Life Without My Mac Book

After five years of faithful service, my lap top computer has relapsed into a coma after snapping magically back to life for three days last week. Though now on life support, I have not issued any DNR orders just in case another miracle occurs.

I await the purchase of a new, state-of-the-art Mac Book Pro to continue blogging properly. My current problem is my inability to upload pictures to my iPad. My other problem has been the inability to get into the blogging program via said iPad until now.

So, here is what has been going on the past few days.

Last Friday and Saturday were fairly routine as I continued to explore the Croix Rousse and Vieux Lyon neighborhoods of the city. My hope to travel on these two days to nearby cities by train were spoiled when two emergency meetings were called for 6:00 p.m. each day plus having an emergency Junior practice suddenly scheduled for Friday night at 7:30.

This lack of down time has really cut into my travel plans so far this tour in EuroBall. 

The meeting on Friday dealt with team issues starting the weekend of November 10-11. The Senior "A" and "B" teams as well as our Junior, Cadet and Flag teams all play that weekend wreaking havoc with both our coaching staffs and our limited number of uniforms. We talked through several solutions and I believe that we have things worked out at least for now.

The Saturday meeting was of graver concern to me, the Senior "A" team. This group has got to be the main focus of my energy and the primary reason for my being here in Lyon.  The concerns here are threefold.

First, the ongoing problem with our two coordinators missing practice due to work commitments on the offensive side and back surgery on the defensive side if the ball. Some workable solutions were discussed and agreed upon.

The second problem was the conflict of coaching the 9-man "B" team at the same time as the 11-man "A" team with our limited staff. Again, solutions were discussed and agreed upon.

Our final concern was still not having Scott Boer, our import QB, in Lyon with only three weeks left until our first Senior "A" team game. We are still working on this issue.

On Sunday, our developmental "B" team (1-1) traveled to Valence to play the Sharks. We were demolished 57-0 by an very good team that beat us in all three phases of the game.

To try and heal the pain of this devastating defeat, I attempted 
to journey into Lyon on Sunday night to join some of the Falcons at a bar that was showing the NFL's Baltimore at Houston game. On Sunday nights the usually dependable greater Lyon transportation system tends to shut down a bit. The usual 30 minute ride into Lyon took me 75 minutes that evening. My timing was a little better coming back to The Villa after the game.

Monday featured a nice lunch date with staunch Oregon Duck fan Mary Robinson Hubert, her husband Gerard and their friend Jocelyn who is a very interesting character to say the least. He is into acting and directing primarily while splitting time between Paris and Lyon. On a side note, he starts walking the Camino de Santiago in St.-Jean Pied-de-Port next week.

BUENA CAMINO!

On Monday night we had a solid Cadet practice followed by a GREAT Junior workout. We were joined for the first time by 
Kelly McCoid who will be working with our WRs on these two teams. Welcome aboard Kelly!