Victory in Vienna

Pictures of the game are available on Natascha Wallner's photo page. Check them out, they are great!

See them at:

http://football-pics.jimdo.com/

Our first game signaled a good start and another milestone in this season and my experience. After holding our own with two top-level AFL teams, we mauled an outmanned, out-coached, team in our division called the Hall Red Lions who had traveled nearly 5 hours to endure the beating. The Red Lions team is a very likable bunch and as we shook hands following the contest, I saw guys that just love the game and cared little about the outcome. The outcome was probably not to their liking and they played to win, but they played hard, they never quit, they seemed to be a 'family", and they had no looks of discouragement as they passed through the line during the post-game handshake.

We began the game on defense and early in the first series, the team we expected to destroy, completed a pass, got a first down, and was threatening to be more formidable than expected. Then, one thing on which we constantly preach and work occurred. Just like we practice. The ball came loose. Fritz Limbeck alertly performed the "Scoop and Score" to perfection. After Raphie Hackl kicked his first of 9 PATs we were up 7-0. One defensive goal accomplished. Score on "D".

The next series began after an untimely turnover that gave the Red Lions the ball back in fairly good field position. We held and then Andy Reiter fielded the punt (on the 1 yard line!) and returned the ball nearly 6o yards before being knocked out of bounds by a heroic effort by the punter. He would later return another punt for the same big time return. It was evident that our punt return team was working efficiently. We also had two kickoffs recovered by our own kicking team, one by Max Boder.

Defensively, we had a number of tackles for losses and adjusted well to most every situation we encountered. The screen pass probably hurt us most of all, but we adjusted to it also. Interceptions were made by Markus (the birthday boy) Bernas, Mike Gratz, Andy Reiter, and Fritz Limbeck. Armin Schneider and Franz Koloshar provided veteran leadership and bone-jarring tackles when they got through the line of Ronnie Haebler, Max Boder, and Manske Zott. The "Rhino" package that included Drago and Felix Schildorfer provided the boost that produced takeaways that led to quick touchdowns in the closing minutes of the first half. It goes without saying that we got plenty of work on our Kick-off and extra-point teams.

After scoring our 35th point, the Austrian "mercy" rule came into effect and the clock ran continuously, shortening the contest. TDs from Andy Krammer, Lars Gabler, Stefan Postl, and Robert Holochler (to name a few on the list, if I missed someone, I am sorry) inflated the score to a 63-0 final. There were many more heroics performed by our players and to try to list them all would be futile. I apologize in advance for leaving out obvious and notable contributions. My excuse is my age and the onset of memory loss. We have film to help me remember, I just haven't watched it thoroughly enough yet.

The "pageantry" (for lack of a better word) before and after the game was notable.

One of the first things during warm up was the mandatory lining the entire team up while the referee performed a "face-check". Each player was called out and the ref checked the id of the player (his picture) with the player that stepped out upon hearing his name called. This was done on both team's sidelines.

Prior to the game (and after the teams ran in), the beginning offense and defense was announced individually, a moment of silence for the tragedy in Japan (nice touch), a team chant, and finally, kickoff.

During the game, the speakers that were pointed at the crowd from in front of the bleachers were a constant barrage of stadium hits. Bits of "We Ready" and "Tonight's gonna' be a Good Night" and a hundred other sound bytes played. Filling up all the time between plays. After each score, Austrian teams have a "touchdown song". Ours was something that included "Yankee Doodle" as part of it. Don't really know why. But anything they play after we score is my favorite. Johnathan noted that the "DJ" who ran the sound was probably the most prepared of all the people with responsibilities for the game in the stadium that day.

Following the game, the "greet the crowd" portion previously mentioned in an earlier blog was carried out and then players met their friends and family at the rail behind the team box. No spectators went onto the field.

I saw nobody berating the officials (though, Heaven knows they needed it). No one was griping at the coach because their son didn't play. I heard no one complaining about the coaches or the play calling and so far today, no administrator has asked if everyone played and checked to see if my language was pristine enough during the game. Following the game, I had no laundry to do. No post game interview. I don't have to request a bus, meals, or fill out a loss of school time form, or wait on the list in order to check eligibility for the next contest and I don't have to worry that the Ag boys are digging a trench across the practice field. Nobody turned in their helmet because they didn't play as much as they wanted. No one ran out of the locker room because a teammate threatened him with a rubber snake either.

All in all, it was a victory in Vienna.

Now it's over and it's time to concentrate on the next game.