Wed.-Sun., August 5-9, 2026
To say that the last few days were a hoot would be most accurate.
We started by making a trip to one of Camarillo's finest dining spots . . .
Rolling Pin Donuts
We stopped in here to honor the upcoming birthday of avid blog reader, Paul Sabolić.
Paul and his lovely bride Joanne are both passionate devotees of the wonderful donuts that Rolling Pin successfully creates day after day.
Paul and his lovely bride Joanne are both passionate devotees of the wonderful donuts that Rolling Pin successfully creates day after day.
This one was for you both!
The Camarillo Tabernacle Choir
We gathered to sing our fine rendition of the traditional Happy Birthday song to Paul, but repeated attempts to reach him all went awry.
After the choir scattered, I was able to get past Paul's hi-tech firewalls and hardened, protective social secretary and sing him an aria of this giddy ditty.
I gave a stirring performance if I do say so myself.
Happy Birthday, Paul!
On Thursday, Jacob received
his Camarillo H.S. game gear
For the past four Pop Warner football seasons, Jacob proudly wore #99.
Unfortunately for him, there is no #99 jersey in the Frosh team's wardrobe.
Thus, he will wear #32 this year, his father's number when he played for Humboldt State University Lumberjacks back in the late 1990s.
On Friday, the Camarillo Frosh team scrimmaged the Camarillo J.V. team.
Frosh Early-Outs taking the field
Jacob and his Kicker taking the field
Jacob is the Frosh team's
Long Snapper
The first kick was a line drive
directly into Jacob's rear end
Jacob's second long snap was
followed by a self defense move
"No Jacob, you need to get into a good football hit position after you snap." - an anonymous old coach in the End Zone
That's more like it!
The Frosh and J.V. teams
meeting at mid-field
It was time to make everyone aware of the structure of the scrimmage.
The stands were decidely
NOT packed
The scrimmage started with all
sorts of Kicking Game reps
A "Welcome to High School Football"
moment for the Frosh player on the right
Jacob on the far end as the Contain
player on the Frosh Kickoff team
Jacob, on the right, about to
make . . .
. . . a tackle on the Kickoff
Jacob was in on two more Kicking Game tackles during the scrimmage.
It got intense quickly in
The Pit
The J.V.s dominated early on
A J.V. TD
Jacob at standup DE
Jacob in Hot Pursuit
Frosh RB turning the corner
Good get-off, Jacob!
Jacob's speed and untiring effort
are a must to offset his lack of size
As much as he eats, someday soon, he will start gaining weight.
If you "Run the Hoop" and continue
to give great effort . . .
. . . you get yourself . . .
. . . a QB Sack . . .
. . . on a QB rolling away from
your side
Well done, Jacob!
Good Frosh Team Pursuit
Frosh RB . . .
. . . SCORES!
After getting blitzed early by the J.V.s, the Frosh players settled down and started to compete.
J.V. PAT Attempt
The J.V.s have an excellent Kicker, Punter not so much.
Jacob about to snap on
a Frosh PAT attempt
The post-scrimmage handshake
While lots of good things were on display by both clubs tonight They both still have a lot of work to accomplish before their first game in less than two weeks.
I was happy with Jacob's overall scrimmage today, a good start to his high school career in my opinion.
Afterwards, we needed to celebrate.
Dinner at the nearby
El Tecolote Restaurant
We were joined by Laurie and also by Jacob's parents for a hardy, rib-sticking Mexican meal.
Mary did not join us as she was having a sleep-over at a friend's home.
Is it possible to eat too many chips with El Tecolote's excellent salsa?
No.
Saturday morning was Camarillo's
Picture Day
Pensive
Traditional Picture Day pose
Keep working, Jacob,
the future is bright!
While Picture Day was going on, Laurie had hired a yard service to come and cut back the ivy in our front yard for the first time in the 50 years that we've lived in Camarillo.
Before . . .
. . . and After, Part 1
Before . . .
. . . and After, Part 2
Laurie was happy with their work.
"Happy Wife, Happy Life!"
Saturday was also Michael and Vanessa's 17th Wedding Anniversary so, in order to give them some alone time, we had Mary for a delightful sleep-over.
Jacob did the same at Vanessa's parents home.
Jacob did the same at Vanessa's parents home.
Sunday morning, Mary prepared
the traditional pancake batter
Mary also caught the first flying
pancake of the morning
FLAWLESSLY!
It is always great fun to have Mary with us.
On to EuroBall results . . .
The American Football League of
Europe had four games this weekend
UPSET, the Wroclaw Panthers (8-2)
stunned the Vienna Vikings (9-1)
The Alpine Rams (2-8) nipped
the Firenze Red Lions (0-10)
The Rhein Fire (8-2) cruised to a
win over the Berlin Thunder (4-6)
The London Warriors (6-4) got by
the Paris Lights (3-7)
The four team playoff picture
is becoming clear with two
weekends left in the regular season
teams, only the seeding may change
The Vienna Vikings (9-1), Wroclaw Panthers (8-2), Rhein Fire (8-2) and London Warriors (6-4) have clinched the four available playoff spots.
AFLE Championship Game
is set for September 6th
The European Football Alliance
played their last games of
the regular season
Shocking victory margin as the
Nordic Storm (9-1) hammered
the Munich Ravens (9-1)
The Frankfurt Galaxy (4-6) eked out
a win over the Prague Lions (2-8)
The Paris Musketeers (4-6) with a
key win over the Tirol Raiders (2-8)
Final 2026 EFA
Regular Season Standings
With the EFA's inaugural regular season now finished, these are the four teams headed to the playoffs, Nordic Storm (9-1), Munich Ravens (9-1), Frankfurt Galaxy (4-6) and Paris Musketeers (4-6).
The EFA's Title Game will
be played on August 29th
Back in the USA . . .
In today's college football,
this might actually be possible
Husky Stadium, with a cozy
72,132 fans in attendance,
is a happening place in the Fall
All of the colleges in DI this year
Michael sent this to me with the question, "How many of these schools have you actually seen play over the many years?"
As near as I could recall, the answer was an even 50:
Air Force
Alabama
Arizona
Arizona State
Arkansas Stare
Army
Baylor
Boise State
Boston College
BYU
California
Clemson
Colorado
Colorado State
Florida
Florida State
Fresno State
Iowa
Kansas State
Louisiana State
Louisiana Tech
Louisville
Memphis
Michigan
Michigan State
Minnesota
Navy
Nebraska
Nevada-Las Vegas
Notre Dame
Ohio State
Oklahoma
Oregon
Oregon State
Purdue
Rice
San Diego State
San Jose State
Southern California
Stanford
Syracuse
Tennessee
Texas
Tulsa
UCLA
Utah
Virginia
Washington
Washington State
Wisconsin
Only 85 more teams to see.
of these "contests"
I would have loved to have been in attendance at the 1907 LSU-University of Havana game.
The Bayou Bengals were favored by 61 1/2 points, the Indians beat the spread!
The game was played in Havana on Christmas Day in a game called the Bacardi Bowl, LSU's first ever bowl game.
I'm sure that the home field advantage helped the Indians keep the game closer than gamblers expected.
I'm sure that the home field advantage helped the Indians keep the game closer than gamblers expected.
The Dodgers have
LOTS of money!
Our Glorious Leader
always has simple solutions
for complex problems
Reading Is FUNdamental!
Well, it is not always
FUN as it turns out
This is the tome that our Book Club was tasked to read before our August meeting.
Tasked is the right word. I cannot recommend this laborious read to you.
The author said that the book started as a good short story.
I wish that he would have left it as such.
Tasked is the right word. I cannot recommend this laborious read to you.
The author said that the book started as a good short story.
I wish that he would have left it as such.
Still, overall, life is exceedingly GOOD!
