Back to see the wifey :)

I went back to Maine to see Andrea for Christmas break.  The trip to Maine went smoothly and everything was on time.  We really didn't do too much during our time, but it was just great being together.  Even watching TV together is great when both of us are in the same room and not talking through a computer screen.  The simple things, I think I miss those most.  We did spend time with some friends out there.  It was great to see them and catch up.  Talking to a person face-to-face is really something to be valued.  There wasn't any snow on the ground Christmas Eve, but early Christmas morning the white started coming down and didn't stop until we had 15-20 inches (38-50 cm).  Andrea and I had fun shoveling out the car a couple times, had a snow fight, and made snow angels.  We were kids again. 

The trip back to Holland today had enough road bumps for me though.  The plane from Boston to Madrid was backing out from the gate when everything went black.  The lights turned off in the cabin, the engines went down, and there was silence.  This not only happened one time, but three times.  They went back to the gate for repairs and over an hour later we were in the air.  Despite me running off the plane to catch my connection to Amsterdam, they told me I was going to be too late.  So then I had to talk to customer service because my bag didn't show up and then get a different ticket to Amsterdam.  On top of all that, I couldn't connect with our team manager who was picking me up from the airport.  I felt terrible because she was running around trying to find me.  I tried contacting her in Spain, but I mustn't have had the country code in correctly on my phone.  Oh man...it was a crazy day.  I'm blessed I got here safe though.  Tonight I'm just laying low for New Year's Eve - try to catch up on this sleep.

I hope you all had great holidays!!

Take care and God bless,
Mike

Overtime...it's a love, hate relationship

Wow...it has been way too long since my last post.  I will first talk about our games.  We lost in double overtime back on the 16th of December against the team we are currently tied with for first place in the league.  It was back and forth the whole game, but we never seemed to start the overtimes very well.  Nonetheless, we hung in there and the guys made some big shots to keep us in the game.  The most controversial play came at the end of regulation when, with 1.6 seconds left, the ball got tipped around and an opposing player ended up tossing in a mid-range shot to send it into the first overtime.  A lot happened in 1.6 seconds, almost too much, but that's how it goes on the road sometimes.  We had chances to put it away and didn't.  The outcome didn't come down to a single play or even a handful of plays. 

Our next game after that was at home and that went into overtime as well.  This time we came out victorious.  It was great to have our crowd into it and at our backs.  There weren't really any ESPN moments during that overtime and created some distance within the first few minutes of the extra period. 

We ended up the season at home and played pretty well overall.  We ended up winning by 14.  They were a dangerous offensive team and we held them to 58 points so that was a great effort on the defensive end. 

My next post will update you all on the Christmas break.  Thanks for following :)

God bless,
Mike

More ball and yes...more stitches

This past week we had two more games, both away.  We played a team on the bottom of the standings this past Sunday and we just didn't play very well collectively for the majority of the game.  We finally picked it up in the fourth quarter and built a little lead to finish off the game.  Yesterday we had our first game of the Dutch Cup.  We had played this team earlier in the season at their gym and lost by two so we had our work cut out for us.  In the second quarter I fell on one of the signs on the sideline of the court and got a gash on the lower part of my hand.  I just got it taped up to play the rest of the game, but it wouldn't stop bleeding.  We were grinding out the game and ended up winning by about five points in a low scoring game.  It didn't help that I shot absolutely terrible, but my teammates had my back.  After the game I rode with a sponsor and our team manager to a hospital in the city we were playing and got five stitches.  I will be ready to roll for our next game on Sunday against the second place team in our league. 

Take care and God bless,
Mike

Ball, drums, and stitches

Hello everyone,
December is here already and since my last post we have had three games.  We won on the road against a solid team.  I played pretty well on both ends, but had to leave the game for part of the first half because I caught an elbow below my lower lip and had to get it covered up.  I returned to the game, but when we arrived back in Leiden I had to go to the hospital to get two stitches.  It's healing well so we will see if I have a battle scar.  Andrea says I'm still handsome so I guess that's all that matters haha :)  Our next two games were at home.  We didn't play consistently throughout the game after a good first quarter and we let our opponent hang around when we should have built up a decent lead.  We hung in there and finished off the "W".  This past Saturday we played the team in third place.  We lost at there place earlier in the season by two points so we needed this win.  We had a great defensive effort for the majority of the game so that was good to see and won the game.  To top off the night I got to get a little time on the drums.  After home games the team, fans, and sponsors go to a lounge by our gym to have sandwiches and drinks.  There was a band playing and as we were about to leave I told some of my teammates that I had to ask if I could play the drums.  I went up to one of the band members and he said I definitely could.  I was thrilled to play since it has been quite a long time.  I played one song and had a smile ear-to-ear the whole time.  It was definitely a great ending to the night.  I sure am blessed. 

We don't play until next Sunday on the road and then again on Tuesday on the road for the first round of the Dutch Cup so I will keep you updated how that goes.

Take care and God bless,
Mike

Wins with the chicken

This past week we had two home games.  We played the first place team last Saturday and won by five points.  We are now in first place so we have to stay focused to stay in that position.  The gym was packed and it was great to have such a strong support behind us.  This past Wednesday we played a team towards the bottom of the standings and won 101-66.  I scored the last two points with about five seconds remaining in the game off an offensive rebound and I guess the joke is that whoever scores the points over 100 has to buy everyone beer.  They didn't make me do it though.  :)

I had a birthday this past week as well.  It wasn't too crazy of a day, but a couple of the guys and I went to our team manager's house and had a meal so that was great.  For Thanksgiving some of us went to KFC to get some chicken (we figured it was the closest thing to turkey :)  It wasn't a home-cooked meal with mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberries, and stuffing, but we made do and even watched some NFL football too.  I have many things to be thankful for.  That is for sure.

Tomorrow we have an away game against a good team so it will be a battle.  I hope all is well back home and that everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

God bless,
Mike

Dinner and games

This past week we had two games, both away.  We won a close one last Wednesday by four against a good team.  It came down to free throws at the end and we were making them for the most part so that really helped us.  This past Saturday we played an uptempo team and we just didn't play consistently as a team throughout the game.  It was a roller coaster as far as our performance went and we lost by four.  We had chances to win it at the end and I missed a three-pointer to tie it.  It still stings writing that :)  I guess I can't make them all.  Just go out and get the next one.

Last night some of the team came over and I made tacos for everybody.  A few never had tacos before so I had to show them the ropes.  Everyone said they enjoyed it so either they actually did or they are pretty good liars :) 

We have a home game this Saturday against the first place team in the league so we have a tough one ahead of us.  That's all that is new at the moment - wish there was more exciting stuff to tell you all. 

Take care and God bless,
Mike

Familiar faces along the journey

I hope this post finds everyone well.  This past Saturday we had a home game against a solid team in our league.  It was a roller coaster for us in our performance throughout the game, but we ended up victorious by 12 at the end.  The great part of the game was that I got to play against two teammates from UW-Green Bay, Rahmon Fletcher and Bryquis Perine.  It was great to see them and we got to chat a bit before the game.  It was a different dynamic playing against both of them, but it was fun. 

I also met a woman here in Leiden while lifting weights who is from the Twin Cities in Minnesota, only 45 minutes from where I grew up.  I know it's a common phrase, but it really is a small world.

We have two games this week - two tough road games.  The first is on Wednesday and we finish off the week with another trip on Saturday. 

Take care and God bless,
Mike

Games and travels

Hello everyone.

It's been awhile again since my last post, but I have an excuse this time: Andrea was here. :)  She was here for two weeks and left this past Friday, but it was amazing having her here.  We explored Amsterdam and even went to Paris for a day - yes, only one day because we had to make it work on my day off.  Otherwise we just enjoyed our time together, watched some movies, and talked face-to-face.  Skype is great, but it just doesn't do justice to talking in-person.  It was also great cooking together.  Making meals by myself gets boring after awhile. 

Our trip to Paris went well, but it was a long day.  We took the train at 6 am and didn't get back until midnight that night.  It was worth it though.  We didn't get to see much besides the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe, but we were okay with it.  It's just enjoyable getting to travel together. 

So far we are 4-1.  Since my last post we are 2-1.  We won by about 20 at home, 20 on the road, and lost a tough one by two on the road against a good team in our league.  We had plenty of chances to win, but we just couldn't pull it off.  Just to clarify from the website: after the game a sponsorship board on the side of the court tipped over onto my back when we were stretching and I did not have to go to the hospital.  People were asking me if I went to the hospital, but it really wasn't that bad. 

Our next game is on Saturday at home.  I hope all is well with you all.

Take care and God bless,
Mike

Interview with Eurobasket

Fred Roggen from Eurobasket contacted me to do an interview on faith and basketball.  I hope you enjoy it.  Thank you, Fred, for the opportunity.

http://www.eurobasket.com/Holland/basketball.asp?NewsID=291940

Take care and God bless,
Mike

Ist game and some movie time

Hello,
Can you believe it - only four days since my last post?  We had our first official game this past weekend about 1.5 hours away.  Everything in Holland is so close.  I'm still really not used to it, but I like it - very convenient and less time in the bus :)  We played well as a team and won by nearly 40 points.  Our opponent was not the strongest we will face this year, let me put it that way.  It was great to see us come out of halftime up by 20 and push the lead the rest of the game. 

In other areas of interest beside basketball, some of the guys had to shoot a little film/commercial for one of the sponsors today.  The company specializes in lifts for construction so we went to their headquarters and had some fun.  Most of the film was spoken in Dutch so I really cannot tell you exactly what the whole plot was (haha) but one of the guys was up about 30 feet in a lift and another teammate drove a big rig tractor-trailer.  It's something a little different that I thought I would share with you.  If I can get my hands on the final production, I will let you know.

Our next game is this Saturday at home against a good team.  Andrea also comes at the end of this week so I am ECSTATIC about that.  She will be here for two weeks so that will be wonderful. 

Til next time....

Take care and God bless,
Mike

Supercup game

For those of you interested, here is the link to our Supercup game.  All credit to Arie.

http://www.vimeo.com/album/2095514

Time, where have you gone?

After much delay, I am back on the blogging scene.  Where to begin?  I actually have some events to tell you all about instead of just games and practice.  First, our official opening day was Saturday, September 22nd.  We played another Belgium team and played really well.  They were a good team and we won by about 15 points.  All the cylinders were firing that night.  To start the night, we were introduced to the crowd with a song.  I really didn't know where to go with this one.  I finally decided on "This Is How We Do It" by Montell Jordan - something light-hearted and with a good beat.  Before the game we signed autographs and played a game of "lightning" with the kids.  It was a fun night. 

This past Sunday we played in the Supercup.  This is a game between last season's Dutch Cup winner (us) and last season's champion (Den Bosch Eiffel Towers - a team in our league).  I guess it was supposed to be at a neutral site, but we ended up playing at Den Bosch.  They have a nice arena and quite a few people were there.  It was on T.V. over here so I wish I would have known that earlier because it was on the internet as well.  In the future I will try to inform you if our game will be on the internet.  I guess basketball doesn't get that much love here in Holland so it's a big deal to have a whole game aired on T.V.  Usually it gets interrupted with cycling or soccer.  Overall, we played pretty well.  We were up for most of the game but let it slip in the third quarter.  In the fourth we made a push and didn't look back.  There is a picture on the right of the team with our trophy.  It's quite an impressive trophy too.  They even had bottles of champagne for the celebration.  For a second it made me feel like we won the NBA Finals, but reality quickly set in; this is the first accomplishment of our goals for the season, but there is a lot of season left.  We all enjoyed a celebration that night and then we knew it was back to work. 

Last night the whole team participated in a large celebration in Leiden for the liberation from Spain back in 1574 (I think I have the year right).  We had the traditional food for the day called hutspot.  It is like a stew with mashed potatoes, carrots, onions, and beef.  Tradition is that when the city was liberated they found a big pot with this hutspot in it so although the dish was actually Spanish, the tradition has carried on (I think I have that correct).  After we ate, we were in a large parade.  Thousands of people lined the streets as we and many other teams and organizations from Leiden walked the street.  It was a little different walking in the middle of the street as people would just look at you, but some would cheer as we went by.  It was a good experience being a part of that. 

We have an away league game this Saturday .  I will really try to keep up with this better.  I appreciate your patience.

Take care and God bless,
Mike

I hope everyone is doing well.  Everything is going well over here.  We had our first preseason games this past weekend in northwestern Germany against two first division teams.  Both games resulted in a loss.  The first game was close and the second one was not close - I'll leave it at that.  I think we played alright despite only practicing one time with the whole team before the weekend.  We only practiced once before because we had a few players on the national team who were gone with games and a couple guys were injured.

Yesterday we had our first preseason game at home against a Belgium team.  We had a lot of turnovers and lost a fairly close game.  It was great to play in front of our fans.  There was a modest turnout, but I can't wait for the gym to be full for the regular season games.  We are not where we want to be as far as our playing standards go, but the season is young and we will get there.  

I don't know if you all remember my experience in Austria my first year playing when I helped a woman jump start her car.  Well, I almost had a chance to reminisce that moment.  I was walking home from practice and I saw an old man trying to start his car, but his battery was dead.  I went up to him and asked if he spoke English and he said he did (I couldn't really understand what he was saying, but he could understand me).  I asked if he needed help but he said he called help already.  Inside I was hoping I could help him out.  Then I would hopefully have a great story to tell all of you, but somehow it's just not as exciting of a story when the other person speaks English.  That's the thing about Holland.  You can go up to someone and just start speaking English no matter what their age, and they know exactly what you are talking about - definitely different from the other countries I've played in.

I should also tell you that our place has a dryer AND a dishwasher.  Pretty impressive, I know.  I've never had a dishwasher (unless her name was Mom :) so that was great.  The dryer is really great to have since we have to do laundry every other day with practice gear.  This way we don't have a sock graveyard in our bedrooms and living room, as my buddy Tyronn would say.

Hope all is well.

Take care and God bless,
Mike

Come one, come all

Hey again,
I'm still trying to explore everything I can do with this blog.  To the right you can submit your email to get a message every time I write a new post.  That way you don't have to get annoyed every time you check my blog and I haven't written anything new :)  If you have a Google account or the like you can become a "follower" as well.  Once again, thank you for your support and I hope that makes it a little easier for you.

All the best,
Mike

Let's ride

I hope everyone is doing well back home and for the followers here in Europe.  It's already been a week since my last post and I figured I should keep you all updated.  Everything is going fine here.  We don't have the whole team here yet.  An American guard is supposed to be coming in tomorrow and three other players are playing for the national team so they won't be in practice until later this week.  We won't have much time to practice together before our two preseason games in Germany this Saturday and Sunday.  All we can do is give it everything we have.

If you haven't checked out my pictures of the city yet you can click on the link to the right.  I haven't explored the whole city yet so I will have to do that in the future and take more pictures.  It really is a beautiful city though.  It's not too crazy of a city, but it seems like there are always people about...especially riding their bikes.  There are more people on bikes than cars I think.  Leiden is the definition of a bike-friendly city.  There are specific bike roads along the main road for the cars.  Even the round-a-bouts have designated bike lanes.  There are bike-riders of all shapes and sizes, young and old.  I even saw bike pooling.  A girl was riding her bike and her friend was sitting on the rack in the back enjoying her ride and smoking a cigarette.  I told one of my teammates about that and he said that was completely normal here.  It's just interesting to see the different ways of life.  I'm blessed I get to experience it.

If I don't write before this weekend, I will write after our games in Germany.

Take care and God bless,
Mike

The adventure continues in Holland

Hello family and friends,

It has been long overdue to write on my blog.  And yes, number 43 is overseas again.  Although I think I am number 9 this year.  Just a side note, that is the first number I had in organized basketball back in 4th grade at St. Anne School.  I know you all appreciated that tidbit of info :)  I will inform you all briefly about this summer.  Andrea finished her Master's degree in clinical mental health counseling and is now working full-time counseling where she had her internship.  It is challenging work, but she really enjoys it.  I helped remodel a house for most of the summer hanging sheetrock and painting.  It was a blessing because it was paying work and I still had time to work out.  In a nutshell, that is what our lives in Maine consisted of this past summer.  It was a fun season out there, but as always, it went way to fast.

Well, I arrived today in Holland.  This season I'll be playing for Leiden.  The city is located between Amsterdam and Rotterdam.  The flights went well and it sure was nice to only have one connecting flight.  I met most of my teammates, the coaches, and many of the supporting staff.  The club was very welcoming and I believe it will be a smooth transition.  I hope to get some pictures up of the city and where I live as soon as I get settled.  I will also write more soon - I'm going to try and get some sleep to get on this time zone.  As always I appreciate your support.

Here is a link to the team website and a little article they had of me.  I hope you will be able to translate the pages.

http://www.eredivisiebasketballleiden.nl

http://www.eredivisiebasketballleiden.nl/index.cfm?act=actueel.bericht&bericht=1599

Take care and God bless,
Mike

Bittersweet

We played our last game of the season this past Wednesday at home. Our opponent was the fifth place team in the league and we gave them a fight. Unfortunately, the outcome was not one that we would have liked to end the season - we lost in overtime. It was back and forth the whole game, but we just ran out of gas in the extra period. It would have been great to end the season with a win, but such is life sometimes.

This morning we had a press conference in one of the malls of all places and we were asked about our reactions to the season. I was asked a few questions about what I thought of the club and how I enjoyed my experience on this team. This evening the club is organizing a banquet for the team. It sounds like it's going to be rather informal, but it's an attempt as least to get everyone together before we part ways for the season.

My flight back to the states is scheduled for Saturday morning when I fly back to Portland, Maine. It's a bittersweet moment going home. I am extremely excited to see Andrea, needless to say. However, I'm going to miss the guys I have become to know. Only God knows what next season will bring. We just have to remain flexible for whatever life brings our way.

This might be my last post for awhile. As always, I appreciate your support and all the encouragement you have given me along my journey playing ball. God's blessings to all of you.

Take care and God bless,
Mike

Not enough for five

Our winning streak stopped at four. We lost last night at home by five points. We were up at halftime, but a slow third quarter didn't help us get out of the gates running. I think we were down at one point in the second half by 13 and cut the lead until we were about tied. Nonetheless, it wasn't enough. I wasn't very pleased with my defensive play, but I ended up with 30 point and 10 rebounds.

We have one more game next Wednesday at home. It is against a good team in our league who is on a hot streak so we have our work cut out for us. I will keep you updated on how it goes. I hope all is well back home.

Take care and God bless,
Mike

For four

We played an away game yesterday, which was only about 45 minutes away. It was great to have a close road game for once. The game was close the whole way, we were up by two, and they had the last shot. Their three-point shot rimmed out at the buzzer and we were victorious. It was a great ending for us to a hard-fought game. The coaching staff and team were excited and we showed it in the locker room with plenty of cheers. That win made it our fourth win in a row. We only have two regular season games, both at home, with one on Wednesday and the next the following Wednesday. I played pretty well and had 17 points and 7 rebounds. This game tested my composure for sure though. Our opponent had a couple post players that loved to play dirty and flopped continually. It tested me to not get involved and to stay focused on the game.

Other than that not much else is new around here. It has been warming up over here and has been in the high 60's to low 70's this past week. It really is great to have spring weather and I hope it sticks around. I hope all is well back home.

Take care and God bless,
Mike

Three-peat

We won our third game in a row this past Sunday. It was an away game against the last place team in the league. Before I had joined Debrecen we had lost to this team the last game before Christmas so coach really wanted to win this game. It also was crucial that we win this game to distance ourselves from the bottom two spots in the league. The last two places in the league will need to have a "play-out" at the end of the regular season to determine who will move down to the second league next season. We played well for the most part. We were up by about ten in the first half and let them back in the game before halftime. Then in the second half we gradually started to pull away with the lead and ended up winning by 17. It was a little more relaxing not having such a close game for once at the end. I played well and had 29 points and 7 rebounds.

It was the longest bus trip of the season - about 7 hours - so we left the day before. I don't mind leaving the day before so we don't need to leave so early in the morning, but it is nice to sleep in your own bed. I also find it interesting that for our meals we always get served pitchers of carbonated water. I really don't care for the stuff that much so I always have to get a pitcher of still water and some of the other Americans take advantage of that as well. I guess that's just part of being immersed in the culture.

Our next game is also away this Saturday. I guess it's only about an hour trip so that will be nice for a change. I will keep you updated on how it goes. I hope all is well back home.

Take care and God bless,
Mike

Streaking...

We went on a two-game winning streak - I don't know what else you thought I was talking about. Last Monday and yesterday we had home games and won both. Our game Monday was a must-win for us because it was a team right above us in the league at the time. It went into overtime and we won by two. Unfortunately, I was in foul trouble most of the game and fouled out in the fourth quarter. It was very difficult watching from the bench, but I tried to be the best cheerleader I could. I was proud of the way the guys fought and it was great to come out victorious in the end.

Our game yesterday was against the team ranked ninth in the league. We played well together and seemed to be firing on all cylinders. The game was close the whole way and we made a little distance at the end with free throws. I played better this game and had 23 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. One of my teammates last year from Oradea came to the game with a couple of guys that are new to that team this year. It was great to see him and have a brew with him after the game before they took the hour trip back to Romania. I try to take things in life one step at a time and I really wasn't sure if I would see him again so that was a great surprise. It just goes to show you never know what life will bring your way and I'm blessed to still be playing.

Our next game is away on Sunday. It is our last long road trip of the regular season so that will be nice to get out of the way. I hope all is well back home.

Take care and God bless,
Mike

Stitch me up, Doc

We played yesterday against the first place team in the league and took another loss. The score resembles a game that was out of our control, but for three quarters of the game it was a close match. It was another long bus ride leaving at 7 am with a six-hour ride, but we came out strong. Along the way, we picked up a new teammate. One of the Americans on the team went back to the States and we acquired another U.S. guard. He was flying all night from the U.S. and played in our game. He did well - I don't know how he had any energy from the long trip though. A crazy turn of events for sure.

In the game I got elbowed above the eye and got a stitch in it today. This is the second time this season I've gotten elbowed on the face. I'll have plenty of beauty marks by the time I get back home.

We play again on Monday against a team lower in the league standings. It is a must-win for us. I'll keep you updated how it goes.

One of these games...

We had an away game this past Saturday. It was a long day on the bus to the other side of Hungary. We left at 6:30 am and it took a little over 6 hours to get there. We ate lunch, had some down time in a hotel, and then played at 6 pm. Then we made the trek back to Debrecen. I didn't realize until one of my teammates mentioned it that we were right on the border of Austria. We started the game fairly well and hung with our opponent, who is in second place in the league, for the first quarter. The second quarter got a little out of hand and we were trailing by about 15 at halftime. The rest of the game did not go in our favor and we lost by a large margin. I didn't shoot well, which didn't help the team. Hopefully I can pick it up for next game.

We have another long day on the bus tomorrow when we travel to play the first place team in the league. It's about 6 hours away as well so I'm guessing we will leave early in the morning again. I give a lot of credit to people who need to wake up before dawn - it's not fun hearing the alarm go off when it's still dark. I also give credit to those people who cannot sleep past daybreak due to age (Mom and Dad, I love you both) and those who have newborns like some of my relatives. Hang in there :)

Until next time....

Take care and God bless,
Mike

Close, but no cigar

Hello everyone,
I realize it's been awhile since I've written. We had a game last night at home, but before that we didn't play for two weeks. And I must say, not much has changed in those two weeks :) The team we played last night was in 5th place in the league. We lost a tough one by two points at the buzzer. They tossed up a three that rimed out and the ball bounced right to the opponent for a ten-foot tip in as the buzzer sounded. I fouled out with about a minute left in the game so I had to watch the last events unfold from the bench - not fun. I played well though - had 33 points and shot the ball well. It was great to have a good game, but heart-breaking that it wasn't enough.

I got to see an old friend and teammate last night which was great. Bryquis Perine, who I played with for two years at UW-Green Bay was on the team we played against. He was on another team in Hungary and I would have eventually played against him, but he switched teams two days ago so we ended up meeting earlier in the season. It's crazy how small this world is sometimes. Me getting to play against an old teammate in Hungary - I don't think that happens very often.

Other than ball we got some more snow a couple days ago. There are just piles of it around here. Today was fairly warm so it's starting to melt and make everything a mess, but that's the way it goes. I also wanted to find someway to spend some of my free time. Although we have two practices a day, I do have some time that I could use better. I looked online and found a Christian website where I could volunteer online. Last week I officially became part of the web prayer ministry where people send in their prayer requests and I write a prayer back to them. It's fulfilling and a great way to serve God through others.

I guess that's all for now. We play again on Saturday against another good team so we will have our work cut out for us.

Take care and God bless,
Mike

No wins and a bunch of snow

The games didn't go as planned this past week. This past Wednesday we lost a league game by 10 that we really needed. It was back and forth all game and we let it slip at the end. On Friday and yesterday we had Hungarian Cup games against the same opponent both games. Our game Friday was home with an unfavorable ending for us. It was a good team that we played and we held with them for about three quarters of the game, but we just couldn't keep up with them the rest of the game. Yesterday's game was a similar story. It was difficult for us to compete with them the whole game although we put up a fight.

Besides basketball news, we got a pile of snow Friday night and into yesterday. Our game yesterday was almost cancelled because of the snow. When it was all said and done and I think we got close to 10 inches. I was looking for an official reading, but I couldn't find one. I found it really surprising though on the lack of snowplows over here. Even today when I took my usual Sunday stroll to get groceries, most of the roads were not plowed. A person from the club said the city might only have two snowplows for the whole city. That is not much help for a city over 200,000 people. It was just crazy to see all of these little, compact cars spinning there tires on the streets and no snowplows as their aids. After the game last night, a couple of guys on the team helped one of our fellow teammates get his car unstuck. Pushing a car through the snow definitely reminded me of Wisconsin. Even thousands of miles away, there is always something to remind me of home.

We have a two-week stretch until our next game, just to inform you. I will let you know if anything exciting happens until that point. I hope all is well with you all.

Take care and God bless,
Mike

Upcoming games

Hello everyone,
We haven't played a game since our last win about 10 days ago. We have a game today and then we have Hungarian Cup games on Friday and Saturday. The team we play today is a solid opponent towards the middle of the pack in the league, but if we play well we can give them a fight.

I hope all is well with you all. I will let you know how the games go. I also attached a couple photos on the right of the blog of me playing in my first game over here.

Take care,
Mike

Mark it down in the win column

We got our first win since I arrived here in Hungary. The game was about three hours away; we take a bus for every road trip and leave the day of the game. Since Hungary is quite a bit smaller than Romania, it's great that we never have a long road trip. It was a fairly close match the whole game. We were up by about 10 points in the beginning of the fourth quarter and let that lead slip away. The other team took the lead, but I was proud of the way we stayed together and didn't loose our composure. It came down to free throws at the end and we won by three. I played pretty well and ended up with about 20 points and hit some shots down the stretch when we needed them. I was glad my shot was coming through - it felt like there was a little weight lifted off my shoulders from my own expectation to play well.

I wish there was more to tell you, but I guess that is all for the moment. Check out my pics and video on the right if you haven't already. Thanks again for the support!!

Take care,
Mike

Debrecen pics

Hey everyone,
I added some pictures of Debrecen. There is a link to the photos on the right side of the blog. I hope you enjoy and I will write again soon.

Take care,
Mike

Another Shot

After much delay, I have started writing again. This year I am playing in Debrecen, Hungary. It is only about an hour away from Oradea, Romania, where I played last season. My apartment is close to the city center so I am fairly close to grocery stores and the mall. I am about a 25 minute walk from the gym, but I have been getting rides from one of my teammates so that is nice of him.

I guess I should start off by explaining the quick turn of events that landed me back overseas playing ball. I believe it was this past December 30th when my agent contacted me about some interest from a team in Hungary. He kept me posted as he continued to be in contact with the team's management. The next day I was informed I was the leading candidate to fill their opening for a forward and that if I was interested they would get a contract together. I said I was interested, they got a contract together that day, and they were wondering if I could leave tomorrow because they wanted me to start practicing as soon as possible to be ready for their game on the 7th.. My agent told them that I need at least one day in advance because I needed to inform my work of me leaving. The agreement was finalized and I left on January 2nd. So within about three days of hearing about this deal I was on a plane to Hungary. It was a crazy process to say the least. The thing I felt the worst about was not giving my employment a larger advance for me leaving. My boss and the guys were really supportive and they handled it the best they could, in my opinion, so I was blessed about that.

This past fall I had just been working at a rent-to-own place called Rent-A-Center that rents out everything from living rooms to computers. I was hoping I could get another chance at playing ball because I felt like I still had an urge to play. I also didn't want to have any regrets years from now that I stopped playing too soon. Being blessed to get this opportunity to play again was amazing. Andrea and I discussed it greatly and we decided to give playing another shot. I wouldn't have wanted to do this without Andrea's full support.

The flight got into Budapest later in the afternoon on the 3rd and then it was another 2 hour drive to Debrecen. I met the team that night and watched practice that night. My first practice with the team was the next morning - they definitely wanted me to get in the swing of the offense and playing with the guys right away. The first couple of nights I stayed in a hotel until my apartment was ready. It reminded me of last year and staying in a hotel the whole year so I was greatly appreciative to get an apartment with a kitchen and my own little washing machine. The washing machine looks like it came from 1950 and it's all in German, I think, but I figured out how to work it and my clothes seem to be getting clean. All the experiences of living over here quickly came back to me - from grocery shopping to the vast language barrier. Some experiences are okay, while I don't miss others.

We have already had three games since I have been here. We have lost all three. It doesn't help that we are towards the bottom of the league and the first part of our schedule involves playing the top teams in the league. We are still getting used to playing with each other - there are three other Americans on the team, one arrived here just two days before I got here and another is injured. I have not been playing the best as of yet. My shot feels good, but it's just not falling. I feel like my defense has been good and consistent for the most part so I just have to keep that up. I am a firm believer that everything will work out according to God's plan, whether I score 20 points or 5.

I will try my best to keep you all updated on everything that's going on over here and I will try to get some pictures up soon. Much love to you all.

Take care and God bless,
Mike