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!