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There are many things I am thankful for in football.   But there were two important things that really started me off on a good path.

First, I played for some good coaches.

In Northampton, Pennsylvania from little league on thru Freshman, Junior Varsity and finally Varsity football as a Konkrete Kid (Yeah the name of my Blog konkretekidinfootball.com – guess where that came from??!!) we had very good coaches who were also solid role models.

Then in college at Muhlenberg a very good coaching staff who helped not only me, but so many others stay on the right path (OK, admittedly I veered off that path here and there – OK, quite a lot in fact).  Frank Marino and Sam Beidelman were the only full-time coaches and they allowed us to grow up, but they kept a careful eye on us and knew when to pull the leash tight as we went through those college years.

Another big influence was that I was fortunate to start out coaching at Kutztown State College.  I was surrounded by very good coaches and we were led by one of the finest men I ever met – George Baldwin.

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The little league coaches were all good men – they taught us football from a fundamental standpoint – more importantly they were solid people.   Rich Derkits, Bill Beidleman, John Legath, Bouncy Zepp, Hosh Herschman – well even Mertz!  They gave so much more than they got back.

****Well I have to say Rich Derkits did teach me some good cuss words.  I consider myself a professional in this area and I credit him with my success.****

Even the Junior High coaches we had made the game fun.  Hell, our freshman year I don’t think we won a game (Have to check with my pal Eric Butler though because he would remember since we went through elementary, junior high and senior high school and then college playing together football together!).  We were pretty bad that ninth grade year.

Having a coach like Donnie Carbone however did make things interesting and despite our shortcomings on the field he kept things light.

Early in the season Carbone said that our team played like a bunch of Italian sailors  … “Chickens of the Sea.”  Nowadays the PC police would have probably

been bitching at him.  But in the late 60’s what we said on the field stayed there.  In fact, a bunch of us went home and took the labels off of the tuna cans in our cupboards.

We taped them on our helmets and many of the guys on the team were wearing “Charlie the Tuna” proudly.  Donnie Carbone took great delight as we proclaimed ourselves “Chickens of the Sea!”

Carbone and the rest of the coaches who worked with us younger players did prepare us in the basics of football and by the time we played for the varsity we were pretty good.  It really does come down to learning and executing fundamentals – that never changes – from little league thru college and into professional football it depends on blocking and tackling, throwing and catching, running and kicking.

Lou Wolf our varsity coach at Northampton was really a down to earth man and a very good teacher.  I know that some of the players and parents didn’t always think he was a good guy or a good coach.  But, in him I saw a man who really cared about us and who truly loved coaching.  Plus, we were very successful on the field.

I really wanted to find a job like he had – because he always seemed to be happy on the field.  Once he and I were talking after a game and he told me it was the only job he ever wanted – being the coach.  The extra bonus was being the coach in his hometown.

There was a time when I thought it would be phenomenal to be the head coach in Northampton to return to lead the Konkrete Kids.  But, as I aged I realized all of the crap you have to put up with when you were in your hometown.  Everyone knows you and certainly everyone knows how to do your job better than you do.

Sprinkle in the parents  …  yeah the parents may be the biggest drag on high school sports.  Everyone’s little Johnny or Mary is going to be a sports star.  But, I am off the track right now – plus don’t want to go down that road.

Frank Marino our head coach at Muhlenberg gave me the final push into the coaching world.  We often spent time bullshitting about our current teams, coaching philosophies and the game itself.  We would spend hours just exploring hot button topics in athletics – oh yeah – a lot of this happened while I was supposed to be in class.  (Me …. go to class … ??  Too many other fun things to do.)

****Remember what Mark Twain said (yeah, but understand I was an English major) …”Don’t let the books get in the way of your education!”****  (Honest!  I can’t make this shit up!)

Coach Marino told me one afternoon that coaching football was the only thing he ever wanted to do.  HMMM …. So much like my high school coach Lou Wolf said it was the fun part of his career – Frank was doing the same.  He told me that I should think about getting into the profession …. “you won’t make a lot of money.  But, you will make a lot of friends and find it a lot fun.”

Well, I missed a lot of classes talking about football – might as well take advantage of the things I learned in the classroom of football.  I wasn’t very smart, but I was just smart enough to stumble into an awesome (mis)adventure for life!

*****

Starting my coaching career off at Kutztown was also a very important fork in my path through the coaching profession.  The coaches and players that I worked with during those first two-years were critical in my deciding to move on and figure out my life and chase my dreams.

No one was more instrumental in my decision to make coaching my livelihood than George Baldwin the head coach of the Kutztown State (I know it’s now Kutztown University) Golden Bears.  He was an amazing man who truly was a leader of young men.

He was also a very grounded person.  Married with children, religious and a former US Marine.  Yup, he sported the GI flattop and stood ramrod straight at the playing of the National Anthem.  I truly admire this man and his values to this day.

Well then of course, he did convince me to work for twoyears without pay (well, he hoodwinked one of my closest friends –  Scot Dapp to do it as well – he’s not real smart either.)  But, it was well worth the experience.

Rarely, if ever did George lose his temper.  He never swore (I mean never!) and although he had some old-fashioned ideas for the late seventies – he had the respect of everyone.   From players to coaches, administrators, opponents and boosters – I rarely if ever heard anyone say a bad work about Coach Baldwin.

We were in a period where earrings, facial hair and young people questioning authority and experimenting with drugs had become the norm.  During those years – the seventies – well it was a very interesting time.

I was pretty much a middle of the road guy – Long hair, mustache.  But Coach had his values and he was sticking to them.

While George was willing to accept his players and coaches having a few beers and raising some hell – he would not suffer fools.  But, while he could be tough it was his complete honesty and sincerity that affected us all so deeply.

Like most successful leaders George had very few rules.  Pretty much common-sense stuff.  Don’t be late for anything, respect your coaches, teammates, classmates and teachers.  BUT WAIT and no earrings or facial hair for anyone with Kutztown football – players but us COACHES as well.

What did you say – no facial hair??  No earrings??  Yup, if you wanted to coach or play at Kutztown State (OK – Kutztown University) you were going to look clean and didn’t need jewelry.  Come on it’s the seventies! (You know … Sex Drugs and rock and roll – throw in some mustaches and earrings as well.)

The seventies – the decade of rebellion and awareness!  The Age of Aquarius!  Pass the joint and let’s hear about that sexual awaking we all were waiting (hoping) for.

But George, who as I said  was a former Marine complete with crew cut, was able to impress his values upon all of us.  He was able to bring everyone together – to not only have a common goal of winning – but to become as close to a unit as possible.

Coach would say he wanted us to be “Americans!”

When anyone would question why he wanted these things done he would say ….  “I don’t get it, does that mustache make you coach or play any better?”  “Is that earring going to make you tackle those backs any better?”

Football is American – you don’t need mustaches or earrings to be an American!

But we all bought in – I shaved off my mustache (never wore an earring so it wasn’t an issue).  Got cleaned up and was a Golden Bear!  I was an American!

To this day those of us who coached and/or for George still tell Coach Baldwin stories.  Stories that reflect how much respect and love we had for this great man and his standard of becoming an “American!”

Being that former Marine (still with that flat top look) George would continuously regal us with quotes like.  “That guy plays like an American – look at him block”  “That Quarterback throws the ball like an American!”  He would see a guy loafing or laying on the ground during a play and not hustling – “That guy is not an American – he’s staying on the ground!”

The one I caught him on was “Well gosh darn it – Any American can tackle!”  “Come on if you are an American you can tackle!”

So, one of my favorite experiences as a young coach with George was when I pulled the old “He’s an American” and reversed it on him.  It got a lot of chuckles from the entire coaching staff when it happened.

We were closing out our season in my first year as a coach.  Coach Baldwin had put me in charge of kickoff team for that year.

Now, if you were on the kickoff team in those days – you were coached to stay in your “lane” run down the field as fast as possible and tackle the guy with the coconut.  Not a difficult assignment – but to get it done meant you had to navigate the opponents who were trying to knock your head off along the way.

One of the keys to the kickoff team was having a good kicker who could put the ball deep and high so the coverage team could run down under it and get the return man on the ground.  The other is to have some pretty rugged dudes who would run down the field full speed!  The bigger and faster the better.

Like I said it was one of the last games of the year – perhaps even the last game.  We had lost a key guy on the kickoff coverage team and we needed a replacement.  So, as a staff we were kicking (hmmm…no pun intended I guess) around a few names – trying to find someone who could help the kickoff team.

Now we had a freshman offensive lineman named Jimmy Bennett.  Jim was a local kid from Allentown PA who had played at William Allen High School.  He was a backup at guard and he would go on to be a great player at Kutztown before his career was over.

Jim was big at 6-3 and 235 pounds and he could really run … OK I get it, he doesn’t seem big by today’s standards … but in 1977 he was a pretty big dude.  He was also really fast and he was very tough.  I loved him and where he was going!

In the meeting when we talked about the kickoff coverage team I brought up Jimmy’s name.  I think everyone pretty much thought it was a pretty good idea.  But George did not agree.

“But Donnie … I like Jimmy Bennett a lot.  But come on he is a freshman (George did not like to play freshman) and he is an offensive lineman.  I don’t know if he can tackle … he’s an offensive lineman.”

I knew I had him, with a grin I said …  “But Coach he’s an American.  Everyone knows if he’s an American he can tackle.”

The whole room cracked up and George just started laughing and I had him.  Jimmy was now a member of the kickoff team.

By the way he did a great job!

Sorry a long and winding road (wow, that might be a good name for a song??) to tell you a simple and probably silly story!

 

 

I Remember 1991 as a magic season in Detroit.  The Lions went 12-4 during the regular season and won the old NFC Central Division championship on the last day of the regular season. (Yes, for you youngsters there was a Central Division way before the NFL got creative and decided to add teams along the way and create four four-team divisions in each conference.)

It was also the season when the Lions won their first playoff game (after a first round bye) since they had captured the NFL championship in 1957.  Thirty-four years of playoff misery came to an end with a decisive win over the Cowboys in the friendly confines of the Silverdome in front of almost eighty thousand seriously excited – and I mean SERIOUSLY EXCITED and extremely loud fans.

That day was just an amazing connection between the Lions and their hungry fans.  The “Horror Dome” was a madhouse throughout the entire the game with a noise level that made it impossible to hear on the playing field.

Erik Kramer was our quarterback and had a fantastic game.  I am pretty sure he completed something like thirteen straight passes and absolutely took apart the Dallas secondary.  Things fell into place and we were able to simply outplay and handily defeat Dallas 38-6.

But, Erik Kramer wasn’t always our starter that season – in fact I don’t think anyone besides our scouting department even knew who he was as we started training camp in 1991.

I distinctly remember asking our Pro Bowl linebacker Chris Spielman who the new quarterback was in camp.  He shrugged his shoulders “Some guy from Canada”.

Kramer’s only NFL experience was during the strike games of the 1987 season where he played for Atlanta – he was then cut by the Falcons and headed north for three seasons in the Canadian Football League.

Originally, he had been brought in to be a “camp thrower” and save the arms of quarterback’s Rodney Peete and former Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware.  But, like I said ’91 was a strange year.

Rodney was clearly the number one QB as we emerged from the preseason and Erik had surprisingly showed he was a better backup than former first round pick  Andre Ware.

So Rodney had secured himself as the starter with Erik clearly his backup.   Andre was the third option as he struggled with accuracy in the four preseason games.  This problem would plague him his  entire career.  Despite Andre’s awesome athletic prowess and his intelligence there were some red flags beginning to show up on his chances to  be an NFL quarterback.

Now the regular season was indeed a remarkable one for the Lions.  But, it was also a really weird one as well.  We opened up by getting absolutely blasted in RFK Stadium by the team now known as the Washington Football Team or whatever they are going to be called.

But then they were the Redskins and they handed us a big fat goose egg 45-0 to start our year off.

It was downright embarrassing and I especially remember the flight back to Detroit was just silent and pretty much like a morgue.  Not the usual buzz about the game that is always in the air after you play win or lose  – not even the ever present card games.

Just a few of the guys drinking  some beer (yup, we had beer post game on the planes in those days).  Absolute silence.  The team was shocked at how we were so easily beaten.

Just a bunch of battered, frustrated and bewildered players and coaches.  It was a painfully dismal trip home.   Soon to see the TV sports, listen to the radio or read the papers on what a piss poor operation we ran and that we should all understand that everyone in Detroit would happily run us out of town.

Even the irrepressible Wayne Fontes our head coach was despondent.  I tried to give him a little boost the next morning as he and I sat in his dark office by reminding him that Barry Sanders hadn’t played at all.  (Barry had some bruised ribs or something that was just serious enough to keep him on the sidelines.)

At least maybe he would serve to wake up the usually overly optimistic Wayne from his funk.  But, not even that could get him jump started.

“Clem  … a fucking shutout.  You know hard it is to be shut out in the National Football League … a fucking shutout.”

Well I did spend 27 years in the NFL and I do know hard it is to get a shutout or to be shutout.  Those guys running around out there on Sunday’s are all extremely talented men.  It is not only hard to get shutout – it is almost impossible.

But, the show must go on and we had fifteen more games to go.  Well, I was a little depressed myself.  All of us coaches were on the last year of our contracts and that meant job searching if our season continued to slide and we all got fired.  Ahhh  … the NFL can be such a fun place.

OK, I am getting off the track here and need to get to the point of this episode of football (mis)adventures.

Well, we end up winning the next two games beating the Packers and Miami at home and were set to head to Indianapolis for a game that was certainly winnable.

The defense was playing very well holding Green Bay and the Dolphins both to under 100-yards rushing and Rodney Peete was on fire at quarterback.  Barry was back and he was his usual amazing self as he ran for something like 150 in our third game.  Even Jim Arnold our punter ran for 20 yards (that was scary) on a botched kick.   We actually looked pretty damn good despite the close scores.

Optimism had returned to the Lion team and we had played reasonably well in the Indianapolis game staking ourselves to a 16-10 lead in the third quarter.  But, then the fan hit the shit.  (Come on just reverse the words).

As we were driving  Rodney goes down at QB.  (SHIT!) The injury didn’t look too bad from where I was sitting in the coaching booth – but losing our starting QB with an unknown Erik Kramer having to now run our offense.  Ahh … not so good!

The coaches and players (from both teams) and everyone else in the entire free world knew that we would just hand the ball off the Barry a few times – get out of the series and see if we could get Rodney back for the rest of the game.

Yeah, well Kramer had some ideas of his own.  The very first play  … yes, the first one and not the second or third one … but the very damn first play he is in the game – Erik audibles!

It is his first REAL NFL game .. on his FIRST PLAY in his first REAL NFL game … HE AUDIBLES!

Every single person in the coaching booth in unison yells “NOOOOO”  There were also a few “What the fuck are you doing?”  I’m sure the Detroit Lion sideline was stunned and screaming as well.

Erik checks off and calmly fires a beautiful 15-yard pass to Willie Green (I think it was Willie) for a first down!

Every single “NOOOOO”, every single “You fucking idiot” turned into “OOOHHH YEAAAHHH” and to “you fucking genius.”  What a play.

Now we all laugh about it to this day, but trust me when you can see your house payment flying away just as that ball is thrown.  It really isn’t one of those great moments.

Later in the drive Erik hits Willie Green for a TD (and now we all love him!)  Rodney later returns to the game – Eric to the bench and the Lions go on to win their third straight game and the NFL begins to take notice of Wayne and the boys.

Oh yeah, I forgot Erik also picked up a nickname that day.  The players began calling him “Brass.”

Silly, dumbass me once asked Lomas Brown our Pro Bowl left tackle why call him “Brass?”  Lomas shook his head and said – because that man has “Brass Balls!”  I guess after that audible and throw that nickname is certainly warranted!

Well from there we go on to win another two in a row for a five-game winning streak.  But, then we had to go out to Candlestick and play the 49’ers.  But, that story is for another day.

 

 

Now, I have been asked this question so many times that I have an automatic answer.  “Hey, so Clemons how in the world did you get associated with football in Switzerland?”  My go-to response is – “well, it’s easy … a friend of a friend got me in touch with his friend and voila – I am suddenly part of the football program in Switzerland!”

That is actually really true.  I would imagine in many businesses this is how it works.  Someone has a spot open and is looking for a particular fit and they seek out help from their associates.  Well, why wouldn’t you do that?

***OK – so you know me – I am going to wander around as I tell a story – and this one does require a little slip sliding along.***

But, it actually started at Judy Kowalkowski’s (good Irish name – right??) wine tasting and Italian food extravaganza which she holds every Summer.  It is a fantastic gathering of former and current Lion employees and friends of her family.  Honestly it is an awesome night!

So, the Kowalkowski name is legendary in Detroit Lion lore.  Judy’s husband the late Bob Kowalkowski played guard eleven years with the Lions and one with the Packers.  Their son Scott played linebacker on a National Championship team at Notre Dame and then ten years in the NFL (nine with the Lions!)

Judy worked in the front office and probably held every job that the club ever had.  Her range of abilities were so wide and varied she could do almost anything – and she did!  One of the most valued employees the Lions have ever seen.

But, it doesn’t end there …  Judy’s brother David Olivo was a great HS football coach in Missouri.  His son Brock was a tremendous football player at Missouri where he held the rushing and scoring records for many years.  He also went on to play alongside Scott for several years in Detroit..

A family affair!

So now you can see Judy Kowalkowski is actually an Olivo by birth – married into a Polish family.  Therefore the “Kowalkowski wine tasting and Italian Food Fest!”

So, now you kind of get it ….

Anyway, one summer night several years ago I was at Judy’s party visiting with many old Lion friends from the office, Scott and his fantastic wife Michelle, Judy, the Lesnau’s, the Saliba’s and Kimball’s.  “Machine Gun” Frank Novak (one of the finest special team’s coaches that ever worked in the NFL) and his wife Suzanne were also there.

Obviously talk turns to football – imagine that??!!  We all talk about what is going on and everyone knows that after I left the rat race that is the NFL I started to coach back in PA at Moravian College because my younger boy went there.

Also I am from the Lehigh Valley where Moravian is located (Bethlehem PA).  I mentioned to our group as we are drinking beer – yeah imagine that –  and wine that I thought it might be pretty cool to coach in Europe.

Well when Brock Olivo retired he went to Italy and got his Master’s Degree there because he is fluent in Italian … He started a team and coached there for several years.

His Dad was going to coach there and suddenly all of these guys are leaning on me and telling me I need to get my ass over there and coach (You know John Grisham’s “Playing For Pizza”  …Well “Coaching for Pizza”).

****Aside here – if you haven’t read “Playing For Pizza” you should because … well just because it is very similar to what I am experiencing – but fast forward twenty years into the future!****

So, the night wears on and the guys keep telling me over many more beers that I need to look into coaching in Europe.  Well … why not I guess??

On the way home the Boss (Wife) weighs in and tells me that she thinks I should look into it.  Yeah OK – She’s trying to get rid of me for a while.  I get it (don’t blame her either).

A week or so later I am talking to my compadre in coaching Bert Hill who was coaching the defensive line at SMU in Dallas.  I told him that there were people encouraging me to go to Europe to coach football.  He laughs and says basically good luck with that BS.

Now, realize aside from being really good pals – Bert and I coached together for ten years – so we have some real common ground (and beers in common as well)!

So some time goes by and I get a call from Bertie.  He tells me that he got into a conversation with coach on the SMU staff who not only coached in Europe … but he played there as well.  Carlos Barocio-Leon is well connected everywhere and he says … hey wait a minute – I might be able to HELP this Clemons guy out.

I don’t even know Carlos!

****OK sorry another aside here.  Carlos is a legend in Europe.  He coached and won two  “Eurobowl” Championships.  His overall record in eight European seasons was 74-16.  I don’t care where you are coaching that is pretty damn good.  OK he is pretty smart as well.  BA and MBA from New Mexico State – where I once coached by the way – and fluent in English, Spanish, French and German.  Yeah he carries some weight when he talks. ****

HELP me out …HELP me out??? He lined me up with one of the best opportunities you could want.

Carlos talked with a friend in Switzerland – Giorgio Volpi who was looking for some help with the Swiss National Team as they prepared for the European Playoffs.  The next thing I know I get some E-mails from this country located in the Alps!

Giorgio asks if I would be willing to talk with  him, Head Coach Michel Spitznagel, Stephan Pulver, and the General Manager Christian Krattiger on a Skype call.  Are you shitting me – what do I have to lose. (At that point never been on a Skype call by the way.)

We set up the Skype and like magic I am not only talking to these dudes … but seeing them as well.  They are interested in having me come over for a few weeks and help the team and also to travel to Amsterdam with the team to play two games.  To this point never been a big travel guy myself … but, it is damn interesting.

As we talk (in English by the way) I inform them that I know no Swiss at all.  This elicits laughs all around and Giorgio informs me there is no real “Swiss” language.  Pretty much everyone speaks German, French and Italian (Some remote areas speak a form of Latin called Romansh).  But, he assures me that English is everywhere and a common thread between the people of Switzerland.

I also told them that driving on the opposite side of the road  has no appeal to me.  More laughs – I am told the only place they drive on the left are the UK based countries including England, Ireland Australia, New Zealand etc.  So to this point they are probably wondering why do we need this uninformed idiot helping us?

But, whatever happened after the meeting the next thing I know I am part of the Swiss National Coaching staff for the under 19 team.  (By the way they give me this picture ID which is on a lanyard.  You have to wear it everywhere in the stadium.  The picture lists me as Ass. Coach.  So, to this day my Swiss friends still call me the “Ass” coach.)

Hmmm – rightly so.

So. after a party with friends (Kowalkowski’s et al.) … a friend (Bert) connects me with his friend (Carlos) who mentions me to his friend (Giorgio) who sets up a skype with his friends (Chris and Michel and Stephan).

No real connections but…….

Now, I come to Europe regularly because of those friends and continue to meet hundreds more.  Yup, that’s how it started!

 

 

A few days ago I knew that I was going to have pretty much an entire day to myself, so I decided to try my new train pass out.  I love the train system here in Switzerland (also a big fan of their entire public transit system).  The US could learn a lot about mass transit by studying how it is done in my second homeland.

My friend Dan Frey the past president of the Tigers had arranged for me to have a special travel pass for bus, train and boat.  Well, to me it was better than having a car which they were going to get me.  Hell, I don’t like driving at home.  Me, behind the wheel in a foreign country – not going to happen.

Well, I figured by train – I could go to Bern which would be fun because I have stayed there two different times and I know the city and love “Old Town”.   Or I could take the hour trip to Interlaken and visit another place that I have been on previous trips.

I flipped a coin in my mind (yeah, I know how do you flip a coin in your mind?).  So, Interlaken won.  OK I just wanted to go that way I guess.

I hopped on the #1 bus at the Gwatt Deltapark Stop (My friend Pascal was driving … I’m even making friends with the bus drivers! – friends will become voters when I run for Mayor of Gwatt!) and travel down to the Thun Bahnhof to see about a train to Interlaken.

If you get frustrated with all of my parenthetical phrases – just skip them.  (I just can’t help myself.  Hah!  Got you)

Now honestly, I was having some questions about this travel pass.  A few weeks earlier I had to go into the train station to get my picture taken for this voucher.  The official taking my picture was a very friendly guy who said – you’ll love this credential because all of your train rides are half price … he didn’t know about the bus.

After my ten-minute ride with Pascal on Bus #1 I jump off the yellow transport – stroll into the Bahnhof – walk up to the ticket window.  Tell the gentleman behind the glass I wanted a round trip ticket to Interlaken.  I give him my special SwissPass photo identification – he squints, looks at it, shakes his head and charges me like 17 Swiss Francs.  

I know the roundtrip would cost every Tom, Dick and Harry (US phrase to my Swiss friends) the same 17 CHF. What gives – I get no discount?

I tell him that I thought this super-duper, over the top, fantabulous plastic credit card looking thing with my old looking picture on it gave me like superpowers – and at the very least a half-price ticket.

He shrugged but then started typing into his computer.  Squints again (I think he needs glasses, but he had them on his head and not eyes), looks perplexed.  Types some more – sits up straight and looks at me in wonderment.  “You can ride anywhere you want for free – you need no ticket.”  

So, obviously no one knows how this pass works.  I’ve even looked on line for information.  Trust me whoever wrote up the SwissPass section of their travel brochure – made things even more confusing … this thing was as clear as mud. 

So naturally I figure that the conductor on the train was certainly going to clean this situation up.  He would either accept this card and tell me that I indeed have the superpowers I do so deserve or he would toss me off the train.

Well – let me put all of this on hold and let me tell my US friends something so cool about Switzerland.  You can walk into a local store attached to the Bahnhof and by a cold beer in a can (no bag needed like in US). Then you can get on a bus, train or simply walk around the streets and drink it.  That would just shatter our reality in the states.

In fact you can buy beer from a vending machine as well  … I know, simply amazing!

My God – that would just shake our world.  In fact, the passengers in a car can drink.  Yet, I guarantee they have far less problems than we find in the US!  Not advocating this – just presenting a point.

OK I buy a big Heineken beer (see photo in collection below) for the ride to Interlaken.  I figure at least if I get “86ed” off the train (US phrase for “kicked off” the train) by the conductor I’d have a beer in hand.

We board up … go all the way to Interlaken and NO CONDUCTOR!?!  Hell, they always walk through all the cars and check the tickets.  Not this time Batman!

So, I get off the train and wander around Interlaken.  Even though I already know it is a tourist trap it really isn’t crowded so I just shuffle along looking at shops.  Stop, sit down for a beer at an outdoor café.  It’s a pleasant afternoon – just having fun snapping pictures and enjoying the scenery.

By the way there is a Hooter’s in Interlaken (see pictures).  Been there before with the boss (wife) a few years ago when we were here.  I do have to tell you that this one could not hold a candle to any I have been in back home (trust me I have been to a few by the way).

I am not talking about the waitress’ outfits.  I am talking about the food.  If you boycott Hooters on your principles I have no qualms about that.  But, I am boycotting Hooters Interlaken because their food is not real good.  In the US those wings at Hooters are damn good.

Now as I decide it is time to go home.  The true test of the SwissPass card might be brought to light.  

I walk into the ticket office and ask the young lady if I could have a one-way ticket to Thun.  After handing her my fancy superpower photo ID with secret codes and computer lines and data I might learn even more.

She doesn’t blanch, squint or scratch her head.  She simply types a few keystrokes on her keyboard.  Sees the info on her screen – hands me my card back.  “Yes, just like I thought … you need no ticket and ride is always free until November.”

I sidestep into another little store attached to their train station.  Buy another Heineken.  (What the heck right??)  Hop onto the train for the return trip to Thun.  Should be interesting – but, well will there be a Conductor for this trip.  Who knows??  At least I have my Heineken right?

By the way almost every trip by train in Switzerland can be breathtaking.  Unbelievable scenery.

OK, we pass a few stops … here comes the Conductor.  He checks the people sitting in the rows in front of me.  Gets to me, mask on… beer in hand.  

A second of me feeling some panic as he pulls out his special gizmo to check tickets.  Runs it over the card.  

I hold my breath…. He looks at me says “Merci”  with a smile and walks on down the aisle to the next passenger….I crack the Heineken and once again I realize “Once again the world is spinning in greased grooves!”

Billy Jim Baker wrote a song that Jerry Jeff Walker recorded called “Contrary to Ordinary.”  Billy Jim, by the way, is a professional clown and a member of the Clown Hall of Fame. 

Baker was a friend of the late Jerry Jeff and actually once convinced him to work at a circus with him.  A picture of Walker in full clown regalia can be seen on the back of album he made by the same name “Contrary to Ordinary.”

Anyway, some of the lyrics that Billy Jim wrote and Jerry Jeff recorded (yeah, I know Billy Jim and Jerry Jeff – who he affectionately called Jacky Jack – the names can make your mind spin) are the inspiration for this collection of things that happened as I stumbled through life.

This journal is just that – a collection of stories – or (mis)adventures as I say.  They aren’t anything special in the scope of the real world as it is.  However, here they are for those who want to see them.

Really, they aren’t stories as much as episodes that have played out throughout my life.  Stealing from Billy Jim’s writing and Jerry Jeff’s singing comes Joe Don Clemons’ (mis)adventures in football – the greatest team game in the world.

Some lines from Billy Jim’s writing and Jerry Jeff’s singing:

                        And I was contrary to ordinary
                                    Even as a child
                        Fast freights made me wonder
                        The full moon still drives me wild
                                    And stories do come true
                        You just got to live your life in episodes
                                    With one eye on a lady
                        And one eye still on that open road

I hope you like some of them.  Like my close friend Bert Hill says they are true (well mostly), but … well life still is “stranger than fiction!”

“Stranger than fiction” …. Bert Hill

Barry Sanders’ rookie season was an amazing opening act for what would become a Hall of Fame career.  It was really just a preview.  1989 was simply a glimpse of how amazing a course he would set.  But, not only did he show us his enormous talent, he gave us a pretty clear picture of who he was as a man.

First of all, like many very high draft picks in the pre-free agency era, he held out at the beginning of training camp.  In fact, he held out the entire training camp … every single practice, meeting, get together – never to be seen by anyone in the Lions organization.

He finally reported the Wednesday or Thursday before the opening game in 1989.  Obviously, his appearance was met with great anticipation.  Now, undoubtedly there were a lot of people – including teammates and coaches who viewed his holdout as normal, but by waiting until the very end of camp it also had some of the people wondering if he was really worth all of this attention. 

What would he become – a great one, some mediocre overpaid player or maybe even a first round flop?  

Well, by the end of the season and during the last game of 1989 we had a pretty good idea that the Lions had captured lightning in a bottle. On the final Sunday of the season on a day that produced a steady, cold drizzle in Atlanta we realized that the Lions had selected one of the best players football had ever seen.

In that last game in Fulton County Stadium we also got a pretty good idea of what a fine person we had in our locker room.  Not only did the Lions have a fantastic player, but a humble young man who was not going to be a statistic driven, self-centered braggart like so many other great athletes are.

To set the stage – Barry had played only about a quarter in the opening game, he then missed the next game with a rib injury.  Yet, despite having played less games and having 100 fewer attempts than his rival runners he still was in a tight race for the NFL rushing leadership on the final day of the season.  

He and Christian Okoye of the Kansas City Chiefs had staged a nip and tuck weekly battle for the lead during the last month of the schedule.  Well on the last Sunday of the season the Chiefs were playing at the same time as the Lions.

So, on the final game day of the season we were all watching not only our game – but, we were also keeping an eye on the TV monitor in our coaching booth to see how the two running greats were doing comparatively.

Well, as the game was winding down the Lions had sewed up the victory and now our true attention turned to what Okoye was doing in the KC game.  As it turned out as the Chiefs completed their game we still had about five minutes or so to play.

The final tally in the Chiefs game had Okoye leading Barry in rushing yardage by about ten yards or so.  But, there was plenty of time for Barry to win the rushing title since we did have the ball.  

The problem was that Barry was now on the bench and Tony Paige was getting the workload as our halfback while we were running out the clock.

Wayne Fontes our head coach had called up to the coaching booth and asked how many yards Barry needed to gain to take the lead.  We told him that if Barry ran the ball a few times he would easily gain ten yards and take home the rushing crown.

This is no disrespect to the Falcons – it’s just that when Barry gets his focus on something – well, he is always great – but when he “zeros in” he is nothing short of amazing.

Wayne – says to us that he is going to put Barry back in the game so that he can get the honor of leading the NFL in rushing in his rookie year.  

Wayne approached Barry on the bench and tells him that he only needs a few more carries to win the rushing championship.  He asked him to go in and run “31 and 32”  (obviously two of our running plays) a few times to gain the necessary yardage.  

I heard it with my own ears through Wayne’s headset.  Barry said something to the effect.  “Look coach – let Tony Page run 31 and 32 a few times – we already won the game.  Let Tony play he deserves it.  I’m done for the day unless you really want me to go back in.”

Amazing that someone who had a chance at earning this fantastic honor through his efforts for an entire season just steps back.   He was happy to watch his teammates like Tony Page have a chance to shine a little themselves.

By the way, he had slipped his shoes off on the bench after he came out of the game.  Pretty much letting everyone around him know he was done for the day and running for a few more yards – not that important.  

Just another thing to cement the legend of Barry Sanders!

Early Trip to Basel

Today we open the season with a trip to Basel to play the Gladiators.  From what I

understand it is about a two-hour bus ride.  From what I am seeing this should be a good test for our team.  The game should be a solid measurement of what type of squad we have and what we need to work on to improve for the future.

Basel is located in northwestern Switzerland along the River Rhine and the city is on the French and German Border.  It is the third largest city in Switzerland (following Zurich and Geneva) with a population of around 200,000.

The city has forty or so museums – which makes this area one of the largest cultural areas per capita in all or Europe.  Basel is home to Kuntsmuseum which was the first collection of art in the world (1661) and the largest museum of art in Switzerland.  Also located there are the Foundation Beyeler and the Museum of Contemporary Art (Basel).

Obviously, this place is noted for its great devotion to the arts.  Well, I am not sure if football is considered art.  So at some point I will have to make a trip on my own to take a look at the place.  Well hell I was an art major right … well I guess Liberal Arts major might be actually what I was – probably not art major I guess.

But, then I hear that there is this great thing called the Basler Fascnacht.  Apparently, this is a pretty wild three day affair that starts early in the morning of the Monday following Ash Wednesday with masked revelers and musicians parading through old town.  Sounds like a winner to me.

Speaking of Holidays it sounds like Christmas is well celebrated as well!  Many Christmas trees line the streets with the large market especially popular during the Holiday season.

Also, it sounds like there are other great buildings such as the Town Hall (Rathaus) and the Basel Cathedral which looks out over the Rhine from the Pfalz (a terrace).

Sounds like it may be worth visiting to me!

I owe the Tigers!  Here’s why.

So, I got an email from a good friend of mine and he asked if all I do is have fun while I am here in Switzerland.  Well, it’s a pretty damn obvious answer if you ask me.  Yes, all I do is have fun –  that’s my job!  However – there are many different definitions of fun.

First off – football has been fun to me since I started playing when I was ten years old or so.  (Remember many years ago Garrett Morris on Saturday Night Live saying “Baseball been berry, berry good to me!?  Just insert football for me.)  Hell, it’s a tremendous game and it teaches so many great lessons you will use all through life.  There isn’t a single day that goes by where something I learned from the game cannot be applied.

Now, I will grant you that it can be a grueling job at times.  In the NFL a normal work week during the season will often exceed ninety hours.  We use to laugh and say if you weren’t at 40 hours by Wednesday you were cutting corners and cheating the club.

I have had people look at me like I had three heads when I would tell them the length pof the  normal season work week.  It really is that way – but every day is just a little different than the last one and it keeps things from getting to be a drag.  I think they believe we fool around for a few hours a day, show up on Sunday roll out the ball and play.  Nah … not so fast Batman!

Anyway, that type of schedule will never happen overseas because the game has to be approached differently.  The players work all day – or the younger guys have school – they are not professional athletes!  Having a job is one thing but then there are obviously family obligations as well.  The game is their hobby (think slow pitch softball in the USA – but with helmets and shoulder pads!)

By the same token I have to take my own coaching with a different focus.  Since I basically am on my own – no meetings, film sessions and prep time with other coaches – well, it requires me to be disciplined (yeah, I know being structured is hard for me as you all know.)  But, it is the least I can do for my friends who are doing so much to insure my stay is worthwhile.

I owe the Tigers and I feel I owe the people who have went out of their way to get me back to my second homeland!

So, every day I make sure that I am working on something of value for the Tigers.  Honestly, I feel that I owe the Tigers them a great deal.  I get to coach (which is fun) and then live in one of the best places in the world (even more fun)!

The NFL, major college – hell all of college football has become pretty much a job for those involved.  I’m not sure we haven’t turned HS football into a grinder as well.  It truly has gotten   out of hand if you ask me.

Teams have dedicated times for meetings, practice and training sessions.  There is no way that can happen here in Switzerland (or Europe for that matter) because no one – including the coaches – is getting compensated to play for or train the team.

We have to approach the game and its structure differently in Europe.  It’s serious, but the players have to keep it all in perspective in regards to their everyday obligations.  Sometimes the realities of life collide with the game of football for the players and coaches.

Pretty much all of the teams practice just twice a week and then play a game on the weekend.  Therefore, practices last three hours at times.  Well, to make up for the fact that you are only practicing twice they have to be long sessions.

Let’s add this into the mix.  What if you have to work overtime, or have a family situation and practice has to be put on the back burner.  The team already has a limited roster – now imagine if two guys who play the same position can’t make practice.

It happens – actually I have talked to coaches in Europe who told me that there are times they haven’t been able to line up an offensive line or defensive line because of players having problems getting to practice.

So, what do you do?  You adjust and make it work.  The coaches and players figure it out and adapt.  You still have to coach your guys and prepare them for a game.

You have to find a way to make it work – the game is still going to show up on the weekend!  Fortunately, every team pretty much faces the same set of problems.  So, everything becomes relative.

I love how these guys just figure out how to make everything work.  Guess what …  if it is pouring rain or it is snowing – you are still practicing because you only have those two days to get your work done!  I am not kidding you.

Again, this is not the NFL – this is a game that these guys just love to play and they built a club around it to support them.  Consider this – what if Pete Carrol or Bill Belichick ever had to practice without the left side of his offensive or defensive line at practice because the players who man those positions had to go home to a birthday party or to fix a leaky faucet??   Hmmm, I doubt it.

But, that is part of the reality here.

Another factor is – how do you make it fun?  Or better yet how do you make it fun and still field a competitive team?  Yes, this can be a problem at times because the players on the team – first they buy all their equipment!  Yes, helmets, pads, shoes – everything.  Then they have to pay a license fee.  So really, they are paying to play the game.

So, as a coach there is delicate line that you straddle.  We want to coach them properly and try to be firm, yet you have to realize that in reality the players control the team – and rightly so because they are the ones paying out their own real money.

I mean, I get it.  But, after growing up and being part of organized sports in the US as well, it is just something that gets some getting used to.  I really do think it has made me become more thoughtful in my approach to the game and the appreciation of the players.

How can you not really admire these guys?  The team works and practice hard rain or shine and they enjoy being around the each other as well.  They really do. (I’ve watched them drink beer together so I can tell!  Hey, I am a professional I know about beer.)  So, I feel the least I can do is reciprocate the effort and try to help them in any way that I can.

I owe the Tigers … I truly do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OK, was privileged to work with the U-19 Thun Tiger team on Wednesday night. I can’t begin to tell you how much fun it was to be back out on the field with a team. Finally!

Yeah it was raining – But just an on and off drizzle. Hopefully it will be clearing up in the next few days. Ah hell, I can take it!

What a great bunch of energetic young men. Not many people in the states realize that all of these guys buy their own equipment and also have to pay for a license to be allowed to play football.

Yes, they PAY to play their sport. Plus, they come from all over the area to get to practice. They take busses, get rides – sometimes trains just to practice.

There are no school sponsored sports in most, if not all of Europe. Everything is club oriented. That includes soccer, hockey, basketball etc.

Therefore you don’t play for dear old Northampton High School – home of the Konkrete Kids (see how I neatly worked our nickname in there???) You play for perhaps the Norhampton AA, Hokey Eagles or Fullerton Ramblers. Honestly an interesting set up.

These guys and their coaches are truly committed to playing and also working on football!

Speaking of coaches …what a fantastic group. Most have played for the club years earlier and then we also have some expats who lend a had as well. But, they are there because they love working with the kids and also being around the game.

By the way the practice area and the stadium – well you can see what it looks like. Just awesome. I know there won’t be fans early on …also that is the stadium for FC Thun soccer club and that is why it has 10000 seats. My guess we will get a small fraction of that for our games. But …. who cares still a great place to play!

Get back to practicing again on Friday! I’m excited to do it!

Many of you know I was a slow pitch softball guy (a star I might add …well, OK maybe not!) But the one of the best parts of playing slow pitch was the after the game when we sat around and analyzed our effort, who made mistakes, hit well or poorly and then assigned the blame to someone if we lost – which wasn’t often. HAH!

An intensely critical time for us all (think gnashing of teeth and pulling hair out) …. well, maybe not so tough because we did it over pitchers of beer! In fact I don’t think we ever talked about the game or worried about who did what – just who was paying for the next pitcher off beer!

So after practice last night all the coaches stood out around Coach Arne’s car in the parking lot drinking beer.  No bitching, no complaining – just camaraderie.  Simply awesome!

Yup – football is back and again things are becoming normal … as John Steinbeck wrote in “Cannery Row” “Once more the world was spinning in greased grooves.”