let's start teaching young athletes that humility is the first step to building a great team. If they don't want to buy in to the humility message, then we can point to athletes like Tiger and Big Ben as great examples that Pride Cometh Before the Fall.

Lights out.

Flicks and Food

I don't get out to the movies much these days and the ones that I do see are usually of the animated sort. I normally attend these films with my 3 kids and find many of them to be quite good. The latest film of this genre that we had a chance to see is the Alice In Wonderland Film. I thought the special effects were exceptional and Johnny Depp delivers another unique performance. He has mastered the art of being an 'eccentric' and he reminds me of a chameleon when it comes to the multitude of roles that he takes on. I don't think I remember Alice in Wonderland as having such a dark or scary theme, but I still think this film is worth seeing.

I also recently watched 'Up In The Air'' starring George Clooney while I was essentially up in the air on a plane traveling to Finland last month. I share the excitement with Clooney's character for maxing out reward points and trying to circumvent all the hassles of modern airline travel. I have some of my own secrets of the trade like always wearing slip on shoes so I can get through security lines faster as well as never getting behind families when I'm in line. I like to travel light and see just how much I can condense into the ziplock bags I use for packing much of my clothing. I must admit I've always had an affinity for hotels and airports. Let me clarify that! Airports in the days prior to Sept. 11th are what I mean specifically. These days navigating through all the red tape and security checks at the airport can be rather stressful. Plus, airline service on American carriers has gone down the tubes. Most of them now employ the strategy of nickel and diming passengers for everything from snacks, to aisle seats, to luggage charges. Just this past week, one U.S. carrier took the bold move to start charging passengers for carry on luggage as well. How long before most of the others follow suit? In any case, I will always equate airports as the link to fresh horizons and the starting point for new adventures. There is something exciting about staying in a hotel for me as well. I estimate that I've spent about 2 years of my life staying in motels/hotels. There is something electric about walking into a nice facility and checking out all the amenities that await you. The only downside is getting some 30 year old mattress or pancake like pillows that cause back and neck problems for 3 days after your stay. When I was 20, I could sleep on a bed of nails and not complain, but those days are gone. Clooney never complains about bad bedding in the movie, but anyone who travels as much as his character does is sure to have some negative experiences.

Since I'm on the subject of entertainment, let me just say that I am now hooked on Chef Jamie Oliver's new show called America's Food Revolution. Jamie has set out to change the garbage style food that is being served in American schools. His journey begins in America's most obese city... Huntington, West Virginia. This show will absolutely and positively blow your mind. It goes a long way in explaining why American schools are losing ground on the world scene. We are 100% depriving our children's bodies and brains of the nutrition they need to be at their best in the classroom. The school my children attend is no different from the one Jamie is trying to change. The sad part is that most Americans think Jamie is the one with the problem. Here are some brief facts from the show. Kids are being served pizza for breakfast, chicken nuggets for lunch, and then hamburgers for lunch the next day. Many of the younger kids couldn't identify foods like tomatoes, broccoli, potatoes, or cauliflower. Jamie is chastised by the school food supervisor when one of his meals ( a 7 vegetable and meat stir fry) has to be altered because it is missing a bread. Meanwhile, kids are walking through the next line with a burger and fries and this passes the grade. The fries count as a vegetable and the burger is protein. I almost forgot the bread on the hamburger meats the bread requirement for this particular combination. Another enjoyable moment is when Jamie realizes that most young American children cannot properly use a knife and fork in conjunction with one another. In fact, this particular school didn't even have any knives on hand and they rarely seemed to use forks. There isn't much need for these utensils when pizza, burgers, fries, nachos, and chicken nuggets are so often on the menu. I won't spoil any more of this show for you, but you've got to check this program out.
Guess that is all for tonight. Time to watch a movie and get something to eat!

I leave for Finland in 20 days!-- Lights out.

A Reason To Celebrate

This past Tuesday evening family and friends gathered in Bel Air, Maryland to celebrate my brother-in-law and sister-in-laws new business. Nick and Jenna Molyneux are the proud new owners of Torino's Restaurant and Sports Bar. I know both of them will be adding some personal touches to this establishment including a brand new name, which will soon be revealed. I know I'm biased, but I believe this business is going to continue to grow and expand with Nick and Jenna at the helm. Both of them bring a lot of knowledge, enthusiasm, and creativity to the table. I applaud them for working hard to make this dream a reality. The opportunity to be with them to celebrate their first night as new business owners just reinforces why Estalita and I chose to move back to Maryland after being away for close to 15 years. Congratulations Nick and Jenna!!

Torino's Restaurant and Sports Bar

New business owners - Nick and Jenna Molyneux

Sophie and Natalie -- Artists at work

My dinner for the night-- Chef Duff's homemade meat loaf--WOW!!

An American classic-- Onion Rings

" I thought seniors were supposed to get 10% off."

Kaylin and her cousin Jacob; He is on holiday all the way from Rochdale, England

Molyneux's are photogenic by nature-- Great smile Sophie!

Torino's is full of classy pictures --- Just like this one # 59 Jack Ham

Think it was Ryan Wetnight if I'm not mistaken

The Bishops and Molyneuxs are in the house

Think I know where I'll be watching Steelers games next season

Lights out.