Author: bigdaddc@comcast.net

One of the first tasks on our list (well actually my list per the owners of the Guards) was to try and find a coach for our new enterprise.  Well we don’t use a rolodex anymore … so I pulled out my phone and my notebooks to try and find a match for the Guards.

So, with back and forth conversations with my friends in Switzerland – JC and Matt – I began to formulate a list.  But, then I find out that our majority owner had already interviewed Rip Scherer and was thinking about talking to Hal Mumme via zoom.

I don’t know either of them, but I know they are well respected.  So, I am fine with that – but they are also in the category of “professional job seekers.”  Always looking for the next job.  Nothing wrong with that…they both have impressive resumes and would be great for the job.

But, I now begin the see how some of this is going to work.  So, what do they need me for?

They want my help … but well maybe not so much.  No problem.

I told Matt that I was going to put any work l was doing on finding a coach on hold until Mukka (majority owner) talked with the people who interested him.  I want to help as I said I would – but, not going to waste my time or bother candidates that I knew if management was going off on their own.

After about a week of spinning their wheels with guys asking for the moon and the same salary for that celestial body (those are college thoughts!) and not realizing what football in Europe was like.  I have the ball shot back into my court.

One of my first calls is to June Jones who is one of the most innovative offensive coaches … been a successful head coach in the NFL and Division I football.  He is a fantastic person and a great leader.  I love the man because he is always honest and is extremely thoughtful.

Although he finds it intriguing … not for him.

Jim Herrmann one of the finest defensive coordinators that the University of Michigan ever saw found it “intriguing, but not interested right now.”  He wanted to stay in the XFL (or USFL) as a coordinator with a shot at getting back into the NFL.

I get it … Jim belongs in the big leagues.  He’s the real deal as a coach.

Later, I come to realize that the phrase … “intriguing, but not interested right now.”  Well, it means to move on.

Well, I have some other friends who were bigtime NFL and college coaches as coordinators on defense.  I reach out to my friends Martin Bayless and Ray Horton.

Both great guys and awesome coaches with excellent resumes.  I hear … “intriguing, but not interested right now” from Ray.

Don’t blame him .. he lives in Phoenix and plays golf everyday – owns a plane and flies it all over the west chasing around after that little white ball.

Ironically when the head coach of the Pittsburgh Maulers in the USFL quit in the early part of the training camp … Ray became the new  boss – then they win the championship!  The guy is a fantastic leader and a truly stand up guy.  He brooks no bullshit from idiots.

 Now, Martin was different – he had a genuine interest.  We spent time on the phone and I tried to explain the situation with the European League of Football and the Guards in particular.  The longer we talked the more I thought we might have someone on the line!

In the mean time I had secured an offensive line coach (Bob Palcic), and a defensive line coach (Bert Hill) both friends who I had worked with over the years.

Since I am writing this after the fact (I am traveling back in time with the “Wayback” machine I can say that neither of them coached a down with the Guards … for various reasons they had to withdraw.

 Now contrary to popular belief … I am not the dumbest man in the world.  I continue to mine my football black book and reach out to Jim Zorn.

Now “JZ” is one of my favorite guys.  A great NFL quarterback and later a solid coach including a stint with the Washington Redskins (well that was what the were known as then) as the head coach.

He had also been a head coach in Seattle with either the USFL or XFL or one of those other leagues.  Now he thought coaching in Europe was … “intriguing, but not interested right now.”  Whoops – he said he would love to interview with our group.

So, now we have lined up two viable candidates to spend a zoom meeting with.  Things were looking up for the Helvetic Guards.  I really felt we might be able to land one of them.

We spent some time with each of them on a zoom call and they were both great.

More importantly Mukka (who would have the final call on hiring the coach) was impressed with both of them.  He now would have to make a call.

Both Jim and Martin were impressed with the opportunity …  but “not so fast Kemosabe!”

Jim has too many reservations and he said the team won’t pay enough … he wants to get back into the NFL or the USFL or XFL at the least.  So he is out.

Martin talks with our group again and he just decided to step back and says he wants to get another shot at the NFL like the other guys.  I get it, and like Jim Zorn and Jim Herrmann he deserves it.

But, he recommends an offensive coach … Norm Chow.

So, here comes Norm!

 

 

 

How did all of the ELF stuff get started with me?  I’ve been asked that several times over the past year. Well let’s see…

Let’s jump into the “Wayback Machine” … come on many of you are old enough to remember Mr. Peabody and Sherman on the “Rocky and Bullwinkle Show??”  Ok those of you a little younger think about Marty McFly gets into the time traveling DeLorean automobile and goes back in history in “Back to the Future.”

Same thing guys I’m going back to look at the future.

It’s June of 2022 and I was helping coach the Thun Tigers (our first year in the top level of football in Switzerland).  My time in Switzerland was coming to an end and I was getting ready to head back to the states.

An old friend who I worked a football camp with back in 2018 sent me a message saying we should get together.   JC Williams – a Canadian – wanted me to come down to his home and talk to him about a football project.

So, I hopped on the train and went to visit him at his house somewhere out in the countryside past Wintherthur.  Now this was a good hike for me leaving out of the Thun Bahnhof.  Probably more than two hours.  But, I had time and a train pass – so off I go.

JC had played wide receiver for a few teams in Europe and was pretty well known – especially in northern Switzerland.  He had married a Swiss girl and now was a fulltime resident.

He picked me up at the small train station and we set off for his house.  He was planning on getting the grill going and I sat down for a beer.  Well, that’s what I do – sit down for a beer a lot!

JC told me that he was part of a group that was going joining the European League of Football.  He explained that he and three other guys had put together half the finances and that they also had a majority owner at 51%.  All five of these guys were friends and had played together in Winterthur at one-time.

In my mind…. I am thinking friends and business don’t end up being friends or in business eventually.  Sorry to say I was right – but that’s another story.

The team would be called the Helvetic Guards and be based in Zurich.  That makes sense because if you think about Switzerland and major cities (with airports) you have Zurich, Geneva and Basel (I guess you can count Bern as well).

He told me that he and Matt Hammer (another acquaintance) were going to be “Athletic Directors” and they would be charged with developing a roster and finding coaches.  This is where I would come in.

They wanted me to coach with the team.

I shook JC off by telling him I would help – but my heart was in Thun with the Tigers and their club.  I’d help them build the team and use my contacts to help them build a coaching staff as well.  But my intentions were to stay in Thun.

I must have a giant “S” on my forehead that stands for “Sucker!”

A few nights later I am in the Radison Blu Hotel in the Zurich airport (which is an extraordinary place by the way).  Matt and JC come over to spend some time with me before I leave.

We do an interview via zoom with one of the bigger sports personalities in Switzerland – Manuel Aeberli.  It was fun and as it moved along I swear the “S” on my forehead was pulsating.

But, in my mind I figured I get on the jet the next morning and fly home and in the following weeks things would just go away in regards to the Helvetic Guards.

“Not so fast Kemosabe!”

 

 

In 2020 The European League of Football (ELF) was created with Željko Karajica as the  Chief Executive Officer and Patrick Esume as the Commisioner.  It appears that the goal of the entire operation was to create a professional football league that could be sustained with mostly local players.

By local I mean from the same country not necessarily from the same city or the particular area where the team was located.  The hope was to create interest among the citizens of Europe.

It’s the opposite approach the NFLE (National Football League Europe).  The NFLE made a mistake in thinking Europe would become a giant market if they brought mostly US players to various cities in those countries.

They were right – it is a giant market.  Mostly untapped when it comes to football.  Actually, there is a great deal of interest in football – the NFL games overseas are giant hits.  With the time differences between the continents it is a bit difficult – but quite honestly Europe loves pro football.

Their mistake is believing that Europe would embrace the games and produce big crowds.  Well, without local players the NFLE was destined to fail.

The ELF has an interesting approach.  There is no doubt that you need some talent at key positions like quarterback, speed wide receiver, pass rusher and a cover cornerback.  With that in mind the league rules allow each team to have a total of four imports from either the US, Canada, Japan or Mexico (almost all are from the US).

Each team can also roster six players from another country in Europe other than their home base.  For instance, German teams can add six players from say various countries like France, Austria, Spain etc.

The team in Paris can get a six-man combination from maybe Germany, Spain, Denmark etc.

The rest of the roster has to be generated from the team’s home country.

Currently teams in the league are allowed a roster of 65 players.  The make-up would be 53 active players and 12 practice squad members.  (46 are allowed on game day).

So, in reality you need to try and find 55 players who are “home-grown.”

Not a problem for most European countries with large populations – but Switzerland is small.

The nine countries which have franchises in the ELF population wise:  Germany (83.2 Million), France (64.7M), Italy (58.7M), Spain (47.5M), Poland (41M), Czech Republic (10.4M), Hungary (10.1M), Austria (8.9M), Switzerland (8.7M)

Interestingly enough your “country of origin” is not according to your passport.  But rather to where you started playing football!  We have a few players from western part of Switzerland who live in Switzerland but actually started playing football in France.  Therefore they would count as imports if they played for their actual country!

Teams throughout Europe … most in Germany.

First year (2021) there were eight teams:

• Hamburg Sea Devils (Germany)
• Frankfurt Galaxy (Germany)
• Leipzig Kings (Germany)
• Cologne Centurians (Germany)
• Barcelona Dragons (Spain)
• Stuttgart Surge (Germany)
• Wroclaw Panthers (Poland)
• Berlin Thunder (Germany)

Second year (2022) four teams added :

• Vienna Vikings (Austria)
• Tirol Raiders (Austria)
• Istanbul Rams (Turkey)
• Rhein Fire (Germany)

Third year (2023):

Istanbul withdraws after the second season.

New Teams added:

• Paris Muskateers (France)
• Prague Lions (Czech Republic)
• Helvetic Guards (Switzerland)
• Munich Ravens (Germany)
• Milano Seamen (Italy)
• Fehérár Enthroners (Hungary)

Leipzig Kings withdraw during the season.

Prague suspends play for a week … the league bails the franchise out so they can play.

The European League of Football play with NFL rules with exception of kickoff –  which is designed to be similar to the XFL’s rules.

The ELF overtime rule is like the NCAA format.

Note here:  Referees are improving … but they have a tendency to watch the game and miss things right in front of them.  Often the more powerful and established teams have a definite advantage in games in regards to penalty calls.  I do see it getting better though.

My belief is that the ELF administration is trying to “shine-up” their product and hopefully get the NFL interested enough to put some money into the league.  I’m not sure that this could happen despite the growing popularity of football.

I’m guessing the NFL is happy enough to let someone else spend their money and still come and give the best ELF players a tryout and perhaps even keep one on the practice squad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I said in the Facebook post I’ll expand upon what I wrote there.

After watching our team – the Helvetic Guards –  play in the European League of Football (ELF) this year I came away with a greater appreciation of the players and teams throughout the league.  The ELF is certainly competitive and the level of play has continued to improve over the its three years of existence.

Now, we weren’t able to compete with the majority of the teams we played … but as an expansion team I think we got a lot of things done.  Not enough – there was definitely progress.

Our 3-9 finish in the first year of our franchise was certainly not the result we hoped for.  But, when you examine the season … it’s what we earned.  Looking at the breadth of the schedule I guess you can say we might have been able to do a little better.

Had we played a little more consistently in the opener we might have been able to beat the Dragons in Barcelona in our opening game.  A few weeks later we lost to the Milano Seamen in Italy after our import QB Collin Hill was lost for the season.

Without Collin the early part of our season quickly spun out of control.

Then again … I’m sure both the Dragons and Milan certainly are thinking the same way from the opposite side.  They probably feel that they could have beaten us a second time in the back half of the schedule.

So reality is reality – we ended up 3-9.

There are certain teams that we just could not compete with due to the strength of rosters.  For example, we don’t have anywhere near the talent that the Rhein Fire or the Tirol Raiders have on their team.  These are not excuses – they are just facts.

Along with the Stuttgart Surge they just have access to better players and have fantastic foundations already in place.  We are restricted in our player selection and we have absolutely no physical facilities to work with.

We have basically two practice fields – neither are full sized, neither have goal posts.  Only one has lights (and we practice in the evening.

But, I will explain that as we go on in the next few posts.

Man-for-man (or will the PC police make me say person-for-person?) we can line up against Milano and Barcelona in our division and perhaps Paris, the Cologne Centurians, Prague, and the team in Hungary (Fehervar Enthroners) who play in the other two divisions.

Other than that – our team could not really compare talent man-for-man with the other teams.

Really, once we lost our import QB – Collin Hill – in game three and the inability of our front office to replace him quickly really hurt us.  We had to jury rig our offense and we basically played four games without a competitive player under center.

Everyone knows you cannot win without a quarterback.  Arguably Collin might have been the best thrower in the ELF.  That injury was particularly frustrating because Collin was such a gifted player and so critical to our team.

To become a competitive team there has to be an emphasis on roster development and perhaps creating a scouting department.  But, there has been no discussion about these critical areas to my knowledge.

But, again stories for a later time.

 

 

 

 

Well … come on everyone knows I am going to have some problems and some confusion in my newest (mis)adventure here in northern Italy.

Consider several months ago in Switzerland.

From falling off a train in Bern, riding around Thun on the wrong bus trying to get to football practice.  Getting off at the wrong train station (several times) …. once in the rain in Fribourg.  Getting lost in a tunnel below the Luzern train station and so on and so forth.

Look it’s a new (old) me – things have to be easier in Italy ….. right?

My host Paolo has taken me to the “City Center” of Varese and I decide that it is time to venture out on my own into this interesting area.  Come on, it’s only a few blocks from where I am staying.

I have memorized the route to a bar the Varese Gorillas frequent (imagine that).  At least I think I have.

Honestly I was not going to the Gorilla’s bar ”Te Capi”.   I just wanted to explore a little bit of my new hometown!  Really, I mean it … we have practice tonite so beer drinking is not on the schedule today (now maybe another time I might cruise to “Te Capi” and have a birra or ten.  But not today.

Well, anyway on my way through the alleyway I thought was the way to “Te Capi” – I just can’t find my landmark (the bar) – but no big deal.

Just stay on the same alleyway and I can’t get lost.   Well, maybe not until I decide to branch off to see some interesting shops and restaurants off of my course.  So … make a decision.  Turn left to what looks like some cool places.

Maybe… just maybe I should have turned around and gone home right then and there.

Nah!

I hang a left … take some cool shots of the area and drop my phone.  Yup, dropped the phone and broke the screen … you il stupido!

Obviously that would be aggravating enough – but now I am overseas and a little bit more irritating.  Can still take pictures … I imagine the phone works but have no way of knowing because I don’t have an overseas plan.

No matter because I am not lost.   All I know is that when I return I should only make a right hand turn to get back out of the City Center and home.  Broken phone or not.  Sounds really easy … right??

Not so fast Kemosabe (will I get cancelled for that?)

There are several cool restaurants, shoe and sneaker stores – and the prices are really very low in Italy (that won’t be the case in a few weeks when I get to Switzerland)!

Here’s a little tidbit my friends – Bermuda is the most expensive place to live in the world …Switzerland is second!

Somehow get flipped around like only an idiot (dumbass) like me can do.  Decide it’s time to get back home … a broken phone is bad enough.  Just follow the plan.  You find your alleyway and hang a right and bingo back home.

Now, that was a great strategy.  But, somehow didn’t work out that way.

Made a right hand turn on what I thought was the correct street.  The operative word is “thought”.  Somehow went down the wrong alleyway.

This “City Center” area is truly a warren (college word) of alleyways and narrow connectors with a lot of tight one-way streets.  It is loaded with all kinds of apartments, shops, museums, barbers (there are barbers everywhere Varese – not that I need a haircut).

Well strangely everything does look the same – how would you know dumbass American (??) – you’ve never been there before!

So, I wander around … and wander around … and wander around.  Ducking in and out of alleys – thinking more than once I had found “my alleyway” for an hour.

I know I passed the beautiful Bell Tower at least five times!  I swear that is the truth!

So, how can you ask someone how to get to the opposite side of town … when you don’t even know your address or speak the language.  Yup, dumbass you will die in the alleyways of Varese and be buried in a Pauper’s Grave in Italy (I have good insurance and the “Boss” will make some serious cash!)

Well, I have 60 Euros in my pocket … at least I will die with a full stomach.

I do have sixty Euros in my pocket and I have seen many restaurants, so at least I can survive for a little while.  Maybe someone will find me by accident!

I navigate back thru the narrow alley (these streets are all unnamed by the way) to the Bell Tower and decide on a new tactic of trying to find my way back from that piazza by using a circular pattern.

After about another fifteen or twenty minutes I am seeing some familiar shops and restaurants … well yeah… ”no shit Dick Tracy” you’ve been wandering around for an hour and you have seen many things over and over again.

Then, I hear a familiar voice behind me.  It’s one of the Gorilla players … the “Viking.”  We have already become friends.  We talk and I explain my situation and what happened.

The “Viking” has that look in his eye (“What a dumbass” look).  He doesn’t say it.

Five minutes later the “Viking” helps me escape the City Center alleys … I am out and on my way home.

I might just rename him “Columbus” since he navigated me out of “City Center.”  Oh sorry I guess he never existed because he got cancelled.

Will I do it again? … oh yeah!  Just be more careful.

Hah, what a life!

Fantastic day here in the northernmost part of Italy. My “Roomdog” Paolo somehow got us an invitation at the greatest Brunch in Europe.

Our Gorilla football cornerback Barba – a really fantastic man – picked us up and zipped us around Varese to get to this anticipated dining experience.

(From what I understand Barba = Beard) He has a beautiful one.

The breakfast-lunch affair was held at the home of Marissa and Daniel (Danny, Dan …. I was told to pick whatever I wanted to call him.) It was a tremendous spread. Daniel (Dan, Danny) made all kinds of things but his pancakes were especially good!

Stuff like bacon, beer, toast, salmon, nutella, yogurt, beer, mimosas, peanut butter, beer, Funzies (yeah you figure that one out) …and beer (did I already say beer).

What a wonderful way to spend several hours. It was funny the mix of Italian … which I know a few words…. and translations … then English which they basically all speak and translations.

One thing I have learned over the years is that some of Italian speakers are a little self-conscious of their English. It’s silly – they are very good. Compared to my minimal speaking ability in any language (including English by the way) these people are unbelievable.

Anyway after a few mimosas pretty much everyone was comfortable with telling stories … and translating for the dumbass in the room – me! I absolutely loved the visit.

By the way they have a massive young Bernese Mountain Dog – or small bear – named Polo (please forgive me Polo if I am misspelling your name because you can certainly eat me and sixty five other people in one setting.)

So after this brunch everyone sat around and decided what to do with the ugly American – oh that is me! Should we go to the mountain, the lake, the park, the bar …. run that back you said “the bar”. (Too many people are worrying about my old ass!)

My vote was evident!

So … a decision was made after a truly lengthy discussion – no not to the bar – we went to the park.

Dragging along a case of very large Poretti #5 bottled beer we spent the rest of the day throwing a football around and making sure Polo (the small bear or Bernese Mountain Dog) did not eat the small children in the area.

I found two very attractive women who could throw the ball … Marissa and Ylenia. The men not so much. Oh they were my friends from brunch!

Well … then we went to the bar in the Varese City Center area. Back to “Te’ Capi” which is the homebase of my Italian football friends the Varese Gorillas!

A few hours and several drinks later we pulled up stakes and headed home. For the second or third time here in Italy I attempted (quite vigorously) to pick up the tab … this time rebuffed by a 6’7″ bar master who said my friend Chris was taking care of it.

I honestly told this very large man (who is a basketball player for the Swiss National Team) before we even sat down that I was taking the bill. He said yeah great.

Well, it didn’t turn out that way. What a bunch of BS. He basically told me that I had no voice in the decision. Well he was at least 6-7 so I am not going to get into that!

So I discover this … for hours my friends here in northern Italy will argue, cajole, discuss what to do or where to go but they cannot make a quick decision on where to go, when to go, when to leave.

But they sure as hell can make a quick decision on preventing the dumbass ugly American from paying a bill.

Don’t worry their day is coming!

 

So, I haven’t been able to open up my blog for quite awhile.  I don’t know why, but finding out that there is something going on with Word Press (the company that operates my blog site).

But, when you try to work through their help center the people trying to help you suddenly disappear into some unknown space continuum or wormhole (now guys … that’s some pretty heavy shit from yours truly)!

Anyway, a month later now that I am up and running again I will try and catch up … because I know you are all dying to here about my (mis)adventures in football!

Trust me … it has been a blast to this point.

After landing in Milan – well, it is cloudy and it has been raining on and off.  But, theoretically it should clear up pretty soon.

I have to say last year my six month stay in Switzerland was pretty damn rainy.  My friends there told me that it was as wet a summer as they could ever remember.  I am guessing that was my fault and I just hope I am not bringing bad luck to my friends here in Italy!

Well, my friend Paolo picks me up with two of the Varese Gorilla players.  He is driving a sawed off van that is custom wrapped with the Varese Gorilla logo and colors.  Pretty damn amazing if you ask me!

Along with Paolo – who’s apartment I will be staying at – are Guido (the team’s running back) and Jack who is better known as the “Viking”.

Now the “Gorillamobile” is not the most powerful van I have ever seen.  Also realize we are at the base of the Alps so we are going to driving up and down some pretty big inclines.

But, they aren’t worried so why should I?

It’s pretty much an hour drive from Milan Malpensa Airport (shouldn’t it be a Jetport?? – never get that one.) and we get to Varese and Paolo’s apartment.

Now a little aside here.  About two weeks ago there was a fire in the building where Paolo lives.  Fortunately in the basement and no damage to the structure.

But, there is certainly a smoky odor, and the lights in the stairwell do not work.  Thanks for flashlights that are on your cellphone right??!!

Paolo is so apologetic.  But, what do I care?  I am here to see the area, don’t think I will be in the apartment except to sleep I would think.

I unload my suitcase and then Paolo takes me to the “City Center” to wander around and grab a pizza.  He knows I am dying to try a real Italian pizza.

The “City Center” is a really cool area.  Shops, restaurants all situated upon a warren of alleys, broadways and courtyards.  Beautiful place I have to say.

The pizza is “DNP” – Damn Near Perfect.

OK, now I am guessing that the day is over and I can go home to settle in and maybe wash off some jet lag.

Not so fast “Kemosabe”.  It is Guido’s birthday!  So what do we have to do.  Meet at a bar in City Center and have a birthday celebration right.

While there I met many members of the team and their girlfriends, wives and friends.  It was great.  But, come on that jet lag thing is for real.

Finally somewhere around one in the morning we get home and I can hit the sack!

Since I am writing several of these blogs after the fact – you have to know.  This one o’clock in the morning thing is not going away!

So the long day into night begins with me leaving home for Detroit Metro Airport.  Then to JFK.  From there will fly to Milan Malpense Airport in Italy.  It’s actually not that terrible.

Since you fly over night you actually have a pretty good chance of sleeping or at least resting since they turn off the interior lights.  Then you break through the clouds to find the Alps on one side and Italy on the other.  Unfortunately on this trip .. we leave an hour late from JFK – no reason given and when we land it is cloudy and rainy – so no great shot of the Alps.

The flight was somewhat entertaining though.  I exchange seats with a traveler who’s husband was in the row in front.  No big deal   … I think anyway!  Nothing is ever easy you know.  We get reseated and I am still in an aisle seat – just a row in front and on the opposite side.

Then, just before takeoff the lead flight attendant comes on over the PA system and says “We have a full flight … please remain in your assigned seats – do not change seats due to Covid mandates.”

All of my neighboring seatmates are looking at the three of us involved in this thoroughly terrible thing we did … even if it wasn’t that terrible.  They are laughing and shrugging shoulders as if to say.  “We ain’t squealing on you!”

We remain right where we are … breaking Covid regulation “#6538A sub paragraph B.”  What a crock of shit.  Knowing my history, I will probably be arrested when we land in Italy.  But what can they really do to us … dump us off the jet somewhere over the North Atlantic??

I am now sitting next to a young girl of about nine or so who is obviously traveling with her Dad (on the opposite side).  Early in the flight she dumps her juice on her pants.  Luckily, she has a bag with spare clothes.  She gets changed.  A little while later just after dining service begins she has to use the bathroom.

Cart is blocking her way to the restroom in our section so she tries to go forward to business first class or whatever the hell is in front of us and the flight attendants won’t let her go forward.  Man, to me that is really weird.  I guess Covid regulation “#$7234Ba”.

I tell her dad to let her come out on my side of the aisle because the cart is farther down the aisle.  But he refuses and says she can make it for a little while longer.  I did want to shake the guy by his lapels (“shake him by his lapels” …. That’s a pretty quaint phrase don’t you think?) because the poor kid is in tears.

The opposite aisle finally clears and the little girl gets to run to the bathroom.  She gets back to her seat … dinner is served to her.  Some sort of cheese ravioli with marinara.  She can’t cut it and the dad is getting perturbed again.  He helps her and she promptly drops a fair amount all over her sweat shirt.

Dad ain’t happy!

They get some more clothes out of the bag in the overhead bin.  She is OK again.  Then I start to think about it.  I am traveling with just my backpack in the overhead.  If anything drops on me I am totally screwed.

The juice missed me … the ravioli missed me (but not by that much) just hoping we have no more meal service or I might end up wearing wet clothes the rest of the way.  Like Kris Kristofferson sings “Why me Lord?”

Well, the good news is that nothing else happens.  We finally drop through the clouds and find the airport (why don’t they call them “jetports?”) in Milan to touch down to light rain.

They don’t arrest any of we three violators of Covid regulation “#6538A sub paragraph B.” for changing seats.  The three of us have a laugh as we proceed through Customs etc.

Italy here I come!

 

OK .. I am leaving Switzerland to get home to the states after five months.  Well it has been a long time.

So, my friend Ruedi takes me to the Bahnhof (train station) in Thun.  It was certainly emotional for me.  He is my friend … don’t want to be a crybaby .. but we have been together for five months.

Anyway .. He drops me off.  I cry as he leaves .. hope he didn’t see that.  But a few people at the station saw it.  Consoled me and told me to go inside to the Coop and get a beer … felt I would feel better.

Hell of an idea.  A pretzel and beer at 8:45 (Swiss time).  Zip…Zap jump on a train to the Zurich Flughafen (Zurich Airport)  Beer was good – pretzel better.

A few hours later I am at the Zurich Airport. Find my way to the Raddison Blu Hotel in the airport (thanks to the Boss (wife) – Shawn- got me in for two days.

Get a room and then ask the nice young lady at the desk … hey where can I get a Covid test so I can make it back home.  Easy .. she says drop your bags off.  Then take the elevator to the ninth floor … get your test!

How great is this… she says take the elevator to the ninth floor.  94 Swiss francs later all done.  Get a test… all done!

Bullshit!  Not going to be that easy.

But it was.  Dropped my bag off in room 323.  Zipped up to floor nine.  A wonderful young lady basically did everything for me.  She signed me up, got email etc.

Unfortunately I had to take the test as a young women jammed that swab up my nose.  Well it could be worse!

OK, I am literally finishing with then test and I get a text from my friend Chris.

He says …”what are you doing … do you want to get together?”

Chris is a pilot for Swiss Airlines and the defensive coordinator for the Winterthur Warriors.  A really good friend.

He has just landed and is at the airport … he wants me to drive with him a half hour to his apartment.  Meet his young lady friend (she is beautiful by the way) and catch up with another friend Mo!

Well of course!  Who would not want to see friends??!!

He picks me up at the hotel.  We drive to his really cool  apartment in Winterthur.  Honestly … Chris will take the credit but, she has done a wonderful job of building a home for them.

Our good friend Mo shows up (well with more beer as well)

She leaves to fly around on a motorcycle.  Chris makes an unbelievable dinner on the grill for Mo and me.

Ribs and sirloin with a “coffee rub” outstanding!

Glad to have these hours with some great friends.  We have football together as coaches.  But our friendship is so much more.

These guys are the future of Swiss football.  It’s so much fun listening to them and remembering when I was their age.  These guys are tremendous coaches … well because they are such great people.

Later Mo is kind to me and drops me off at the Winterthur Bahnhof (train station)

Twelve minutes more and I am at Zurich Airport.  Five minutes later buy a six pack of Quollfrisch at the Coop in the airport.  Five minutes more in room 323 of the Radisson Blu.

My greatest regret is that I forgot to take out my phone and take some photos to have our reunion recorded.

I will tell you this … I love these guys and who they are.

I have a pal named Chick Harris who coached for 33 years in the NFL.  We have been friends for many years and you won’t find a better person than Chick.  Well, he always had a saying about we coaches …. “Donny, we do what we do!”

In other words – we don’t know very many things so we have to fall back on football.  So then …. “We do what we do!”  We do football anytime and anywhere – and that’s what I did Saturday!

Saturday my friend Chris Warzecha invited me to attend the Flag Football tournament at the Stockhorn Arena turf field.  Chris is a fantastic man who gives so much of his time to the kids and the Thun Tigers in general.  Plus, the man is an MD.  How he finds time for everything is beyond me.

He basically pulled the tournament together and organized the teams to set up the games.  It was a great day to be on the turf again and the kids absolutely loved the competition.  Interestingly there can be a big difference in ages for the kids.  There were a few seven years old players and a few 16 year olds.  Big difference in physical and mental maturity.

You can imagine as the day wore on and the younger guys got tired the attention span had a tendency to wane.  Think t-ball baseball with the kids picking dandelions or watching the airplanes fly overhead.  Yup, that started to happen.  But it was fun to watch – they really had a blast.

One of the coaches from Calanda (Broncos) was a friend.  We met at the Swiss Senior National Training camp in Willesau a few years ago.  We reconnected and he caught me up on his family and what was going on in his life.

I had nothing to do but to stand around and share stories with some of the Tiger coaches and other people who were at the field.  Oh yeah as the afternoon wore down I sat down with Bradley and Peter for a beer on the steps outside of the field.  (In Switzerland, you can basically have a beer anywhere at any time!)  …. By the way the beer here is pretty good! … oh yeah, so is the chocolate for that matter.

Christian’s young son Josh had a great day playing.  He is quite a player – his older sister took care of setting up the field and I imagine she was a
supervisor.  I have a feeling they run the household as well.