Tag: Family

Weeks 2-3: Guess Who’s Back!

Weeks 2-3: Guess Who’s Back!

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Recaps

Guingamp 2 – 4Grenoble (M)

It was a barn burner for the Alpiners, who fell behind on an ugly give away, came back, took the lead, lost it, and then scored twice in the last ten minutes to win the game. Jordan Tell had two goals but substitute Pape Meissa Ba assisted on the last two goals to ensure the victory.

Punjab FC 3 – 0 Kenkre FC

Juan Mera scored twice and Luka Macjen had the last one to break Kenkre pressure as Punjab cruised to the top of the table before their big match with Sreenidi Deccan.

Motherwell 1 – 1 Ross County

It’s good that a team comes alive when they have to, but unfortunate they wait that long. Once County fell behind they pushed hard for an equalizer. Jordy Hiluwa got it for them, but the Stags need more wins more quickly.

Nsoatreman 0 – 0 Legon Cities

The Royals have nothing but draws so far this year…and have no goals in the last 197 minutes. (Oof)

Sreenidi Deccan 4 – 0 Punjab FC

We’ll that didn’t go as planned.

Punjab was in prime position to expand their lead over their closest rivals, only to get punched in the kisser. worse, the potentially formidable front line duo of Macjen and Gyeltsen got nothing going…still with a game in hand they may be able to take the top of the table yet.

Venados 2 – 1 Alebrijes

Alebrijes got their first goal of the campaign, but it was small consolation in a losing effort.

Wolfsburg 6 – 0 Freiburg (M)

Let us never speak of this again

Hamilton Academical 1 – 0 Ross County

The Scottish FA Cup match ended in a shootout, and it was unfortunate that Jordan White, the Staggies most consistent striker was the first to falter (in the opening kick of the shootout no less).

Mohammedan SC 0 – 4 Punjab FC

Punjab came roaring back into action on the weekend with Juan Mera and Luka Macjen each scoring twice. Better still, seeing a fully integrated Chenchyo Geltsen getting in on the action is mouthwatering to say the least. (Well, it is in Punjab; other teams would be excused if things are more pants-wetting)

Stade Plabennec 0 – 1 Grenoble (Cup)

Granted, Stade Plabennec is not exactly a mighty rival for Grenoble (they are currently eighth in the Bretagne section of the fourth division), but still Grenoble should be proud to get the win they need when they need it, with Amine Sbai getting the winner early and the defense and midfield standing strong the rest of the match.

Freiburg 1 – 1 Frankfurt (M)

Freiburg continues to scuffle in 2023. The draw dropped them from 2nd to 5th, and while there’s still plenty of season to show off and reclaim their dream campaign momentum is not on their side. Things don’t get much easier with Borussia Dortmund and a DFB Pokal Octa-final to come.

Alebrijes 3 – 0 Dorados

Alebrijes’ 3 goal explosion, tripled their goal total for the season so far and finally got them some points. Julio Cesar Cruz struck twice with a pair of absolutely mind-boggling goals and the team blitzed Dorados for all their goals within a scant 15 minutes. Now they challenge will be to do it again.

Splashing Contest…

News & Notes

50th to the MacKs Fun in the Sun

We had a wonderful time at your Grandparents 50th Wedding Anniversary, though it was a little short on soccer time (it didn’t seem right to skip a dinner to see if I could figure out how to watch Alebrijes on tv). But there was still a lot of great competition.

Alex learned the ropes of Mario Kart and boosted himself from consistent 12th place finishes on easy mode, to consistent 3rd place finishes on easy mode! He also became a dunk machine in water basketball (though it might have helped to be standing outside the pool rather than swimming in it). And Owen learned that twirling constantly isn’t exactly the best strategy in hot potato.

Setting aside all the competition things. Just being yourselves was a beautiful thing to behold.

Transfer Tips

JESSY BENNET IS BACK!! Our favorite Grenoblois midfielder has rejoined the Alpiners for the last stretch of the season, and I’m utterly delighted. He chipped in the assist to put them over Plabennec and we can only hope that he brings additional strength to a midfield that could use it. And what’s more…

CHENCHO GYELTSEN IS BACK!! The Bhutanese master striker has returned to Roundglass Punjab for the stretch run of the I-League campaign. Promotion is in the offing and Chencho is out to get it done! Double dragon fire power ahead for Punjab!! (I mean if you ignore the 4-0 drubbing against Sreenidi Deccan)

In less fun news Bikash Yumnam, the highly touted 19 year old defense prospect has left Punjab for the greener fields of the Indian Super League. We’re still excited to follow his journey on major news site the Athletic, and will never forget his roots.

USA-USA-USA

While we certainly invested in the American’s performance during December’s World Cup, it wasn’t exactly memorable or thrilling to see. But we have new found reasons to watch with the National Team Call Up of Rosenborg’s Samuel Rogers! Rogers will be the first American player we follow to have a run out for the national team (assuming he doesn’t get stuck on the bench during matches of little consequence…which, frankly, sounds kind of rude).

Players of the Week

We get to give out two awards this week and there’s no doubt that one has to go to Luka Macjen, who has been threatening to break through for a while but with three goals and multiple assists he left no doubt this round.

For the other recognition, we’re going to turn to someone we haven’t talked a lot about, but who comes highly recommmended: Yves-Franck Bambock from Grenoble’s Midfield. Bambock was a pivotal cog in both of les Alpiners wins providing strong defense and consistent support in the attack and we’ll gladly take the opportunity to shout his praises (especially alongside Jessy Bennet)

Standings

Much as we admire Freiburg, this was not the ideal week to kick off their 2023, as they slide in below even the equally unsteady Ross County and Oaxaca. Meanwhile, despite their defeat, Punjab continues to show serious strength at the top of the table (even if they are no loner perfect)

TeamWDLPPGGFAGAA
Punjab3012.252.501.25
Grenoble3111.601.000.60
Legon Cities0201.000.000.00
Alebrijes1030.751.001.75
Ross County0220.500.251.00
Freiburg0110.500.503.50
Rosenborg–b000———
Minnesota–b000———
Vozdovac–b000———
Montana–b000———
Emelec–b000———
Table Updated 1/12/22
b–Team is between seasons

What’s Next

Thursday, January 26th

Friday, January 27th

Punjab FC v Real Kashmir

Legon Cities v Bechum United

Saturday, January 28th

Freiburg v Augsburg (M)

Ross County v Kilmarnock

Grenoble v SC Bastia

Sunday, January 29th

Monday, January 30th

Tuesday, January 31st

Grenoble v Quevilly (M)

Ross County v Hibernian

Wednesday, February 1st

Kenkre FC v Punjab FC

Hearts of Oak v Legon Cities

Tlaxcala v. Alebrijes

Freiburg, Freiburg, Uber Alles

Freiburg, Freiburg, Uber Alles

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In our first round of posts, inviting in eleven teams, there were a few cases where the choices were obvious.

Living in Minnesota made the Loons an easy fit.

The family crest atop the Ross County badge was, again, easy.

My own link (albeit minimial) to the legacy of Grenoble’s academy, and players and history was obvious.

But some were trickier.

In particular, while I knew a good deal about your Grandmother Di’s Serbian roots, we had said very little about the other side of her family. It took e-mails with great-great aunties with a passion for geneology and a bit of educated guessing regarding regional links to first an outpost in rural Russia and then Nebraska to figure out that they likely came from the Schwarzwald (the Black Forest).

There are a few lower level teams in that area, but with few ways to know precisely whence and where your ancestors were from, it made sense to look at the biggest local team as well: hence Freiburg.

The more I read, the more sense they made: a crest with a mythical mascot, a team without a lot of cash but a lot of loyalty, a group of great strong women who made their own way, a community built more on sustainability than showing off, a manager who saw himself more as a teacher than a professional tactician. Freiburg felt right, and so, I adopted them on your behalf.

Dear Boys,

I had no idea what was coming our way.

Freiburg has not been indomitable. But they have been quite good. Their march towards through the German Cup this year set them up to play in the most high profile match of any team on our roster of favorites.

In a rare turn of events, our family was able to clear our schedule and sit down together to watch the fun. I was on the edge of my seat, Alex was curling up next to me, even your mom was gung-ho to see what the small time squad could do.

Across the pitch from them was RB Leipzig, a squad who also lacked a major tournament pedigree or their own gold-encrusted history, but who had some things Freiburg did not: financial resources and lofty expectations.

Freiburg took the lead when little discussed Maximilian Eggestein sliced a shot through the box and into the net. Leipzig roared back to take control of the match, dictating the pace and threatening the goal repeatedly. There were more than a few tense moments until a much more high profile star (Charles Nkuku) equalized, and even more tense moments as the game wound on through regulation, and an hour of over time, and into the excruciating pain of penalty kicks.

There have been many statements about how foolish it is to end a game with the delicacy and duration of soccer with the visceral finality of penalty kicks. It’s like ending baseball games with home run derbies, or gridiron games with field goal challenges. It’s like letting the serious questions of what you do and how you live be decided by the flip of a coin.

I feel that way a lot. Because it seems like teams we love lose on penalty kicks a lot.

And thats what happened to Freiburg.

By that time Owen was dozing, and Alex was distracted, and your mom was running an errand, and I was sick to my stomach. Sick because a team I chose almost by default meant so much to me in that moment. A team that represents a part of the world I’ve never visited had me utterly enthralled, and I felt for them as I felt for your Uncle Simon losing on Penalties in Montana league soccer, or for you boys when you lose a close game.

But at the same time, Freiburg also offers a different point of view. Yes, I felt sick to my stomach, and that must be nothing next to the players and staff and fans who have invested over a century of their life in the club (rather than my minimal concern). But I’ve never gotten the sense that Freiburg was furious about the result. I’ve never felt unwelcome as a new fan. And I’ve often felt that there’s an appreciation not for what we wish happened, but for what did happen. Freiburg fans appreciate that this was a magical run and a glorious moment, and even without a nice shiny trophy: it was special.

That’s why Freiburg has come to mean so much in so short a time. They are philosophical, considerate, and enthusiastic all at once. They feel the big emotions and see the big meanings, but don’t fail to appreciate the little bits either.

I haven’t always been a Freiburg fan, but I am so glad to be one now.

I am not German, or from the Schwarzwald, or personally invested, but I know that part of that region contributed to our family, to your mother, and to you. I’m so grateful to see that and to learn from it every day.

(For another, better edited and locally voiced reflection on Freiburg and the club’s meaning, watch this excellent documentary from Copa 90 on that same match)

Shine, Don’t Burn

Shine, Don’t Burn

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(Originally drafted in May, and published now because…well…the reason is in the post)

I try to be honest with you boys as much as I can. To be genuine, truthful and direct about what happens when you’re living so that you can have some guide to getting through what’s going on.

You are wonders. You are marvels. You are joys, and I am forever blessed to be your father.

I am tired. I am spent. I don’t have much left to give, and I worry–almost every day–that I am about to let you down.

I am not unlike most parents. I am a great deal like many teachers in the age of COVID and rising pressure. I am burning out.

Dear Boys,

I say this not to plea for pity, or provide a guilt trip, but just to say: this is who I am, this is what I am navigating. Going in to school in the morning, I feel a heat in my legs and my cheeks and my scalp. I am worried that students will push and prod when I am least prepared and I will break.

Coming home at night, my feet itch, my skin crawls, my teeth grind, and I imagine bed time battles that I’m not emotionally ready for. I don’t blame you for not wanting to go to bed, or for begging for one more story, or one more game, or one more song. You are finding the pleasures of the world. You’re going to be excited to ask for more. I just don’t know if I can say no, even though I know I ought to, or if I can hear your cries and frustrations without taking it personally.

I know that in writing this, things may seem insurmountable. When you find this and read this years from now, you may wonder how I found a solution to it all.

I didn’t.

I just continued on.

The Madrigals

It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t always pleasant. But it has happened. (At least, I hope it has.)

The inspiration for this came, as it so often does, from family.

Owen’s adoration of Encanto means that, in addition to twirling nightly in his preferred Isabella purple night gown, we sing the songs almost hourly. So I am well familiar with the lyrics in the final song: “All of You”

“Look at this family, a glowing constellation.

So many stars, and everybody wants to shine…

But the stars don’t shine, they burn…

The constellations shift,

I think it’s time you learn…

You’re more than just your gift.”

–Lin Manuel Miranda

I’m not sure if you know just how hard that lyric hits me. I’m not sure how much of that lyric or the familial trauma undertones you understand, but it really does matter to me.

MacKenzie Crest

The same sentiment comes out in our family crest. The stag is familiar, it’s emblazoned on our local Ross County Kit. But the crest is more than that. The MacKenzie clan crest is a mountain on fire, and a credo in Latin: Lucero Non Uro…”We shine not burn”.

The MacKenzies are not the Scottish equivalent of the Madrigals, but I like to think that our forebearers understood some of the same purpose.

You can burn up your starlight. You can give and give and give until you’re spent. You can live your life like your hair is on fire, believe me, I feel like I’ve been doing it for years now.

But that’s not the point. It doesn’t serve you. It doesn’t serve those you love. And it isn’t what is in your nature.

You’re more than just your gifts. You’re more than Owen’s dancing, or Alex’s curiosity. The Madrigals are more than super-strength, or life-giving nourishment, or shape-shifting. The Staggies are more than impressive soccer players. The long-gone MacKenzies were more than defenders of an endangered king, or farmers, or revolutionaries.

I might feel burnt out at the sound of a school bell, or a son’s stomping feet, but I am more than that feeling. I am more more than that role. I feel it…and other things. I do it…and other things. I don’t have to strain to make it work. I don’t have to burn to prove that I’m trying.

I shine by being me. You shine by being you. The Madrigals, the MacKenzies, the miraculously saved Stag-Wearing Ross County side: all of us do our best at being what we are…because there’s power and strength and beauty, just in being.

By just being, each and every day: the Staggies survived a difficult campaign. The MacKenzies have seen their future borne out in you. The Madrigals are reunited and restored. And you bring joy to the world around you.

63. Inherent Parenting

63. Inherent Parenting

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In the last month, Alex has started at a new school. We didn’t expect to move you into a new spot so soon after returning to school, but as parents we know that we can’t control other people, only ourselves.

Surprisingly, that’s not an easy thing to keep in mind. It’s especially hard in our current cultural climate.

Let me explain.

Right now, we’re surrounded by the germs. Yes, still those germs. The ones I wrote about 18 months ago. I’ve been surrounded of late by sick colleagues and inured students and a lingering sense that it’s probably going to get worse before it gets better.

Alex’s school was non-plussed, and unwilling to admit that they might be wrong about how they handle it. This made your mom quite upset. What made me frustrated was the blithe assumption that they couldn’t possibly be wrong.

The teachers at Alex’s school aren’t alone. The thoughts are echoed every where, especially in the sports world.

A top basketball player (who attended one of the country’s best colleges, Duke) refuses to be vaccinated. Same with an elite quarterback (who also attended a great school, Cal-Berkley), he frankly gets extra credit awfulness for working in a bag-full of lies about it in interviews. Soccer players around the world are no different, but there doesn’t seem to be many on our favorite teams (it’s not clear if cases in Minnesota and Ross County broke through the vaccine’s barriers or just the regular shoddy defense of both sides).

After 18 months of these germs, many, many, MANY of us are tired. Your mom and I made the choice to do whatever we could to protect you two. After all, you couldn’t get a vaccine. You couldn’t control who came around you, so we opted to do what we could: staying home, getting vaccinated, masking 99% of the places we go (grandma and grandpa do the same, which is why we feel safe being unmasked there).

Klopp (R) Loves a cuddle

The Liverpool coach, and human Gummi Bear, Jurgen Klopp said it extremely well:

“I don’t take the vaccination only to protect me, I take the vaccination to protect all the people around me. I don’t understand why that is a limitation of freedom because, if it is, then not being allowed to drink and drive is a limitation of freedom as well. I got the vaccination because I was concerned about myself but even more so about everybody around me.

Jurgen Klopp (as reported in The Guardian)

But there’s one thing I can’t bring myself to do. I find that I can’t be mad at them. I can’t summon the anger or bitterness that I hear from my colleagues or my friends.

I can’t do it because I recognize that this moment, this assumption of superior knowledge, this misguided belief that running a school or excelling in athletics precludes you from being told what to do by scientific experts is not inherently bad: it’s just an inherent flaw.

Dear Boys,

Too often we get consumed with a black and white vision of the world. We often lean back on assumptions that people are inherently good , or inherently bad. If we can emphasize that we are all inherently flawed, trying our best, and worth challenging with compassion, I think we will be better able to serve one another and move forward together.

To those who insist on the image of themselves as inherently good, we see an assumption that they couldn’t have caused offense. They could not be misinformed. They must be defending their freedom against group think. Anyone who says otherwise is willfully misunderstanding their positive intent and freedom.

To those who insist on the image of our fellow citizens as inherently bad, we see an assumption that there is always malice lurking in the shadows. There’s a desire to lift up oneself and undercut others no matter the cost. There is cold, callous, and cruel calculations in every action or inaction that takes place. Anyone who says otherwise enables the worst among us.

I know that both of those are false. I know because I have spent too much of my life ping-ponging between the two views about myself. I’ve felt like a saint, nobly martyred on the altar of misunderstandings. I’ve seen myself as a vile worm, disgustingly seeking self gain at the cost of my community.

But it’s not true. I’m neither inherently good nor inherently bad. I am (like you, and your friends, family, teachers, sports heroes, and everyone else) flawed.

My flaws arise everywhere, but especially in short temper, which I know you’ve both seen more often than I would like. But I hope that you can forgive me. I hope that you understand that I try, I fail, I try again. And that you can do the same.

I hope the same for those who stamp their feet in a petulant anti-vaccine streak and those who berate the anti-vaxxers for extending our challenges. We try to do right, we fail, we try again.

Athletes try to do right for themselves. Ignoring the science to endanger teammates and fans by transmitting or catching the disease themselves, they fail. I hope they try again.

Alex’s teachers try do right for themselves and their school. Believing that it’s masks are too much trouble, assuming that the way things are now will remain consistent long into the future is a failure. I hope they try to learn again.

Your mom and I opting to do what we can to protect you feels right. If it becomes a failure, I know we will try again.

I hope that’s the lesson you take.