Loose Ends and the Lyon Christmas Market

Still enjoying the afterglow of the Falcons' victory on Sunday, I arose early for once, full of energy and ready to attack a new day.

First though, I wanted to add a few more pictures from yesterday's Aigles vs. Falcons game.

Stade Pierre Duboeuf
Home of the
Bron-Villeurbanne Falcons

The Walkway to Victory

Stade Pierre Dubeouf Scoreboard

I love the Home and Visitor designations in easy to understand symbols rather than words.

I opted on this drizzly Monday morning to go into downtown Lyon to the Gare de Lyon-Perrache to visit the just opened Christmas Market.

But first . . .

Lyon's Catholic University

The buzz here was all about the Notre Dame victory over USC last Saturday night and how the Irish would beat the tar out of whichever SEC team they match up with in the BCS National Championship game in January.

Catholics tend to stick together although I am one Catholic who neither loves nor hates ND. I do admire the fact that the ND fans are behind their beloved Irish come win, Faust or tie.

The Lyon Christmas Market 

 Happy Holidays

Red was the Color of the Day 

Only two things say Christmas
in France more than Santa . . . 

1. Canadian Bison Burgers/Hot Dogs
and . . . 

 2. A Native American Tepee

HUGE Spice Cakes

Be strong . . .

Interesting Santa 

These all looked delicious

Be strong . . . 

Christmas Market Hammer Time?

Be strong . . .

Candied Fruits

Be . . .

Well, actually, fruits are part of a healthy diet.

Oranges are VERY high in Vitamin C 

I caved.

 The Christmas Market has dozens of
shops selling artisan crafts as well
as various edible items

These two ladies were selling great
handmade embroidered goodies 

I bought one to bring home.

Lunch Time

And, OH SO GOOD FOR ME!!!

Don't let that smile fool you,
SHE IS IN LEAGUE WITH THE DEVIL!

She charmed/forced me to buy a bag of delicious cookies.

Funny,
I need to buy a new pair of shoes 

Rhum Baba

I ran into Falcons' Team President Christophe Thuau who highly recommended these tasty treats soaked in alcohol. They came soaked in either rum, Grand Marnier or limoncello. I sampled them all before setting on a small jar of the Grand Marnier Baba.

As nice as the Lyon Christmas Market is, I have been told by everyone here that it pales badly in comparison to the one in the northern French city of Strasbourg. I am going to try to take the train there this weekend.

Christmas is such a GREAT

time for children

This morning's trip to the Christmas Market has really gotten me into the holiday spirit much earlier than usual. The prediction of the first snow fall of the season in Lyon by the end of the week only adds to the feeling.

JOYEUX NÖEL!

The Falcons Home Opener

Chambéry Aigles (0-1)

at

Bron-Villeurbanne Falcons (1-0)

Pre-Game Equipment Issue

On Sunday, your Falcons played the second game of the 2012-13 season as hosts of the always dangerous club from Chambéry. We would be playing our first game in front of our home crowd this season.

Time to pick up the home Bordeaux colored jerseys.

The Falcon Cheerleaders

They did a great job whipping the crowd into a frenzy by the time the game kicked off.

I hope it was because of the football game.

The Falcon Defense

played GREAT!!!

The morning was greeted by a slight drizzle but it would have no real effect on the game.

A big concern for us was that our import Free Safety could not play in the game due to an injury and our import QB does not arrive until after the holidays. The Aigles were suiting up two import players today so the job got much tougher.

It was great to get our Defensive Coordinator, Stephen Wohlert, back just before the kick off. He had been sent to Colorado for the last two weeks on business.

His intensity is always a good thing on our sidelines.

FIRST QUARTER:

The Aigles received the opening kickoff but good coverage by the Falcons pinned them deep in their end of the field. The Falcon defense forced a three and out punt that was pressured greatly by a fierce punt rush. The Aigles punt only covered 15 yards.

The Falcons came out throwing the ball very well but would eventually turn the ball over on downs on the Goal Line.

The Aigles were again forced into a three and out punt. This time the punt rush was able to flush the punter out of his rhythm and tackle him well short of a first down.

Brice Rontet wasted no time in sprinting the nine yards to pay dirt for a Falcons' TD. The PAT kick was no good but the boys from Bron-Villeurbanne had the early lead 6-0. We would never look back.

The Aigles go three and out for their third straight possession. This time they do get off a solid punt.

The Falcons are driving as the First Quarter comes to a close with the Falcons winning 6-0.

SECOND QUARTER:

The Falcons move the ball but have to punt.

The Chambéry team puts together a solid drive but the Falcon defense comes up big with a fourth down stop at our own nine yard line.

The Falcons are not capable on cashing in on a Franck Berenice 40 yard run as they turn the ball over on downs deep again in the Chambéry end of the field.

DB Armand Mbonjo lays a HUGE hammer hit on an Aigles running back forcing a fumble. LB Sam Ajavon recovered the ball for the Falcons. BIG PLAY!!!

The Falcons mount a good drive as they fight the clock and the impending intermission. On the final play of the first half, QB Mathieu Paredes hits WR Emrah Bayrak on a 25 yard TD strike. The two point PAT attempt fails but the Falcons lead 12-0 at the break.

THIRD QUARTER:

The Falcons received the second half kickoff. On our first play, a poor shotgun snap over our QB's head made it an unenviable second and a mile at our own one yard line. QB Mathieu Paredes then ripped off a very slow and deliberate 60 yard scamper. Paredes would end the drive with a one yard TD run. The PAT was again no good but the Falcons were in full control with a lead of 18-0.

The Aigles start a time consuming drive that was aided by a roughing the punter penalty. Four downs later, due to a tough minded group of Falcon defenders, the Aigles turned the ball over on downs. A big QB sack by Sam Ajavon and Remi Laurecon was the key play after the penalty.

These two run oriented dives brought the Third Quarter to an end with Bron-Villeurbanne still up 18-0.

FOURTH QUARTER:

The Falcons ate up over eight minutes by grinding the ball down the field. We did not score but we forced the Aigles to use their final timeout before the drive stalled at the Aigles ten yard line.

The Aigles were forced to punt.

The Falcons then ran the best play in American football to perfection . . . VICTORY! Two of these kneel downs by the QB and the Falcons had improved to 2-0 by virtue of today's 18-0 win.

We played a much cleaner, smarter game than we did in our first game two weeks ago.

We played very well in all three phases of the game which was a very good feeling.

The hitting was greatly improved which made this old coach smile.

DB Armand Mbonjo earns the

Aigles Game Hammer Award

His big hit that forced a fumble that we recovered was the game changer.

GREAT WIN FALCONS!!!

Now, lets take a look at how our league looks after the third weekend of games.

Division III - Sud Poule C

Week #3 Results

Bron-Villeurbanne 18 - Chambéry 0

St.-Cergues 28 - Lyon 0

BYE: Clermont Ferrand

STANDINGS

St.-Cergues Bulldogs 3-0

Bron-Villeurbanne Falcons 2-0

Lyon Les Gones 1-2

Chambéry Aigles 0-2

Clermont Ferrand Servals 0-2

Week #4 Games

Sunday, December 9, 2012

St.-Cergues (3-0) at Bron-Villerubanne (2-0)

Clermont Ferrand (0-2) at Chambéry (0-2)

BYE: Lyon (1-2)

As you can see, this is a BIG game for both the Bulldogs and the Falcons. These are the final games before the long holiday break in the French season.

The winner of our contest on December 9th will be in sole possession of the league lead until the next round of games on February 8, 2013.

We need two good weeks of practice to have any chance of beating the very physical and talented Bulldogs.

GO FALCONS!!!

Junior Team Plays a Friendly Game

If it is a Saturday in November, it must be time for . . .

Football Americain in France

The roots of the

Bron-Villeurbanne Falcons

These two stickers hang proudly in the Falcons' headquarters and tell of the team's history.

The original American football team in Bron was known as the 69ers.

The country of France is divided into a series of 95 governmental departments. There are also another set of departments located in different parts of the world still under the control of the French such as Martinique. Each of these departments is designated by a number and Bron is in the 69th department, hence the old nickname.

Villeurbanne's old squad was nicknamed the Samouraïs because . . .

Beats me.

Today our Junior team, ages 18-21, boarded a recliner bus for the two hour drive to the city of Clermont-Ferrand to play the Servals at 4:00 p.m. in what is known in Europe as a friendly game. Basically this is considered a non-league game/scrimmage to get the kinks out before playing a real game.

We were quite kinky in a good way as it turned out.

Rookie Hazing

A tradition in Europe is to haze the rookies before the first contest. Nothing physical or dangerous, just some good natured body art for our 15 rookies on the drive to the game.

The ride to the game was fun for me because our Junior Head Coach's wife, Nath Caldes, decided to give me a lesson in the French language on the bus. She was TRES MAGNIFIQUE!

MERCI NATH!!!

The Game Field

This is a huge sports complex that even includes a baseball field. It was very windy at game time.

Here come the

fashionably shod Falcons

The Opening Kickoff

Our defense opened with a three and out and gave the ball to the offense in good field position.

A good drive by the Bordeaux and Silver ended with a 30 yard field goal to take an early 3-0 lead.

It must be noted that in Nine-Man football you can not rush the QB with more than four players. If a team employs a three down lineman front like both teams did today, a blitzing linebacker must raise his hand before the snap to declare his blitz to the offensive team.

Different.

In the Second Quarter, the Servals scored twice on short runs to take a 12-3 lead at the intermission.

Man Coverage

We played much better in the Second Half.

No one scored in the Third Quarter.

In the final stanza, the Falcons "scored" on a 45 yard reverse play but were flagged for excessive celebration when the ball carrier started to wave the ball at the five yard line. Since this is a spot of the foul penalty, the TD was negated. We would not score on this drive . . . devastating.

Late in the game we would surmount another good offensive drive and finish it with a two yard QB Sneak/Wedge play for a TD. A bad snap on the PAT kept us from scoring again and led to a final score of 12-9 in favor of Clermont-Ferrand.

It was a learning experience to be sure, we are going to be a good football team.

Reading Is FUNdamental

A must read if you want to begin to understand the French culture and its wonderful people. It really has helped me keep my social mistakes to a minimum.

I think.

On Sunday afternoon at home, our featured Falcon Senior team (1-0) plays against the visiting Chambéry Aigles (0-1). It should be a good one!

The Charming City of Vienne

A few weeks ago Julien Urgenti mentioned that I should take a day and go visit the nearby city of Vienne.

Today would be that day but not without first some typical French transportation drama.

Julien let me know last night that today Lyon's bus system drivers were going on some sort of rolling strike and that they had indeed announced that my main bus line, the C17, would be out of commission. So my day started in turmoil with me waking up already angry over the situation.

My first alternate choice was the 25 line that goes directly to the Gard Part-Dieu train station but much more slowly than if I could hook up with the Metro system.

My faith in the goodness of people was restored when the 25 bus drove by me on the other side of the street with me still a good 30 meters from the bus stop. I did a half-hearted wave hoping that maybe the bus driver would see it AND wait for me to get across the busy street.

Amazingly he did, WOW!!!

Once at Gard Part-Dieu, I got a very inexpensive train ticket and took the easy 20 minute train ride South to . . .

 Inhabited since the Third Century B.C.

World War I & II Memorial 

BEAT THE AXIS!!! 

Follow the Yellow Leaf Road . . .

First Stop, formerly

St.-Pierre's Church

It now houses all sorts of Roman mosaics and stone works like . . .

This stone that, obviously,

does not roll

Nice Hair

Early attempt at

weather stripping 

Has anybody seen my amphora?

Old Stone Face

 Nice Beast

Are the Irish in town? 

St.-Maurice Cathedral 

It took 400 years to build in part Gothic and part Romanesque styles.

It is HUGE inside

Keys to the Kingdom

How old is this mural?

A Station of the Cross

Pope Calixtus II

Frenchman Gui de Bourgogne was crowned Pope Calixtus II in this very cathedral in 1119.

That reminds me . . .

I'll be back with Laurie in just 19 more days!

OFF WITH HIS HEAD!!!

I guess that St. Michael

the Archangel was French

Three Holy Women

The Temple of Augustus and Livia

It dates from the First Century B.C. and was, of course, of Roman origin. It is on a par with the famous Maison Carrée that I saw early this Fall in Nîmes.

Time for my morning café

Rule #1 of Euro traveling, never pass up the chance to use a free toilet.

France's last Super Hero

Knights Templar and Moors

Hey, it's almost lunch time

Is that buttress flying?

No heads were safe

during the Revolution

Lunch at Nine

GREAT lasagna!

Instead of the layers being defined by pasta, they used egg plant. It was delicious in a rich oil based sauce.

And, you know it, OH SO GOOD FOR ME!!!

Fountains are still big in France

The Archaeological Garden of Cybéle

This was the scene of the

ancient Roman baths

Got to have an Amphitheater

And a BIG Mural as well

Yes, they did perform public

floggings here back in the day

Reminds me of those good old Catholic school days back in the 1950s and 1960s.

Uh oh, my Pharmacie in Bron

is NOT billed as "normale"

Brightening up the city

Brightening up me

A Case of Mistaken Identity

As I walked past this fine establishment, I heard three men speaking quite loudly in a Middle Eastern dialect of some sort. After I passed it and took this picture, one of the men came out irate and wanting to know what I was doing.

"Taking a picture of American Sandwich" said I calmly as I walked away feeling like a matador strutting away from a mesmerized bull. 

Just an unexplained tower

I was now on the Rive Droite of the Rhône River across from Vienne on my way to the Gallo-Roman Museum and Archaeological Park in the city of St.-Romain-en-Gal.

Needs a little restoration

Roman Communal Latrine 

 The footprint of the

House of the Ocean Gods

Hilltop Fortress

I decided that this would be

a good place to rest for a bit

For the second time in less than an hour, I was in the midst of yet another case of mistaken identity.

I was mistaken for an Imperial Roman General apparently as I was soon attacked by . . .

A Roving Band of Crazed Gauls!

They were tough but I was willing to battle them harder longer!!!

I had them on the run within two hours.

A Manly Boar Indeed

Music to soothe me 

Nice Legs

The Museum had a temporary exhibit on movies dealing with Roman, Gladiator and Biblical themes similar to the one at the Gallo-Roman Museum in Lyon.

Federico, Federico, Federico . . .

How did they do

this without computers?

The 1920s version

De Mille's first stab at this movie

Farewell Vienne

I really enjoyed my day in Vienne before the start of a hectic football weekend.

On Saturday, I'll travel about 130 miles West with the Falcons' Junior team as they open their 2012-13 season in Clermont Ferrand against the Servals (Wolverines).

Then, on Sunday, our 1-0 Senior team Falcons will have our home opener against the 0-1 Chambéry Aigles (Eagles).

MY ADVENTURE CONTINUES . . .