Playing For Lutfisk?

Got an email the other day from someone asking if I'd read, Playing For Pizza, John Grisham's breezy novel about a down-and-out journeyman quarterback who escapes the NFL to play in Italy. I had read it, in part because it was Grisham, in part because the football piece sounded like fun, and in part because it had a little Year in Provence feel, and I very much enjoyed Peter Mayle's books. It's a fun "read." ... On the subject of football in Europe, check out this ad for a quarterback/offensive coordinator for the Carlstad Crusaders in Sweden. I've done stories with Dartmouth football players who spent a year playing in France and Sweden in the past and always thought if only I'd been able to throw a 60-yard spiral I would have jumped at the chance. Alas ...

One former quarterback who won't be going overseas is Brian Mann '02. As this link shows, he's now officially retired from the Arena Football League. Hopefully he'll still be around game. I had a chance to check out a DVD of Brian's color commentary on the ECAC Game of the Week between UNH and Rhode Island last October and though he had little time to prepare, he showed great promise. (Note to the Ivy League: If you are looking for someone in the booth next fall, you could do worse.)

The Columbia Spectator has a piece about following Lion teams to away games. As usual, the writer has some fun at Dartmouth's expense. From the story:

The best way to get a good meal at Dartmouth is to get up very early and set up camp along the western frontier of campus. Herds of caribou migrate here to feed on switch-grass and drink from the mountain streams.

How silly.

Those aren't caribou. They are moose. And it's up here on the eastern frontier that you would have the best chance at scoring one.

On the subject of bizarre stories, check out this one in The Dartmouth. Whether you are interested in collegiate squash or not, this strange story is worth a look.

Not to feed into the cliche, but this is as good a time as any to post a link to a slide show from Moose Mountain Lodge that's pretty heavy on moose pictures. Depending on the time of year you are visiting, if you want something very different than the Hanover Inn, the Marriott or home, check out the Moose Mountain Lodge. The views from the porch are nothing short of spectacular.

On a somber note, Ski Racing has a remembrance of good friend Paul Robbins, who died suddenly at age 68. The pictures of Paul with his Tam o’Shanter brought a few more tears in a year when I didn't know if I had any left. Paul sat to my immediate left in the Memorial Field press box, covering Dartmouth football for the Associated Press for many years. There's a neat anecdote about Paul and Picaboo Street in the Ski Racing story that didn't surprise me a bit.

Dartmouth also has lost former football captain Judson Hannigan at age 83. Find a story here.

And finally, that certain Hanover High sophomore wasn't particularly pleased with the way she ran in the UST&F New England championships yesterday at Harvard, but she did narrowly post a PR in the mile despite battling sniffles, so good for her. We return to Boston Friday night for the New England high school championships at the Reggie Lewis Center, where she will run the two-mile. Hopefully she'll be feeling chipper and refreshed for that race.

Oh, and one more thing. The forecast this morning is calling for 6-12 inches of snow tomorrow. Can you say enough is enough?