Monday, June 25, 2012

My Friend Ahmed and a EuroBall Update


Monday was a day to catch up on my blogging and prepare for our four day mini-vacation starting Tuesday in France in the cities of Lyon and Avignon.

It was also a day to check the official Swiss American Football League website to see how the other games in Switzerland turned out. I was very disappointed to see that our cancelled game Sunday in Fribourg was listed as a 0-0 tie.

Granted, neither team was at fault for the injury to the Head Referee in the U-19 game that caused the cancellation, so clearly a forfeit was not in order.

Similarly, even though we outscored Fribourg 28-6 in the non-kicking game Friendly, it was still a scrimmage not a game so we did not deserve to get credit for a win nor did Fribourg deserve another loss on their record.

We agreed to the course of action taken, in part, because the outcome of the game would not alter the league standings. Instead of giving each of us the one team point for a tie game, I believe, that since no game was played, neither team earned anything yesterday other than keeping their records at 4-5 for Thun and 0-9 for Fribourg.

That is just my opinion.


NLB Week #14 Results:
Thun 0 - Fribourg 0 Game Cancelled
Basel 41 - LUCAF 7
BYES: Geneva and Luzern

Final NLB Regular Season Standings:
Basel Meanmachine 10-0
LUCAF Owls 7-3
Luzern Lions 6-4
Thun Tigers 4-5-1
Geneva Seahawks 2-8
Fribourg Cardinals 0-9-1

2012 NLB Championship Game
Sunday, July 1, 2012
LUCAF 7-3 at Basel (10-0)


My Bus Riding Buddy,
Ahmed 


On Mondays and Wednesdays, Ahmed and I both catch the 5:17 #31 bus from the bus stop in front of Helvetica on our trip to the Thun Bahnhof. Once there, he will catch the #1 bus while I await the next departure on the #5 line.


I am on my way to our U-16, U-19 and/or Senior practices while Ahmed is on his way to a soccer practice. Because I carry three rather bulky blocking shields to practice each night, Ahmed's curiosity got the best of him and he struck up a conversation one day.


As it turns out he is 11 years old, speaks five languages (English is not necesarily one of them), is from Chechnya, has a brother and a sister, is Muslim, so does not eat pork (or pig flesh as he put it), has only eight holes in his wristwatch band while I have ten, collects Pannini Euro2012 soccer stickers, and also has a judo workout on Thursday nights.


He is working hard on teaching me my colors, numbers and days of the week in German each time we ride the bus.


It may be working.


We only had a U-16 practice tonight and worked hard on tackling and offensive line fundamentals.


GOOD workout!

The 2012 Italian Super Bowl
is coming up on July 7th

I wonder who is playing? 


Well what do you know,
It's Catania vs. Parma!


Yes, the 10-2 Catania Elephants edged the 9-4 Bolzano Giants 30-27, while the 10-2 Parma Panthers hammered the 10-3 Bologna Warriors 42-20 in the two IFL semi-final games over the weekend.


The IFL Super Bowl will be played in the northern Italian town of Varese on July 7 at 8:30 p.m.


When the Panthers traveled to Catania to play the Elephants on April 15 in Week #6 of the IFL season, the Sicilian squad prevailed 20-17.


It should make for a GREAT Super Bowl!


GO ELEPHANTS GO!!!

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