Milestones: Two and Two Thousand

The long staircase down at the Karlsplatz station. Nothing to do with the blog today, just ran across the pic.

At the Museum of Ancient Arms. The arm guard of Suliman II. His arm is not currently in it.

I am writing this just days after the 2-month anniversary of my arrival to Vienna, Austria. I sit here (alone; because I am apart from my best friend) and reflect on the time. It won't be heartstopping, page turning material, but I decided to put down a few ramblings.

I noticed on the stats provided by Google that I have had over two thousand hits on this blog in the time I have been writing it. I have had hits from as far away as Singapore, China, the Ukraine, Belarus, Alaska, and Oklahoma as well as Austria. I am deeply humbled that you would take the time to read this and am really encouraged when you give me feedback that encourages me to keep writing.

After 3 games, we are undefeated. We have scored 94 to our opponent's 17. We have been tested by teams we have never played before. We have found ways to win through every challenge. But we also must realize that all undefeated streaks CAN end. We continue to try to anticipate any possible problems and prepare accordingly. We know that every team will play harder against us because they want to be the ones to make the Austrian Times as the ones that stopped our now 21 game winning streak.

Our players struggle with work, injuries, school and sometimes all of the above combined. They struggle against cold, wind, cold AND wind, ice, new offensive formations, playing a position to which they are unaccustomed, and Oklahoma accents. They yearn to hit, even in practice where it would be possible to injure our own teammates. They are proud and willing to trust us. We are proud of them and trust them to do what we coach. They play for the love of the game and they pay their own money to do it.

Price a Schutt helmet sometime. 225 Euros. Shoulder Pads? 175. Pants, pads, shoes, etc, another 2oo. Throw in the obligatory UnderArmour shirt, tights, and beanie. Add gloves. You wear 700 euros worth of football equipment that would be provided in the US. Pay a fee to be in the association. Pay for a medical exam and chip in for the bus transportation. Add to that any braces, pads, collars, etc. No team trainer. The head coach lines the field in green AFTER the game to cover up the football lines from the sacred soccer pitch that can't allow such blasphemy to adorn its hallowed grass.

I know that they trust our experience and what we have learned and impart to them. They have given me measures of respect I have never know before. They make me want to run my head through a wall if that would help us get better. We spend day and night planning and scheming. We deal with sudden absences that were not planned. We spend hours breaking down and analyzing film that is nearly impossible to discern. We see our plans require alteration for various reasons.

And we hope.

We hope that what we do is the very best possible. We hope that our ego allows us to realize that they know football too. And often, we learn from them.

So we play our fourth game Saturday. We actually have two. Our team 2 plays a good Division II team first. Then our Team I game. A double header. I am old and pray for the strength to endure the stress of both. We have much adversity to overcome this week (about which I will not elaborate at this time). Just know that this week has been the hardest since I came. And I thought playing an undefeated team last week would be the worst.

And then Sunday morning. I get on a British Airways jet and fly to Okc via London and Chicago. I plan to spend a week at Altus and enjoy the company of my best friend and all the others that I can make time for. We have an off-week during the Easter holiday so I have worked out a deal to fly home. While home, I plan to explore job opportunities that would begin in mid-July. I am interested in coaching for any team in or around Altus but failing that, anywhere that can use an old coach.

I am excited to return. I miss Meers hamburgers, Oklahoma accents, being able to read the traffic signs, and Eddie's Catfish Fridays. I miss my Bronco (that I hope is now repaired), my dogs, and the temperate SW Oklahoma weather. I miss understanding what people are saying to and about me. I miss ya'll.

But I miss my wife the most. Note: when planning a life move, don't make the mistake of counting 3 months off on your fingers like they are hours. What seemed to be a really short time (like the Summer) has turned out to be nearly eternity. If not for a visit from her on Spring Break and this upcoming trip, I am afraid I would have never made it. We never spent more than 3 nights apart!

So tomorrow is the last walk-through practice. Saturday GAMEDAY! (x 2) and then Sunday is a long flight to a small town. See you at one (or more) of them.

Thanks for spending the time.