German Version

Due to popular demand, I'm going to translate the blog and have a German version posted on the site. You'll find the link above the picture slideshows to your right: "Deutsche Version: Spielen für Schnitzel"

Enjoy!

Ich habe bonnelladventures.com fuer meine Deutsche/Oesterreiche/Schweize freunden auf Deutsch geübersetztet. Du wirdst ein Link an der rechten seit über die foto-slideshows finden: "Deutsche Version: Spielen für Schnitzel"

Viel Spass dazu!

Game of the Week in Hohenems

---below is a translation of my interview with Thomas Muck of www.die-namenlosen.at---
Exclusive
Blue Devils-Coach Bonnell in Interview
AFL Preview: A Decision in Hohenems

As the AFL begins to wrap up one of the most intriguing and exciting regular season's that have been seen in many years, every game has a taken a playoff character.

The game of the week sees the Raiffeisen Vikings of Vienna travelling across the country to the Cineplexx Blue Devils Hohenems, in Vorarlberg. The importance of this game is very clear: the winner is in the playoffs and the loser is not.

In the buildup to the game, we spoke with the Defensive Coordinator of the Vorarlbergers, Raymond Bonnell, about his opponent, his own team, an
Im Vorfeld des Spiels befragen wir den Defensive Coordinator der Vorarlberger Raymond Bonnell, über den Gegner, sein eigenes Team, his personal future and the upcoming European soccer tournament.

The Namenlosen: On Saturday you watched the Vikings vs Black Lions Game in Vienna. What are your impressions of this game?

Saturday was my first time in Hohe Warte, I was very impressed with the home crowd and their knowledge of the game. It was a great crowd; very noisy, and very involved. Footballwise, I was impressed with the improvement of the Lions. They've come together since we played them in week 1 and they have a much more organized approach to the game. I think in the first half they moved the ball well with some good play calling and execution, but things slipped in the redzone a few times and cost them because you have to play mistake-free football against the Vikings. As for Vienna, I was very interested in the play of new QB Steve Levy, he is clearly a top level QB with a strong arm who will give us problems on Sunday, but I was most impressed with his running. He is a Pac10 calibre running back and really packs a punch when he lowers his shoulder. That combination with Graham's speed & elusiveness makes a nasty combination for us Defensive Coordinators to defend.


The Namenlosen: Was it a big surprise to you that the Vikings risk RB Clinton Graham for the Black Lions Game?

I wasn't too surpised to see him out on the field; he is a very tough guy who will do anything to help the Vikings get into the playoffs. What surpised me most was the effectiveness with which he ran. You could see the pain in his eyes and body composure between plays, but once the ball was snapped he played with the great quickness and explosiveness that he is known for. Hopefully someone can convince him to take the day off on Sunday. :)


The Namenlosen: Do you expect him or other injured players back for Sunday's Game?

This is a must-win game for both of our teams, I expect Graham to be back and play as strong as ever, the other player I really expect to come back is Floredo, he's got to coach on Saturday, but I wouldn't be suprised to see him back in the mix. I'm not sure about Robinson & Wimmer, but if there is any possibility, I know Calaycay will pull all the stops this weekend in attempt to secure a win and get into the playoffs.


The Namenlosen: Let's talk about Sunday's Game against the Vikings. What are you're expectations for the game?

We've got a very good defense, but knowing Calacay's play calling abilities, great players, and even better adjustments, it will be a very strategic game of cat & mouse that has me very excited to test my skills as a Defensive Coordinator. Offensively, I think we have a solid system and can be as explosive as anyone in Austria. We should be able to put some points on the board, but Vienna has a strong defense as well. This is going to be a very intriguing game, I wish we could play it right now (would save me a lot of sleep this week).


The Namenlosen: Did you find any weakness in the Vikings Offense?

I wish. The Vikings have a very strong running attack which is only improved with QB Steve Levy. I'd expect to see more option with the two and a more balanced running attack this week. The passing game is not as innovative as it was with Atwood, but with another week of preparation, alot of things will open up for Levy and his comfort with the system and WRs. Calaycay knows his stuff and will put his boys in a position to succeed, I just hope to put my boys in their way. :)


The Namenlosen: What can the fans expect from the Game?

This game will be playoff style football: fast, hard-nosed, emotional, and violent. The Raiders, Giants, and Dragons have all secured playoff spots, so this game is for the 4th and final post-season slot. The stakes are very simple and very high, we have a very long June and are eliminated from the AFL playoffs if we lose. The Vikings are in if they win. I expect both teams to pull out all the stops and do everything they can to win. Fans should expect a high level of effort from the players on the field, creative playcalling, and big-time players making big time plays. If I were not coaching, this is the game I would be at this weekend.


The Namenlosen: Let's talk about the rest of the season: What do you think is possible for your team?

Well, we still have everything in our own control. In the AFL, if we win this weekend, we'll have to beat Carinthia or Graz to get to the playoffs, I think we have the talent to compete with the best in Austria, and barring an injury-fest like we had versus Tirol, we can still acheive our team goal of making it to the Austrian Bowl, but we must win Sunday. In the EFAF Cup, I feel very confident that we can move ahead. We need to take care of business next week and move on to the Semifinal. From there, who knows? We have a very serious goal of winning the EFAF Cup, and feel we have a team that can do so, but that bridge is far down the road and I have a very large bridge looming ahead of me Sunday.


The Namenlosen: Is it harder to be successful in Europe than in Austria?

I think both present unique challenges. In Austria, we know eachother's strengths and weaknesses very intimately. In Europe, you have about two games of film to learn the other team and it is difficult to get out and scout future opponents, there is often little known of the national players and what they see week-in, week-out in their own countries. So, each presents unique challenges that are difficult, but all part of the beauty of the game. The talent level is clearly very high in this country and the import rules make the league very competitive. This is why I came back to Austria to coach. We'll see, Austria is fielding a strong set teams in international play, with all 3 teams in the Quarterfinals of the EFL, and all 3 teams in the EFAF Cup are still very much alive and are making moves toward the Semifinals. Needless to say, it is a very good time to be a part of the AFL.


The Namenlosen: Do you have a contract with the Blue Devils for the 2009 season?

I do not yet have a contract with the Blue Devils for the 2009 season, there has been an expressed interest in my return but we've put those negotiations on the sideburner until June. Right now, I've got enough on my plate just trying to defend the high-powered offenses of the AFL.


The Namenlosen: Finally, a question about the European Soccer Tournament. Is it true that you are a big soccer fan?

It is true that I am a very large soccer fan. I haev already purchased an Austrian National team soccer jersey and hope that they can pull off some surpises in June. It would be awesome for the country, and the tournament for the Austrians to win a few games. I hope to see at least two games live and would love to be in attendance for the crazy atmosphere that will be the Austria-Germany group matchup in Vienna.


The Namenlosen: Are you also a fan of Austria, the country?

I have a very large place in my heart for this country. I married my beautiful wife here, discovered that I would be a father here, the people are very open and friendly. The vistas are absolutely stunning with a very diverse topography. Austria has a very unique culture and for myself and my family, Austria really is a second home to us.

Thank you for the interview!

Graz, AT

Graz, the biggest city in Styria, a region of southern Austria near the border with Slovenia, is located in the valley of the Mur River, in the beautiful foothills of the Alps. It is most known for its title as birthplace of the Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The climate is similar to that of northern California and the scenery is nearly as stunning. Though not as large a tourist draw as neighboring Vienna (2 hrs NE) and Klagenfurt (1.5 hrs W), the very bicycle friendly Graz has much to offer. Schlossberg (Mountain Palace?) is a stunning hill-top fortress directly in the middle of the city center. In 2003, Graz was named the cultural capital of Europe and many monuments were built in celebration of this new title. One classy and very modern example of this is the Mur Insel (Mur Island) which is a café/auditorium built in the middle of the Mur. During the summer, many concerts are held at this open air auditorium and daily you can enjoy some of Graz’s best coffee either within the structure or in the stadium seats. There is also a slide for those young at heart. At night, the Mur Insel is wonderfully lit up and not a few hundred yards away stands the eye popping Museum of Modern Art. Much like the EMP in Seattle, the museum has an aesthetically intriguing style. After 3 days in the city, I have grown to appreciate its uniqueness and mark on the city’s skyline.

This weekend has been really awesome, Graz is a city I could see myself raising young Keegan in. It is a vibrant community that has a strong foundation in multiculturalism and multilingualism. It has the convenience of a large city without the hurried pace. There are many parks along the Mur which runs directly through the city. My favorite is the Augarten, a family park that has attractions for all ages. It is a great place to bring children or simply enjoy a book in the Styrian sun.

Kathi Pregartbauer, a good friend of mine who was a teammate of Niki’s in Innsbruck, lives in an apartment that overlooks the Augarten and there is where I made home there for the last few days. Upon my arrival in Graz, I hopped on a streetcar to the city center (Hauptplatz) to meet up with Kathi and her girlfriend Steffi. We had some coffee and caught up at the very geműtlich (comfortable/hospitable) Café Schwalbenest near the Mur Insel. After coffee and a brief stop by the flat to drop off my things, we met up with Kathi’s twin brother, Gogo (Gottfried) for some Pizza at the new, and very modern Paradiso Italian Restaurant. Then we made our way up the many steps of Schloßberg to have a few beers and take in the beauty of the city.
That night we tried our hands at some “high stakes” poker (€2.50 all in, or about $4). As usual with me and poker, my money disappeared in the first hour but the company was good and it was intriguing to watch the unexpected (& often very cunning) personalities of everyone playing.

Saturday I made my way to Vienna to do some “work” scouting our next opponent and their new QB Steve Levy from Cal-Berkeley. He has a strong arm, but is a natural fullback and loves contact, maybe too much. The most notable surprise of the game was the performance of Clinton Graham, the Vikings star running back who is supposed to be resting a severely injured thigh. He probably should have sit out the game, but instead ran the ball 13 times for 145 yards. I was pretty impressed as they had to help him get up after most of the runs.

Hohe Warte, the Vikings football exclusive stadium was very impressive. The atmosphere was electric and the fans were well educated in the game. I was very impressed by the organization and set up, but when you win Europe and Austria year-in & year-out, that kind of support and sponsorship follows. The final score was a lopsided 34-3, but at the half it was anybody’s game and only 14-3. Carinthian shot themselves in the foot several times after long drives that found themselves deep in Viking territory, but nothing gained for it.

We certainly have our work cut out for us this week, but Vienna is very beatable this year and I think our offense can put up some points. If we can contain an injured Graham & force Levy into throwing situations, I think we can hold their scoring to a minimum. I’m confident that our offense can score points this week, so it’s up to me & the defense to secure the win. We need the win to remain eligible for the playoffs, so this will be a very important and busy week on my end.

Saturday night I returned to Graz around 11pm and joined the girls at the Office Pub to celebrate another friend another friend’s birthday. The live band was a bit loud but very talented and only disappointed when the drunken English Rugby Players in attendance requested Sweet Home Alabama & their repeated demands were not met. However, they were quieted by the very impressive talent of the Russian fiddler who wowed them with performance after performance. He truly was impressive.
Sunday I got some work done and broke down the game film of Vienna. We then had lunch at Schillerhof Pizza, a very nice outdoor beer garden style restaurant/bar. The best part of Sunday, however, was meeting up with Kathi’s family for dinner. Both of her brothers Flo (Florien) & Gogo were there & it didn’t take long to figure out where their athletic prowess came from; their mother, Ute, very quickly handled me at both Ping Pong and Darts.

Well, I missed my train Sunday, and can’t say that I am sorry that I did; another beautiful day in Graz was ahead. Maybe it was the weather, perhaps the great company, but I must say that I am “volle begeistert” (totally enthralled) with this locale.

Now I find myself back on the train with another 8 hours until I am back in Vorarlberg, already planning another visit to a place that felt as close to “home” as I’ve been in Europe.

Graz, AT

After practice tonight I'm going to have to hurry to shower and make it to the train station to catch the 10:41pm overnight to Graz. I'll be spending Friday & Saturday night there before I head back to Hohenems on Sunday. On Friday & Sunday I'll be spending the day with a good friend, Kathi Pregarthbauer (one of the most athletic and talented people I've ever met in my life) who was a former teammate of Niki's in Innsbruck, and also a former Women's National soccer player here in Austria. I look forward to spending time with her, though she focused her studies on Italian and not English in school, so this will be some more great practice for my German. We always have a great time so, I have no doubt this weekend will be the same.

On Saturday, I'm going to make a trip to Vienna to watch the Vikings play against Carinthian. Normally, this would be a blowout not-worth-scouting type of a game, but Vienna lost their Quarterback two weeks back and have a new import from Cal-Berkeley that I'd like to get a feel for. He was recruited as a fullback but was switched to QB & eventually started two games in '07 (Wins over Stanford & BYU) but got arrested the next summer during a bar-fight incident where he had "meant to simply throw water on the guys head, but the glass slipped and broke over his head." Should be interesting to say the least.

Anyway, I've got a practice to plan and lunch to prepare. I'll write again on Monday (with pictures).

Bis dann!

BYE WEEK

Today I went to Chur, Switzerland with teammates/players Matt Walters (Michigan State) and Nic Haritonenko (Dresden, Germany). Chur is directly south of us in Hohenems, below the tiny country of Leichtenstein. We visited Robin Haas & Toni Muggwyler, two of our Swiss import players. Robin took us on a tour of his town, showing off many of the fantastic sites. It was a rainy miserable day, but getting out of Vorarlberg was nice and the beauty of the Swiss Alps and Chur cannot be overstated. This is a city steeped in tradition, is the oldest town in Switzerland having been settled for well over 5000 years.

I will get some pictures from Matt tomorrow(?), but for now the one above will have to do. From www.schweizbilder.ch.

Tomorrow I'm also taking the overnight train to Graz (birthplace of Arnold Schwarzenegger) to visit some friends and scout Vienna on Saturday. Stay tuned for more pics!

More on Chur:
----from www.myswitzerland.com---
Chur looks back on 5000 years of settlement history, which also makes it Switzerland’s oldest town. This lively small bishop’s town has developed to become the cultural and economic centre of the Grisons, thanks to its excellent location on key transport routes through the Alps.

To help find the most important witnesses to the town’s history, two discovery trails marked by red and green footprints lead through the town. Examples include the Gothic old town dating from the 15th and 16th century, where the influences of the neighbouring countries remain visible today and attest to the skills of the Italian master builders, and the 800-year-old cathedral with its wonderful, three-sided carved altar dating from the 15th century. Visits to the Rhaetian Museum with its cultural-historical and folk art collection, as well as the Art Museum with its Grisons’ paintings and sculptures from the 18th – 20th century, are particularly rewarding.

500 shops and over 100 restaurants and hostelries offer visitors a wealth of possible purchases. The town’s many annual events as well as concerts, theatres and cinemas make the southern ambience of Chur noticeable. What’s more, Chur also has a zoo and leisure park.

A regional mountain – the ‘Brambrüesch’ – means that Chur also has its own winter and summer sports region. In summer, Chur is the ideal spot from which to set off on walks and visits to vineyards in the ‘Bündner Herrschaft’ winemaking region. Chur is the gateway to the Grisons mountains: 26 holiday and spa resorts can be reached in less than an hour from Chur.

Panorama trains travel from Chur into the Grisons Alps, e.g. the Bernina Express to St. Moritz and Tirano along the Albula route which has been much praised as a masterpiece of railway construction, the Glacier Express to the Matterhorn, the Arosa Express to the renowned climatic spa resort, and the Heidi Express to Davos.

Chur is the centre of the Chur Rhine valley, which reaches from the “Bündner Herrschaft” wine-growing region to the spectacular gorge of the Viamala. Whilst the “Bündner Herrschaft” with its centre of Maienfeld once inspired Johanna Spyri to pen her Heidi book and today produces outstanding Pinot Noir wines, Grüsch-Danusa, best known as a winter sports region, lies at the valley entrance to the Prättigau. To the west of Chur lies the Domleschg, the most castle-populated region of Switzerland and directly to the south of this Thusis, at the entrance to the steep Viamala gorge.

EFAF Cup: Europe Loses in the Quarters 161:20

---translated from www.aflcrush.com---
While many feel that the rest of Europe may be catching up to the traditional quality of play in Austria, this weekend's results show that Austria may again be a few steps ahead of the rest of the continent. The Austrians won all their games this weekend by a considerable margin, however one must not jump too quickly to this conclusion as several games have yet to be played. However, if the EFAF Cup plays out as shown, 3 of the 4 semifinalists will come from the Alpine Republic.

Danube Dragons 84:00 Wroclaw The Crew (Poland)
A practice session. It does not do the game justice any further to write more. The Dragons fulfilled their role and won their prelude play without any problems. They used exclusively reserve players in the second half and got much needed experience to Thomas Haider at QB and Herbie Klackl at RB (with 1 TD!). Finally the question arises, did Poland enter the EFAF Cup a bit too prematurely? On one hand it is pleasing that the tournament is attractive to Poland and that they want to participate, on the other hand it may not necessarily help Polish football grow.

Next step for the Dragons is a trip to Prague to take on the Panthers, who also shutout the Crew with a score of 53:00.

Carinthian Black Lions 39:20 Badalona Dracs (Spain)
The Lions are happy to be outside of the AFL and into international play. Though they have been humiliated in league play, in competition with other nations their outlook is completely opposite. The Badalona Dracs is a team with much international experience on the European level, but it was not enough for them this year. The Lions focused on mistake-free football and won the game very handily.

The next step for the Lions is a trip to Parma, Italy where they will take John Grisham's Playing for Pizza squad, the Parma Panthers. Parma is currently 1-1 in Italy and should be a considerable opponent for the Carinthian.

Cineplexx Blue Devils 38:00 Bern Grizzlies (Switzerland)
The Devils struck their Swiss opponent 38:0, against whom they must replay on May 10th. Though the offense saw some struggles under interim QB Paul Troth, the defense made a very strong impression, holding the Griz to less than 30yards in the first half, and stifling each drive clearly and quickly throughout the game. Unless something dramatic happens, the Devils should easily move on to the semifinals to play the winner of the Carinthian/Parma matchup in May.

Shutout!

Finally, a shutout. We beat the Swiss Champion Bern Grizzlies 38:0. More on that tomorrow; I need some sleep.

:)