Memorial Day 2020 and a HUGE Honor

Monday, May 25, 2020

Memorial Day, the day when Americans honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our Nation.

My thoughts on this day yearly take me back to our three visits to Normandy and the World War II, D-Day beaches in France.

June 6, 1944

So solemn when I first saw the

American Cemetery above Omaha Beach

for the first time back in 2012

 And even more so on

Memorial Day 2013

We owe all of our fallen military personnel and their families more than we can ever repay.

With Mark Johnson and Loren Brucker

in 2017 at Utah Beach

Both of their Fathers landed on Normandy beaches back in 1944. Needless to say, this was an emotional day for both of Mark and Loren.

I received interesting news today from . . .

My beloved 2012-13 club in France,

the Bron-Villeurbanne Falcons

located in the wondrous city of Lyon

The team has deigned to induct me

as the fifth member of their

exclusive Hall of Fame!

This is both an honor and a humbling experience for me that brought back great memories of our National Championship season together. Merci, Falcons. 

 We got to host our 2013 Title Match

between the 9-0 Tours Pionniers and

your 11-0 Bron-Villeurbanne Falcons

WE WON, 20-7!

I'm seen here with wily veteran SS Frédéric Bastiand holding the championship trophy and QB/Team Leader John van den Raadt out of Azusa Pacific University.

They both should be considered for the Hall of Fame in my opinion.

 12 and 0!

The FaceBook message mentioned the other four members of the Falcons Hall of Fame.

I have never met Damien Signori who was an outstanding Running Back with the Falcons in the 1990s and on until 2009. He returned to help coach the Falcons 2014 to 2016 helping win a DII French Championship in 2016.

Romain Nefise, HoF

an OUTSTANDING Wide Receiver

for us in 2012-13

Julien Urgenti on the left

with former QB/Coach

Fabrice Candelo, HoF

Fabrice did a wonderful job with our QBs and Receivers in 2012-13.

Julien was both a player and the longtime Falcons GM who put together two Falcons National Championship squads. He should be in the Hall of Fame as well in my opinion.

Olivier Caldes, HoF

a rock solid Falcons LB back in the day

and our Junior team coach in 2012-13

Olivier has become one of France's most respected American football referees over the years.

What a season!

 Coach Jesús Sánchez asked me to speak

on a Europe Warriors Zoom meeting

on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. Pacific time

Besides talking about our approach to both sides of the Punt and Field Goal game, I will be addressing what I have learned about the game of American football since first playing for the St. Phillip the Apostle Elementary School's flag team in Pasadena, California in 1958.

I still have a lot to learn as I find out every time I attend one of these Zoom coaching clinics.

News from the net and TV . . .

Agree

My first two choices on TV

this morning were a bit disparate

Actually all of these choices were quite different.

As any OL/DL will tell you,

100% TRUE!

Isn't that correct Paul Sabolic?