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Scorpion brezel (pretzel). Between this and the double scorpion burger you
cant go hungry at games. |
Somehow we're already approaching the 1/4 mark of the second go around here. For the most part it has been all quiet on the western front, but that hasn't stopped me from getting out and about some. In addition to any and all European shenanigans, season kickoff is right around the corner and I could not be more excited to hit somebody across the middle again. Sometimes timing is everything and this year looks very promising for the Stuttgart Scorpions. It has been great to come over early to practice, coach, get my feet back under me, and meet my new teammates before we take the field for the first time down in Innsbruck Austria. With a healthy combination of young, eager European players and a group of Americans who all have multiple years of experience overseas, we are all expecting to perform well this year as a GFL 1 program. Every game is equally important in the GFL, as it seems no teams are ever "cupcakes". Or as Chris Berman says, "And that's why they play the game...". However, it appears that the meat and potatoes of our schedule is slated at the front. A season opener in Innsbruck Austria against the
Swarco Raiders will be a great litmus test for us given that the
Rrrrrrrraiders have been a football power house in Europe ever since I have known. Shortly after our showdown with Swarco begins the conference schedule. It is especially exciting around Scorpion football this year due to the reopening of our home stadium the Gazi Stadion. Last year it was being renovated so no games were held there. It will be the best stadium I play at all season and lucky for me there are 7 games already lined up for the Gazi. On top of all of that, our regular season home opener is set to take place at the end of April against the Scorpions arch rival and my former team the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns. The race is on to see who can stack more hay in the barn (I'm looking forward to explaining all of my idioms to my German teammates next practice). The whole GFL schedule can be seen below:
One thing I had yet to cross off of my European bucket list was to go snowboarding. The thought of hitting the slopes and finishing with a German beer(s) is paradise. It didn't matter to me where because I knew it would be special regardless. Fortunately one of my teammates is from the Southern part of Germany where from the top of the slopes you can see France and the ridge line of the Swiss Alps.. Absolutely incredible and nearly appears fake. Almost equally impressive was the train ride to the ski resort. This thing was spiraling around and going through the mountains to get us there.
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| The picture does not do the Alps justice... Can't think of another place in the world with that view |
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| Prost! |
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| Freiburg, Germany. Beautiful city. Very German looking with rivers, made up of nothing but old buildings, and a giant cathedral in the center of town. These are my favorite types of towns here |
**** Update with our chess friend ****
I got my butt kicked. There is no other way to say it. This guy is good. Almost too good and it grinds my gears. A week ago the sun was shining and I knew it was time to stroll into town and teach him a thing or two about rooks and bishops. When I showed up not only was he playing two challengers at once, but he was doing it all with one eye opened while eating some lunch (German bento I believe). After seeing him run circles around the first challengers I stepped up to the plate and took a seat at his card board box table. 10 minutes tops. That's all he needed. Immediately I told him best 3 out of 5 but he'd had enough of my amateur play. Come to find out this guy is a legend. I can't exactly read German, but he had a book (crumpled up news articles) of his history laying on the ground with articles dating back to the 80s. Like any true professional he looked me in the eye, shook my hand, gave me the head nod and sent me on my way.
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| Lunch in the middle of two games is such a veteran move. |
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| It crossed my mind to burn this guy's box after the humiliation, but I will live to fight another day. |
Go Scorpions,
Drew
