Swing Low, Sweet Chariot!!!

Having added a new satellite TV station just to get rugby I finally am getting my rugby fix. With the 6 Nations tournament starting I am dating myself with this blog but I would forever be remiss if I did not mention the incredible match played by the men from England against the mighty All Blacks from New Zealand. On December 1st England defied all odds to beat the World Cup Champions in England during international play.

The English side completely dominated the All Blacks in all phases of the game. From the beginning of the match the All Blacks were on their heels with aggressive play and hard tackles. Leading 15-0 at halftime the English looked dominate and in control but New Zealanders would not go away quietly. The Maori warriors had suffered from a team bout of the flu and an unrelenting English assault but never quit.

Ultimately The English side was too fast, too strong, too precise, and too unrelenting in its play and closed out the match 38-21. What made this victory so incredible was that it was England’s first win against the All Blacks in nine years. The All Blacks were undefeated in 20 matches and after a near decade of dominance over the English it almost seemed that the game was already decided before the teams came out onto the field. The English did not get the message that New Zealand was supposed to win.

The match was my first one to see since the World Cup and it left me motivated. I have been slowly getting back into shape since my injury and this game put an added spark into my motivation. I am excited and anticipating the 6 nation matches. I have my recorders set and my treadmill ready to roll so I can watch the matches over and over as I learn to run again. Thank you England and New Zealand for starting me off on the right foot.

When it Rains it Pours

It was bad enough that I was transferred away from Illinois and my beloved team, the Gladiators. Not only had I forged some good friendships on the team I had developed a deep passion for the game of rugby that I didn't even expect. I will forever be grateful to the Gladiators for the opportunity to play the game with them, for their patience as I developed, and for the immeasurable fun I had on the pitch. I moved to Northern Virginia where I immediately went searching for a new team to play for.

Luckily I was able to find a team no further than 15 miles from my new house. I was excited to get back to the pitch this fall. At this point I need to step back into the past. When I decided to take up Rugby I was a bit intimidated about my age and the level of violence of the sport. I was worried that I would break my neck or leg in a fluke accident and become disabled. As I learned the sport I found that rugby is actually a safer sport than football. This is because the athletes are not armored nor to they use their heads as battering rams as they do in football. Additionally, in football a Quarterback and Wide Receiver tend to turn their back to a charging opponent. In rugby the linear style and head-to-head play as well as the non-padded contact may seem counterintuitive but it is safer.

It is ironic or sad or maybe even comical that I snapped my tibia and fibula after falling from a ladder while cleaning my gutters on my new house. In an instant my rugby career was over with a painful snap. As I landed I thought "Oh, Shit! I can't believe I did that!" After an IV of morphine and an ambulance ride to the hospital it was apparent that I had made a mess of my leg. The next day I was taken to surgery and was fitted with an external fixator to keep my leg immobilized until it could heal enough for further surgery.

17 days later I was released from the hospital after having reconstructive surgery, which consisted of adding two titanium plates and 12 screws. It has been a long miserable recovery. Instead of running the pitch I spent the season in wheelchair and physical therapy. Needless to say I was a bit depressed and stayed clear of the pitch this fall.

All has not been lost though. I have upgraded to a sports package on TV that gives me weekly rugby matches so I am getting my hit fix. I am 43 now and now have this crazy goal to play one more match. I want to end my playing days on my own terms and prove to myself that I can. It may be crazy but that is what the spirit of Rugby is about.

WHAT A GAME!

What a game. I just finished watching a delayed recording of the Welsh Triple Crown victory over England. The match had everything a good rugby match should. It was fast, hard-hitting, good offense that was stifled by great defense, a fantastic try, and a dramatic finish. As a fan of the English team I was a bit sadden by the final score but not by the play of either teams.



I have to tip my hats to the Welsh who, as the visiting team, had history and a homefield advantage to overcome. The game was initially a kicking contest between Leigh Halfpenny of Wales and the foot of Owen Farrell. Both kickers showed icy poise under immense pressure throughout the match.




As the game rolled into the late minutes both teams still had the same fire, grit, and determination that they had shown at the beginning of the match. In fact it was through sheer grit that Welsh centre Scott Williams was able to strip Courtney Lawes of the ball before he bounced a perfect kick to himself for the games lone try at the 76-minute mark.



At this point, I thought the match was over; but the English crew showed valiant determination by marching the ball inside the Welsh 5 metre line when as time expired the English back David Strettle crossed the tryline but was unable to touch the ball down.



As I watched the slow motion replay over and over again, I started to cringe on the inside as it became apparent that despite a valiant effort he was unable to put pressure on the ball across the tryline. Nevertheless, it was a fantastic ending for an amazing game. For an American who had to suffer through an uninspiring NFL football season it was a refreshing event and has given me proper motivation as I roll into my first practice of the 2012 Spring campaign.

Super Bowl v. 6 Nations

I do not know which I am more excited about: the Super Bowl this evening or the start of the 6 Nations Rugby tournament. As a fan of American football I have been frustrated by the plodding season that has lacked drama and intrigue, and seemed to feed the disgusting over-inflated egos of the football “star”. Not to mention the fact that my favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys, were consistently inconsistent throughout the season. After playing Rugby for several season’s I have found the NFL to be rather slow.


However, I still appreciate the operational strategy that is introduced each play; but it is not a very good trade-off for the constant action and hitting that rugby provides. While both sports have spectacular plays, hard running, and devastating hitting the fundamental game dynamics make for subtle yet key differences.


First of all the team dynamic is different. Although both profess to be “team sports”, American football is focused around the personality and performance of a single player, the Quarterback. Though Rugby may have its stars, the entire team dynamic is not based on how well a single player is protected. In fact, in Rugby all players are expected to be aggressively part of the offensive and defensive collision.


In American football five players are dedicated to the protection of the “Field General”. If he can be protected then the game will ride on his shoulders as he marches his team to victory. Sometimes this dynamic falls on the shoulder of the running back. In rugby all players are individual cogs in the machine.


I appreciate both aspects for different reasons. Being an American, the idea of being the individual hero is a key concept to our culture. For example it was Washington who crossed the Delaware, and McArthur who returned to the Philippines. It is the individual that hits the two out, ninth-inning homerun, and it is the individual who marches his team to victory after the two-minute warning.


With their names emblazoned across their backs, American athletes seek the moment for individual glory. Our sports strategy is designed to focus the team’s efforts to create that hero. That is why when the Quarterback throws an interception or the running back fumbles they get booed. In Rugby the numbers on the back identifies the players and rarely does an individual “carry” a team.


I guess you can say that I am excited for the Super Bowl because it is a cultural phenomenon where the entire country gets together to cheer the athlete in a physical contest. Similarly, the 6 Nations tourney is a collection of Super Bowls as England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Italy, and France gather together to cheer their athletes and exhibit their national (Not EU) pride. So, no matter who wins the Super Bowl, you will find me in front of my telly this evening watching tape-delayed 6 Nations Rugby match and finally getting my fix for an aggressive fast-paced game. I am just glad it’s back just as American Football is ending. It will be quite cathartic for me as I have suffered through another boring season of the NFL since the World Cup finished.

GO ENGLAND!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

To my reader(s), I have to apologize for not keeping this Blog up to date. After the end of last season I had to repair all of the relationship and work related bridges I had burned in the name of Rugby, and that takes time. If you are a rugger I am sure you understand. It is a shame because I had several rugby related subjects on which to impart my sage wisdom; but have since forgot them all, much like Rick Perry in a debate. However, I do have a few things to say before I close out the Blog for the New Years.



First of all, for anyone who has ever read this Blog, thanks. I hope you have enjoyed reading it as I have had writing it. I decided a few years ago to record my experiences as I evolved as a person while trying to play this great sport at my advanced age. It has been a fun ride and I hope I can keep doing it for a few more seasons. I would like to welcome and solicit your responses regarding my posts. I am all about self-improvement; and while I am not very good with constructive criticism you are protected by the anonymity of the Internet.



Secondly, I have been bored pissless with American football this year. All of my favorite teams are lackluster performers and I am not playing Fantasy Football so I have no stake in any of the games. After the thrill and excitement of watching the World Cup I have come to the sad realization that American Football (especially NFL) can be rather boring given the excessive time between downs, side changes, and the myriad of TV commercials (adverts for my English mates). I am constantly pondering how I can get Rugby on the tube here. I think NPR or PBS should play a few matches, U.S. Super League or Premiership League from the United Kingdom for my personal viewing pleasure. I think this would help the grassroots movement immensely and would be a boon for the television stations.



Lastly, The only thing that has kept me sane to the point where I am not trying to tackle the dog or start a scum with the Grandmother, (This Christmas I almost turned a large family group hug into a maul as I tried to push the mass out of the doorstep and onto the front yard), has been fantasy rugby. I have come across an incredible fantasy game called BLACKOUT Rugby. In it, you become the Owner and General Manager of a Rugby team. You control everything from hiring a coach, training, player development and game tactics, to managing the budgetary issues of a team. You can be engaged as much as you want in the business aspect of running a team or focus only on the preparation and engagement of the matches. The game even gives you a real time play-by-play details of the matches as if they were being called on the radio or television. Even though this is a true fantasy league, as all the players are made up, the play-by-play presentation brings the personalities of the players to life and creates a sense of drama that is often lacking in fantasy football or baseball.



As a team owner and manager you compete head-to-head each week against other owners around the nation. Teams are ranked regionally, nationally, and internationally. The leagues all have cup competitions and league winners can get promoted to higher divisions. Look it up at http://www.blackoutrugby.com/. It has been fun and has helped me understand the game from a strategic point of view. Additionally, it has made me want to manage a sports organization. Unfortunately, I haven’t been hitting the gym because my downtime is spent dedicated to my team, the “Gladiators”. It is also one of the reasons I haven’t written in the Blog for so long. Hope to see you on the virtual pitch. At least I am competitive on this field.

Winning like Charlie Sheen

WINNING makes the sky seems bluer, the grass greener, the air fresher, the beer colder, the women more beautiful. Simply put, Life is better when you are winning. I should know, because we finally won a match. We didn’t just win; it was a one-sided free-for-all scoreapalooza. I have seen these before just not from the side that walks away with the “W”. Actually, this was the most one-sided affair I have been apart of.



During our painful drought from victory I always had fun playing rugby. Despite losing on the scoreboard I always felt I was progressing as a player and making a mark on the team with my hustle and example. Though loses did bother me; I felt we had the talent to compete but not the experience, and you sometimes have to lose to gain that experience. On Saturday all the work and experience fell into place as the team excelled in all aspects of play. Even when we made a mistake the ball bounced our way. I was as though Karma finally paid her back dues with interest.



Granted we played the only other winless team in our league, but the 107-0 differential showed what we were capable of as a team. It justified my faith in the team and the belief that we could compete at this level. It also served to energize the zeal for the team and stoke the fire to play in the Spring. This victory will be a source of inspiration for my off-season training program.



Statistically speaking this was my most unproductive games since moving from the backs to the forwards. I came into the game at about the 50-minute mark replacing on of my co-workers. He had had an outstanding game recording three consecutive tackles in one series. One of the tackles was, in my opinion, the hit of the game. The fury and speed of his play elicited a new emotion that I was not expecting from playing rugby. I felt a sense of fatherly pride in his play. Since I introduced him to the sport at work and encouraged him to play I feel like I have some ownership of his successful performance. The fact that he has played so well of late that I have become his back up is not a disappointment but rather a sense of pride as well.



Yes, rugby has introduced me to myself in ways I have not expected. This is one of the reasons why I love this game. In a sense it is a microcosm of life- everyone has a role to play, you have to keep running to be successful, you have to be prepared to make a stand when needed, you have to be there for your team and they have to be there for you. Like rugby life is non-stop action where you are may find yourself pushing the scrum or scoring the try. Both can challenge you in ways you never expected; and both are sweeter than wine when you win.

The Chicago Dragons

Tomorrow is our last game of the season. I am feeling strong and am ready to go. It is a bit bittersweet. The season has not been a great success in terms of tries and victories but I think we are a more cohesive team than we were in the spring and the progression the team has made collectively over the season has been impressive and a source of pride.




The Dragons share the bottom rung of the league with us and all of our competition says we should be able to beat them. This makes this game an important psychological game. If we win we close out the season on a strong note, filled with pride in developing into winners and looking forward to the spring. However, a loss will be crushing, knowing that we are the worst of the pack and our collective growth still is not good enough.



Individually, I am looking forward to this game because my season has been lackluster despite the fact my play has been much improved over the past seasons. I have a sense of nervousness sitting in my lower stomach. This match is more than just a game but a validation of my individual effort as well as the collective growth of the team.





Tomorrow is GAME DAY!