FWG: The Austrian Night Life

One of my teammates enjoys a smoke, before practice.

I'm not really sure where to start with this post.Maybe the oddity that the buzz at practice wasn't that "Ze Americans are finally in pads, ja??" but rather that "Tonight ve get ze Americans to drink ze beer."

Ze Beer in this case is, would be Austrian Beer. Murauer and Steigl. Maybe I should back up.
All week, our Austrian teammates told us that we were invited to the "Uni-party." I thought maybe I was hearing them wrong, but I didn't know what I Uni-party was. Turns out it was the "University Party." The part to kick off the semester.

I don't know about your collegiate experience, but I'm pretty sure that the higher ups at UConn never turned our student-union over to a beer sponsor, invited in a DJ, set up the place with seizure inducing strobe lights, turned off the no-smoking sign and let everyone from age 14 to 35 in. But, hey...that was just UConn (who knows what the crazies at BYU are up to on a Friday night).
So its finally Friday night, practice lets out, and its time to go. We hop in our car (the worst car in ALL of Austria.

1984 "NEVADA"(yeah, I mean what kind of car would you buy with YOUR signing bonus...)

And we head to a teammates "flat" to have some beers before we head out. I will interject a few points of emphasis here:
1) Austrians take their beer very seriously
2) Never call an Austrian person German.

Continuing...
As the beer starts to flow, one story I was told by a teammate stuck out..
I asked Danielle, "So why American Football...why not soccer for you?"
"It is because, vell...I like to hit somebody....ya. I like to smash them"
"Oh..."
"Ya you can't smash them in soccer, but in football...ahh beautiful, no one gives a fuck, yah!"
(I'd like to argue with him, but this Austrian just gave the Cliff-notes on why everyone should play football instead of soccer)
but then Danielle (a 6'5 185lb receiver) said something even better...
"So, I know NFL Players"
"What?" I said, almost choking on my beer.
"Ya, my girlfriend iz...umm...American-Samoa"
"Okay?"
"And her mom asked me, "Danielle-you play American football" and she vas on ze phone with her coo-zin, so I said "jah, I play American-Football" so she puts me on ze phone viz dis guy. And he said, "Allo! I am in NFL"
So I said, "Oh! Can you get me Patrick Willis's Jersey and Autograph!"
So he said, "Sure"
So I said, "Who is this?"
and He said, "Shawne Merriman"
so I said, "Oh, okay. Make sure ze Willis jersey is a large. Danke!"

He asked Shawne Merriman for a Patrick Willis jersey. Holy shit.

Only in Austria.
Ciao!

FWG: The First Practice: Hilarity Ensues

You know what. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect from the first practice. I mean, technically I'm getting paid. So that makes me a professional. Never mind the language or cultural barriers, football is football. And getting paid makes it professional football.

That being said. This practice would best be described as the best high school football team in America meets The Longest Yard.

(I can hear the movie trailer now)
In a world where football is secondary, and soccer is king. A group of rag tag rogue athletes gather. Neither sleet, nor snow, nor age, nor mis-matched practice jersey can quench their insatiable thirst....FOR PAIN!!!

I kid, I kid. Sort of.
They (the Austrians) have a remedial knowledge of football, but a deep love for the game. The linemen are linemen, strong and athletic. They can play. (Well, if they knew how to play, they could play)

There are a few local defensive linemen, that (after 5 years of college football) I am sure could challenge for a spot on a Division I or Division IAA starting lineup.

This is the rainy season in Klagenfurt, Austria. So our first practice was met with a torrential downpour. As practice went on, I noticed that the rain wasn't even an issue. It was a non factor. I cant tell you how many times I've heard Division I players whine about playing (let alone practicing) in the rain. But not here. I loved the drive.

Cultural differences? They are a-plenty. As player/coach I called a water break. I ran over to the cooler. I saw them drinking a brownish liquid, thought to myself, "Well that is unlike any Gatorade I've ever seen." And then..was that? It is...steam. Steam from a water cup?
It was not Gatorade.
It was not Water.
It was...HOT TEA.
Hot tea at a water-break. I never thought I'd see that in any of my years playing football. Which lends legitimacy to the American's rallying cry, "T.I.A.!!!"....THIS. IS. AUSTRIA! In fact, I'm still chuckling. (What an experience this is.)

I guess through college, although fat, I carried myself with a "swag." I knew I played football, and in America, playing football is cool. Alright, I said it. Playing football is cool, you are the biggest and strongest guys around. You stand out. That's simply just not the case here. Soccer is king. Without question. Some might see that as an impediment to success, but I see it as working in our advantage. These local players grew up playing soccer, so they can all run. The other things is that the draw to the game (for the Austrians) is not to be cool They are out there because the LOVE the game. It is a cult following, and there is they are all going against everything popular culture tells them. Their sense of pride is extraordinary. The over paid, pampered athlete, is a myth. It doesn't exist on the (American) football field. They are living in a view of disdain almost everyday.

You know the worst part? When these guys are at the university, and they tell girls that they play "ze American Football" the chicks don't think its cool. In fact, Frauline is probably all like, "ya American football is for pansies..." followed by, of course "vere iz da Men's Tennis player I vas talking to earlier?"

Today's FWG moment?
Well, I took my shirt off and the Austrians all go “ahhhhh! Zat iz why you are ze fat white guy”
-Thanks. Guys.

Our first scrimmage is 5 days away. Check back soon.

FWG: Check in...

Just checking in

Rob Lunn, if you haven't read on his site, is in Austria getting ready to play some "American Football." He has recently written "Meet the Austrians" and "Welcome to Austria" where he introduces Ramon, who I am very intrigued to learn more about. But before all of this, he wrote about his journey getting there. While in Chicago he sent us this video.



For those who have grown to love FWG as much as I have I hope you enjoy his writings about his experience up till now. I'm sure we will get some very interesting stuff as he continues his journey. Good luck Rob.