People don't play basketball in China. American football is "slow and disjointed." And baseball is just plain boring to just about everybody on the planet.
And that leaves football, or as we Americans call it, soccer. It all started when Elijah was invited to a birthday party of a boy across the street on Saturday. We met lots of other people from the neighborhood at the party. 2 other families were from the USA. 3 or 4 families were from the UK. Families from Germany and Sweden rounded out the diverse crowd. It was fun and interesting to talk to these new acquaintances from all over the world.
The major outcome for me was being invited to play football with a group of guys from our 'hood. I immediately stressed that I don't really play football. In fact, I clearly told them that the last organized "football" I played was as a midfielder for the AYSO Yellow Jackets in 1989. And that dream season had been rudely interrupted by our family's move to Michigan from South Carolina. Every excuse I fired at them was rejected. Let me run them down...THE REBUTTALS ARE IN CAPS.
1. I don't have cleats. AH, THE FIELD WILL BE DRY TOMORROW. NO CLEATS = NO PROBLEM.
2. I don't have shin guards. NO WORRIES, STEVE HAS AN EXTRA PAIR.
3. I haven't run since June 2006. PERFECT, ALL OF US ARE OUT OF SHAPE!
4. If this is a league, it's probably a bit serious for me. OH NO, THIS IS HARDLY A LEAGUE. IT'S JUST FOR FUN.
5. I stink at soccer. YOU'LL FIT IN JUST FINE.
And, so, on Sunday morning I walked down to the service center to catch a ride with a couple other guys. Between the 2 guys, they are wearing full length Adidas warm-up gear and official "English Premier League" football jerseys. Peter has a pair of serious looking cleats on. Much to my relief, Jeff is wearing Nike running shoes. At that point, I don't feel so bad wearing my $25 Avia sidewalk specials, aka, the shoes in which those elderly "mall walkers" graze past you in. My relief is short lived, though, when after noting, "Hey Jeff, you're not gonna wear cleats?", Jeff points out his large gym bag that contains his cleats. Shoot, he probably had 3 pair in that bag.
As we travel to the football pitch (that's English for the field), I am told that our opponent this day is going to be the local varsity football team at the BISS (British International School Something). So, in essence, we're playing kids whose average age is less than half of our team's average age, and then some.
So, picture this. I'm wearing basketball shorts with a black basketball T-shirt and our team color is white. (I initally just removed my shirt but the opponents claimed that my snow white chest was too much of a "distraction". Imagine a beacon of light catching you right in the eyes). I've got on crew cut socks down at my ankles and my paint-splattered Avia's on. After strapping on my gigantic loaner shinguards, I was Napoleon Dynamite ready for some serious football action. Fortunately, Mike felt sorry for me and loaned me a pair of those gigantic soccer socks that run up to your hips and then fold down over the shinguards. At that point, I may have looked respectable....if you had your eyes closed.
Overall, the experience was real fun. My body did not appreciate the shock therapy that I put it through. My legs are still hurting tonight and it's Tuesday evening. My right thumb is black and blue. I found a way to injure my hand even though using the hands in football is illegal. I'd rather not give the full account of the injury so I'll just say that I put my best juke on the defender only to find myself laying on the ground watching him dribble the ball back the other way. And, of course, I landed on my gimpy thumb.
Sunday night, after church, we stopped at the local MC Sports equivalent and I got some football paraphernalia. I figure if I can't play football, I can at least run around and look like a football player.
So, for the time being, I've retired from American football, basketball, and softball. I'm starting into "real" football. And next.....cricket anyone?
The first picture is my semi-retired footwear. One day the basketball shoes may see the court again. And the Avia's will probably mow the grass or perhaps continue to keep the fresh Mouser cabin paint off the leaves up North.
The second picture is the apparel that's gonna transform me from Napoleon Dynamite to David Beckham with Napoleon Dynamite's skills!
Pics 3 and 4 are of Aimee and Anna shopping among the street vendors. Anna had fun picking out some new jewelry and hair barrettes.
Pic 5 is Anna in her new Chinese dress and purple purse. No joke, Aimee is the toughest negotiator in our family. She's tough as nails. Aimee got a great price on the dress, purse and my new sunglasses. I defer to her on all price negotations!
And that leaves football, or as we Americans call it, soccer. It all started when Elijah was invited to a birthday party of a boy across the street on Saturday. We met lots of other people from the neighborhood at the party. 2 other families were from the USA. 3 or 4 families were from the UK. Families from Germany and Sweden rounded out the diverse crowd. It was fun and interesting to talk to these new acquaintances from all over the world.
The major outcome for me was being invited to play football with a group of guys from our 'hood. I immediately stressed that I don't really play football. In fact, I clearly told them that the last organized "football" I played was as a midfielder for the AYSO Yellow Jackets in 1989. And that dream season had been rudely interrupted by our family's move to Michigan from South Carolina. Every excuse I fired at them was rejected. Let me run them down...THE REBUTTALS ARE IN CAPS.
1. I don't have cleats. AH, THE FIELD WILL BE DRY TOMORROW. NO CLEATS = NO PROBLEM.
2. I don't have shin guards. NO WORRIES, STEVE HAS AN EXTRA PAIR.
3. I haven't run since June 2006. PERFECT, ALL OF US ARE OUT OF SHAPE!
4. If this is a league, it's probably a bit serious for me. OH NO, THIS IS HARDLY A LEAGUE. IT'S JUST FOR FUN.
5. I stink at soccer. YOU'LL FIT IN JUST FINE.
And, so, on Sunday morning I walked down to the service center to catch a ride with a couple other guys. Between the 2 guys, they are wearing full length Adidas warm-up gear and official "English Premier League" football jerseys. Peter has a pair of serious looking cleats on. Much to my relief, Jeff is wearing Nike running shoes. At that point, I don't feel so bad wearing my $25 Avia sidewalk specials, aka, the shoes in which those elderly "mall walkers" graze past you in. My relief is short lived, though, when after noting, "Hey Jeff, you're not gonna wear cleats?", Jeff points out his large gym bag that contains his cleats. Shoot, he probably had 3 pair in that bag.
As we travel to the football pitch (that's English for the field), I am told that our opponent this day is going to be the local varsity football team at the BISS (British International School Something). So, in essence, we're playing kids whose average age is less than half of our team's average age, and then some.
So, picture this. I'm wearing basketball shorts with a black basketball T-shirt and our team color is white. (I initally just removed my shirt but the opponents claimed that my snow white chest was too much of a "distraction". Imagine a beacon of light catching you right in the eyes). I've got on crew cut socks down at my ankles and my paint-splattered Avia's on. After strapping on my gigantic loaner shinguards, I was Napoleon Dynamite ready for some serious football action. Fortunately, Mike felt sorry for me and loaned me a pair of those gigantic soccer socks that run up to your hips and then fold down over the shinguards. At that point, I may have looked respectable....if you had your eyes closed.
Overall, the experience was real fun. My body did not appreciate the shock therapy that I put it through. My legs are still hurting tonight and it's Tuesday evening. My right thumb is black and blue. I found a way to injure my hand even though using the hands in football is illegal. I'd rather not give the full account of the injury so I'll just say that I put my best juke on the defender only to find myself laying on the ground watching him dribble the ball back the other way. And, of course, I landed on my gimpy thumb.
Sunday night, after church, we stopped at the local MC Sports equivalent and I got some football paraphernalia. I figure if I can't play football, I can at least run around and look like a football player.
So, for the time being, I've retired from American football, basketball, and softball. I'm starting into "real" football. And next.....cricket anyone?
The first picture is my semi-retired footwear. One day the basketball shoes may see the court again. And the Avia's will probably mow the grass or perhaps continue to keep the fresh Mouser cabin paint off the leaves up North.
The second picture is the apparel that's gonna transform me from Napoleon Dynamite to David Beckham with Napoleon Dynamite's skills!
Pics 3 and 4 are of Aimee and Anna shopping among the street vendors. Anna had fun picking out some new jewelry and hair barrettes.
Pic 5 is Anna in her new Chinese dress and purple purse. No joke, Aimee is the toughest negotiator in our family. She's tough as nails. Aimee got a great price on the dress, purse and my new sunglasses. I defer to her on all price negotations!
Oh, and weather update. It's 60deg here in Shanghai. See ya.
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