Coaching for Pizza: A Few Days With Dear Friends

Thur.-Sat., February 8-10, 2024

On Friday I had planned on attending the Frank Glazier Football Clinic in Costa Mesa unless I got a better offer.

I did.

Longtime UW friends Paul Sabolić and Michael D'Antuono wanted to meet for lunch in La Cańada-Flintridge.

We meet like this on Fridays about once every six weeks or so.

With the passing of fellow Husky Pete "Spear" Claridge on Monday, we all felt that this was a much needed gathering to see each other in the troubled time that we were sharing.

It helped, I believe, and we all felt better at the end of a good two hour lunch/therapy session.

When grief is upon us, friends and family become more important than ever. Thankfully I had both on this particular Friday.

Saturday is our day for Jacob's

weekly Boys 6th Grade CYBA game

Orange (2-3) vs. Buckeyes (0-5)

After today's contest there would be only one game left in the CYBA's regular season with the playoffs to follow.

The Orange entered the game tied for fifth place in the eight team Boys 6th Grade circuit. The Buckeyes were in eighth place.

Jacob's main roles continue to

be defense and rebounding

He seems to relish doing both every week.

Fighting through a savage Buckeyes pick

Forcing this Buckeye to go left

Hustling to defend a Buckeye fast break

The short and the long of it,

talking hairstyles here

Here comes another pick

Eyeballing an opponent

Rebounding is necessary dirty work

Full court exercise is awesome for

the mind and body

Back to man-to-man defense

Mixing it up under the boards

I don't like the look in this Buckeyes' eyes

The Orange's coach opted to sit our best player during the First Quarter today. With Enzo on the bench, we needed to keep the game close during these first eight minutes.

End of the First Quarter

Buckeyes - 5

Orange - 4

Mission accomplished.

Battling for a rebound . . .

. . . a long rebound at that . . .

. . . go get it Jacob . . .

. . . GOT IT!

Hustling on an Orange fast break

A rare shot by Jacob

It had a serious chance of going in the rim

About to run into another pick

Someone needs to get that loose ball!

Jacob shoots again!

Battling for his shot's rebound

Defending a baseline drive

Another long rebound

Jacob got this one

Jacob's pass to Enzo, on the right,

led to an assist

Jacob played a solid First Half

Halftime Score

Orange - 24

Buckeyes - 5

WOW! Enzo inserted into the lineup combined with good team defense led to a 20-0 Second Quarter for the Orange.

It was Jacob's turn to sit out a Quarter

The Orange slowed things down but were still clearly in control.

End of the Third Quarter

Orange - 30

Buckeyes - 8

Michael watching the game in the doorway

Jacob is not the lone Orange rebound whiz

Closing guarding a dangerous

Buckeyes scoring threat

Everyone wanted this rebound!

What is he pondering?

This was a tough rebound

but he somehow got it

Resting while Enzo is at the charity stripe

Crashing the boards on an Enzo miss

What the . . .

Getting in his Saturday steps

Jacob vs. a Buckeye Man Mountain

Anticipation

The Orange rolled to another victory at the Boys and Girls Club today.

Final Score

Orange (3-3) - 42

Buckeyes (0-6) - 10

Our sports Saturday was not even close to being done.

Our UW roommates, Loren and Sandy Brucker, were in Camarillo to watch their granddaughter Laney play in as C.I.F. Soccer Playoff game.

As soon as Jacob's game was finished, we dashed over to Camarillo H.S. to watch Laney's Woodbridge H.S. warriors at work.

A good matchup in this DII playoff game

It was a chilly night

Laney played well the entire game but the Camarillo Scorpions won the physically played game, 2-1.

After the game, we all headed to Freda's Pizzeria in Old Town Camarillo to warm up and renew fond friendships.

With Laurie, Sandy and Loren

at Freda's

We had a large group of

Laney Brucker fans with us

Ryan Brucker and Michael are

cousins, maybe brothers

Jacob and Ryan sporting

Woodbridge H.S. gear

Ryan is the Warriors' Head Baseball Coach and Assistant Athletic Director.

Mary with fellow Third Grader

Quinn Brucker

They got along well as the evening progressed.

Ice creams at Mr. Softee on me

One last discussion about Sunday's

Super Bowl to be viewed at our home

Speaking of football . . .

France's 2024 DI season is about to kickoff

There will be ten teams in the hunt for the National Championship in France's best league.

Spain's Serie A was in full swing again after a league wide bye last weekend.

Alcobendas (0-4) continued to battle

against Coslada (2-1) but is still in

last place in the Western Conference

The game for supremacy in the

Eastern Conference went easily to

Badalona (3-0) over Mallorca (2-1)

This was a close fight for the

western Conference lead won by

Las Rozas (3-0) over Rivas (2-1)

Nothing much to see here as expected,

Zarragoza (1-2) put Barcelona (0-4)

in the Eastern Conference cellar

The Spanish Serie A byes this week were enjoyed by the L'Hospitalet Pioners (2-1) in the Eastern Confedrence and the Gijón Mariners (1-2) in the Western Conference.