PreSeason Scrimmage

Throwing my first touchdown pass as an Elephant.  (To all my Eskimo's reading along it was on 68 Z Shake!)

The Catania Elephants took the field for the first official time of our 2008 season as we faced the Palermo Sharks in a pre-season scrimmage here in Catania.  It was a great afternoon of football played under sunny skies and 75 degree temperatures… ideal conditions!  After 32 practices against our own team, it was great to be facing someone new, and I could not wipe the smile off my face as I took the field and was once again playing the game I love.

The format of the scrimmage was for each team to get 30 offensive plays, split into two 15 play sets.  Special teams were done like a normal game, including kickoffs, extra points, and punts (if you didn’t make a first down).

Johnson rolls right, looking deep down the sidelines...

... and he finds Matt Epperson who makes an acrobatic catch!  

(Christie's camera work caught both the pass AND the catch on this play!  If she ever gets a sideline pass, Dale MacMillan might have to look out for his job!)

For our first ‘taste’ of game action, I was very pleased with the way we played.  Offensively, we executed well, scoring 6 touchdowns and having 8 different receivers catch a pass.  Matt Epperson, our American receiver from Amarillo, Texas, led the way with some great moves plus a spectacular kickoff return for a touchdown.  I have been so impressed with him since I have gotten here – with his attitude, hard work, and ‘ability to pass as a local Italian.’  Although Matt played his college ball in America at Division 3 Hardin-Simmons, he could have easily competed at a Division I level. 

Another bright spot was Claudio Mangano, one of our slot receivers.  Claudio got in a terrible motorcycle accident less than a year ago, and made his return to full contact action with one of the best diving catches I have seen in a long time on a sidelines route.  Claudio – who doubles as a “Michael Corleone” clone from the Godfather trilogy – finished the afternoon with 5 catches and also had a number of yards running after the catch.  Four different receivers caught touchdowns, and our offensive line stepped up both in the running game and in pass protection (thank you!).

Our defense played with great intensity – and we were very pleased with how they flew around the field.  For once, it was nice to ride home from a Saturday football outing with George and I feeling like we were on the same team.  (There is a little ‘inter-house’ rivalry that naturally comes with the territory when an offense and defense are constantly going head to head.)

We still have a lot of work to do before our first game in two weeks – but all in all it was a fun afternoon of playing football and getting to compete with all of our new friends here in Italy.  Can’t wait to kick things off for real in two weeks!

Learning a new tradition... saluting our fanbase after the game.  The Pink Elephants were out in force for the scrimmage, and we cheered loudly to thank them for their attendance.

The ol' gunslinger smiling after a good day's work.  My goatee is in an attempt to look more "Favre-ish."

~ J. Twice