THE CIRCUS COMING THROUGH THE AIRPORT
OF COURSE WE ARE JUST OVERGROWN KIDS..THEY CAN BE A COACHES NIGHTMARE..WHO WOULD SHOW?..WHO WOULD MISS THE PLANE?..PASSPORTS?..ANYONE LEAVE THE CRIB WITHOUT THEIR'S?...RESPONSIBLE FOR PACKING YOUR OWN GEAR..WHO WOULD FORGET THEIR HELMET?..THE SHOULDER PADS?..KINDA HARD TO DELIVER A BlOW ON THE GRIDIRON WITHOUT THOSE...SECURITY LINES AROUND THE CORNER?..WHAT THE HECK..CUT IN FRONT..WHO'S TO ARGUE?..NOTHING LIKE SEEING A DEFESIVE LINEMAN'S MUG SQUEEZED INTO A MIDDLE SEAT IN COACH CLASS..AREN'T THOSE SEATS RESERVED FOR THE GOATS AND CHICKENS..OR THE MIDGETS OF THE WORLD?
THE MORNING TRAVEL WOULD PRODUCE NO ISSUES...NO SURPRISES..ALL HANDS ON DECK...WE ALMOST APPEARED LIKE A PROFESSIONAL OUTFIT..COULD THIS REALLY BE THE BERGAMO LIONS EMBARKING ON A TRIP TO PLAY A GAME THAT DAY WITH NO ONE MISSING?
OUR DESTINATION WOULD BE A LAND OF ULTIMATE CONTRASTS...FROM THE AIR YOU CAN SEE A SNOWCAPPED MOUNTAIN ON A SUNDRENCHED ISLAND...THATS A CONTRAST..THE LARGEST ISLAND IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA IS SEPARATED BY LESS THAN 10 MILES OF SEA TO HER MOTHERLAND..HOW COULD THIS LAND PRODUCE BOTH A BLOODTHRSTY LA COSA NOSTRA (OUR BUSINESS) THE MAFFIOSA BORN OF MONREALE AND CLOSE TO THE CITY OF CORLEONE, POPULARIZED BY MAURIO PUZZO'S IL PADRINO...AND YET MAKE THE SWEETEST PASTRY KNOWN TO MANKIND..THE CANOLI?...WHERE CITRUS FRUITS OF BLOOD ORANGES, LEMONS, AND LIMES ARE AS PLENTIFUL AS THE THE SOUND OF HORNS HONKING IN MIDDAY CITY TRAFFIC....WHERE PEOPLE ARE SHORT AND THE DAYS ARE LONG...WHERE THE NARROW CITY STREETS OF PALERMO, CATANIA AND MESSINA ARE CHOKED WITH BUMBER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC, WHERE RULES AND LAWS ARE MERELY A SUGGESTION WHILE THE COASTLINE IS DOTTED WITH COUNTLESS COLORFUL PEACEFUL FISHING BOATS THAT HAVE NEVER GONE FASTER THAN THE OAR CAN ROW...THIS IS SICILY........THIS WAS OUR DESTINATION..
CATANIA, SICILY TO BE EXACT...WARM AIR AND BRIGHT SUNSHINE GREETED US UPON LANDING..ALREADY THE MOODS BRIGHTENED...IF THIS IS GAMEDAY TRAVEL THEN LET THE CONTRAST TO WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SURVING IN, AN EXTENDED MISERABLE INVERNO IN BERGAMO, CONTINUE..
MT ETNA TOWERS OVER CATANIA AT ALL TIMES
BUT HERE IS WHERE THE ITALIAN LEAGUE OF AMERICAN FOOTBALL AND THE "ITS JUST ITALY" TOOK OVER..THE STADIUM WE WOULD PLAY IN, 2 1/2 HOURS FROM KICKOFF WAS 15 MINUTES AWAY..SO WHAT DID WE DO?..OUR BUSDRIVER WOULD TAKE US 10 KM IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION THROUGH THE CENTER OF TOWN AROUND THEIR PORT OF CATANIA IN PARKING LOT TRAFFIC..WHICH WOULD TAKE 1 1/2 HOURS SO WE COULD GET A GOOD LUNCH AT A TRATTORIA WITH TYPICO SICILIANI CIBO...CROQUETTES OF FRIED RICE WITH MOZZARELLA AND TOMATO SAUCE WAS TO DIE FOR...ARANCINI....BUT FOR A PREGAME MEAL WITH KICKOFF TO TAKE PLACE IN AN HOUR?..I CAN JUST IMAGINE THE BLOOD VESSELS THAT WOULD POP IN BILL PARCELLS' BRAIN IF THE NEW YORK GIANTS TRIED SOMETHING LIKE THIS BACK IN HIS HEYDAY.
BUT IF YOU HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS WORLD FAMOUS BLOG YOU KNOW THAT THE BERGAMO LIONS DO NOT COMPLAIN..NEVER...EVER..ABOUT ANYTHING..NOT FROM MY EARS ANYWAY..AMAZING, AND ITS THE QUALITY I LOVE MOST ABOUT THE TEAM..THERE WERE PLAYERS THAT STARTED THE DAYS JOURNEY IN THE SOUTH OF ROME AT 1AM IN THE MORNING AND WOULD DRIVE OVER 5 HOURS TO REACH THE BERGAMO AIRPORT TO TRAVEL WITH THE TEAM...SO A GOOD LUNCH ON WHAT FELT LIKE A SIGHT SEEING TOUR OF DOWNTOWN CATANIA DIDN'T SHAKE ANYONE UP
KICKOFF CAN WAIT...PREGAME MEAL TO ENJOY FIRST
OF COURSE OUR BUS DRIVER DID THE ITALIAN THING OF MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME..REDLIGHTS?...STOP SIGNS?...THEY ADHERE TO ONLY 1 RULE..NO PEDONALE...NO FERMATA...TRANSLATED...NO PEOPLE..NO STOP..ONCE AT CUS STADIUM ON THE CAMPUS OF CATANIA UNIVERSITY WE WOULD CHAT WITH THE OFFICIALS WHO WOULD BEND THE STARTING TIME FROM 1:30...TO A NEW START TIME OF 2:15..LOCKERROOMS UNDERSIZED..ILL-EQUIPED FOR 45 FOOTBALL PLAYERS..NO PROBLEM..JUST TAKE THE UNI'S OUTSIDE AND CHANGE IN BROAD-DAY-LIGHT..MAKESHIFT TRAINING ROOM ..VOILLA..PREPARATION WAS UNDERWAY..US AMERICAN COACHES WERE CONCERNED...ARRIVE LATE..PREGAME MEAL OF SICILAIN FAVORITES...80 DEGREES IN STRONG SUNSHINE...PLAYING AFTER TRAVELING ALL-DAY..WHO WOULDN'T BE CONCERNED??..
NO TRAINING ROOM..NO PROB..FLOOR IS PERFECT
CUS STADIUM WAS A GARDEN SPOT....IT APPEARED TO BE WEDGED BETWEEN THE MAR MEDITERRANEAN AND THE SNOWCAPPED MOUNTAIN OF MT ETNA...AT NIGHT THE VLCANO THAT IS AT THE PEAK OF MT ETNA WOULD BE BILLOWNG SMOKE , REMAINS FROM AN ACTIVE VOLCANO THAT OVERFLOWS WITH LAVA INTO THE NEIGHBORING TOWNS EVERY DECADE OR SO..
MT. ETNA SNOWCAPPED VOLCANO RISES IN BACKDROP
OH YEAH ANOTHER WORRISOME THOUGHT HAD CREEPED INTO OUR EXECUTIVE BRANCHES ALL WEEK LONG..THE CATANIA ELEPHANTS HAD JUST SET AN ITALIAN LEAGUE RECORD OF SCORING 81 POINTS THE PREVIOUS WEEK VS BOLZANO GIANTS, LAST YEAR'S LEAGUE CHAMP..81 POINTS..NOT AN NBA SCORE...OR AN ARENA LEAGUE SCORE..NO NO..BOLZANO WOULD FIRE THEIR DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR AFTER THAT DEBACLE..WE WITNESSED ALL 81 POINTS IN GAMEPLANNING FOR THIS WEEKS CONTEST
CATANIA SCORED A RECORD 81 PNTS A WEEK AGO
IT WOULD BECOME A FABLE OF THE OLD AND THE NEW...IL VECCHIO E' IL NUEVO...JOINING THE RANKS WOULD BE SOME BERGAMO VETS WHO WERE PART OF 12 STRAIGHT ITALIAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS...LUCCA AND ROBERTO WOULD TRAVEL, DRESS. AND PLAY...LUCCA IS 45 YEARS OLD..I FIRST MET HIM AS A SPRY, SUPERHUMANSTRONGMAN WITH THE BARCELONA DRAGONS OF THE WORLD LEAGUE OF AMERICAN FOOTBALL IN 1997..THAT YEAR THE DRAGONS, COACHED BY JACK BICKNELL, AND LEAD BY NFL GREATS JON KITNA AT QB AND BY LA'ROI GLOVER AT DT WOULD WIN THAT LEAGUE'S CHAMPIONSHIP ON A GREAT NIGHT IN OLYMPIC STADIUM HIGH ABOVE MONJUIC VS THE RHEIN FIRE..LUCCA WASA RESERVE DT BUT A CHAMPIONS HEART..AT 45 HE STILL CAN SQUAT AND DEADLIFT WITH SOME OF THE WORLDS STRONGEST...BUT HIS SMILE AND FRIENDLY NATURE IS INFECTIOUS...HE WOULD PROVIDE STRENGTH IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR DEFENSIVE WALL
LUCCA...45 YEARS YOUNG..SMILE NEVER GOES AWAY
THEN THERE IS ROBERTO, AGE 42...WANTS TO RETIRE..BUT THE GAME STILL SUCKS HIM BACK INTO IT..BY DAY HE WORKS IN A STEEL FACTORY..HATES IT...WHO WOULD ENJOY..WHEN HE SPEAKS SPARKS OF IRON SPIT OUT..PURE GRAVEL...BUT HE HAS TWIN 8 YEAR OLD DAUGHTERS THAT HAVE TO BE LOOKED AFTER..CARED FOR AND LOVED...SO HE DRAGS HIMSELF TO THE FACTORY EACH DAY...REMINDS ME OF MY FATHER'S ILK...STRAIGHT FROM THE STEELMLLS OF PITTSBURGH WHERE FOOTBALL IS THE GREATEST RELEASE AND THE HEALTHIEST DISTRACTION..ROBERTO IS ALSO OUR DEFENSIVE LNE COACH..BUT ON THIS WEEK WITH THIS OPPONENT..IT WAS TIME TO STRAP IT UP ONE MORE TIME..WHAT A PERFORMANCE..ONE OF OF BEST 1ST STEPS FROM ANY 42 YEAR OLD I HAVE EVER WITNESSED
ROBERTO 42...DREAMING OF THE WAY HE USED TO DO IT
IT WAS ALSO A DAY OF THE NEW..OUR DEFENSE GAVE UP 49 POINTS THE FIRST WEEK IN A LOSS..IT WOULD SURRENDER 42 POINTS VS ROME IN A WIN..COULD WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE WHILE TRAVELLING TO CATANIA TO PLAY AN OFFENSE THAT BLISTERED ITS OPPONENT 6 DAYS AGO FOR 81?...WELCOME RICH BROWN..RICH HAS ASSUMED DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR DUTIES SHARED WITH DAVIDE'..RICH HAS PUT A FOUNDATION IN PLACE..HE SPENT HOURS PREVIEWING CATANIA'S OFFNESE..A FORMER DEFENSIVE STALLWORT AT END FOR SANTA CLARA AND A TEAMMATE TO COACH COS..HE WOULD PUT INTO PLACE A MASTERFUL GAMEPLAN...PICKING UP ON KEY TENDENCIES, IT WAS TIME TO MAKE THEIR QB NO LONGER IMITATE DAN MARINO..HE WOULD RUN FOR HIS LIFE WITH THE RELENTLESS PRESSURE OFF THE EDGE.
RICH BROWN AND COS..SANTA CLARA REUNITED
BUT THIS OFFENSE WOULD NOT SURRENDER TO RICH BROWN'S SCHEME ALONE..IT NEEDED A "SHUT DOWN" CORNER...SOMEONE WHO COULD TRAIL, FOLLOW, AND HARRASS THEIR ACE AMERICAN RECEIVER..THIS WAS THE KEY INGREIDIENT TO COACH BROWN'S FORMULA..
BENVENUTO TERRELL..IF I NEW HIS LAST NAME I WOULD PRINT FOR YOU TO READ, EXCEPT I DON'T KNOW IT..NOR DOES ANYONE ELSE ON THE TEAM..YOU SEE, HE JUST ARRIVED ON LUNEDI..LAST PLAYED FOR THE LA TEAM IN THE NEWLY ERRECTED UFL THAT WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP IN NOVEMBER...AT PRACTICE ON MONDAY, HOURS AFTER LANDING FROM AN 18 HOUR TRAVEL DAY FROM LA, HE APPEARED BOTH JETLAGGED AND QUIET..BUT SWEET..EASY SMILE..ACTUALLY 5 DAYS LATER HIS DEMEANOR DIDN'T CHANGE AT ALL..
TERRELL...WARMING UP TO A SENSATIONAL DEBUT
ONE OF THOSE PLAYERS WHO YOU NEVER KNOW IS THERE UNTIL THE GAME STARTS..PREFERS TO LET HIS PLAY DO THE TALKING....LONG BONEY CALVES...SPAGHETTI LIKE SINEWY ARMS..SLEPT FROM THE AIRPLANE RIDE TO THE BUSRIDE THROGUH THE AIRPORTS AND TO THE STADIUM...GOT THE BODYFAT OF A HUMMINGBIRD..WOULD HE WAKE UP INTIME FOR THE KICKOFF?..OUR FOOTBALL LIVES RESTED IN HIS GIFTED HANDS AND FEET.
TERRELL...PREFERS TO LET HIS PLAY DO THE TALKING
HIS PLAY WAS SMOOTH...AND NATURAL..BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL..THE STAR AMERICAN RECEIVER FROM CATANIA WAS A NONFACTOR...ON OFFENSE WITH PLAYS HE HAD NEVER PRACTICED , HIS HANDS CAUGHT EVERYTHING..THE PARTY WOULD ONLY GET STARTED ONCE HE CUPPED THE BALL IN HIS HANDS..IT WAS A REMARKABLE PERFORMANCE..DOMINANT..NOT AN ECHO OF GLOAT..NO PRAISING THE HIGHER POWERS..NO ENDZONE CELEBRATIONS...AS QUIET IN A STUNNING VICTORY AS HE WAS GETTING OFF A JETLAGGED PLANERIDE FROM SOME OTHER PART OF THE WORLD JUST CINQUE GIORNI FA.
WE WERE DOWN 12-0 AND NOT A SPECK OF PANIC...WE HAD EM RIGHT WHERE WE WANTED THEM...FOOTBALL IS AN AMAZING GAME..WHEN YOU DON'T CATCH THE BALL AND YOU DON'T TACKLE YOU DON'T PLAY WELL..NEVER CHANGES NO MATTER WHAT CONTINENT YOU ARE PLAYING ON..AND WE WERE AWFUL THE FIRST QUARTER..BUT WE DECIDED THAT TACKLING AND CATCHING AND BLOCKING WERE IMPORTANT BY THE START OF THE 2ND QUARTER AND WE WOULD TAKE A HALFTIME LEAD OF 13-12..WE DOMINATED THE 3RD QUARTER AND WOULD STRETCH THE LEAD TO 34-12
VAN PELT CONTINUED HIS WARRIOR WAYS..HIS STORY IS COMING IN THIS BLOGOSHERE..ENOUGH CAN'T BE SAID ABOUT HIS GAMESMANSHIP, LEADERSHIP AND ABOVE ALL HIS TOUGHNESS..HE NEVER FLINCHES..HE ALWAYS TAKES A LITTLE BLOOD BEFORE HE HITS THE GROUND..FINGERS WERE SWOLLEN..GOT A 2ND AND 3RD CHIN TODAY..WASN'T PERFECT ON THE DAY ...BUT SOMETHING ABOUT QB'S FROM ANY ERA THAT WILL STAY IN THE POCKET, WAITING TO THE VERY LAST POSSIBLE SECOND TO RIFLE A BALL AT A MOVING TARGET THAT HE BARELY CAN SEE, AND AFTER HE IS SANDWICHED BY A LINEBACKER PARTY WILL, NEVER KNOW IF THE BALL IS CAUGHT UNTIL HE HEARS THE ROAR OF THE CROWD...HARD TO BELIEVE THAT EVEN AT AGE 30 HE ISN'T ONE OF THE TOP 100 QB'S IN AMERICA RIGHT NOW..I REFUSE TO BELEIVE DAVID CARR OR AJ FEELEY OR CHARLIE WHITEHURST COULD DREAM OF THIS KIDS TOUGHNESS.
VAN PELT....FINAL INSTRUCTIONS FROM COS
THE FEELING OF VICTORY NEVER GETS OLD...IT NEVER TIRES..AND THE FEELING OF A GROWING TEAM SPIRIT IS WHAT KEEPS THE VECCHIO COMING BACK FOR MORE..TO ROBERTO AND TO LUCCA..THANKS..IT IS NSPIRING TO SEE 42 AND 45 YEAR OLD MEN GO OUT AND PLAY A BOYS GAME...TO THE NUOVO, RICH AND DARRELL..NOTHING LIKE SEEING YOUR WORK..YOUR EFFORT PAYOFF IN SUCH A NEEDED SPOT
VAN PELT AND OFFENSE BEGINNING TO CLICK
WHAT'S NEXT IS ALWAYS THE QUESTION..AT 2-1 AND A GREAT 2 GAME WIN STREAK ITS NOW TIME TO SET OUR ULTIMATE GOAL..TO BE THE BEST TEAM ON THE EUROPEAN CONTINENT THIS YEAR..ITS BEEN AWHILE SINCE BERGAMO COULD LAY THAT CLAIM..BUT IT IS IN OUR GRASP..THIS TEAM IS A TEAM..IT HAS A HEART..IT HAS CHEMISTRY..WHERE DO WE WANT TO GO FROM HERE?..THOSE QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED IN COMING BLOGS..KEEP COMNG BACK..IT IS ONLY GOING TO GET BETTER
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