So, when we arrived back from our fun-filled trip to Maui and Seattle, we found a rather heavy package waiting for us on our doorstep .
What could it be?
A brick with our names on it?
What the heck?
It had the Rose Bowl seal and had been sent to us by Mike and Susan D'Antuono.
Apparently the Rose Bowl, "The Grand Daddy of Them All," had recently started a new tradition in the front of their hallowed stadium.
Normally, as will happen this year when Stanford (11-2) plays Iowa (12-1) in the 102nd Rose Bowl Game on January 1st, this game is a PAC-12 vs. BIG-10 affair. It has been this way almost every year since 1947's game until the old BCS and now the Playoff System interrupted things a few years ago.
The Rose Bowl's idea with this brick we received is to give supporters of PAC-12 and BIG-10 (11, 12, 13, 14?) universities a chance to show their school pride by placing a brick in this new courtyard.
Paul Sabolic by the University of
Washington's spot on the RB's Courtyard
We sit next to the Sabolics and D'Antuonos
AWESOME, GO DAWGS!!!
Thank you Mike and Susan!!!!!!!!
Meanwhile, back in Poland . . .
2016 PLFA II
Re-Alignment Announced
In 2015, the PLFA II division was composed of 21 teams divided into four geographically based conferences. Three of these conferences had five teams while the fourth had six squads.
Over this past weekend the PLFA head honchos met to re-align Division II for the upcoming Summer season.
Their first problem was that in 2016 the number of Division II teams would rise from 21 to 25.
The answer was was simple enough, the teams will be divided into five, five-team conferences named Groups A North, Group B Central, Group C Southeast, Group D South and Group E West. In a fit of economic responsibility, the five Groups are based on geography. WHAT A CONCEPT!
In the Spanish DII 2015 season, our Murcia Cobras longest road trip was to Santurzi, a round trip distance of 1,000 miles. Our shortest road trip in Spain last season was to Reus, a mere 610 miles round trip.
In Group A North, our Wikingowie (Vikings) longest road trip will be to Toruń, a round trip distance of 210 miles while our shortest bus ride will be to Słupsk, only 150 miles round trip.
What are these crazy Poles thinking?
Can I get a HALLELUJAH!!!
In 2016, your Gdańsk Wikingowie will compete in Group A North.
Poland's Five Regional DII Groups
Group A North is the light green one in the, logically, far North of Poland.
Let's take a closer look at the teams making up the newly aligned Group A North . . .
The Gdańsk Wikingowie
PLFA members since 2015
The Wikingowie are easily America's favorite PLFA II team. The Wikingowie finished their initial season with a 1-5 record which would have tied them for fourth place but an overall scoring differential of -104 points officially dropped them into fifth place.
The Bydgoszcz Archers
PLFA members since 2011
Round Trip Distance 208 miles
The Archers were in the same DII Group as the Wikingowie in 2015 finishing with a 4-2 record good for a second place tie in the Group. They finished the year outscoring their opponents by 22 points which dropped them into third place as the team they tied with, the Poznań Patrioci, outscored their opponents by 35 points.
The Słupsk Griffons
PLFA members since 2008
Round Trip Distance 150 miles
The Griffons were also in the same DII Group as the Wikingowie and Archers in 2015. They finished with a 1-5 record having split their two game with the Wikingowie. The Griffons won the fourth place tie-breaker by virtue of a better scoring differential of -88 points.
The two best teams in our 2015 Group were the 5-1 Zielona Góra Dragons and the 4-2 Poznań Patrioci. The Dragons went 1-1 in the PLFA II playoffs while the Patrioci lost their first round playoff game. Both of these teams are leaving our Group A and will compete in Group E West of the PLFA II in 2016.
The Toruń Angels
PLFA members since 2012
Round Trip Distance 210 miles
In 2016, the Angels played in the stronger PLFA I where they had a 1-7 record. In DI they were outscored by 169 points. Thus they will compete in DII in 2016.
The Olsztyn Lakers
PLFA members since 2011
Round Trip Distance 202 miles
In 2016, the Lakers competed in a different DII Group than the Winkigowie, Archers and Griffons. In their Group, the Lakers finished 3-3, good for fourth place and were outscored by 37 points on the campaign.
We still do not have the dates of our games but we anticipate a mid-July start to the season with the six game regular season ending in mid-September. When we know, you'll know.
Enough of American football, time for news of a more cultural nature . . .
We caught a Sunday matinee play
in beautiful Ojai
We had seen this comedic, four-person twist on Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1935 movie The 39 Steps twice in London and loved it. This production in artsy Ojai was every bit as good as the versions we saw overseas.
It was great fun on a rainy Sunday afternoon!
1 comment:
Suicidal team???
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