Spring Break and British Basketball

Hi everyone, sorry about the lack of posts lately. To be honest, I didn’t realize how much time has passed since my last one. The last couple weeks have gone by very quickly- most likely because they’ve been pretty uneventful. And I mean that in a good way, it’s been relaxing- like spring break should be.

After spending the first ten days in London, and the following weekend in Cardiff, I have spent the last few weeks here in Durham. I signed up for the ‘long lease’ dorm contract, meaning I have access to my room throughout the entire school year. Most of my friends not only couldn’t stay over spring break, but they also had to clean everything out of their rooms. I’m glad I didn’t have to do that. I have way too much stuff already. I’m trying not to think about how I’m going to get everything home in June, at least not yet…

It has been pretty quiet around Durham the last few weeks, as most of the students went home for the entirety of the five-week spring break. I have been spending the time outside quite a bit, because the weather has been so nice. It only rained once or twice in the last four weeks (really!) and the temperatures have been in the high 50s to mid 60s. I have been going on hikes and exploring the area, I’ve been playing basketball and soccer at the park, and recently I’ve started studying quite a bit. With exams now less four weeks away, it’s high time to start getting prepared and brushing up on everything I’ve learned this year. I’ll be back with more on exams soon.

One of the coolest things I did in the last few weeks was going up to Newcastle with a friend who lives there to see the Newcastle Eagles. The Eagles are a basketball team that play in the British professional league, The BBL. The BBL is not a great league (it’s considered one of the weakest basketball leagues in Europe), but it’s growing in both talent and popularity. The Eagles have historically been the best team in the league, and they finished in first place this year. They also have a 10,000 capacity stadium, while most of the other teams’ stadiums only seat two or three thousand.

I went to two games. The first, a week ago, was the last game of the regular season, and on Friday I went again, this time to the first playoff game. For the more recent game, I went with a bunch of my friends from the Durham basketball team who were back in town, so it was a good team outing and fun to hang out with friends.

The level of play in the matches is not outstanding, but each team seems to have a few really talented players. About half of the players on the teams are American, and the rest are made up of local Brits and other European players. The Eagles won both games I saw, winning via a blowout in the last regular season game, and winning in a tightly contested affair in the first playoff game.

Here are some photos I took of the two games:

(The Eagles huddle up before tip-off)

(A London Capitals player inbounds the ball)

(A drive to the basket by they London Capitals' star player)

(Different seats for the second game vs. the Cheshire Jets)

(Freethrows late in the game by a Jets player)

That’s all for now. Things are getting more exciting here in Durham, with nearly all of my friends back now, the dining hall opening tonight, and classes starting again tomorrow. I’ll be back with more very soon.

Cardiff

As a mini vacation, I spent last weekend in Wales- Cardiff to be exact. As I mentioned in my post last Friday, the main reason I decided to go was to see the "South Wales Derby"- a football rivalry match between Wales' two biggest clubs.

The train ride to Cardiff was quite the journey. Including one short stop at Birmingham Station, it took just over six hours. I woke up at 6:00am on Saturday morning, left Durham at 7:56am and got into Cardiff around 2:00pm in the afternoon. I spent the afternoon exploring the city, from castles and parks, to the bay area. I estimate I must have walked over six or seven miles. It was tiring, but a great city to explore, and the weather was cooperatively mild.

(Cardiff Castle)

(Cardiff Bay)

(Cardiff Skyline, and Millenium Stadium- An international stadium, not Ninian Park)

The next morning I got up bright and early again, this time for the match. The kickoff was scheduled for 11:00am, an unusually early time for a football match. The police forced the match to be so early, in attempt to cut down on fan violence in the historically heated rivalry. I was a bit concerned about what I was getting myself into. When I told friends in Durham that I was going to they match they general reaction was incredulity, and a few even asked me if I had a death wish! Quite the match to pick for my first British club football match.

However it turned out to be an amazing day, and I'm very glad I went. The stadium itself, known as Ninian Park is amazing. It opened in 1910, and this, its 99th year, is to be its last. Cardiff City are moving into a new stadium next year. Everything about Ninian was old; from the outside it didn't even look like a football stadium, it looked more like an abandoned warehouse. It was rusty and rundown, dirty and decrepit, and I loved everything about it.

(The exterior of the stadium- taken the day before, thus the absence of crowds)

The atmosphere inside the stadium was absolutely electric, unlike anything I've ever experienced. The passion, emotional investment and sheer volume of the supporters was impressive. The large section of away fans were separated from the rest of the fans by a big gap in the seats, a mesh fence, and literally hundreds of police. It was pretty intense. Many of the fans stood the entire match, and all the fans sung, chanted and cheered/swore through almost the entire game. The game itself was a good one, with four goals. Cardiff City scored a late penalty kick in stoppage time, to salvage a 2-2 draw My favorite player, Eddie Johnson- an American- even got into the game as a late substitute.

(Fans celebrating after a goal, many directing cheers/jeers towards the away end of the stadium)

(Away fan section, with the Swansea fans protected by police and stewards)

After the match I waited around the stadium for a while, trying to avoid the chaos and clashes between fans and police all around the stadium. I also didn't really have anywhere to go with my train not leaving for a few hours. I waited around the players entrance, and eventually got to meet Eddie Johnson, and take a picture. Later I approached him in the parking lot, and had a 15 minute conversation with my soccer hero. It was pretty amazing.

(Me [at right] with Eddie)

Overall it was a great weekend. I really loved Cardiff. It was a charming city, and I had a great time exploring it. I loved Ninian park, and enjoyed the amazing experience of attending the match. I also got to meet my favorite soccer player. It was well worth the hours spent on the train.


Note: In case you are intersted in a much more indepth report of the match, and my meeting with Eddie Johnson, CLICK HERE for a blog I wrote for a soccer website about my experience.

Friday

So, I've been back in Durham for almost a week now. It's very quiet here without all the students. The town really is a University town, and as such, it's very different without most of its population. It's been kind of fun so far though, and nice to relax after the craziness of London. Luckily I also seem to have left the colder weather of the last few days in London behind. It's been very springlike here in Durham, with the temperatures even reaching the low 60's yesterday!

Tomorrow I am going to Wales- Cardiff to be exact, to see a soccer match. The match is between two Welsh teams- Cardiff City and Swansea City- who both play in the English professional leagues. They are arch rivals, so the match is going to be intense and very exciting. The atmosphere should be electric- if not intimidating. I originally decided to go the game because one of my favorite American players happens to play for Cardiff City. The match is on Sunday, so I'm taking the train down tomorrow morning (it takes six hours!!) and then I'll spend Saturday afternoon exploring the city, and Sunday at the match. I'll head back up to Durham Sunday evening. It should be really exciting and fun, and it's good to get away from Durham and see other parts of the UK.

I'll leave you with a few more pictures from London I wasn't able to post last week.

(A young fan at the England match)

(Dad posing with locker of Arsenal's goalkeeper, "for Adrian")

(Train tracks near our apartment)

(Platform 9 3/4 in Kings Cross- of Harry Potter fame)

(It really exists!)

(Swans in the Thames between Windsor and Eton)

(Harsh penalties for 'fouling' in Windsor)

(We made MWC one night for dinner in the apartment... by 'we', I mean dad. But I helped eat it!)

(Sunset through the Eye)

(In the food hall in Harrods... Venison Puff? Bamboo Fungus?)

(The West London 'sky line')

(A sign on the cables below the Millennium Bridge)

(Sunset through the bridge)