Giants still football’s champions (*)

(*) Well, at least of the Austrian division of American football in Europe.

My Turek Graz Giants won the Austrian Bowl XXIV, 31-21, which gave them the “Austrian State Championship” at the expense of the Swarco Raiders of the Tyrol.

Behind American quarterback Chris Gunn in an exciting outing that accounted for at least four interceptions as best I can tell, the Giants … well, let the team’s own public relations people tell you all about it in this automatically-translated-from-the-German posting on their Web site.

(And, in answer to several inquiries, yes, this has been an exciting team to follow until my beloved New York/New Jersey Giants open their pre-season training camp at the University at Albany, NY, very shortly.)

In a game that has long stretches of the strong defenses of both teams was marked, the Raiders had the first chance of points awarded, however, a Field Goal on the possible 3:0 leadership. The offense while the Giants could move the ball well, but two of Interceptions QB Chris Gunn completed each attack series.

In the 2nd Quarter, the blue and yellow but the first time in the Endzone reach: WR Armando Ponce de Leon caught a 2 yard pass from RB Moe Muheize; Marc Biedenkapp recovered the PAT to 7:0 leadership. After a Fumble by Raiders RB Florian Grein — Christoph Schreiner secured the ball for the blue and yellow — was QB Chris Gunn. Marc Biedenkapp in the first game with a deep pass into a TD; including PAT led the Giants 14:0. After the Defense of the “giants” the offense of “pirates” could stop again, RB Martin finished grass Egger short distance from another successful drive to 20:0 leadership; Marc Biedenkappp raised by his PAT to 21:0. The Raiders konterten but just before the half time and shortened 22 seconds before the break to 21:7. Chris Gunn threw yet another interception, but this changed nothing at half-time status.

In the 3rd Quarter QB Chris Gunn threw another interception, no team, however, points. In the 4th Quarter, the Raiders first approached 21:14; Martin grass Egger, with a beautiful 20 yard run the old 14 points distance restore because the PAT was successful. The Raiders, however, not stuck in and came with a touchdown at 28:21 up again, just two minutes before the game end Marc Biedenkapp recovered at the most valuable player of the Austrian Bowl Award, a 45 yards to the Field Goal Final 31:21.

The blue and yellow won deserved, the Defense played gigantic and could otherwise strong offense as the Raiders control, a key to success was that the Raiders from the four Interceptions no capital or points.

The Turek Graz Giants are now back to the Austrian and probably also European leaders: Beendeten in Austria the 2005 season still on 4 Square, the 2006 season on 3 Space and 2007 won the vice-champion, so now they won the Austrian State Championship title in the euro failed Bowl the blue and yellow in the semi-finals until the second extension.

Preparations for the 2009 season has already started: Success Coach Rick Rhoades will next year return to Graz, with the legionaries have already been preliminary discussions about contract extensions led the majority of the team remains intact, some youth players of the 2nd Team push into the fight team, so we certainly optimistic about the next season look.

Small consolation for Graz Giants

Admittedly, the Austrian Bowl XXIV isn’t nearly as prestigious as the Euro Bowl, but after seeing its bid for a third consecutive Euro title dashed, my Turek Graz Giants are looking for some sort of title.

Sort of like a college basketball team settling for an NIT title when it isn’t invited to the NCAA tourney.

For newcomers to this blog, these particular Giants hail from the Czech Republic and play American-style European football. I care about them because my New Jersey New York New Jersey Giants don’t open their pre-season camp at the University at Albany (NY) — near my home — for a few more weeks and I need my football fix.

I’d hoped the Graz Giants would make it a threepeat in the Euro Bowl, but no, they couldn’t pull it off. As the English-language translation on their Web site explains the situation:

Turek Graz Giants before
moving into the finals of the AFL

After the unfortunate departure of the GIANTS in the euro Bowl – last weekend – is on 14.6.2008 the semi-finals of the Austrian Bowl before.

The enemy in this encounter as ever this year – the Danube Dragons. 1st Meeting on 4 May had the blue and yellow with a narrow 41:35 defeat After the marriage, but for the semi-finals will be Head Coach Rick Rhoades the perfect team to prepare for the game.

Executive Armin Karisch: “I am proud of the team and the appearance against the Raiders – our players have shown a sensational line! Unfortunately it has not worked in Tirol, but the GIANTS still have a chance at the title in the AFL. “

If this hurdle – against the serious Danube Dragons – will be mastered, the TUREK GRAZ GIANTS in the final of the AFL, which on 27 June 2008 in Wolfsberg / Carinthia.

So, how did we fall to this level? Here’s the explanation for the game that did the Giants in:

GIANTS dream of Euro Bowl final burst!

The TUREK GIANTS GRAZ had yesterday – in a real thriller – in the 2nd Overtime against the Raiders Tyrol with Swarco 49:56 beaten.

The blue and yellow from Graz stood with one leg already in the finals, but in a very exciting and very balanced game, the Raiders from the Tyrol Quentchen Glückauf their side.

By half-time whistle went GIANTS with a 28:14 lead in the cabin, but this game was much more scarce than the game was suspect. “An extremely balanced and exciting role in the yet been decided,” commented GIANTS the Board Armin Karisch 1st Half-time: “The key will be how we enter the 3rd quarter” After record.

Unfortunately, this Einstig failed, the Raiders gained ground and accelerated during the 2 Half time the distance. Finally, they 2 minutes before the end even the initial lead in this game for 42:35.

When the Tyrolean fans just before the end of jubilation for the leveraged singing, was the blue and yellow from the Graz Incredible. Chris Gun and his colleagues took – 23 seconds before the end – with an unbelievable TD and PAT followed back into the game; game 42:42!

The Tyrolean Fangesang silent, silence and erschrockene Tyrolean faces everywhere you looked.

Score at the end of the 4 / 4 thus 42:42 and after a short break, it went into overtime.

Here’s where we get into the really exciting stuff:

This high-level European semi-finals – played so the current number 1 against No. 2 – had already left its mark. Both players the Raiders – some had to because of cramps on the playing field edge treatment – as well as the GIANTS – here bangte around the health status of Georg Purger – the result of many hard Tackles fortunately but “only” with a massive chest contusion after extensive Investigations in Innsbruck LKH the trip home was allowed.

1st Turn the Overtime succeeded both GIANTS then, as well as the Raiders one TD + PAT. In the 2nd Turn, the Raiders with a TD + PAT and the GIANTS had to follow suit. Unfortunately Quentchen lacked the luck and failed in 4rd down the blue and yellow, the last attempt. It was this high-profile game – in which both teams deserved the victory – in favour of the extension Swarco Raiders Tyrol decided.

I just hate it when things go that way. But, at least there is the Austrian Bowl on June 27. It’s no San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl or even the Petro Sun Independence Bowl. But it is a bowl game and I’d be satisfied if my Graz Giants won it.

Graz Giants update

Watch out Stuttgart Scorpions. The Graz Giants have you in their sights. And, they’ll be looking for blood after, as their Web site explains it, “Series victories GIANTS stopped!”

The Turek Graz Giants, who had won three games in a row in Europe’s American-style football championship series, lost “away by a 24:42 Swarco against the Raiders.”

The Giants, who I have adopted until my beloved Super Bowl Champion New York Giants show up at the University at Albany (NY) for summer camp, were down 14:3 after the first quarter. “Only in 2nd Quarter succeeded the GIANTS 1 TD in the game, but increasingly distinguished themselves in the offense own weaknesses by individual errors.”

That last bit explains the way things went. Now, we (temporary) fans can only hope for better.

If you’d like to get the early rundown on the Graz Giants, just go here.

Giants shooting for three titles in a row. Go Graz!

I am not a sports fanatic.

That’s quite a confession from a middle-aged American male, especially one who made a living of sorts for a few years as a professional sportswriter.

While I do enjoy the hectic pace of college basketball’s March Madness, baseball and tennis and hockey and golf leave me cold most of the time.

But pro football? Ah, there I retain my fandom, especially when my beloved New Jersey New York Giants are concerned. The fact that their pre-season training camp is 20 minutes from my house each summer just adds to the fun of it all.

However, camp still is months away and I’m in need of my football fix. That’s why I pay attention to what’s going on in the Czech Republic.

Say what?

Well, the international tournament that decides the champion of American-style football in Europe has been won the past two seasons by the Giants. The Graz Giants, that is. To be even more specific the Turek Graz Giants.

Admittedly, it’s difficult keeping up with the tournament itself, let alone any individual teams. American news media for some inexplicable reason ignore the activity, and the language barrier makes it tough to delve into things. Here, for example, is an automatically-translated (German to English) excerpt from the Giants’ Web site:

“The Giants give Graz after the successful defence of the EFAF Cup in the coming season, their debut in the EFL, the pinnacle of American Football in Europe. The nine Austrian champion has opted for the new challenge properly reinforced, and with the Americans Samuel Carter, according to its own data the best players, depending on the red-white-and-red soil promises is committed. As a new quarterback was Christopher Gunn in the Styria fetched.”

Tough to argue with that.

I’m sure you recognize the Giants’ quarterback. Christopher Gunn (left), late of the Tennessee Valley Vipers of afl2, the minor league arena football operation.

A good-sized guy at 180 centimeters tall and 95 kilograms. The pride of Alabama A&M (after one forgettable season at the University of North Alabama where he had a five-interception outing against West Georgia he’d rather forget). The same guy who passed for five TDs in an afl2 game against the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings.

The Giants got off to a shaky start, losing their opener to the Paris team, but they’ve got a whole season ahead of them to rebound. As the Web site reported on that stumble:

“In the opening game of the European Football League champions against the French La Courneuve the Giants after a long time led.

“Both teams had with the external conditions regardless how to fight with the opposing team: temperatures only just above freezing, torrential rain and stormy winds turned the pitch into a ’skating rink,’ and were the Football ’slippery as a bar of soap.’

“The Giants began their first season playing strong: Above all, the Defense was the enemy, which is already four games in the French championship and this completes all had won, initially under control, until early in the third sequence was the first First Offense Down. The offense, however, the Giants could move the ball well and space gains, but always went back to the physically strong defence.

“After a first quarter scorelosen could RB Martin grass Egger ultimately in the Endzone vorkämpfen and ended a long drive of the Giants with a touchdown, the PAT was not recovered. Already in the next offensive series newcomer threw QB Chris Gunn his first touchdown pass for the Blue-Yellow: He was Mohammed Muheize in the Endzone to 12:00 leadership, but the conversion could not be recovered.

“The hosts were the first time – with the wind at the back after a diskussionswürdigen pass interference against the Giants, and after a deep pass over the middle – ended the series from a short distance shortened together successfully and on the successful PAT 12:07 Half-time status.

“Both in the third quarter and the first part of the fourth quarter dominated by both defenses, the weather had no orderly passing game. In the last few minutes spitzte the drama is becoming: First cheered the approximately 600 spectators on the alleged leadership of the host, and the touchdown was, however, withdrawn because of a foul. In this series failed attack, the French champion then with three other attempts by the 2 yard line; newcomer James Canetti made at the fourth attempt just inches in front of their own Endzone the decisive Tackle.

“The offense the Giants could move the ball first and scored two first downs. A 50 yard run by QB Chris Gunn from their own 30-yard line to deep into the opponent’s half, the game probably would have vorentschieden, was withdrawn due Holdings, so came the half of the Giants – about two minutes before the end of game — in ball possession. Thanks to a 15-yard penalty against the Giants came to the French champions short of the Endzone; at the fourth attempt and just three seconds before the end of play was a short pass in the Endzone successful PAT, including the decision for the hosts.

“Despite the painful defeat, the chances of advancement Giants intact: a victory in the return match in Graz on 12.4.2008 – hopefully good weather conditions – with already three points difference means the rise in the quarter finals of the European Football League.”

So, there you have it. The Giants right up to the minute. They still could go all the way. By then, I may have forgotten about the Other Giants altogether.

(P.S. If you’d like to see how enthusiastic fans of American-style European football can be, take a look at this video from last season when the Graz Giants played the hated Einlauf Dodge Vikings.)

Speaking of wretched excess

The National Football League has issued a record 4,786 media credentials for Super Bowl XLII.

The population of Philomath, OR, the hometown of New York Giants starting tight end Kevin Boss, is 4,530.

GETTING BURNED WHILE PASSING THE TORCH

London is in for a financial problem of truly Olympic proportions.

When the city bid on, and won, the rights to host the 2012 Olympic Games, organizers estimated the cost would be in the $4.6 billion range. Now, the latest budget revison puts the price tag at $18.1 billion. And we’re still five years from the lighting of the torch.

Contrast that with what began in earnest today. American college basketball’s “March Madness” NCAA tournament.

A lot cheaper, the cost split among many colleges and conferences, literally millions of fans royally entertained, tradition satisfied. And, we don’t have to put up with a lot of jingoistic announcers and fans who long ago perverted the spirits of the Olympics.

I know where I’d put my investment money if given such a choice.