The Predominant Way of Life in Calcutta

Today, I wanted to post some photos that capture the stark contrast between my everyday life here ( based on yesterday's photos) and the reality of the situation for more than half the people. Remember, Calcutta has around 15 million in total population, and some 60% of them are unemployed. I have visited some poor areas before in places like China, Mexico, Colombia, Honduras, and even eastern Europe. However, I have never seen anything like what I am witnessing here on a daily basis. Pictures cannot do it justice, but I think it's important to at least try and portray what we see here all around us. When I say all around us, I literally mean 30-50 paces outside our hotel in every direction will put you into some of the roughest slums around. Please understand this isn't limited to certain regions. This is the reality of what we've see here in 99% of the areas of the cities we've visited. Despite the hardships, the Indian people have an amazing spirit, incredible resiliency, and are seemingly the most pleasant people I have met during my travels to 40+ countries.

One of the vegetable/flower markets we visited recently-- In this area, the people were rolling up piles of feces with their hands to be used for fuel

Family ties run deep here as families tend to share what resources they have, no matter how little it may be

We wondered into this slaughter house/housing area. It was absolute squalor, with animals being slaughtered everywhere as we walked thru. There were cats, sick dogs, birds, rats the size of dogs, goats, all competing for space in this building. Birds and rats were eating from stacks of freshly butchered meat. People were sleeping on the meat counters, knives would be used to butcher an animal, and then to cut fruit, right after being picked up off the ground. The sights and smells we all witnessed here is something we are all still talking about.

Locals lathering up before taking a dip into the Ganges River--- the dirtiest body of water I have ever laid eyes on. The river is full of dead things, including people, animals, chemicals, and unspeakable amounts of trash. Locals use this water for bathing, laundry, cooking, etc... and the river is also considered to be very sacred to many based on religious principles.

A kid begins to boil a freshly butchered animal, with other animals laying on the dirty ground.

More bathers in the Ganges

This girl approached me asking if I had anything for her. I only had some candy left that I'd brought with me from America to hand out, so she was happy to secure a few pieces of bubble gum to share with her sister.

There are literally thousands of residents who crowd around the banks of this massive river

A friendly game of cards beside the railroad tracks

Trash is everywhere you look along the riverbanks

And also in the river itself

Some local boatmen on the Ganges

These old friends were kind enough to allow me to snap their photo

These fellows were also ok with me taking their picture

A final image as I walk along the tracks, where people can be found in large numbers, sometimes sleeping, within inches of where high speed trains pass by frequently.



Lights out.

Our Lives in Calcutta

So far, things are going okay with the group we're now working with in Calcutta. The stadium that we practice in has turf, and it is the second largest stadium in Asia. It has a seating capacity for over 120,000 spectators. Our practice schedule has changed nearly a dozen times already in the two days we've been working here, but we are adjusting and learning to roll with the punches. There are some very high profile professional soccer teams that use this field on a regular basis, so we're having to adjust our schedule around theirs. Another nice thing about this stadium is the fact that it's only a 10-15 minute walk from our hotel. It beats spending 3-4 hours in the car each day, a reality we had to deal with in one of the other cities we've worked in. Tomorrow, I will post some photos that I've taken of the city, and you will be able to see how our group is living, compared to how most of the rest of the citizens of Calcutta are living.

The Kolkata Vipers warming up before practice

The offensive line getting ready for some drill work

I have about 14 linemen to work with here, about half the total I had last week in Pune

Coach Tony working on "drops" with his quarterbacks

The massive pool at our hotel

A very tropical setting

Our hotel is bright, comfortable and roomy, a stark contrast to the images I'll show you tomorrow



Lights out.

No SuperBowl---- Ouch!!!

Thought I'd post some pictures from our last day in Pune. We had a very productive and competitive scrimmage on Saturday. After the game, our coaching group spent close to an hour posing for pictures, and signing autographs. The autograph sessions were definitely new territory for me. It was a strange feeling to be asked to sign so many notebooks and jerseys. We all had fun with it, and the energy and enthusiasm displayed by the Pune coaching staff and players was something that I will never forget. Groups of players literally picked us up off our feet and tossed each one of us up into the air. It was some of the best fun I've ever had.

As I write this blog, I am sitting here watching the BBC news as I've pretty much given up on watching the Super Bowl. I got up at 4:30 am this morning Indian time to watch the big game, but the internet server here at the hotel is not allowing me to receive any live streaming feeds. I have tried a few other sites, including NBC sports, but I've had absolutely no luck. There were a few other sites I know of that were offering sporting game feeds, but they have recently been shut down. I'll just have to stay updated on the score on NFL.com and catch a replay of the game when I return to the states next week.

Coach "Raj" is an incredible person and an excellent leader for the Pune Tigers

Can you say "Passion"

The Tigers worked hard all week and made big strides in their individual and team development

We made lots of new friends in Pune

Tony Simmons about to go Airborne

Thanks again to the Pune players and coaches for a truly amazing week!!



Lights out.

My Next Stop is Calcutta

Our time here in Pune is drawing to a close, and the team has made great strides this week. I received an itinerary yesterday with flight info. for our next destination. Our group is heading to Calcutta, India. Calcutta is another massive city in India, (they're all big!), with a population around 14 million. It is located in the state of West Bengal, within a stone's throw of Bangladesh.



When I think of Calcutta, I always think of Mother Theresa. I have read a few books about her life and the work that she did in the slums of Calcutta during her lifetime. Mother Theresa actually started out teaching at a high school in the city in the early 1930's, but the poverty she witnessed outside the school moved her to leave her post as a teacher and begin working with the poor. She relied on Divine Providence to fund her efforts, mainly focusing on the sick, orphaned, and dying. The 1979 Nobel Peace Prize winner had periodic struggles with her own faith, but she never wavered in her care for those who were largely shunned by the majority of society. Her selflessness and genuine love and regard for the disadvantaged, has inspired a generation of people to make a difference.

Lights out.

Coaching in Pune

Our group flew from Chennai on the southeast coast of India to Pune on Sunday afternoon. This will be our base of operations for the next 7 days. Pune is located on the western coast of India. It is a part of the state of Maharashtra, and there are 4 million people who live here. The city is known for its high tech engineering, and it is a leading IT hub of India. The weather here is hot every day, with temps. averaging around 85-90 degrees. There is rarely a cloud in the sky, so we are all getting a lot of sun.

Our coaching group in Pune: Tony, Mark, Johnny, Stan, Eric, & Deante

Pune players warming up before practice on Monday

Stan helping to get the offensive huddle set. I just saw Stan off for his departure to Europe. He is flying to Turkey early this morning, then on to Germany, and finally to Poland. He will be playing football in Poland this season, his seventh season as a player and/or coach of American football in Europe.

Members of the Pune defensive line wait for the offense to line up.

Coach Tony Simmons instructing his linebackers

Our coaching team- along with a group of students who train year round in judo at one of the sports centers near our training facility in Pune. We watched these young athletes compete and they are truly talented athletes. They live at the training center year round and train 6 hours a day in their sport, in addition to going to school on grounds at the complex. Many in this group are at the world championship level, and a few of these athletes are Indian Olympic hopefuls in judo.

Me and "Coach Raj"-- He is the head coach of the Pune team and one of the nicest guys I've met during my time in India. He is learning the game of American football quickly, and it's evident that his players have great respect for him.


Lights out.

How Much Is Enough?

The simple picture at the end of this blog post of a couple of fishermen out in the Indian Ocean got me to contemplating a post that I completed about three years ago. The post addressed why I left my job in college coaching. I have reposted most of this particular blog, leaving out the parts about going to Europe to coach. During that time in my life, I'd let things get out of balance. This was a result of working too many hours, wearing too many hats, and not taking enough time to smell the roses.

The decision to come to India and the realities that I witness here on a daily basis have certainly caused me to reconsider many aspects of my life again. One such thought is, Am I giving enough to help those in need around me? I claim to be a person of considerable faith, but what am i really doing on a daily basis that requires faith in my life? In all actuality, I do very little on a daily basis that requires any decent measure of faith. I have clean water, hot food, a roof over my head, money in the bank, which is unlike most of those around me here.

When I witness the pure unbridled joy in the eyes of the school children here, I have to wonder, how can they possibly have so much joy? They are so happy. Maybe it's because they aren't even aware of all the things they don't have. Of course, this is only mere speculation on my part. I only know what I have seen firsthand throughout my time in India thus far. There is a simplicity to life here that rivals anything I've ever experienced.

Again, here is the repost and then a short story about a fisherman.

Where was the joy in my life? I have to admit most of the people I was around were miserable too. I was allowing myself to live in a box that I had created and much of what I was experiencing daily was self-imposed. Nobody was holding a gun to my head and demanding that I carry on living this way. The reason I continued down this dark road is that I got comfortable even when living in dysfunction. My desire to be a people pleaser probably also contributed to the mess I was in. I was always taking on more at work, and then my family were the ones who would suffer for it. The decision to change had to come from within. I realized that I needed to awaken and begin to swim upstream against the current. My goals were actually quite simple. I wanted to create more time for personal reflection, and live a more simple life. I would get outside and explore nature and all that God has created. I wanted to tap into my passions, and reconnect with my family in a deeper and more lasting way.

Many of these ideals are what Henry David Thoreau was searching for when he went to live at Walden Pond in 1845. Thoreau felt that outside forces dull and subjugate the inner man, especially materialism and constant labor. He emphasized the importance of surmounting the obstacles that materialistic society places in the path of the individual. When he made his journey to Walden, he sought self-improvement and a desire to cultivate his intellectual and spiritual needs. The world we live in and the busyness we are all a part of can really choke and suppress what we might be. Essentially, I am talking about living more in the present and leading a more deliberate life. The culture you live in will always tell you that you need more "things" to make you happy. Here is a short story that illustrates the contentment and fulfillment that can be attained through living a simple life. The story also illustrates how others/society will try and influence us to pursue principles or ideals that have less meaning and significance.

How Much is Enough?

The American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fishermen docked. Inside the small boat were several large fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied only a little while.

The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish?

The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs.

The American then asked, “ but what do you do with the rest of your time?”

The Mexican fishermen said, “ I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life.”

The American scoffed, “ I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat, and with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually, you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise.

The Mexican fisherman asked, “ But how long will all this take?’

To which the American replied, “15-20 years.”

“But what then?”

The American laughed and said that’s the best part. “When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions.”

“Millions?” asked the fisherman, “Then what?”

The American said, “ Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evening, sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos!”

Author Unknown

Lights out.

Back On Track

I am finally back online after being mostly in a state of confusion, agony, and misery over the past 72 hours. Some sort of sinister south Indian virus decided to attack me starting sometime on Tuesday. After a doctor's visit on Wednesday night, some more herbs (thanks mom), rest, and a ton of fluids, I am back to about 70% health. I am going to try and hang on and finish my five week commitment because there is so much left to see and do while I am here.

Most of you know that I am a person who has a strong faith in Jesus Christ, so I am also thankful to the Lord for helping me battle my illness here in India. When I got sick, I made a decision to thank God for the struggle that was placed before me.

Now on to some football talk.

The teams we are working with are making great strides, and I have never experienced anything quite like the total effort, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn that these athletes bring to each and every practice. I am not exaggerating when I say these guys would run through a brick wall for us if we instructed them to do so.

Today was our last day working with the Chennai Swarm of the EFLI, and we are leaving tomorrow afternoon to fly to Pune. This team doesn't have the numbers that some of the other teams in the league have, but they have the chance to be a really solid team. They have treated us well during our stay here, and it was really sad to say goodbye to everybody after this morning's practice. In fact, the goodbyes took close to an hour. There were lots of high fives, hugs, photos, dancing. The Swarm players literally took us off our feet, throwing us up into the air to show their happiness and appreciation for our visit. This was certainly a new experience for me. I have had many a Gatorade shower, but going airborne was definitely a new high for me. (hope you enjoyed the pun!)

Here are some images from the last 3-4 days in Chennai.

This poor man just epitomizes what so many of the under privileged must endure. He didn't ask for a thing from me, but I felt compelled to give him 10 bucks. The smile he offered me was worth more than the money.

Typical traffic in the city on the way back from practice

Almost snuck away in this rickshaw before they caught me! These 3 wheeled vehicles serve the same function as American taxi cabs and there are literally millions of them in India.

Our last practice in Chennai took place on the beach. These guys reminded me of the Indian version of Venice Beach, California. Venice Beach is also known as Muscle beach and is full of weightlifters and body builders.

Another first for me. On the beach scrimmage. The team does these scrimmages on Saturdays as a way to open the game up to the public and draw in new interest to the sport.

One of our DB/WR Coaches- Mark Philmore. Mark is a very friendly and bright young coach. In this photo, he is explaining the rules of American football to some curious bystanders. Mark played college football at Northwestern, and then wide receiver with the Chicago Bears.

Our QB Coach- Stan Bedwell preparing to be tossed into the air

The Storm in the shotgun formation

Me and my Dline and Oline that I had the pleasure of teaching this week

They talked me into it!!

Looking off into the Indian Ocean. The devastating tsunami that struck this part of the world some 7-8 years ago now, devastated this very beach. More than 200 people in this area lost their lives when the big waves struck.

Stan has been a great roommate here in India. I was his college coach when he played at Trinity nearly 8 years ago. He is now entering his 7th season of playing and coaching football overseas. He sat in my living room in the winter of 2005, telling me his dream was to get paid while continuing to play football, and also see the world. At that point in his life, he'd barely been out of Arkansas. Now some 25 countries later and counting, he is enjoying the life he one day only dreamed of.

One last picture of the Chennai Storm and our coaching staff.


Lights out.