I survived

We did it. We survived the coldest game ever played at soldier field (and all without any hunting outer garments). -12F (-24C for my friends in the UK). Great game, lots of tradition and a fight song that made it feel a little more like a college game (it might also be that we were in the cussing bears season ticket holder section with Packers stuff on). Great experience and a great stadium.

Made it on to our final flight after they sold our seats because they “assumed” we wouldn’t make it from Chicago. We’d only been sitting in the airport for five hours. So much for airline security and the ability to track customers. We held the plane ransom, actually just refused to get off (managed to delay it a further 15 minutes – I guess that my 15 minutes of fame (at least the passengers on flight 3178) and they finally offered someone a free ticket. No way I was flying to Boston, then Albany on the eve of Christmas eve, having been waiting all day in DC. I was amazed at how quickly The US Airways staff blamed their supervisor and didn’t work to alay my concerns as a customer. It was first blame and then think about problem solving without any compensation for the affected customer. Not a great reflection on the culture the company seems to be creating. Anyhow finally home and glad for the whole experience.

Soccer Update

Soccer’s been a little hit and miss lately, but I did make it out tonight. 2 goals and lots of fun under the lights. As you may remember about 3 months ago after a physical the doctor told me I was obese… Obese? A little over weight, but not obese.

So tonight (didn’t seem any different than any other night) I hear the defense barking out this, “He’s too fast, we’ve got to get ahead of him” (after I’d beat them five or six times). Then this from a teammate, “How are you running so fast?”

Not sure how to take that. “How does an obese guy like you run so fast?” or was it meant to be “how are you able to out run the younger, seemingly more athlete guys on the opposite side of the ball?” or was it just “you’re running pretty fast?” Regardless it made me smile and I score two goals. Love soccer on Monday nights (only two more weeks to go).

It’s here!

College football season is finally here! Unbelievable and looking forward to fun filled Saturday watching football. Hoping to experience my first east coast college football game (Oct 18 VT v Boston College). So much passion. So much drama. And then of course there’s the east coast bias. Oh I just made some of my east coast friends mad. But I’m an east coaster I can say it. How will Oregon do with a new quarterback? Is Georgia really that good? heir whole line is playing in new positions. Here we go! There’s the LA rivalry heating up between USC and UCLA and then of course there’s Tim and Amanda Massie and their wild and crazy support of Virgina Tech. Yeepeeeee.

It just looks wierd!

I’ve had a quite a few people ask how I feel about the circus taking place in and around Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers this off season, knowing that I’m a lifelong Packer Backer. My response: saddness, yet understandable.

I’ve been a lifelong Packer Backer and here we now sit with a young and seemingly talented team with no leader, and three quarterbacks with not one NFL start among them. On the other hand we have Brett Favre heading down Broadway and giving it another shot hoping to make it one more time, and admitting that he’s not physically there yet. Transitions in life are not always clean. As a wise man (Pastor Dick Iverson) once told me, births are always messy. Anytime something new is birthed it’s always going to be somewhat messy. There are always a mixed bag of emotions on either side of the transition. But it’s leadership and focusing on what’s ahead, as well as appreciating what has been, that allows for the future to become reality. While I will forever admire the incredible gun-slinging ability, and genuine passion for the game that Brett Favre has brought to the game, I can’t fault Mike McCarthy and the Packers for deciding that now is the time to step into the next chapter. It might be rough for a year or two, but if they can keep this talented young team together who knows where they may end up. Certainly this transition has been messy and only time will tell what this grows up to be.

Week 2 of Soccer at Clifton Park Commons

(with the old, gray haired slightly overweight guys – actually most are pretty fit).

95 degrees
900% humidity
Scored two goals
Lasted about an hour before passing out.

Pure Entertainment

So if you’re not a football (soccer for the Americans amongst us) fan, you’re probably not even aware the Euro 2008 is taking place right now… just watched the Netherlands v Italy match. Italy being the world cup winners, you might have expected them to have the upper hand. Not to be. The Dutch win 3-0. And the most impressive thing? They stayed on the attack. There’s a life lesson in there. Often in football once a team gets a lead they relax and defend their lead. Not the Dutch. They kept attacking. I guess the old adage is true. The best defense is a good offense. So stay alert and stay on the offense. I think the Bible says it this way.

Valve

I’ve been looking for a valve to release some stress, help me get some exercise and adjust the pace at which I’ve been living my life for the past couple of months… Today I found it! An informal soccer league on Monday night in Clifton Park. I remember going to the park over the past couple of years watching the “older guys” chase the a ball around the field… tonight I joined the group. Balding, graying, nobody kicks the ball that far, we all have guts and have to stop every 3 minutes for water and oxygen (actually its not that bad). But I’ve got to tell you it was a heck of a lot of fun. Saved a couple of good shots, scored a 35 yarder over the keeper and ended up scoring the winning goal. Sweated and hurt afterwards, but felt great! Can’t wait until next week.