Last night...stupidity at it's finest

Hurt me to my soul...

It's rare that I'll come right out and admit something bothered me, but last night left me almost speechless really hit me hard.  Jose, T-speck, and I went out to Hamburg for a night out on the town and so I could get my first experience with a much larger city here in Germany.  The night started out pretty awesome walking around laughing, talking, and just joking (ya know being guys).  We hit up a couple clubs got our dance on (despite idiot locals just standing in the middle of the dance floor cramping our style lol) and had some drinks to really set the night off perfectly. All in all we were having a great night and then in literally a flash the entire night turned sour.  We were walking through the streets just chatting and Jose noticed a group of women speaking English (which around here is like a little piece of heaven, cuz it's like living in a vacuum of confusion and misunderstanding sometimes).  Jose approached the girls and we found out one of them was actually from Eugene, OR.  We all chatted for awhile (I think we were all just so excited to meet other ppl who understood us haha) then decided it would be fun to hit this club Thomas Reader. We get to the club and stand in line waiting to go in. Finally we got to the front and the girls go in right before us, then Jose steps up and the bouncer at the door takes one look at him (doesn't even check his ID, which is his main job) and tells Jose he can't in.  At this point I'm thinking oh it's gonna be that kinda thing where they don't let us in cuz we're American. I was wrong b/c T-speck steps up and is ushered right in.  Instantly I realize what the real issue is and right on cue as I step up the bouncer glances at me and says "Nope" and tells me to step aside.  Then things got ugly pretty fast.  T-speck turns looking at Jose and I looking rather confused and sheepish as we stand beside this prick.  T-speck waves us in prompting the bouncer to again stop and tell us we can't come in.  T-speck asks the guy why his friends can't come in several times (seems like a simple question to me).  The bouncer continually blows him off saying the club is "empty" (I think he meant full, just his english wasn't good the guy was an idiot in all senses), as he continues to let other ppl in front of us.  T-speck again questions the guys motives asking if it's b/c our skin is darker than other people's.  This instantly sets the guy off and the situation escalates.  He yells at T-speck to either go in or out and that we could not come in.  Again T-speck asks why and asks if its an issue of race again.  The guy then is in T-speck's face telling him to leave as well. He pushes him close to us toward the exit line, but still non-threatening and with his hands out to his sides in a clear sign of nonviolence T-speck asks why.  The guy proceeds to shove him again (mind you we are at the top of about 3 flights of stairs here) and then punches T-speck without warning.  At this Jose and I step in between him and T-Speck to make sure  he doesn't continue to assault our coach and friend.  At this the bouncer pushes us and yells for us to leave.  Everything in me wanted to fight, wanted to give this guy exactly the rise he was looking for and show him how tough he really was because it doesn't take a big man at all to sucker punch someone for asking a question.

We end up leaving the club and going to police in the area, but to no avail.  The club sent the guy home so we couldn't even identify him to the authorities.  But at that point the night was ruined and I was left feeling so upset and empty.  It's just disgusting that even today, b/c the color of our skin we end up in a situation where our white coach is socked in the face for standing up and questioning the bouncer's ignorance.  And what's more Jose and I couldn't even respond knowing that if we raised a hand to this guy 1) we would end up locked up in jail and 2) we would've probably been beaten up or at least hurt b/c a group of 6 guys ran over right after we stepped up after the bouncer hit T-speck.  Today after sleeping on the matter I'm not nearly as upset as I was last night, but I'm still shocked at what occurred.  I know there are ignorant ppl everywhere and that racism is still present, but this was just absurd and sad.

All in all the night in Hamburg was fun and the city is awesome.  But that one experience may have tainted it for me. I know it's a bit silly to take one person's ignorance to heart, yet for whatever reason I can't shake it. 

 

Last few days...

Some updates and things I forgot...

So the last few days have been pretty chill. Involved some really late nights talking to friends, family, and of course the special girl in my life Lilly Cox. We fought the other night but with so much distance and the major time difference it's bound to happen once or twice (or maybe even more lol) but we worked through it. Just wanna say to everyone back home the especially my amazing mother, my brother and sister, my Aunt Missy and Uncle Sean who've been like a second set of parents, my cousins, Brent (my brotha from another motha), the Cox family who's welcomed me into their fam w/ open arms, and Lilly too I love you guys and miss you so much and I wouldn't be here without EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. Although I've traveled far and wide away from all of my homes, I never forget where I came from cuz that's made me who I am.

The Beach:

On Monday following our tough win over Göttingen Marvin, Lisa (Marvin's gf), Jose, Ben, and I headed out to Scharbeutz to hit the beach. Only one word could describe the place: AMAZING. It was just what we all needed after getting banged up from the game, the cool water felt great :) and unlike the rocky Pacific, it was absolutely tranquil with barely a ripple in the water. To make the place even more appealing the sand was like satin soft to the touch and like nothing I had ever experienced at a beach in my life. Next to the Bahamas I would have to say this was the best beach I'd ever been to. So thumbs up to the Balkan Sea! Plus hanging out with some awesome ppl makes any experience more the better (thanks guys!!!).  Oh and an important side note: Jose and I FINALLY  got crepes.

Tue, Wed, Today:

The last 3 days including today have all been pretty low key, which is nice to rest the body and recoop for the game in two weeks. We're playing for the league championship so everyone is pretty stoked, we just gotta keep working hard and improving as a team. Practice today and Tue was really all about trying to learn more and get a better grasp on an offense that would be an understatement to describe as difficult. The intricacies of the "fly" offense can take months, even years to click so we have a ways to go as a club. But I know we have the capability just gotta put in the time. 

Funny story I forgot:

So I'm not sure how I forgot this in the last post but it was a great start to our Sun. morning. On our way to the game (mind you the group was a strange one for Germany, 2 Americans one black and the other Mexican that's Me and Jose, A black guy from Austria in Marvin , and his ethnic girlfriend Lisa also from Austria). We're driving to Confima field to catch our bus to the game about 3-4 hours away and we pass a cop car which loops around to catch us down and pull us over just as we pull into the stadium drive. Mind you we are dressed all of us in straight scrub clothes cuz its 7am (I'm talking sweats, flip flops, t-shirts so nothing flashy). The cops pull us over and first interrogate Jose about his license and if he's legal to drive then they proceed to say they thought we might be coming from a club (around here the party doesn't stop til 6-7am). We all look at each other then down at our clothes and it's clear that bs. They just saw a car full of ethnics and thought we must be up to no good @ 7am hahaha. This all plays out in front of several of our teammates making it embarrassing but all the more hilarious. Oh good times in Germany.

So it was a rough start to the day but we got the win, which is all that matters. No we gotta go win this Championship!!! 

6-0, funny stories, and a heat wave

Game #2 as a Seal...

Game today against Göttingen Generals and man word for the day has to be HEAT! The temperature for the game was around 33 degrees Celsius (which is like 90+ degrees Farenheit), so needless to say it was hot as f@#% out there.  The heat took a toll on us, but we battled through and stuck together to get a much needed win 16-0.  Through countless injuries and just fighting having a small roster and limited practice time together we were able to get the job done. I was literally drained of all energy at the game's end, but just knowing we came out on top made it all the sweeter. 6-0 feels and sounds real nice and I'm glad I've been able to help the team out right away bringing my "special skill set & attitude" to this Seals football team (Jose knows what I mean about special skills haha). But I'm just having a great time being apart of something special, Let's go Boys!

Funny Story though...

Some of the guys were telling me before the game that the team we were playing tried to get me disqualified on a technicality involving signing players after June 30...the funny thing is that the rule applies in a different league and not the one my team participates in. So, sorry guys I'm here to stay and continue wreaking havoc hahaha. I think it's funny these teams would be looking to get rid of me when they haven't even seen me play yet (hell I may suck :P).

Well the last few days have been a good time. Really wanna thank the Seals family for being so welcoming to me and allowing me to be apart of this journey towards a league championship. I really like the direction this team is going and feel this could be something special. We just gotta continue to work and put in the time to get better and live up to that potential. 

PS:  for those of you wondering about seeing games and what not, they aren't streamed live or anything but I plan to post some plays/highlights from the games I've played in as I get them. So be on the lookout for that on my facebook. Love and miss all you guys back home :)

Another good one

Practice and recap of my continued Lubeck tour...

Fun practice tonight with the guys. Went out to the field and I must say I really wasn't feeling it all. My body and mind both felt so fatigued and just drained after these past few days. I was totally in a rut but pushed through and ended up having a great time tonight. "Mind over matter" as they say, and it really rang true tonight for me as I was able to work through the pain and get my body going and turn my attitude completely around tonight. It felt great to just relax and feel the tension ease form my body and my mind as I got into the flow. I wanna thank all my teammates and especially my coach, Tim Speckman, for keeping the mood light and reminding me that this is a GAME and it's supposed to be fun at the end of the day :)

Lubeck cont'd

So Jose and I went back into the city yesterday and continued my introduction and exploration of this amazing city.  From the random side streets w/ little shops, cafes, and hidden treasures to the colossal cathedrals that dwarf the surrounding building I must say Lubeck is quickly growing on me. I love the sights (ppl riding bikes, lounging and laughing, just the hustle and bustle) and the smells (fresh sweets from little bakeries and the smell of foreign dishes and delights).  It's like opening up your mind to a brand new world and it almost makes me feel like a kid again.  The highlight of the trip had to be going up to the top of St. Peter's church, which provides a complete 360 degree view of Lubeck.  I can't even really put into words just how gorgeous it was up there and how breathtaking the whole experience was for me to see the city in all its glory. From there Jose and I found a new little jazz cafe that I'm sure we'll visit again for drinks and to just lounge around. The place had complimentary blankets for patrons (talk about classy bahaha).   Overall just an awesome day, gorgeous weather with literally no clouds to be thought of and hangin w/ a good friend. Can't wait to continue to explore Lubeck and beyond.

Sore body, Getting adjusted, & Lazy Days

Last Couple Days...

Haven't been too exciting, but nonetheless just b/c I'm in Germany every day seems like a bit of an adventure of sorts.  Had my 3rd practice w/ the team last night and I must say I felt like old man river out there or something. Need a nice, freezing ice bath to rejuvenate my legs before the next game on Sun. but sadly that's not available to me unless I get real resourceful in the next few days. So here's hoping on that one :/ 

Monday Jose, Marvin, and I literally did nothing for most of the day. Luckily the sun doesn't go down here til around 10pm or so, allowing us to "start our day" at about 5 and go into the city for a few hours. We hit up an electronics store called Saturn where we took over the electronic massagers that were on display, let's just say it was heaven on earth for about 20min. Then ppl started walking by and giving us funny looks so we decided it might be a good time to go....Highlight of the night had to be the aftermath of a fight b/t a group of guys that left one with the back of his head and face scarred and bleeding, the other guys took off just as we got close to the group of ppl and medical personnel present. There commenced to be what seemed like a city-wide emergency as sirens were going off everywhere.

But looking forward to this weekend and my 2nd game with the Seals. We have a pretty good test ahead of us against a very unorthodox team. I'm sure we will be more than up to the task as we look to continue our winning streak. Glad to be here and apart of this awesome group of guys. Also I'm looking to post some highlights from our last game @Flensburg sometime soon, so stay tuned for that! 

Game Day!!!

Officially a Seal...

Got my first live action today with the team in Flensburg.  Was a bit of a hectic day waiting up until a few hours before game time to find out whether I'd be eligible to play or not. Luckily my player pass came through and I got to "get my feet wet" over here and start helping my team get better.  It was a great game for us getting a big victory 26-0 and improving our record on the season to 5-0! The defense really came out and made it a struggle for the Flensburg offense.  Although the offense had some struggles as we continue to work out the kinks in the fly offense, we made some huge plays in the passing game and I felt like I really showed my value to the team as a tough runner and blocker out of the backfield. It felt good to touch the ball and plow through some guys today. Hell one of the opposing players even called me "tank" after the game was over, so I guess I left a pretty good impression.  Also got a chance to get on the field on special teams and make 2 or 3 tackles as well. Haven't been on that side of a collision in awhile so I had to knock the rust off (I apologize to Flensburg for taking it out on them, but it had to happen).

What was the best of all was just being out there with my teammates and having fun. These guys play simply for the love of a sport so new and in its infancy here in Germany. It's awesome to see these guys fly around and make plays and then celebrate together. No egos, no in-fighting, just friends playing ball. I dig this atmosphere and can't wait for next week to get to get back out there with these guys on the game field. So good job Seals, gotta make sure we all get to practice this week and just keep getting better. 

 Pre-game, during our B youth team's game

 Game Field

 Again w/ a nice view in the back

Welcome to Lubeck

Day tour and Night on the town...

So got my first taste of what Lubeck is truly like. Jose and I walked from our flat into the downtown area and I got kinda an unofficial tour of the city. It was absolutely AMAZING!!! So much history and so many interesting places just in one area. From a cathedral that was once a hospital to a building built above an archeological site now being excavated, there was just so much to see. The blend of both new and old really left me in awe and I think I began to fall in love with this place just a little. Lubeck is full of just little treasures: the monstrous churches in the downtown area, tons of little bakeries w/ some of the best sweets you could imagine, live musicians on the streets just like any major metropolitan city, and even little hideway parks for ppl more inclined to get away from all the hustle and bustle of downtown life. It's like a miniature of all the things a person could want from nature to the city lifestyle. Definitely the type of place I could see myself being happy for a few years if that's the route I decide to go.

And...

 Also got my first taste of the nightlife here in town and I swear the strange mix of techno, rock, and hip hop was a bit intriguing but fitting with the many styles and trends in the ppl frequenting the downtown area tonight. From the young and hip to the old and trendy there was just an interesting mix of locals and foreigners like Jose and myself. I really enjoyed getting to see Lubeck in all it's glory both during the day and night. So thanks Jose for showing me a good time and really giving me my first taste of a city full of surprises

P.S. I'll also post some awesome pics of my day on FB 

I think I Earned My Stripes Today :)

Making Impressions...

So today was much more exciting than yesterday...Went out into the city and got to explore a little and take some pictures. Found out that as picturesque and "fun" as it sounds to ride bikes through a gorgeous little town, it's kinda a pain in the @$$ especially with angry European drivers around (no patience 'round here lol). But all in all the little trek was fun. I finally got to take some pics of Lubeck and it's just only made me want to explore much much more. Luckily, weather permitting Jose and I are gonna adventure through town and hit all the cool spots and do that whole tourist thing (makes me wish I had a camera w/ the strap to mob around with and piss ppl off as I obnoxiously stop at every corner to take insane amounts of pictures haha). Sadly I'm stuck using my temporarily out of service smartphone, but it'll do. Just excited to see more of what the city has to offer and create my own personal impressions. It should be a blast!

Practice #2

Let's just say I came out with a bang today. It makes things so much simpler when you know the offense and can just be an athlete as Glenn Fowles would say. I would have to say I had an amazing day today at practice and really earned my stripes w/ my teammates and the coaching staff. As the new guy coming in I felt like I had something to prove and expectations to live up to and today I far and away blew them out of the park.  One of my coaches even went so far as to say my presence raised the overall level and competitiveness of the practice overall and made the offense better.  His words "this was the best practice we've had all season." So I feel honored to be able to come right in and contribute and get these guys going and motivated. GO SEALS!!!

Also here are so teaser pics of my day...More to come soon I promise :) 

Chill Day

It's official...

My sleep cycle is ALL f%$@ed up. Didn't get out of bed til like 4pm Lubeck time -_- haha. Then channeled my inner meat head as Jose, Marvin, & I went beast mode on the Seals' gym. Felt good to throw some weight around and stretch out a little, definitely feeling the soreness from my first day back with the pads on running around yesterday. Looking forward to practice #2 tomorrow. Feels good to be a part of something special here. These guys are a great group and it's got that family feel that drew me to WU Bearcat tradition. I'm excited to make some noise over here. Hopefully I get to play this weekend but things aren't looking good for my debut. Our opponents' VP is also in charge of player passes (which all Americans access to play over here) and of course they don't wanna see me on the field so they're holding up my player pass for an extra few days most likely. But if I'm not on the field I'll be on the sideline cheering my guys on for sure. Cuz either way we're about to mash these guys (they just don't realize haha). Otherwise pics coming soon of my flat here in the city, the football field, and hopefully some of downtown Lubeck...staytuned

One down...

First Practice as a Seal:

  Felt so good to be back on a football field, running around and doing something I finally know how to do. Everything here has been so new to me and just a bit overwhelming, but football is football and I felt right at home. The team is awesome! Great ppl, amazing atmosphere, and just a group of men out having a blast. I couldn't be happier to be where I am right now. Everyone has welcomed me with open arms and been very helpful so far. Although I felt a little rusty and off my game today, I realize I can definitely make a difference for this team and it's future success. Can't wait. I hopefully will see my first live action this weekend and as we say at WU, "THEY AIN'T READY"  GO SEALS!!!

Yesterday...

Finally got my first look at a city that lives up to its billing as a historical site. The place is oozing with rich tradition and history on nearly every corner. The downtown area is a great mix of the new and old coming together in the city square.  The sounds, tastes, smells, etc are like an alarm waking up your senses to just a new walk of life. I can't wait to see and do more and experience all that Lubeck has to offer.  Although the city is small it's a like a buried treasure here in the country side of Northern Germany. I'll have pictures to come of the area so stay tuned!

 

Made it to Lubeck (Finally)

Crying babies, Lost & Found, but...I made it

 Finally in Lubeck after 11.5 hrs and almost 5000 miles, I'm finally here! I've never been so relieved to just sit somewhere and not have a next thing to do and yet I'm still almost restless. Two rows behind a demon spawn child who wouldn't shut up for 10 hrs, then waiting at the airport for an unknown person to just come find me was needless to say a bit stressful. Yet, I was found and still maintained some sanity thanks to Nicholas Sparks (yes I am reading a mushy girl book). Beyond that I managed to time travel to the future and make it all in one piece, which I must say is an amazing accomplishment. So far I haven't seen much of Lubeck, but I think I'm gonna dig living with Jose and Marvin. Jose is a familiar face which always helps a transition and Marvin, well he just seems like the kinda dude I could click with. So day one down, and it's not an epic fail just yet. Let the fun really begin

Preparing to leave

This is Crazy...

 So the day is finally here and I couldn't be  more of a ball of emotions. Nervous, happy, excited, sad, scared, etc etc etc. But all I keep telling myself is how great this opportunity is for me to go to another country, play the sport I love, and get to see yet another part of the world. It sounds all so great on the surface, yet the apprehension continues to creep in. Maybe I'm worrying to much or maybe it's just the nerves. At the end of the day though I'm ready to face this, cuz as the say you only live once (YOLO baby!!! ;P). Gotta seize this opportunity and embrace it.  I will miss family and friends dearly and probably spend more time holding on to what's in the rear view than looking forward to begin with. But the past is what makes us who we are.  What I won't do is not take advantage of this amazing chance I have before me. It's a blessing and it would be selfish and absurd of me to not enjoy it. So Thanks to Tim Speckman for making this opportunity a reality. Thank you Matt Benjamin and the ppl at NW Mutual for being so supportive and allowing a young man to LTD (live the dream) and go play some ball. Also thank you to all my friends and family who have supported me along the way and been there to congratulate me and hold me up in my times of weakness or insecurity. This is crazy and one for the ages!!