Cal Lutheran, Cornell, Newbury Park and National Geographic

Another week comes to a close but I do have a lot of football doings to report.

California Lutheran University

Head Coach Ben McEnroe

and some of his Seniors

Today was the first day of my annual post-season EuroBall recruiting tour of Southern California college Seniors. As usual, I started at nearby Cal Lu only 20 minutes from our home.

I was able to talk with six of CLU's outstanding players who have been part of three consecutive SCIAC championship teams.

We met for about 90 minutes and Coach McEnroe indicated that all six would be great fits for any team in Europe.

Part of my talk to each of the schools that I visit deals with the favorable level of competition in Europe. Coach McEnroe was quick to note today that in the 50 year history Cal Lu football, the Kingsmen's all-time career rushing leader was Fredrik Nanhed with 2,938 career rushing yards. He played for Cal Lu in 1995-96 and 1998. He was a player who came straight to CLU from Sweden.

You could look it up!

I'll be meeting on Sunday with the University of La Verne's QB Thomas Arguello and coach Brent Baier to talk over an offer Thomas has received from a team in France.

I really do enjoy helping players land jobs in EuroBall.

GO BIG RED!!!

Tanner Wrout, Rio Mesa's outstanding FB/LB, took a recruiting trip to Cornell University over the past weekend.

He fell in love with the Ivy League college and has decided to attend Cornell's Ithaca, New York campus in the Fall as he continues his football playing career.

What an awesome opportunity for a fine young man. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Mike Contreras with

Hayden Extrom, the NPHS JV

Defensive Player of the Year

Laurie and I joined Vanessa and our "grandson to be named later" on Tuesday night for Mike's J.V. football awards dinner at the Thousand Oaks Teen Center. It was a very nice affair and I was proud of how Mike presented himself professionally to the assembled players and their parents.

The cake was good too!

Finally, the December, 2011 edition of National Geographic arrived at our house today.

Included in each edition is an "Are You a Geo-Genius?" quiz.

See if you can answer this month's Question #3:

"Palermo and Catania are cities on which Italian island?"