The defensive lineman then proceeds to fix Djilali's jersey. Apparently a shoulder pad was not fully under the Cougar jersey and the defensive lineman found it imparative to fix the jersey before he tried to pound Djil into the dirt and kill our quarterback. I say try because there's no way I'd allow that. I guess it's just a different mentality. I mean really....
"Concentration is the ability to think about absolutely nothing when it is
absolutely necessary." - Ray Knight
Football is different. I mean it takes a different mentality to play this game. You have to be a tough SOB with a high pain tolerance and be a little bit on the sadistic side I take a totally different mentality when I step onto the field. Coach D at GT called it the Lil Monster. You have to transform into a barbaric being who get's the job done. So after the guy fixes Djil's jersey he lines back up. I'm just talking to Matt in the middle of the cadence completly confused. "Did that just happen? what was that? am I playing football?" I almost couldn't compose myself enough to block. My mind was literally doing backflips.
Needless to say the day would be a bit of a different experince. When we arrived at the stadium at 4:15, it was the first time I had seen the field in the sunlight. Normally we practice at 8:30pm, so it was a little different feel. It was tough to get into the mental zone as well. At GT, the locker room is silent. Even the pipes know not to squeak on gameday. The normal custom in France is to say hi to everyone as you arrive or they arrive and shake hands. It was a little different saying hi to everyone and trying to not be a jerk, while at the same time getting myself into game mode. Thankfully the earphones kinda helped some of that. The Meteorites are not quite the same talent level as the Hurricanes or Hokies, but you never take anyone lightly...I'm mean ANY GIVEN SUNDAY. (thanks jamie fox) Plus being a scrimmage it's not a real game, so your not as amped generally. I looked back and I think the last scrimmage I had was against Texas City... well atleast the last scrimmage I can remember.
Ok. The scrimmage was designed to be 3 quarters long 12 minutes a piece, no field goals/ kickoffs, the rest is full go. They win the toss and get the ball first, we stop them defensively. Here we go... football in France. We run the ball. Knock the cobwebs loose and get the bodies used to contact early. Sebastien Torel runs hard and we gain 8, until Will get's busted with a holding penalty. They only move the ball back 5 yards. Confusion? Whatever I'll take it. We call the next play and hurry to the line. As we get set, the refs realize the mistake and move the ball back. Good because I almost thought I could double my holding penalties a game if the foul was only 5 yards! Guess not. The drive ends up stalling, I make a bad snap at center on a zone run right with a middle linebacker blitzing over me. The snap was too low and went to Matt's knees. I'm a little upset with myself and make sure it doens't happen again. Now we have to punt.
Whose the punter... Mickael.... Where's Mickael? Working as a firefighter, he'll show up later. Who gets to punt then. Matt Polhemus. Matt's had one kick at yale for like 17 yards or something of that nature. It's funny. He makes a nice kick to the 10 yard line, but forgets he then has to be the saftey valve in case something happens. They break the return and Matt has to make the tackle. He pushes him out around the 45. That a boy QB.
Someone scratches my arm on a pass play and now i'm gushin blood. It's not hurt, but it wont stop. I send someone into the locker room to grab some tape that Arnaud has in his bag and try to wrap it up before we have to go back on.
The defense get's an interception or a punt not sure which and we start driving. Thankfully the guy arrives as we take the field. I have just enough time to wrap the wound while walking to the huddle. The tapes a little different because it has a protective layer before the sticky part which makes it kind of difficult to apply in a hurry. I manage to do a make shift job and get the gash bandaged up.
We are looking alright and do a good enough job to get Seb into the endzone. On one block, Loic Le Glas wheels back and makes a monster block on an unsuspecting DL chasing the ball. I'm pumped! That was nice. I check my chinstrap since it's unbuckled and notice that I'm now missing a snap. We go for 2 since there's no FG's and honestly I don't remember the play but seb punches it in on a tough run. I think he's even a little shaken up, but fights through it. I'm impressed. As I run to the sideline I have to send the guys back into the locker room to get a new snap. Desolee
Start of the 2nd quarter, Loic, the one who made the big block, get's rocked and becomes concussed. He doesn't remember his name, where we are, or how old he is. Not a good sign. We only find out because during the punt return he's not out there. As I'm working on my chinstrap snap...(that's a mini tongue twister, say "chinstrap snap" 5 times fast) ... I barely get the snap screwed in and run onto the field with the ear pad in hand trying to get it hooked on correctly. You forget how nice it is to actually have guys like Tom and Punt at GT doing that stuff for you. I'm in the huddle and getting the play with my helment still off. As we walk to the line I get in on in time, put on the helment and get set... barely made it.
So I don't remember this part perfectly because it was really freaking akward. Play was all of a sudden completely stopped. The officials huddled up for about 5 mins and then the next thing I know I hear someone shouting something about a medecin (thanks Rosetta Stone for teaching me that's a doctor.) Apparently there is no doctor on hand...being a scrimmage coach mas just thought it was like a glorified practice. Since Loic's concussion and another player on the other team got hurt the ref's are tenative. We all sit and wait in confusion, wondering if we'd get the chance to continue playing or not. I take a seat against the retaining wall around the fence.
I kind wonder, who cares, let's just play. It's football, people get hurt. It's a tough game for tough people. Later I am informed that the ref's are appointed or something by the federal govenment or what not, basically meaning it's on their heads if someone is seriously injured without the doctor there to help. (ok ok I get it, I mean I want to play football, but I understand you do what you gotta do.)
We wait a 15 mins and let the refs leave. Then we continue to scrimmage with some of the refs staying and ref-ing. You see some of the refs were old cougars players and volunteered to ref, one is actually on the team, but didn't have his papers to play. Who needs to pay refs when they play for your team right?!?!? haha.
We begin playing and Mickael arrives from his fire fighting job. He is one of our top recievers and really helps freeing up the passing game. He catches a bomb and breaks a takle on his way to a 60 yard TD. We line up for the 2 point play and a player comes into our huddle trying to speak broken english. He says when we touch you stop you. Our OL pushes him away and we have a little scuffle of words. Matt was wearing a red jersey, which of corse means don't hit me. On the pass play the defensive player from the Meteorites felt Matt should've been sacked, but as Matt kept running and threw the pass, we scored. Blah Blah... we line up and this is when Djil get's his jersey fixed.... Seb runs untouched into the endzone for 2 on an inside run that bounces out. Will and Loic Soutenare make a monster combo block allowing this to happen. I feel a little more confident about our running game.
Oh I forgot. I got to play on defense!!! I LOVE PLAYING DEFENSE. It was awesome. I mean I had no clue what I was doing but I went in and we stopped them from there parade down the field. The D was missing a few tackle and they started driving, so I got to go in to give some of the DL a break to catch their breath. We stop them. I got cut blocked by two DL. But seriously it's not that bad, just annoying. I don't know why everyone hates it when I cut block! Just kiddin, it sucks I understand now, but it's not as horrible as most guys think, but then again I didn't get cut by a replica of me.
That was supposed to be the last offensive possesion but the Defense on their last possesion grab another turnover. We march out and run a couple plays, then "IT" hits the fan. We run a pass and the same guy get's to Matt. And by gets I mean what happen was a defensive lineman spun off of will on a one on one pass pro. I happened to see it and got there in time to knock the DL out to the right. (Will plays right guard.) Well he get's close enough to Matt that he rolls out to the right even further and the dude who was talkin says he touched him.
Ok time out. Just because you touch someone, or are close enough to touch someone does not, I REPEAT DOES NOT, imply that you will tackle him. We're not playing freeze tag on some elementary school yard playground. It's football. So he starts jawing and Matt jaws back a little bit. Nothing serious. Your normal talking for football, but some of the Cougars take offense to this and run up and get a little more physical then an altercation of this magnitude needs.
Next thing you know the teams are pushing in shoving. I'm standing were the huddle should be thinking, come on. The Meteorites are getting a little antzy or whatever, coach mas decides to call it. We have a lot of yelling and griping from the players. Coach set's us down. From what I gather he's trying to tell us to just play during the whistle and not give a crap about that. Which is what any coach in football would do. Another first happens. In front of the team a couple of our players talk back to the coach, or speak their mind. I was a little in shock because this never happens in America. If there's a problem or something you speak to coach after the team breaks up, but not in front of the team, and never challenging the coach in front of his team.
What I learn is some of the players feel we need to be respected. Couldn't agree more with you. But respect is earned, never given. You also don't get respect on a football field by starting fights or crap like that. You earn it by driving a guy into the ground every play and doing you job well enough to have more points on the score board at the end of the game then the other team. Anyways, I hope the guys get this. But it's hard to tell in a different language. Overall it's an enlightening experience and we need to travailler dur and get ready for the Flash. Because there a dam good team and I'm a little worried.
No comments:
Post a Comment