18 days to go...

... well most of my remaining days in Bergamo will be spent either watching extended versions of trilogies, Skype, NBA Finals, World Cup, and long amounts of day time sleeping to pass time. So a daily combination of the previously stated should make this remaining two weeks go by fast, hopefully. Today does mark the start of the World Cup, so right there, a minimum of three matches a day will certainly cut a good portion of the remaining time in Europe right in half. Now, it is not that I do not like being in the EU, it is just that after 6 months of being away from my family and friends you really start to feel the minutes slowly tick away.

Good thing, this weekend we begin our championship run to what would be the Bergamo Lions 12th IFL Championship. It is crazy how rich of a traditional here in Bergamo there is. Countless IFL Championships, and a leader in Euro Bowl Championships as well. You just feel the difference when you step out wearing that black and gold. With that said, we travel to Catania for the semi final match-up. Catania comes into the game with only one loss; however, that one loss came early in the season against none other, the Lions. But if you know anything about sports, one of the most difficult tasks is to beat a team two times in one year. So come Sunday, we better be on our A game in order to move onto the Italian Super Bowl.

So, 28 Days to the Center of Sergio continues on, today, 18. You know growing up you always have fascinations. For me it seemed to be movies with objects, whether it was cars or planes, the faster, the better! With that said, my two favorite movies growing up had to be Top Gun and Days of Thunder. I know, Tom Cruise, but he is not the reason I liked either of the movies. I was just more captivated with the fact you can drive a machine that fast, for fun! Okay, in Top Gun maybe not essentially for fun, as it was a military occupation, but Days of Thunder, certainly for the thrill and love of NASCAR. I know in previous posts I mentioned how I love sports for the rivalries, for the competition. I feel that both elements are key in order for sports to succeed. In every sport you need a fan favorite, just as much as you need the villain. In Days of Thunder one instance always stands out in my mind. When Cole first gets hurt in the wreck with Rowdy, they bring in Russ Wheeler to drive his car. Trickle some what "big times" Russ initially while he is on the phone trying to sweet talk Nicole Kidman. See this is the problem, as Russ begins to build up steam, winning races in Cole's absence, Cole gets mad when he returns. See me I have, in more than one case, been viewed as the under dog or have been "big timed" by many people. So I understand the Russ Wheeler cockiness in the movie and some what appreciate it. Why should any athlete kiss some ones ass who tried to belittle them in the beginning. In sports you win, you go hard, you never take no, and you never look back. Sometimes people confuse arrogance and cockiness with the the desire to win. That is what Wheeler displayed, until his over confidence killed him in the last lap at Daytona. Regardless, Russ Wheeler, one of my favorite movie characters and driver of the Number 18 car in Days of Thunder. 18, another X on my calendar.