When you marry a Canadian girl, one of the requirements is that you learn how to skate. While we dating she dragged me to numerous skating events... ponds, stadiums, rinks, lakes... you name it, I've skated it. And despite my struggles with not being a "strong" skater, I still managed to score an 82% on my skate test and was allowed to marry Christie.
When I signed here in Italy, I thought I had finally gotten us out of the Canadian cold and into a warm climate... not a rink for a 1,000 miles. Boy was I wrong.
Last night, our Tight End Guisseppe Strano and his girlfriend Valeria took us skating! Valeria is actually a female hockey player -- and was a member of the 2006 Italian Olympic Ice Hockey Team that played in Torino. With the instant "hockey" connection to Christie, they have quickly become good friends and we had an outstanding time on the ice.
Our "Field of Dreams" - Catania's lone ice-rink.
The Girls were all smiles after our time on the ice.
On a serious note, the best thing about our skating date with Guisseppe and Valeria is that 'Peppe and I noticed how compatible we are together on the ice. In fact, at Christie's suggestion - we are seriously considering joining forces as the first MALE PAIRS figure skating team. Now I know what you are thinking -- how can someone from America and Italy skate together? That was our thought too... however Guisseppe's dad is a Senator here in Sicily and has promised us that he can "pull some strings."
After the football season, we are going to start training more vigorously (with our schedules, we can only train together about 3 hours per day right now). Keep checking this website, as reallyplayingforpizza will be tracking all of our progress!
Our inspiration -- Blades of Glory. The Strano/Johnson uniforms, being modeled here by the stars of the movie, have been designed specifically for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The new partners together. Strano/Johnson promises to be a strong team -- as shown by their signature move, The Sprinkler.
The movie "Blades of Glory" has given us our inspiration. In fact, Will Ferrell has already offered us both private lessons and free spandex. This move, the 'crotch lift,' is very uplifting and the key to our gold medal dreams.
Guisseppe has mastered the "spiral." I, on the other hand, can only do a spiral with a football.
~ J. Twice
5 comments:
Actually, since you haven't yet skated for the US in international competition (I don't know this for sure, but I'm going to take a wild guess and assume it's true) you won't have that much trouble representing Italy. It would help if you have a relative from Italy (or, in a pinch, who has visited Italy or at least can find Italy on a map). And, hey, if you can pull that off, you'd no longer count as an import for the Elefanti, which would allow them to stockpile another American. (Of course, it also would probably cost you your litttle stipend. No plan is perfect.)
-- David (Olympics reporter for Scripps Howard who actually saw the Italian women's hockey team play in Turin.)
Lady, you're scarin' me!!! Now you are a smoking crotch lifting figure-skater...what's next? Soccer? :)
Well Jason it looks like your time in Canada was well spent. This has really given me something to laugh at.
Love Mom C.
I think JJ can make friends and have fun wherever he goes. It shows. What fun. As usual the email I sent to Christie at gmail shows not going because she is turned off (at least her blackberry says so). Good news for Tammy her CAT scan is clear -doctor says stress. Now we can get into the serious business of booking our trip. We will be at my house for easter dinner on Sat. March 22 around 7:00 Kyle and Quinn as well. Wish you two could be here and it would be almost complete. Love you guys keep enjoying. Love Terry
Hi, I live on the small island of Malta just south of Sicily and I will be going to Sicily in about a Months time. I am trying to find information on this ice skating ring, such as an address and opening hours. Would you know from where I can get this info??? Thanks!
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