Sunday, April 21, 2024
Is there a better way to start a Sunday than with a great Brunch with dear friends?
Nope!
So we drove down to Pasadena's Granville Restaurant to meet with Joanne and Paul Sabolić and Susan and Michael D'Antuono to share a meal and catch up on everyone's latest shenanigans.
Joanne had discovered the Granville in North Hollywood when Paul and I joined her for a delicious meal before the El Camino Real H.S. at North Hollywood H.S. football game last Fall. We had so much fun that a few weeks later Laurie joined the three of us for another attack on the Granville's extensive menu.
This would be our first time at the Granville's Pasadena location and with the Susan and Michael this time to boot.
We would not be disappointed in the least on this beautiful SoCal Sunday.
The group made an easy decision
We would eat our Brunch family style with each of us picking a different entree to share plus a few extra orders of bacon and bagels.
It was a great idea.
I slipped upstairs for just a moment
Is Paul texting with that woman sitting behind him?
Inquiring minds want to know!
After our nearly two hour, delightful meal it was time to go our separate ways.
As it turned out for us, our way was the Interstate Freeway system to Las Vegas, Nevada to visit Jenn, Andrew and Kevin.
After two hours of driving I
needed to stretch my legs
Eddie's world in fabulous Yermo, California was the natural spot for our break.
Their Rocky Road ice cream was a plus.
Mary would have loved this pink
car charging up at Eddie's World
It would only have been another two hours to Las Vegas from Yermo had it not been for the car fully engulfed in flames by the side of the highway.
We were parked in the fast lane of Interstate 15 for about 20 minutes in 93°F heat waiting for the CHP and local Fire Department to finally get the situation under control and allow the traffic to resume at break neck speeds to Sin City, USA. It certainly could have been longer.
WHAT THE DEUCE?
The long car fire delay forced a second unscheduled stop in Primm, Nevada to use their wondrous restrooms.
This donut shop was full of temptations, my version of Sin City, but we were strong.
We made it to the desert home of the Contreras Clan with no further delays . . .
LET THE BOARD/CARD GAMES BEGIN!
The weekend's football news started off sadly.
The Rams QB of my youth
passed away on Saturday
His son, Rory, was a member of our football teams at Westlake H.S. in the early 1980s.
Of Filipino ancestry and a North Carolina State alum, Roman was a big, tough leader who earned the NFL's MVP Award in 1969 as a Ram.
His remarkable 16 year NFL career saw him drafted #1 by the Rams, second overall in the 1962 NFL draft.
He played 11 seasons with the Rams from 1962-1972 and finished his career with a five year stint as a Philadelphia Eagle from 1973 to 1977.
R.I.P. Roman and condolences to you, Rory, and to all of your family.
On a much happier note
Newbury Park H.S. Sophomore QB, Brady Smigiel, third from the left, reportedly had a great unofficial visit to the University of Washington this weekend.
On the left are UW's QB Coach, Jimmie Dougherty and Huskies' Head Coach Jedd Fisch.
On the right is Seattle Seahawks QB, Gino Smith, who offered to help in getting the Class of 2026' #2 rated QB to commit to Washington.
That would be wonderful to see but there is a lot of time before Smigiel needs to make his decision.
A BIG rivalry/derby game on Saturday
Varese Skorpions at Legnano Frogs
I wonder what the weather would be like for the contest?
10°C/50°F for the 9:00 p.m. kickoff,
SERENE
The Cardiac Skorpions did it again!
Yet another game chock full of Fourth Quarter heroics for our now 5-0 squad.
Three of the club's wins have come by a margin of 15 points total.
The Skorpions now have a bye week before their Battle of the Unbeatens on Sunday, May 5th at home.
The 5-0 Skorpions opponents that
day will be the 5-0 Ancona Dolphins
Italian Football League Standing
Ancona Dolphins 5-0
Varese Skorpions 5-0
Firenze Guelfi 4-1
Parma Panthers 2-2
Legnano Frogs 2-3
Torino Giaguari 2-3
Milano Rhinos 2-4
Lazio Marines 1-4
Bologna Warriors 0-6
Italian Football League Schedule
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Torino Giaguari (2-3) at Parma Panthers (2-2)
Legnano Frogs (2-3) at Lazio Marines (1-4)
BYES:
Ancona Dolphins (5-0), Varese Skorpions (5-0),
Firenze Guelfi (4-1), Milano Rhinos (2-4) and
Bologna Warriors (0-6)
Cool graphics for the Cecina Trappers-
Roma Grizzlies DII Italian League game
Bart Iaccarino's Trappers rolled!
In Italian DIII/9FL action . . .
. . . our beloved Catania eked out
another win to remain undefeated
Vicenza Hurricanes vs.
Piacenza Wolverines in another
Italian DIII/9Fl contest
The Wolverines romped!
Let's check in on the Spanish Serie A playoff semifinals . . .
A mild upset
The Western Conference's #2 seeded Las Rozas Black Demons (8-1) enjoyed a good win over the Eastern Conference's #1 seeded Badalona Dracs (8-1).
The Black Demons won their first ever National Championship in Serie A play in 2023.
A tight one
In a much closer game than expected, the Western Conferences's #1 seeded Osos Rivas (8-1) edged out the Eastern Conference's #2 seeded L'Hospitalet Pioners (5-4).
The Osos have won two Serie A National Championships in 2001 and again in 2022.
The Osos and Black Demons split their two Western Conference games this season.
On February 10th, Las Rozas prevailed, 10-6.
The Osos captured the March 23rd rematch, 28-21.
For the third straight year, the Osos and Black Demons will square off against each other for the Serie A National Championship in Spanish Bowl XXX on Saturday, May 4th.
In 2022, the Osos Rivas won Spanish Bowl XXVIII by beating the Black Demons, 28-12.
The Las Rozas club defeated the Osos, 22-13, to bring home the crown in 2023's Spanish Bowl XXIX.
Spain also had a Serie A Relegation game on Sunday.
Someone had to win
The Barcelona Pagesos (1-8) will stay in Serie A in 2024 while the Alcobendas Cavaliers (0-9) will compete in Serie B next Spring.
On to the Central European Football League Tournament where four games were contested . . .
Italy's Firenze Guelfi advanced by
beating Serbia's Belgrade SBB Vukovi
Sweden's Stockholm Mean Machines
had an easy time of it against the
UK's Manchester Titans
Austria's Graz Giants in a close one
over Serbia's Kragujevac Wild Boars
Switzerland's Calanda Broncos
dispatched Denmark's Copenhagen
Towers by a comfortable margin
CEFL Tournament Quarterfinal Schedule
Saturday, May 11, 2024
Sweden's Stockholm Mean Machines at
France's Flash de La Courneuve
Austria's Graz Giants at
France's Thonon Black Panthers
Switzerland's Calanda Broncos at
Italy's Parma Panthers
Italy's Firenze Guelfi at
Austria's Vienna Vikings
Finally, I hope that the net in general and, in this case Facebook, can be believed . . .
A. I hope that you can read the
caption above and
B. I want to believe it in the
worst way
A good day to be sure even if Kevin beat us in a game of Uno.
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