After securing a spot on the Serbian National Championship Game with big win over the GAT Dukes of Novi Sad, the Wild Boars got on a bus Friday at midnight for a 12 hour ride to Ljubljana, Slovenia to take on the Ljubljana Silverhawks to see who would represent the #2 seed in the Central European Football League Bowl. We arrived in Ljubljana just before noon got, got into our hotel where I was sharing a room with Trey and Jean (Frenchy our photographer). We had the whole day to hang out in Ljubljana which was nice because I love the city. I was there last summer for a few days when i was backpacking/hitchhiking through Eastern Europe and I was very happy to go back.
Even if it was for only one day. Frenchy, Trey and I walked down into the city. We first walked though the fresh produce market that had every kind of fruit and veggie you would ever want. Trey bought some watermelon and I got a tomato to just eat because produce out here in Europe is so much better and fresher than in the states unless you get it straight from my moms garden.
Ljubljana is more of an older crowd and not much of a party city. Its more of a, I guess you could say romantic or couples laid back city. They have a bridge that people from all over the world put locks on with their names to symbolize their love for each other. (They also have one in Krakow, Poland as well, and I’m sure they are in other cities) The thing I love about the city is it has a river running right through the middle of it with the castle on the hill side and in the square they have all kinds of colorful lights and live music every night. (At least every night I have been there)
I took the guys to this restaurant that I ate at before mainly because they have sinks that look look like a woman bending over and on her back is the sink. They also have a table like that where you eat and it was always funny to me. We ended up meeting this Canadian couple who was spending 6 months on the road traveling. They told us about this program they have at their work where they can put aside so much money a month before tax (almost like how a 401(k) works) but that money is for traveling or just taking time off work. Then after a few years or so you can take 6 months to a year off work and with all the money you saved you still get paid like you normally would but it comes out of your travel fund you have been saving for. This is such a great idea but of course the US companies would never do this. They want you to be chained to a desk till you die with no fun and only 2 weeks off a year. A couple more weeks if you are with the company for many years. Its just sad how our country is and now even though they keep adding jobs in the US the vast majority of them are all part time so cheap ass companies dint have to give any benefits.
We ended up having a few beers and then we ate. I had chicken wings and potatoes which was pretty good. The chicken was baked perfectly, the meat just feel off the bone. We ended up walking around the rest of the city so Trey and Jean could see it all at night then we decided we wanted something sweet. We stopped at this coffee shop that has many different cakes and other desserts. When we walked up to the door we saw 2 of the biggest and strangest looking dogs we have ever seen. They were very think but so tall. The lady there told us they were Russian Borzoi which are some of the tallest dogs in the world. They were both without leashes and just hanging around. She must not be a regular there because everyone who walked by wanted to take a picture with them and pet them. We ended up getting dessert and I also got a coconut coffee which was delicious. We all got our sugar high then walked back to the hotel relaxed in our rooms before our big game. I ended up watching Abraham Lincoln Vampire Slayer on my tablet and I’m still not sure if I liked it.
The next morning we got up for breakfast got all packed up to head to the field, had a short team meeting to go over everything and then headed to the field. The facility we played at was very nice. Nicer than anything we have to play on here in Serbia. The field was pretty nice grass with a track around it stands and the biggest thing the field was lined perfect and had NUMBERS!!!! That’s something allot of teams don’t do because of pure laziness. its very important to have numbers on the field but most teams or managements don’t understand that because most of never played football. They were setting up all the cameras for TV since this was a defacto CEFL semi final game it would be on the main sports network here in Eastern Europe.
After warm ups our captains took the field for the coin toss. We ended up getting the ball. Like we have the last few games we struggled to move the ball first drive so we punted right away. First play of the game Keith Lockwood thew a TD pass beating our corner. This gave them all the momentum. We punted again and then a few drives later in the 2nd quarter they tried to throw a screen pass to their RB and Shelly our MLB read it perfectly ran between both blockers, intercepted it and took it all the way for 6 points. Just like that we were back in the game. The game was tired 7-7 at half. Our defense played great this game. We locked down most of their WRs and we got to the QB over and over again. My two DE’s are both so good, they are national team players and both just go, go, go. All they want to do is kill the QB and are relentless in it. In the 2nd half they ended up scoring again to make it 7-14 but then it was all D with a sprinkle of offense in the 4th quarter. Later in the 3rd we blitzed the LB and slanted the DE and the QB threw a high ball where Trey took it 50 or so yards for another pick 6 for the team. On his way to the end zone he laid a nasty stiff arm on the only guys who had a chance of getting him. 14-14 in the 4th quarter our O woke up and Stephan scored a TD on a QB draw, and then to seal the win Stephan threw a 70 yard TD pass to Trey. The game ended 27-14 and put us one step closer to our ultimate goal of winning two championships. After the game Troy was awarded the belt for the biggest hit. Since us (Wild Boars) and vukovi are in both finals, both games will be combined into one this Sunday July 7th in Belgrade. It will be a huge game. Should be a ton of fans and with two trophies on the line hopefully both teams bring their “A” game.
To get the full story and all the amazing picture by Jean Francois Nicolet go to www.safety-blitz.net
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