Sunday, January 31, 2010

What a good nights rest does...

Well last night I was supposed to go out; however, since being here in Spain I have not really adjusted to the time difference all that well. Last night I actually was able to sleep, and boy did I sleep, from 11pm to about noon today. I woke up feeling totally rejuvenated and ready for the week coming up.

Today's blog is going to be one of fresh perspective. Waking up today I felt inside of me the desire to really change the world. I thought to myself, what is the point in life if you only live for you? While I remain adamant that you should do things you love doing, I also see life as bringing joy to others. The ability to change the lives of others, even if only for a minute is just something that has been circling around in my mind since I got out of bed today.

Coming to Spain I did not know what really to expect, a new country, new lifestyle, new environment, but what I found was that no matter where you are at in the world you have the ability to change peoples lives. Whether you help them just by opening a door for them, the little things in life like that are the small opportunities to change the world. Because a lot of small things add up to the bigger picture in life.

My roommate Meech and I had a good discussion this afternoon about exploring new ideas and ventures here in Europe. The possibilities are endless, but with a fresh perspective and the will to make the world a better place. No matter what idea or venture we choose, the foundation for that is solid. Because knowing that your striving to make your life better and those around you better, only positive things can come out of it. I know that it may not be all peachy clean and easy, tough times and obstacles will always remain, but with more than one mind at work, possibilities and success are endless....

Don't know were I was going with that one but I am sure today will serve as a starting point for future success for myself, Meech, and who ever else wants to devote time and hardwork to what we are going to try and do.

Esteban Seis over and out!!!

Euros or Dollars, this game just makes sense!!! (Don't nobody take that line, trademarken it as I type!!!)

One Love.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Sabado....

Well well well, it is Saturday, great start to the weekend I feel in the air. Couple of new things developing in the melting pot I call my brain. Started a new diet, by Ori Hofmekler, called the Warrior Diet, for all you late night munchers this is definitely the diet/lifestyle for you. I say lifestyle more than diet because their is no real restrictions on what you intake through out this process. It is more a set of principles based on ancient lifestyles similar to that of Spartans or other various ancient type warrior persona's. I have been reading the Warrior Diet book by Ori before getting into this, and after the first day I really feel an over shift in my focus and train of thought. For me doing this was a big step, in light of last years disastrous turn for the worst, getting into a diet where their is no restrictions on consumption was some what frightening; however, when I get back to the States I will definitely be killing my brother on McDoubles with this way of living. But in all seriousness, it is a great concept and for those of you interested, email me for the .pdf copy of the book.

Secondly, I would like to congratulate the newest members of what I will soon be calling the newest chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, INCORPORATED, at the University of Nevada, Reno, Mr. Lee Massey and Mr. Lawrence James, welcome to our Wondrous Band and GOMAB!!!

Thirdly, so I am thinking of planning a low key vacation, I really have been fond of Greece all my life, so I am thinking Santorini after the season for about a week to just get away and relax before the next journey in my life takes place, but for now being in Spain is amazing. I really enjoy everything about life here. It does help that the team has a great group of guys who we can just joke around with and really feel apart of. I know my greatest fear coming out here was wondering what the companeros would be like, and all I can say is that they are GREAT!

This Sunday, Man U vs Arsenal, its going down!!!!

Esteban "tres juevos" Seis coming to live from the B-Town. Adios!

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Thursday of bye week....


All I have to say about last night is, es muy muy muy muy frio!!! Joder!!!! We was out there freezen at the night practice, I wish I did not have a groin strain because just standing there did not help the cause at all. But it was good, we finally got paid last night, and today we getting groceries from Jordi so it is looking great heading into the Pioneers game next weekend.

But on the real, my new goal for the season, well on defense at least, is 100 plus tackles, and about 5-6 INTS, that is assuming that teams even throw the ball my way,because I do not see that happening any time soon. As far as the 100 tackles, I mean i got 11 in the first half alone against Valencia, did not play the second, so in all reality that is feasible.

But the more I hang around the guys and coaches, we really do have a great opportunity to have a great season both here in Spain and Europe. I know, I know, we lost our first game, but it is not where you start, it is about where you finish that matters the most. The chemistry amoung the guys is evident in every thing we do together, the laughter, the jokes, just the conversation alone you see the strong sense of familia, you really do. So as long as we remain positive, stay focused, and remain a team, I strongly believe we have a great future with this upcoming season.

This weekend, well, CHUPITOS!!!! Mas mas chicas guapas!!!!! Esperamos tener buen tiempo con sus companeros!!!! The goal for this weekend is what I states on my Facebook previously, find a Spanish woman, marry her, get a Spanish passport, live in paradise forever!!! LOL!!! See the trick is to get her to think that she is marrying an American to get US citzenship, little does she know I am trying to do the same thing but get Spanish passport, hehehe, got to start thinking like a women to get a head out here I tell you!

But I have been thinking about starting a business here with Alfonso, I know he has a storng desire to get into physical/sports training and he really has the personality and knowledge to do it. I have been thinking after some market research that Spanish people are definetely into fitness but the availability of supplements here is muy mal. They charge here 50-70 euros for a 3lb tub of protein, for all my US folk, thats like 90-100 bucks for something we can get off a discount websit for 20-25 USD, or 15-20 euros depending the currency rate for the day. So stream a supplement/training business here would be money if we could setup a low cost shipping arrangement with a discount supplement store stateside to get cheaper supplements here and just rule the market. Looking into this possibility further, could be money.

But with the weekend around the corner.... a trip to France, England maybe??? We see....

Dracs 2010

This is Esteban Seis!!!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Sunday after....

Well the first game did not go the way we had hoped, but there is still a lot to gain out of the experience. All kidding aside I was glad to see the guys played hard all the way through the final whistle. We have a long season and once we start gelling more on offense we are really going to be dangerous. We have a great nucleus, we just need to play up as a team in all aspects of the game.

Personally, I had a groin strain going into the Valencia game I picked up Monday during practice. So I was only about 75% heading into the game but it could not stop me from playing. First half I feel that defense, Valencia could not do anything against us. The import running back Owens out of Ohio U was not as fast as his posted 4.3 forty time, I swooped him down from about 20-30 yards on a run and I was not even full go. I was making tackles all over the field but then at the start of the second half the groin started bruising up and both coach and Presi said chill out. Good advice considering it was only first game.

We ended up losing 14-6, but in all reality we should have won. We missed about 3 or 4 opportunities in the red zone in both the 1st and 2nd half of the game. My boy D was getting doubled up all game, first half they had a lineman just go straight for him regardless of his assignment, which led to me being a free hitter in the box making all the tackles in first half. We went into half time 0-0 so you can see it was pretty close all the way through.

After the game Presi, coach, and Marcelo took us imports to a Japanese spot in Valencia. So we proceeded to some local favorites and bottles of wine. Then after dinner back to the 5 hour bus ride to Badalona. That five hours went fast, mainly a due to Nordi and Nestor with some CHUPITOS!!! Marcel, Sergi, Carmona, Merchan, every one was just faded in the back of the bus the entire way back. Great bonding experience after the fresh loss, I think we may have to hide all the pictures from that road trip. Or use as blackmail in some individuals cases.

So we back in the B-town, its the morning, well mid-day, and well its a gloomy day today. But, up early and back at it, Presi dropped off the med for the groin. Relax day!!!

Pinche Big Dave, the alleged mythiological, iconic man of a man character on this blog, bloody muppet does not even rides with us on the way back!

Dracs 2010

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Thursday before 1st game....

Well it has been a great week of practice, Sergi really getting the timing down with the receivers, Nordi and Felipe are about to beast, and our o-line going to crush some people. As far as the imports, we just can not wait to get on the field and crack some heads in. I know our muppet Arsenal loven English roommate, Mr. Jones, can not wait till Saturday if Stuart Franklin is on the field, I am pretty sure Nick will bang the ______ out of him.

Then we have D, aka Black Velvet aka Ben Coats aka the Midwests Finest about to do his thang out there. As for me, I got a little something special lined up for Valencia this weekend, by the time I am done here in Spain they gonna think its Ochocinco out there. I gotta give it up to thee hermanos on the team Sergi and Xavi for helping me out with these plays.... Ley eh sun trenta y seis.... as soon as Sergio be callen it I be like Xavi, ques eso? hehehe.... but I am understanding it now, but they made that possible.

But in all reality, like I said before big ups to Jordi, Pho, big Dave, Nestor, and just all the teammates man, yall been great to be around and I hope as this season progresses we can come closer and really just enjoy beating people and CHUPITOS!!!!! After communicating some stuff with Presi and coach, with the help of Pho, we got all our financial issues squared away and now we can just have some fun, relax, and start wilden out like my boy Nordi out here, that man es loco!

Man we looken good though, teams gonna be like Marcel, JODER!!!!! when they see us because we are that nice. We like two hotcakes, bacon, and eggs, perfection baby, utter perfection.

Onto Valencia.... the start of a Spanish and Euro Bowl Championship season? We shall see.....

Dracs 2010.

Imported Goods.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Chupitos Chupitos Chupitos....

Sabado en Espana es muy loco.....Mas chupitos para todos!!! Uno noche en Sabadell!!! Man well I think that the time we got in speaks volumes for how the night went, damn near got in at 8 am. But it was all good, damn Nestor and his Chupitos, had Nick, D, and me thinken we moven cool like suavemente!!!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

First week down, onto Valencia....

Well today's practice wrapped up the end of the first week in Espana. It is safe to say that the import are now in full affect with the arrival of Meech. Over today was a good one, hit that gym in the AM, met up with Alfonso and we at at some place that Nestor translated as the "house of the bald guys", I don't know but that food was on point. Walked around Badalona, seeing all the shops, and I must say the females was looking extremely right today, so we defintely getting it crackin manana.

Practice, man I think I was a little dehydrated and weak from hitting the shitter all day due to "telepizza" and their house special pizza. It was no bueno, tasted good, went down all bad. So I would say I was a little week heading into today's practice. But it picked up pretty good. Played wide out today for the first time in over 6 years so it felt so good to run with the ball in your hands again. Its crazy to think that I have not played in over two years but it is all starting to come back. Big shout out to my translator at practice Mr. Xavi, not only do he know his stuff, but he translate what I got to, big high five, uptop. But shoot, we have three practices until Valencia, and I really just want us to come together and just whoop they ass. Just the first step in our journey to win that Spanish title, and then take over Europe and win Euro Bowl, because best believe we doing the damn thing!

Its 2 AM.... CHUPITOS!!!! and some stuff from Nestor... dormi!!!

Saturday line-up: Get it cracking with all the teammates tomorrow in the evening, sunday, really looking forward to going and see the juniors play. It is good to see young people with that desire to play. And just catch up with NFL games streamed online.

Dracs 2010

Sergio Villasenor

Thursday, January 14, 2010

First Practice...

Well it was a nippy evening practice, but it felt good to get the legs going here on new soil. I finally got to meet most of the guys who I had been communicating with for some time via Facebook or instant messenger services. Overall I must say that we have a great group of guys here with Dracs. From Presi, down to the support staff, and every teammate, their is just a great sense of humor, but most importantly and strong feeling of family here with the team.

Yesterday was actually a very nice day leaidng up to practice. Hung out with Nestor for the majority of the day and was amazed at how creative that guys mind his. Seriously. This guy Nestor does just about everything, crazy man with swords, armour, his skills in design, moto bikes, practically the whole nine yards. I fortunate to have got to meet his family and have a meal with them in the afternoon.

Then coach came by to go over the play book and off to juniors practice with Alfonso we went. Laza finally was able to get the pads I had got for him back in the states. You really see that here, in Spain, while soccer is dominant their is definitely a growing interest with American football.

Practice... I think many thought I was a little nuts in the short sleeve warming up with no sweater but I have to thank the terrible weather in Nevada for preparing me for the cold here in Europe this time of the year. Very good practice in general, these guys really enjoy hitting each other and just having fun. I think I am going to start bringing, as discussed with Sergi and Nestor, a bottle of liqour for Chupitos for a special some one. Do not worry, it is more of an incentive to do a particular something that he was not going this Wednesday night, hehehe. But all kidding aside, I really feel something special about this team. The chemistry, the brotherhood, the sheer desire to play this sport is just so evident here. I know many of the guys say we have a smaller team in comparison to many teams around Europe with larger payrolls or sponsors. I honestly do not think it matters, because the size of the hearts in the Dracs players is bigger than any other.

Dracs 2010

Sergio Villasenor

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Badalona...

Well today is the first day that I am technically in Spain. Yesterday was a great day, just being in Spain for the first time and meeting such wonderful players and members of the organization was amazing. The hospitality here is great, from the moment you step off the plane you really feel just something special about being here. I must admit, getting off the plane yesterday I was a little nervous, only because my damn luggage was the last bags off the go-round. But once Alfonso and Jordi met me in the terminal the experience just grew by the minute.

After arrival we went to go get my roommate and new team mate Nick, he is out of the UK, and we instantly hit the ground running. We got to the apartment the team fixed up for us and threw our stuff down and were on the go again. From there Alfonso and Jordi stacked us up with a fridge and kitchen full of food, set us up with our cell phones, and hooked up the Wi-Fi here at the apartment.

Then one word..... chupitos.... Presi, president for short for our team owner Jose Luis Soler, took us out to eat with teammates at the "Chinos" spot down the street. Man we was grubben off that Asian stuff, and then the waiter comes and says "Chupitos"? Nick was like, "what is that?". Alfosno described it as a shot but I think Nick thought that of an expresso considering Presi just worded some coffee. So Nick agreed under false pretences. Then the waiter comes out with a shot glass and some Chinesse-inspired liquor, no bueno. By then end of it all Nestor was mas Chupitos mas Chupitos, so I had to take some with Nick. Last time we agree to some "chupitos".

Side note, what amazed me was how cool the city is here in Badalona, what Americans would call a suberb of Barcelona. You have fresh markets with vegetables, meats, and pan. It really is a great place to be. They even have a sports supplement shop, which quite amazed me, so had to get some protein powder because I left mines at home in Los Angeles.

Well it is going to be 8 o'clock and probably will be hitting the gym here in a couple minutes once Nick gets up. Practice is a PM practice today so after the gym I suppose a days worth of site seeing and walking around the city.

Adios.

- Sergio Villasenor

Monday, January 11, 2010

Last hours in the US...

Its about 2am here in the US and I am sitting here just looking back at how this past year has just unfolded. This time last year I would have never contemplated, let alone dream about, what is practically hours away. For many of those that do not know me, had I even lived past the 1st of this past year it would have been considered a success. Life had beaten me down, I had dug myself in a hole that seemed bottomless. Depression had gotten the better of me, I let what people what me to be judge the way I viewed the world. I was living a life to please others rather than pleasing myself. With the support of my family and the few friends that stood by me through it all, I was able to over come what seemed impossible to me at the time.

About 5 months ago now, Shane Jackson, a man who I consider to be a good friend of mine, was one of the few who never seemed to let me give up my dreams. He told me about the opportunities that were available over seas to play football. At the time, I said to myself, who would take a man like me? One who barely out of rehab and therapy less than 6 months prior. Well, I'm glad I followed his advice. He re inspired me to follow my dreams and reignited the desire I had not had since playing together at Pasadena CC, before my commitment to the University of Nevada, Reno. With the help of friends and family, and the wonderous support of my fraternity brother of the Almighty Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, INCORPORATED, helped me begin to turn the pages of what seemed to be a 4 year chapter of my life filled with false aspirations, dreams, and sour endings. Shane and former junior college coach Angelo Jackson set my aim at making a full return to the game and thus the journey began.

By October I was already back up to 220 pounds, running, moving, and quicker than I had been since our ol Pasadena days. Then after months of calls, emails, and communications, Badalona Dracs, out of Barcelona, Spain, gave me the chance I had been working for.

No one truly knows my capabilities, those that I played with in JC know, but those at Nevada do not. After thinking about it I came to this conclusion, Sergio Villasenor never really attended the University of Nevada, Reno, nor played for its football team. Only a guy that looked liked me did. One person I played with said it best, "your career stopped the day you signed with Nevada, and suddenly restarted the day that you left". I could not have said it any better.

So get ready, because Imported Goods is going to take over not only Spain, but Europe. 2010, Badalona Dracs, spanish and euro bowl champions? Wait and see.....

- Sergio Villasenor