Sunday - Game Day

Saturday was pretty easy going, as we just had a walk through practice and dinner with another team. As usual dinner was great but we were hoping to get to bed earlier than usual in preparation for the game.

On Sunday things were business as usual. We got some brunch and then prepared to depart the hotel for the stadium. Apparently the stadium is home to a very well known baseball team so it was cool to be playing on a "hallowed ground" of sorts. In case I haven't mentioned much detail about the game in this blog post I'll clarify now:

Two mixed teams (American/Japanese)
Both teams included Japanese All-Stars from various schools in the area
One team has five players from Stanford included, the other team included five from San Jose state
The name of the event is the New Era Bowl

It felt awesome to get to suit up again and go through the whole pre game routine. The facilities were actually no so bad considering that it was mainly used for baseball. We got to wear white uniforms that matched nicely with our Stanford garb and we got to strap it up one more time.

The game was really short actually, with the running clock at times and the American players not allowed in the first series of the 3rd quarter. Luckily though with my combined punt returner and running back duties I felt that I got in the game plenty. The game was a defensive battle and the score remained under double digits the entire time. Our defense, under the tutelage of Cory and Cason, made a bunch of big plays and showed flashes of the traditional in your face Stanford defense. Playing running back for me was a little different but hey you just gotta roll with the punches and in the end it worked out in a good way. The game went back and forth and it came down to a red zone stand to clinch it for us. It was dramatic but what other way would you have it. In other words:

Stanford - 6
San Jose State - 0

After the game there was a long ceremony with music and trophies presented to the coaches and players. For my efforts, which were good enough I guess (I had a few catches and runs, probably close to 100 all purpose yards) to earn the MVP trophy.

That was really cool and I'm glad I got to share the experience with some teammates and new Japanese friends. I think it was a team effort and in the end the team that made the fewest mistakes won.

After the game I got to do three interviews with various media outlets in Japan and then take way too many pictures with the team and the training staff and the cheerleaders and the stanford guys and the...you get the picture. Finally we made it back to the locker room and got to relax and enjoy the victory...for like 5 minutes as we rushed to shower and change to catch the bus back to the hotel.

At the hotel we relaxed for a little while the made our way downstairs to a restaurant where the post game party was being held. It was a cool little get together with the Stanford and San Jose State players and coaches got to eat and hang out for a bit. The food again was amazing and the sake was flowing..right into coach Vae.

After dinner we went to catch up with the team for some final goodbyes and pictures while also drinking and enjoying a good evening. Everyone we met on the trip was super nice and the guys who take us out to eat were especially accommodating. I'll never forget some of the adventures we got to go on and places we ended up at.

I think the entire Japan experience was eye opening and I'm glad I got the opportunity to play and explore Japan while I was at it.

Thanks to everyone who followed this first installment of blog posts. This was more of a recap style just to get my blogger's feet wet but I hope to continue more along the lines of what my brother started in the Wet Bean and Cheese I. Until the next time.

Friday

This should say caution this is the deer garden.

Today we got to start off the day with some sightseeing in Nara, the old capital of Japan. We got on a tour bus and our guide proceeded to tell us all about the history and spectacle of Nara's temples and other attractions

Follow the leader

Our tour guide was amazing and she spoke english very well which made the drive over and overall experience much more enjoyable. The worst part was getting attacked by the deer after purchasing a few of their favorite snacks. I managed to distribute a few to the other guys so they would all try to eat my backpack in an attempt to get a prize.

The deer attack begins

No cookies in that pocket!

The temples themselves were amazingly large. I've been to New York and other big cities where the building are towering over you at every turn, but the craftsmanship and the detail in addition to the age of the buildings, made me appreciate the feats even more.

Statues looks like a hologram in person

First sight of the main temple

The roomie C. Kynes

We spent about an hour walking throughout the main temple taking pictures and soaking in the experience. It was something way out of the ordinary (no temples like this in Palo Alto) but an awesome work of art to behold. We ended up walking a look around the main Buddha statue and them purchasing a few items from the gift shop afterward. The experience was something I'll not soon forget and we were lucky enough to get a group picture out front.

We left the Buddha temple and headed to a smaller part of the city that housed a huge shopping complex full of places to eat and pick up souvenirs along the way. We explored for a little while, about and hour and a half or so before we had to rest and get some food. This is all happening before practice and walking around taking pictures in the hot humid weather can be tiring! Luckily we had a short bus ride to nap on the way to practice. 

Overall the shopping and sightseeing was an awesome way to start the day. I'm really glad we got to go sightseeing and take in some of the original landmarks of Japan. The original capital is something worth making the trip to see. 

Thursday

4th of July!

Back. Feeling a tad sore today. It's tough to jump back in to football after being off the grind for a while but we're adapting pretty well I think. We started off the day with a pretty early wake up and visit to a local school. The rain was already coming down as we walked toward the train station but in typical Japan rainy season fashion we were as soaked from sweat as we were from the actual rain drops.

The train ride was quick and easy as we journeyed through Osaka to our destination at Teshima elementary school in Toyonaka. We got there around 10:30 and when you walk in your are once again supposed to take your shoes off and put on these little slippers. Let's just say they don't come in size 15.

Ouch.

We got to meet the principal (aka The Boss) and his staff. They introduced themselves and we got to learn a little about them and their school. There was a lot of translating and gesturing going on but it was a really cool experience to see how school works in Japan. They have a very different school year with the beginning in April and end in March. They were very excited to have us there and the kids even more so as we are giants compared to their tiny bodies. After a quick meet and greet where we learned how to write our names in Japanese we headed out to the playground to play different football games and hang out with the kids.

Me and the BOSS

My name in Japanese

Jacob and some of the translators

We went out to the playground and immediately burst into a sweat. I've never experienced weather like this but it made me think of the Robin Williams quip from "Good Morning Vietnam"

"What's the weather like out there? "It's hot. Damn hot! Real hot! Hottest things is my shorts. I could cook things in it. A little crotch pot cooking." Well, can you tell me what it feels like. "Fool, it's hot! I told you again! Were you born on the sun? It's damn hot! I saw - It's so damn hot, I saw little guys, their orange robes burst into flames. It's that hot! "

Maybe not that hot but you get the idea. After a few minutes of playing on the playground, made only of sand basically, we had all sweat large amount of water out and needed water desperately. Luckily they had some for us. We played games with the kids akin to one on one flag pulling and even got a little two vs. five action at the end. The five kids vs. two football players was very cool to watch as they had some pretty complex offensive schemes. I was shocked to see them run the wishbone offense. We finished up after about 40 minutes of play time then came together as a group to say our thank you's and then head to lunch. Before we left the playground the kids gave all of us a gift that included a fan and some origami hanging from it. My fan was quite comical.

Of the incredible plethora of possibilities I got a watermelon lol

After the playground visit we went inside to grab lunch. The school was all hustle and bustle as we headed to the third floor. The school is very clean and you see kids sweeping as the day went on. These customs are very different from America but it was interesting to see how everyone cooperates to keep things clean. Lunch was pretty good actually, soup and chicken, and we sat with the kids in their classroom while they ate and asked us to sign every piece of paper and notebook they could find. We ate lunch for about a half hour then had to pack up and head to practice. The kids were sad to see us go because they just wanted to play all day but it was a great time and we made some friends along the way.

Safe enough I guess

My seat mate in class

By the time we left for practice we were all spent. Kids can take it out of you even without the sun beating you down into the ground with 85 degree fists. The cab ride over to the field was very quiet and sleep filled. It felt a little like camp back at Stanford on a mentally drained level but we had to go on and get ready nonetheless. It was a warm day at practice but there was a nice breeze. It's definitely not easy now that I'm playing running back and we have a fly sweep/option offense. I definitely wasn't ready to do that much sprinting all of a sudden but it's been a blast getting to play something new. 

After practice we had dinner with another Japanese team and this time we went near the hotel once again. The same place where we had the welcome party, the patio behind the hotel near the pool, was where we decided to go. The "beer garden" is what it's called and you can get all you can eat and drink for not very much. It was another awesome time and all the guys we've met here are really cool and try their best to speak english and translate for us. 

Being so tired though took its toll and dinner was shorter than the other two. We turned it in fairly early because there was just no gas left in the tank. We said our good byes and thanked them for a great dinner. We had to get some sleep because the next day was sightseeing in the morning. Can't wait for that. Temples here we come. Till the next time.

Wednesday

That title may be a bit confusing give the context of this trip but given the events of today, all of which I will delve into later on, will surely do the title justice. Today was great and made for a great interlude into the 4th of July.

Tons of people wear crocs in Japan

The day started off pretty normal, breakfast then lunch before practice, and we decided to try out the McDonalds across the street. I heard back home that the menu at McDonald's is way different in foreign places. Turns out that the menu is pretty similar with the exception of a strange shrimp burger and some other small things. The food was good though and it was kinda cool to have something familiar for a change. After the morning we went to practice and it was hot and humid day. Practice was extra humid today probably due to the storm advancing on our location. The practice went by fairly quickly even though it was sunny and hot, but toward the end we could see storm clouds forming in the distance. Before you knew it the sky opened up, and I mean really opened up because the rain was coming down at an angle and I went from dry to drenched in a few seconds. It was like standing in a pool except outside and wearing all your gear. To be honest it was pretty amazing because I'd never seen rain like that and it wasn't cold. The rain here is pretty warm and not at all uncomfortable to be in. That cued the end of practice though and we turned it in.

The calm after the storm

Dinner on this night was with the team from Kansai, the Seahorses. The dinners just keep getting better and better as the week goes on because this dinner was even better than the last night. After practice we went back towards our hotel and luckily the place we were eating at was a block from where we were staying. We walked from the parking lot toward this high rise building and went up to the 22nd floor. This place was gorgeous and even better they had actual seats so no more sitting on the floor with a tiny  table. Things were better already.

Very cool recessed seating and nice ambiance 

 The meal blew me away as did the first one. Again we were able to cook for ourselves, seems to be a common theme here in Japan, as each table had a grill built into the middle and the meat they brought out was to be cooked there. This time there were more vegetables so I didn't feel as bad eating a ton of beef and other kinds of meat.

Me and my table crew

All of the food was amazing and the table conversation was lively as well. It's always entertaining trying to bridge the gap between languages but I'm impressed as to how much english they know compared to how little Japanese we can produce. Luckily Gowan has service on his phone as uses the itranslate app quite often. Nonetheless it was great food and great company as we watched a gorgeous sunset through the windows of the 22nd floor.

Awesome view of Osaka at night

Everyone

We finished up the meal with some pictures and then headed downstairs. During the evening the guys had spoken in broken english about some kind of bus sightseeing thing that we could do after dinner. We weren't sure if they meant that same night or after the game so it was a bit confusing as we departed the hotel.

That when things got weird.

The hotel was literally a block to our right when we left the building but we went left and the confusion only grew from there. We thought we were going to Starbucks at one point then later a bus depot but we got in the cars and drove away with no idea really what was going on. We drove a few miles one direction and thought maybe we were going to the "big bus room" as one of the Japanese players put it but after driving for a little while I started to think that wasn't happening. Then we made a U-turn and came back toward the hotel only to stop in the parking lot of a building that looked like this.

Thought it was like Dave and Buster's

We walked in and we were all apprehensive about where we were and what this building was. I thought it was a huge arcade and I would've been cool with that. We took the escalator past the first floor of games and arcades only to find that we were in a nicer kind of bar setup. We took our shoes off and the next then we know we're in line to by towels at the front desk. Only then did it click that we were at a spa. We got our towels and walked around another corner to find a back area of hot springs and sauna rooms. Surprised doesn't even begin to describe how we all felt considering we had no idea what this place was.

We all had to strip down because apparently that was the status quo as we saw several naked Japanese men just strolling around willy nilly. The hot springs were awesome though. There were hot tubs and cold tubs and a sauna room that had like 100 proof cinnamon incense. That room was like breathing in cinnamon instead of air and it was really hot. We tried all the different tubs and it was very relaxing. It was a nice way to unwind and get some of the soreness from practice out. Overall it was an experience that I'll never forget and made me appreciate how sometimes the language barrier can be terrifying but exhilarating.

At about midnight we headed back to the hotel and thanked that guys for a great evening. The next day was the 4th of July so we were ready to get some rest in preparation for that. The day was long and grueling but very much so

Tuesday

You choose

I'm back! I don't think I've been this tired in a long time. Football plus long days in Japan can really drain you. Plus we're having to adapt to 85 degree days with 70-80% humidity. It's pretty awful at times as we walk slowly to the train station at times and break into a sweat. Even the Japanese players tell us that the rain season is no bueno. Oh well you adapt and move on. Today was the first day of practice at the football facility. It's located on a university campus close to the hotel and has a turf field which is nice. The facility is very basic but that makes sense because they guys were telling us that football in Japan is still growing and the money isn't there yet for grand locker rooms like you see in America. 

Cason modeling the shelf lockers 

We got to the locker room before the Japanese players did and we settled in with all of our stuff while also taking a quick look at the field. It was very hot and humid and thankfully we were in shells (helmets/shorts) for the first two days of practice. When the other players arrived they began getting ready and put tape on their helmets with their name. Another interesting thing is that in every room in Japan you're expected to take your shoes off but I don't think we'll be breaking our home locker room customs any time soon. One problem I've realized while here is that my name doesn't really have a translation in Japanese. Names like Matthew, Jacob, and Cory are a little easier to say and spell using Japanese characters and for the purpose of my helmet I just went with HOOD.

The first day of practice was really fun. We got to do a lot of coaching within our respective position groups. Cory and Cason did an overhaul of the DBs techniques while Matt helped out with the O-Line and blocking. Jacob went down with the D-Line and helped out there along with long snapping and I imparted my knowledge on the receiver core.

The practice went by quickly and before you knew it the day was done (well practice at least) and we headed back to the locker room after a quick debrief from the coaches.

I can dig the single digit

The way this week is set up is that after each practice a different team, the japanese team is comprised of several different Japanese schools, takes us out to dinner. It was a little confusing because we thought we would be going back to the hotel with the driver we came to practice with but we rolled with the punches and we were soon on our way with some of the players from _____ school. We walked from the locker room to the parking lot and saw a pretty amazing skyscape (just made it up). It's the rainy season here but we had been lucky to avoid the rain thus far. The clouds were rolling in and mad for a cool effect in the sky with the colors and brightness combined.

We set off with the players in their cars and arrived at a nice looking restaurant. When you first walk in there are lockers that you are to put your shoes in and they use a simple key system. Each key is a unique block of wood that slides into the locker and I thought that was pretty cool.

Sign outside the restaurant. It was delicious!

When we got to the dining room a mix of emotion including fear and excitement rose within us. The food looked amazing and we were so hungry that we could've eaten the entire menue. If fact we practically did but more on that in a sec. The fear part came from the fact that the tables were about a foot off the ground and we are no where near as flexible as the Japanese players so sitting cross legged was a bit out of the question. We ended up making due with a variety of seated positions as the meal went on and luckily the food was so good it took our minds off the soreness.

Ultimate test of flexibility?

The apprehension continued as we began to cook the first dish. The setup in Japan is really cool in that at the restaurant you are provided with a pot that has two sections and is heated. Each section holds a different sauce that you are to put the slices of meat in. One of the players showed us that while the meat was cooking in the heated sauce, we were supposed to beat an egg in a small bowl. After the meat was done cooking he took a piece of meat from the dish, dipped it in the raw egg, then proceeded to go to town. As you can imagine we were all a bit skeptical at the thought of raw eggs but we all took the leap and it was amazingly good. The sauce itself was enough to warrant a perfect score on Zagat but then the addition of the egg took it to another level. I'm actively pursuing the names of the sauces used so as to find it somewhere in America. After that it seemed as though the whole menu had been prepared for us and a conveyor belt was bringing each item to our table.

Before the first bite

Kasner demonstrates the art of the egg immersion

The food items included meat, pork, tempura, and crab. The waitresses kept bringing out the food and it seemed endless. All of the items tasted fantastic though as each brought its own magnificence.

We pretty much had the entire menu brought to us in some form or another. I didn't think that it was possible to get through so much food and still be hungry at the end but with these small portion sizes it's easy to lose track of how much you've actually eaten. Plus after a long day of walking around and practicing nothing suits you better than a fantastic meal.

It was a great way to end a pretty awesome day. It's been cool getting to see a different culture up close and personal. The guys from the Japanese team are really cool and friendly. Despite the language barrier we still managed to have a good time and make some new facebook friends. The week is just beginning and I'm sure there will be more fun to come. This trip has been eye opening beyond belief and it's only just beginning. Now for some sleep! Been up all day and still have to rest up for tomorrow's practice. Till the next time

P.S

There are no washing machines in the hotel or locker room so it's back to doing laundry the old fashioned way. If only our moms could see us now.