NFL season starting : Go Browns

I started getting interested in football --yes, I'll say football, even if I'm french-- a few years ago when they started broadcasting the Superbowl on french television. It was of course in the middle of the night, so it was hard to get up for school , or later for work, the next day. I didn't know much about the rules, but I was impressed with the tactical perfection of some plays.

Evidently, I did not become a Browns fan after watching a Superbowl. Back then, I didn't have any favorite team. I first heard of them on the Drew Carey Show, but had no idea who they were. Then a few years later, my Ohioan wife, or more specifically her parents introduced me to them. They are huge fans. Geographically closer to the Bengals, living near Dayton, their heart belong to the brown and orange team from Cleveland. 

Since then, I've been following their results, heartbreaking most of the time (4-12 last season after 7 losses in a row to finish 2013). But the fans and their enthusiasm about their team makes it a one of a kind. They remind me of my favorite soccer team, here in France (with mostly the same kind of results since 2007). Lens has a fan base that spread all over the country and more. Both sets of fans are often considered the most loyal ones and I'm proud to be a part of both.

I truly hope for an improvement in the results starting this year, even if the offensive team is far from the same level as the defensive one. But a 8-8 this season would be very welcome, and to build on that for the future. After all, even if they never appeared in the Superbowl since its creation, never say never. Lens, created in 1906 won its first (and only so far) french championship title in 1998. 

Go Browns! Go Lens!

Disorganized thoughts for the end of the year

This is going to be kind of a messy blog post. The end of the year is coming, and that week has been pretty busy and different due to the fact that I was off of work and that it was the week of my wife and I's wedding anniversary (the two being related since I took the week off because of the anniversary).

 So, for our big day, on Tuesday, we decided we would go to England. It was Dixie's first time there (due to struggles with the French administration to get her "Titre de séjour" delaying her first crossing of the Channel). We had a wonderful English breakfast in Dover after crossing in a car-ferry. Driving on the "wrong" side of the road was a real experience (not saying more about it...).



We then took the road to Leeds Castle in Maidstone. We arrived in a deep fog that cleared out toward the end of our visit. The gardens and the atmosphere there were really enjoyable. Being a big kid, I ended the visit with a life-size maze.

We finished with a long walk and shopping in Canterbury. We stopped in a tearoom wondering how to end our stay in the city where we met an older couple. The lady was from New Zealand and and the man from Boston. They suggested us a few places to go and see and when the man had to leave, the woman stayed and entertained Dixie with English conversation.







Overall, we had a perfect stay in great landscape and cities and I think our  two-year anniversary was a success.

The rest of the week was filled with paperwork (health insurance), reading a lot (I finished the first book of the Hunger Games trilogy, while still reading A Clash of Kings and La Révolution des Fourmis) and Dixie had a Christmas photoshoot. You can check some of the amazing photos out at this address. You can also visit her website. It's worth having a look at it.

To finish on a sports note, Liverpool annihilated Tottenham and Lens won its first game away in more than three months, so that was a good weekend. Also, I had a physical test on Saturday (3200 meters, switching between 150 meters at fairly high speed in 30 seconds followed by very slow pace of 50 meters in 45 seconds). I did that test on a 400 meters track, but it was very slippery and I slid at the end of my third lap. I'll have another try in January. I also reffed a women's soccer game today, and Dixie said these women would beat up most of my teammates if we were playing against them. I can't say I disagree much.

Anyway, that was my rambling for the day. The three photos at the beginning are of course taken by my beautiful, and I incite you once more to go check out her website and facebook page.

I love you, Dixie! Happy two-year anniversary!

Allez Lens !

I came home a few hours ago from a soccer game in Lens, my favorite team. The game in itself was not the best, but they won 1-0 and confirmed their leadership of French "Ligue 2" with 4 wins and a draw in 5 games. More than what happened on the field though, the continuous support by the fans, the intensity of the cheering and the volume of the singing during the whole game are what makes Lens so special.

The team is just starting its third season in a row in Ligue 2. Needless to say, for a club like this one, three seasons below the highest level that is Ligue 1 is an eternity. But tonight, there was more than 30,000 people inside the stadium to represent what we call here the "twelfth man".

Other teams are impressed to come play in that arena. They know that they will have to play against more than eleven adversaries. The most ferocious and fearsome of all will litterally surround them during ninety minutes.

I love that idea. Keep going, supporters. Help your team go back in the elite of French soccer. They can do it, and you deserve it.

"Allez Lens !"