Eurobowl Documentary Trailer

Check out the 5 minute preview of the upcoming SWARCO RAIDERS EUROBOWL documentary that Austrian filmmaker Alban Egger put together... incredible!

Eurobowl 2009 promovideo of Swarco Raiders from eggermedia.com on Vimeo.

~ J. Twice

Today's sign the Apocalypse is on us

No, I'm not talking about the upcoming movie "2012," although disaster films typically rank as my least favorite genre, save for "Twister." (except the end when the characters just coincidentally hid inside a barn full of knives and other metallic objects of death... They had me going until then.)





What i'm talking about is the fact tht this week's ESPN The Magazine cover put a POKER player on the cover... Of the NBA preview edition?! Did no one else catch this? Did anyone hear Jim Rome say how ridiculous this was, followed by the signature way-to-long pause? Wow. It sure says something about how far hoops has slid in our conscious - and that's without even delving into the whole 'is poker a sport?' debate, which if it weren't for my tangents I would already be talking about!

Yes, I'm sure that Phil Ivey is the best poker player on the planet. And when I finally get to page 35 I'm sure I'll be excited to learn how a guy who spends his life playing cards - a game - unwinds, but I guess I just expected something a little different from The Total Leader In Sports. (I specifically did not use the word MORE in the last sentence in case I'm ever in the running for a job with them and they happen to stumble across this rant.)

And the weirdest thing? The guy on the cover looked EXACTLY like the guy across from me at Borders. Am I in the Matrix?

Made the leap to Twitter

Ok, go ahead and call me a hypocrite. Call me a traitor, sellout, or any other similar sounding deragivative, if deragivative is even in fact a word. After publically bashing the application Twitter just a few weeks ago, on this very blog, I've now joined the millions of Tweeters. My user name: @jasonjohnson6.





What caused my change of heart, and why might I need a Twitter account? (Seeing as I currently don't have a head coach to bash, a la Kansas City running back Larry Johnson.) It is actually a question everyone should ask when it comes to social media: WHY.

There needs to be a reason you use any technology, not just because it is there. Take TV for example, if every hour was just a repeat of Alf, i'm sure it's place in our life would be vastly different (no offense to everyone's favorite, furry, cat-eating alien.) Far too many businesses and people for that matter are using outlets such as myspace or facebook merely because it is there, not because it actually serves a purpose.

My goal - so we are all clear here - is to rapidly expand my own presence and reach on the Internet. In the next few weeks this blog will be undergoing a major renovation as it shifts to a source of information and inspiration in the world of sports and travel, much more than just my current ramblings. Twitter will allow me to post new updates in realtime, give recommendations as to useful books, movies, and travel tips, and finally just be a way to reach out to new people.




Where will this lead? I have no pretentions, although it is shocking to see the far-reaching influence some enjoy, such as travel blogger "adventuregirl" above who boasts 1.3 MILLION followers. There are certain ways to monetize this, which I'm still learning, but it is definitely an interesting avenue to explore.

So go check out @jasonjohnson6 and start following!

Recent Images

As we've traced the West Coast of America on our journey from Vancouver Island, BC to Arizona, I've mostly neglected doing "real" photography, instead opting for my new iPhone. It does a good job, but doesn't create the vivid images I'm used to. Therefore, I thought I'd take some time tonight to post a few of my Nikon images... enjoy. (Click to make large)

An Arizona sunset

For those of you who haven't seen a sunset over the desert hills, take a gander:





And if you haven't seen an 11-armed mangled cactus... Well, I hadn't either! Give me a scientific name for that, Claud!




JTwice

Posted from my iPhone

Reason 5,328 that I love America: In 'n Out

I'm still getting the hang of mobile blogging but I had to send the following pics out into cyberspace immediately in case anything was to happen to me in the next 2 minutes.





Yes, it's the best burger in America: In 'n Out. This California institution serves the juciest burgers in the biz just like web they opened their doors over 50 years ago. The menu is simple: burgers, fries, shakes, and the famous double-double. But then again, why mess with perfection?




I once drove 2 hours in college for these burgers - they're that good. In fact, I might place the double double in my list of top three must see American attractions for a European visitor, just behind the Grand Canyon and Disneyland. (Walmart narrowly missed the list.)







What more can I say?

JTwice

The Zona experience

Arizona cruised to a sloppy 27-13 victory over the lifeless UCLA Bruins on a gorgeous 80 degree Saturday afternoon in Tucson. It was fun to be back at my Alma mater for a game - made more interesting by the fact that as a player I never got to be a part of the whole "Gameday Experience." here's a pair of videos from before the game, and yes, I know my wife only has her TV voice when talkin to a camera..

Had the Cats not turned the ball over five times they would have made my 73-10 prediction come true!





We were invited to the game by our good friend Sean Johnson, whose tickets in the "loge" section came complete with an all-you-can-eat buffet and air-conditioning. These two should never be underrated. It should also go without saying that anyone with the last name Johnson is fun to be around. His brother Brian also joined us, and as a guru of football knowlege calmly predicted 95% of the games events before they happened.

The one thing I could not understand was the absolutely anemic (good word huh Claudio? Look it up using the iphone dictionary app) play by the UCLA quarterbacks. I am typically NEVER one to judge the play of a fellow qb because I know how hard it is, but not one of the three who played showed any sign of accuracy, decisive decision making, or leadership skills. This is made even more strange seeing as they are coached by a former Rose Bowl qb (Neuheisel) and reknowned offensive guru (Norm Chow). I would need to look up their salaries but I would bet that's $1.5 million of instruction for a combined 13 of 35 for a mere 146 yards. Not that I minde of course...





Jtwice


-- Posted from my iPhone

Sunday thought

I saw this card in the giftshop of the Blue Willow restaurant in Tucson while waiting to eat brunch. I thought it was a good thing to think about while waiting for chorizo.





-- Posted from my iPhone

Gameday in Tucson

Walking around the campus of the University of Arizona this morning brought back a flood of memories from my time as a Wildcat. It also started to get the juices pumping a kickoff is only about 6 hours away. Here's a few videos!

Lockerroom before the players arrive from the hotel. To quote the movie Best in Show, "This is what I like to call an empty canvas."





Where it all goes down... UCLA better get ready!


-- Posted from my iPhone

Johnson clan

Stopping in Fresno to see my brother Chad, his wife Michelle, and the kids!!!



Cole 2.5 years



Rees 4.5 years



Selah .5 years!


My neice and nephews - the best sites on all my adventures!

Jtwice


Posted from my iPhone

A day with the OTHER Raiders

Today we were in the bay area so we thought it would be appropriate to pay a visit to the "other" Raiders... You know, Oakland. Yes - the original silver and black, home to Al Davis, 3 super bowl titles, and of course, the scariest fanbase outside of San Quentin.





The Swarco Raiders Tirol - my Austrian team - have had a partnership now with Oakland for a few years, and this past season Chrisitie hosted a tv show called Beyond the Field which aired on raiders.com. It was a huge success, and was perhaps the most visible sign of the tremendous teamwork between the two swashbuckling franchises - who coincidently began working together when the Swarco Raiders inquired about purchasing an inflatable helmet.





We were welcomed to the HQ of Raider Nation by Jerry Knaak, who oversees the Internet operations of the club. He is a Rochester native who has been with the club for many years, and if I repeated half of his stories I may be checking my blindsided for Terry Tate. Jerry was the one responsible for putting all the Swarco Raider stories and video on the web, in conjunction with Sebastian Stolz in Germany, and it was great to be able to say thank you in person. He also claims to be the biggest North American Swarco fan - which I believe after his frequent references to Flo Grein, Blitzy, and Santos.





Jerry gave us a full tour of the Raider studios, including a visit to the set of their 2 weekly TV shows. It is quite a setup - and very convenient.





Of course, what's a trip without shopping? Here Christie displays an outfit for a future Raiders cheerleader. (rumor mill - do not read anything in to this! Lol). It was a fun visit and I must say I was very impressed with the organization.


Posted from my iPhone

A Fatherly Golf Match

A perfect fall afternoon with a view of Mount Ranier - who could ask for more?

"Moving now from the world of fishing to the world of golf..."

There is nothing more enjoyable for a father/son duo than a nice round of golf. However, on Tuesday afternoon my dad Jim and I headed to High Cedars Golf Course near Puyallup, WA for a different type of golf: 21st Century iPhone Golf.

Yes, we've already covered how the iPhone can text, take pictures, and surf the web. Yet a new series of apps, such as Golfshot GPS, turn the iPhone into a powerful rangefinder, giving the golfer pinpoint distances, aeriel images of your course, and a digital scorecard. On the way to the course I downloaded the Golfshot and opened up a whole can of worms. Here's how it went down:

GolfshotGPS: A golf revolution

FIRST THREE HOLES: STARTING FAST

Hole 1, Par 5: Instead of warming up, I configure the App for High Cedars Golf Course, which was located by my GPS as the closest option. It is one of 22,000 courses contained in the game. I silently vow to play all of them. The weather is warm for October in the Northwest, and Mount Rainier looms in the distance, making me forget how much I love this area in the fall. Despite not having played in over a year, I knock my approach to 15 feet and make my par. My dad bogies and I'm off to an early lead.

Hole 2, Par 3: Using the GPS, I determine the exact distance to the back of the green to be 215 yards. I lace a 4-iron to the middle of the green and make par. Had I followed the scorecard, I would have been 20 yards short. My dad is not so lucky - as if he didn't trust the iPhone - and found the bunker. He'd make double bogey and suddenly I'm up 3.

My approach on the 3rd put me in birdie range.

Hole 3, Par 4: Riding the momentum I lace my drive over 300 yards, cutting the corner of a dogleg thanks to the aerial view of my GPS. I chip to eight feet and make the putt for birdie to go one under par. My dad makes bogey, and I'm up 5!

I post this immediately to Facebook.

MIDDLE THREE HOLES: OVERCONFIDENCE MEETS DISTRACTION

Hole 4, Par 4: Cockiness setting in, I whip out the iPhone and begin texting my brother to brag. I hook my ball into the trees and make my first bogie of the round.

Hole 5, Par 5: Distracted by the beautiful fall leaves changing colors, I spend this entire hole taking pictures. I forget my camera is only 3 mega-pixels, and that I shouldn't hit the trees with my ball. Double Bogey.

Hole 6, Par 4: For some reason, we decide to play this hole "Scramble" style, using our best shots to make par. I'm up 3 shots with three holes to play.

FINAL THREE HOLES: JOHNNY COMEBACK

Hole 7, Par 4: We decide to use the video feature on the iPhone to document our swings. We decide on the spot that neither of us are Tiger Woods, or even Sam Alexis Woods, his two year old daughter. My dad gives me a few swing tips which compound my growing problems. I make double bogey, then spend the next 5 minutes downloading an App called, "Excuse maker." SCORE: Jason +4, Jim +6.

The Par 3 Eighth

8th Hole, Par 3: With darkness setting in, we debate on what time the sun actually sets. My dad uses an iPhone App to win the debate -- 6:09. We both make good approaches, but mine takes a bad bounce off the green. I chip close but miss my par putt. "Johnny" continues playing like he's on a mission and makes par. Suddenly he's within one: Jason +5, Jim +6.

9th Hole, Par 4: It all comes down to the deciding final hole, a 435 yard par 4. We both hit our drive to the right, putting us behind two large trees!

Not the easiest of approach shots...

We dial up the range on the iPhone GPS - 208 yards away. My dad goes first and smacks the tree, sending his ball flying backwards! I calmly hit my ball next to the green, and then walk over to measure his distance, emphasizing that he is now further away from the hole than he was a moment ago. He doesn't laugh.

The shot facing my dad on the final hole...

It was the moment that would decide the match. I was up by one and already next to the green. Great players live for this moment. So do the weekend warriors that consider themselves great players. Summoning every ounce of confidence, Big Jim smacks a three-wood into the darkness... landing 15 feet from the hole! He is not silent after this shot.

My ball next to the green on the 9th.

I don't like to make excuses, so I will just say that somehow my dad ended up taking one less stroke than me on the hole, and we ended up tied for the round. I'm sure he would like to tell you the long version of the story, so feel free to flood his inbox.

In the words of Frosty Westering, it was a DOUBLE WIN. I wasn't so happy - I think a tie is like kissing your sister. (No offense Heather.)

The final putt.

The always humble Johnny.

A round that qualified us for the US Open... in FUN!

I think the real winner of this match was the iPhone, which proved it can be extremely useful in yet another situation. (Why didn't I download the fish finder last week? Do they have that?) However, whether that actually helps your performance is still yet to be determined. My dad was happy with his comeback, especially when the scorecard was emailed to us by Golfshot.com. Thanks for digitally rubbing it in, iPhone.

~ J. Twice

Brown's Bay Fishing Chum Fishing Derby

Bud Sutherland - expert fishing guide and top 5 finisher in Brown's Bay Chum Derby

It's late October off the blustery northwest coast of Vancouver Island. The hour is indistinguishable under the dense layer of gray clouds and steady rain. Around us, the steel blue water is filled with bobbing fishing boats in all shapes and sizes, at least thirty strong. I huddle under the cover to avoid the downpour and sink deeper into my bright-red Survival suit. "Yep," observes Bud with a satisfactory nod, "This fishin' derby is for die-hards only."

Brown's Bay lies along the northern coast of Vancouver Island.

Handwritten chalk sign for this local's only competition

There are a number of fishing derbies throughout the year on the coastal waters of Vancouver Island, but the Brown's Bay Chum Derby takes the cake for being the most authentically local. It takes place annually on one of the last weekends of the real fishing season, as the final species of spawning salmon - Chum - make their way through the straights towards their spawning grounds. It's hard-core reputation stems from both the weather and quality of fish... each typically leave something to be desired. In fact, the Chum aren't really eaten other than being smoked, but they are a fun fish to catch because they fight like crazy.

For the second straight day, my guide was none other than the one-and-only Bud Sutherland. Bud grew up on Vancouver Island and claims to have began hunting and fishing before he could walk. When he's not working on the oil rigs in Northern Canada, he could double as a fishing charter captain. I was so lucky to have the great opportunity to go out with a seasoned pro - both in helping to catch the fish, but more so for not having to gut them myself. But first, the contest...

Bud bringing in Chum #1, a ten-pounder

Neither sleet, nor snow, nor hail could stop Bud from snagging one of the biggest fish of the day.

We dropped Bud's 22-foot powerboat into the water around 7am in total darkness. Soon after we were pushing out into deep water, following the GPS and Sonar to the best spot. Ocean fishing I quickly learned was a game of trial and error, checking depths and locations to find out where the fish were biting. A large congregation of boats were hugging close to the shore and not getting much action, so after an hour we pushed out much further into deeper water. We trolled along around one mile per hour, with one rod set for 45 feet and the other for 60. On the end of our lines was our bright pink lure, with a name I will never forget: DJ's Googly Eyed Chum Meister Wild Thing. How is it possible to fail with a name liked that?

Another Chum falls for the googly eyes!

Our GPS tracked our route as well as the depth of the ocean. You can tell by our crazy purple line that we were chasin' those fish all over the place!

A lone boat hugs the cliff. No fish there my friend...

Despite the cool weather and the unrelenting rain, I really enjoyed being out on the water and acting like a real "hard-core" fisherman. The basic plan was to locate the best place to catch the fish (Bud did this), get the boat to that spot (Bud did this), attach the right googly-eyed lure (Bud did this), drop our lines to the right depth (Bud did this), and then watch the poles for a bite (my job.) Upon a bite, the pole will bounce up and down really hard. You jump up and immediately yank the line back towards you to "set it" - meaning get the hook secure in the mouth of the fish - and then start reeling like crazy. When you have the fish next to the boat and all tuckered out from fighting, Bud would take the gaffer and snag the fish out of the water using a metal hook to the head. (As aggressive as it sounds, but it at least its quick.) The action was furious, and with a lot of spawning salmon in the water the bites came often. "For lack of a better term" it was a CRAZY experience.

Reeling in another whopper...

Get 'er done!

The easy part - displaying your fish!

The craziest story of the day (depicted on the video below right) was a "Double Header Rat Nest," which is local slang for catching two fish at the same time while getting your lines tangled. How we went from relaxed on the boat to suddenly utter chaos is still up for debate, but from sketchy eye-witness testimony this is what I gathered went down:

First Bud had a fish on his line, then I got a bite. While I was working mine Bud thought his fish slipped off the line. He turned to help me get mine in, but our lines had been crossed.

Anyone who has seen Ghostbusters knows how bad it is when you "cross the beams."

We tried for what seemed like forever to get my fish in, but the lines wouldn't let him get close enough. About six times he almost got smashed by the propeller. Finally, Bud reached out and gaffed him in the head, bringing him aboard... just as his own pull jumped up and down to signal that his first fish was somehow back on the line. (We are not sure if he ever left.) Bud raced over, somehow untangling the lines with the coolness of John Wayne in the OK Corral, and brought fish #2 into the boat. Trying to document all of this on both my Nikon camera and iPhone in the pouring rain at the same time might have added to the overall chaos as well.

AND NOW TO THE VIDEO:

In all we caught our limit of 8 fish while getting a dozen other bites (which we of course "let go" in the course of playing with them on our lines.) My largest fish would weigh in just over 12 pounds, while Bud landed a big 13.25 pounder. This weight put Bud among the leaders in the contest.

Eight was our limit

Behind the scenes video footage of the 2009 Chum Massacre

Time to be measured...

Mine weighs in at just over 12 pounds... not bad for a rookie!

Bud shows off our top two fish.

I can't say enough what a unique experience it was to be fishing like a pro. I highly recommend fishing like this to everyone... especially if during the 2006 census you checked the box for "male." Thank you Bud for being a great host - you are the real pro!

~ J. Twice