Saturday, May 21, 2016

If It's Saturday, It MUST be a Day for AMERICAN FOOTBALL in Sweden!


Saturday, 21 May, 2016:

What a GREAT day for American football!!!

 Thanks to the planning of Aiki Parts,
today was going to be a full blown
EXTRAVAGANZA!!!

 We had a Press Box/Filming Tower

Aiki rigged up a P.A. system and VOILÀ, we had announcers ready to roll!

First up on the agenda at 10:00 a.m. were a series of U11 games with five teams in attendance. Our beloved Wäsby Warriors had all three of our squads, the Packers, the Steelers and, of course, my personal favorites, the Vikings suited out.

These three teams were joined by two Sollentuna Stars teams, the Redskins and the Chargers.

 Packers vs. Vikings in a
traditional NFC North matchup

I LOVE the Redskins QB stance as he
faces the rugged Steel Curtain defense

Did Joe Gibbs teach this during his tenure with the 'Skins?

 Great Sox on the Steelers QB

If only we had the Steelers throw-back bumble bee jerseys to match.

Chargers vs. Vikings

Good pad level by my beloved Vikings.

The Chargers RB, in a Saints jersey, was the player to be named much later in the Drew Brees deal.

At Noon, our U15 team faced another stern test in our scrimmage against the perennially strong Täby Flyers.

As part of the EXTRAVAGANZA!!!, we even had . . .

High Flying Cheerleaders!

Such Pageantry and Spirit!

Our U15s about to take the field

 EXTRAVAGANZA!!!
Smoke . . .

. . . LOTS of Smoke

It was another great scrimmage

The Defenses for both teams played
aggressive, hard-hitting football

Warriors Punt Return
  
 Option Football

We still have a few things to clean up, but greatness for this group is just a few more well attended, focused and hard working practices away.

 Proud of our Effort today

OL/DL Sebastian Antblad
is fun to coach

At 2:00 p.m., the EXTRAVAGANZA!!! offered one last gem, a U13 game between the Warriors and the Sollentuna Stars.

Here Come the U13 Warriors
to a shower of confetti!!!

 U13 Defense played GREAT!

Good pressure on the Stars QB

Big Man Jocke at NG

Uh-Oh, he's cutting back!

Dive Right

One Stars LB in an unusual
three-point stance

 U13 Team Photo after another
excellent game effort

With our new, dominating
U13 OL/DL Jocke

The EXTRAVAGANZA!!! was a great success thanks to the hard work of organizer Aiki Parts and to the parents who helped throughout the day.

Today it was truly . . .
GREAT TO BE A WARRIOR!!!

After six hours of EXTRAVAGANZA!!! football, you would think that we'd all had enough of American football for the day.

WRONG!

I joined Lotta and Aiki for the 15 minute drive North to the city of Märsta to watch Aiki's son Karl play Fullback for the Arlanda Jets Senior team against the Norrköping Panthers in a Division I contest. 

 Aranda played well today

After cleaning up the stadium, we arrived in Märsta just before halftime but enjoyed watching the Jets dominate the Second Half.

Karl and Aiki

Karl had a 50 yard TD run in the First Half that we missed. In the Second Half his ferocious blocking of the Panthers LBs was highlight video worthy.

Finally back in Upplands Väsby, as Lotta dropped Aiki and me off near our homes, we were pleasantly surprised to find parked in our parking lot . . .

. . . a BEAUTIFUL 1956 Cadillac

Damn the price of gasoline, Swedes just flat out LOVE vintage American muscle cars.

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