Elephants Win 74-57!

Blue Skies at the Palermo Velodrome... a perfect afternoon for football!  (And a far cry from the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field!)

Another Wild One here in the IFL... as on Saturday afternoon the Catania Elephants outlasted the Palermo Corsari 74-57 to improve to 3-1!

Yes... you read that right... 74 to 57... as in 131 combined points... as in 20 touchdowns... 0 punts... and two goal posts held up by "DUCKTAPE!"  (See George's Blog Post - Hilarious!)

Saluting our FANBASE after the game!  (Yes, that includes everyone on the internet!)

For while our game was held at the Velodrome (Cycling Arena) in Palermo, it closer resembled a track meet, with our offense scoring on every full possession of the game, Matt Epperson running back two kickoffs for touchdowns, and their offense - behind shifty quarterback David Lozano Perez - answering back throughout the game.  It was - dare I say - another VIDEO GAME in the IFL!

Playmakers posing after the game... from left to right, Claudio, Matt, Me, Enrico, and Brandon.

I finished the day (unofficially) 21-27 for 343 yards and 6 touchdown passes.  Enrico Lombardo, our strong running back, had 192 yards on 20 carries and 3 touchdowns, while Matt Epperson had 11 catches for 209 yards and 3 TD to go with his 2 kickoff returns for TDs.  Claudio Mangano added 6 catches for 95 yards and 2 TD.  All of this is a credit to our offensive line - who has been improving every week, as well as the great play of our TE/FB Guiseppe Strano, whose physical presence was a HUGE lift to our offense.  Fortunato Camarda also had an 18 yard TD catch.  Our defense came up with a couple big stops early on in the game, and also forced a turnover early in the second half that helped us build our cushion.

AFTERGLOW THOUGHTS:

IFL FANTASY FOOTBALL - I checked yesterday on ESPN.COM, but they are still not offering a place to play IFL Fantasy Football.  However, if you have the first pick in next year's draft, I suggest you look at drafting Matt Epperson with the first pick.  Matt's speed - but more importantly his courage and heart - is amazing... and how's this for a stat line: 11 catches, 209 yards, 2 kickoff returns for TD... and SACK!!!  (He played outside linebacker and strong safety too...)

Going deep...

... and across the middle.

FORTUNATO - CALL ME LUCKY!!!  One of the great things about playing in Italy is the people you meet... and one such guy is Fortunato (Call me "Lucky") Camarda.  A twenty-year veteran of football, his leadership on our team is fantastic, and he really plays the game the right way and for the right reasons.  He teaches during the week, and also leads workout classes at a local gym during the afternoons called "GAG" - an Italian Acronymn for Gluteals, Abs, and Legs.  Christie has been taking the classes with Lucky for about a week now and is just started to walk normal again... 

'Lucky' posing with Matt and Brandon after the game.  Yes, that is Davide jumping in the background...

On a fourth down play at a crucial point in the game, Lucky ran a beautiful route and caught a diving touchdown in the corner of the endzone.  It was a great play and summed up the teamwork that exists on the Elephants.  ATTAWAY LUCKY!

FOOTBALL MEXICANA - I definitely have a new found respect for Mexican football and its many great players, after watching the imports from both the Corsari and the Sharks of Palermo.  In the USA, you do not hear much about football south of the border, however I was well aware of their great talent after my older brother Chad, as well as Brandon, played in the Aztec Bowl -- an NCAA Division 3 All-Star game played against the Mexican All-Stars.  But after the last two weeks, I am even more impressed, with quarterbacks Arturo Sanchez (a dropback passer) and David Lozano (a running & passing QB) playing great along with the other skill players and linebackers/defensive ends.  It just goes to show that football is fast becoming a global game.  ATTAWAY MEXICO!  

Posing with the 3 Mexican Players on the Corsari.

SKIING - EXTREME RUNNING BACK TRAINING:  Kids - if you ever dream of one day being a great running back... START SKIING!  Our running back, Enrico Lombardo, works as a ski-instructor, and I have rarely seen such powerful legs as he cuts through defenders like they are moguls.  While he has yet to do a "Double Dafney" into the endzone, I wouldn't put it past him.  ATTAWAY ENRICO!

Enrico takes the ball for this double-black diamond.

PRE-GAME PREP:  Before our game, there was a rugby game held at the Velodrome.  When it finished, a team of officials quickly prepared the field for American Football.  This included soccer goals being installed, then the Goal Posts being DUCK-TAPED to the outside of the nets!  (See below for pics!)  They also had to hurriedly line the field... however the sidelines guys made a mistake, and then spent the next 20 minutes with brooms trying to sweep the wrong lines off the field!  The end result was a field with (unofficially) 28 lines crossing the field at various intervals.  Hilarious!   

    

The makeshift Goal Posts and many lines of the field... all part of the charm of Italian Football!  Bottom right, Matt and Gianmarco celebrate a la "THE NFL JUMP UP AND BUMP BODIES INTO EACH OTHER" after Matt's kickoff return.

PICS PICS PICS:  Here's some more pictures from the game!

Defense ready for action.

The Elephants with their PINK ELEPHANT partners... Claudio & Roberta, JJ & CC, Matthieu & Jordana, and 'Cupino & Valeria.

Aren't we the All (North) American couple?

Malibu roommates... ready for the beach after another exhausting Sunday.

~ J. Twice