Manly Men Bonding

After the newbies arrived and got settled either at home or at the office, it was off to practice at the University. Brandon is a PLAYER! More importantly for our team he is also a very good teacher. He did a great job with helping our other offensive linemen and brings a tough attitude to the practice. I really want to see him at Nose Guard on defense, I think he will be a dominant two way player. His example is going to raise everybody's level of play on both the offensive line and the front eight on defense.

Jason is not really the "Positologist" he claims to be, what he really is is a "Million Miles an Hourist"...really high energy. He also is a good teacher and will also, beyond question, raise the level of play for our offense and for our linebackers and defensive backs.

In a nutshell, our team just got a whole lot better!

After practice it was a night of team bonding. First it was dinner, picture, at a small restaurant near the Piazza Duomo that specializes in meat. We ate all sorts of wonderful things, including cavallo. My new favorite is a dish that has green onions wrapped in bacon, MAMMA MIA!!!

From there is was off to the nearby Etoile D'Or, pictures, for cannolis. Jason gave Matt the perfect new nickname "Obi Won Cannoli". He only had two last night. After my cannoli, Giulio bought me a "Small Breast of Sant'Agata". Sant'Agata is the patron saint of Catania and was martyred by a Roman Emperor who cut off her breasts before killing her. Etoile D'Or serves these white pasteries with a candied cherry on top in memory of her, quite good but I'm still a cannoli and gelato man first and foremost.

We went to the Fundo Bianco bar where the owner, Atiel (crazy looking guy with the red eyes that is not Matt) picture, had his Harley-Davidson parked out front. Brandon lit up when he saw it and struck up a conversation with Atiel about motorcycles and tatoos, instant bonding and a very happy lineman.

Jason got up early enough to go  out on the patio, picture, and see his first sunrise in Aci Castello. The we walked into Aci Trezza for a cornetto and cappuccino. Afterwards I introduced him to the "Two Marias", picture,  far left and far right. They are the ladies who run the local dry cleaners. I brought them a cornetto to share and they are our friends for life. They do a great job running their business and think we have connections in Hollywood. They also want us to introduce them to Mel Gibson and Richard Gere.

Finally, you see a picture of Jason with a fresh gash on his forehead.

He was either

A. hurt in practice when a linebacker blitzed and gave him a vicious blow to the head

or

B. hit his head on the little pop up top that hides the view of the trunk in our hatchback car putting his gear into the car after practice. You decide.