Bowling, Time in ZG, and Tough Home Loss - Blog #42 (Nov. 2 - 8)

Basketball Update:

We lost to a really good Legia team who, as I mentioned last week, are the reigning champs and are undefeated. We hung in the game for a while, but they showed in the 2nd half why they're undefeated and pulled away from us to win pretty handily. We had a great home crowd of about five thousand. The fans really showed out, so it sucked to lose in front of them. I played probably my best offensive game of the season but was not great on defense. We lost 71 - 88. We have two more games before the international break. It is a tough league without any easy games, so we need to play better. We play at Lublin on Saturday which will be a 7-8 hour drive.

Leadership Lesson:

I want to talk about Jackie Robinson for this week's leadership lesson. He broke down so many barriers as an athlete and has inspired millions around the world. He will continue to do so for the rest of time due to his leadership qualities. I get upset when I get a nasty DM on Instagram after a loss, so I cannot even begin to imagine what it must have been like for Jackie Robinson when he was breaking the color barrier in baseball. The thing about him that impresses me the most about him is that he endured everything he did and kept his dignity and moral courage through restraint. The movie 42 depicts his journey fairly well, and it shows how he was confronted countless times by racist fans and even teammates. He was able to restrain himself and not buy into the prejudices that were held against black people. He kept his dignity, turned the other cheek, and acted as a professional. This is just a remarkably impressive thing to do, especially as an athlete. He understood the bigger picture. He was self-aware enough and had the foresight to understand that not responding in the face of adversity and hostility would pave the way for many athletes for the rest of time. Not fighting back with physical fighting but doing so with his play and how he carried himself allowed him to be the trailblazer that he was. A sports hero and true legend.

Top 5 of the Week:

Cereals

1. Captain Crunch with Berries - The GOAT, no debate. They don't have this in Europe. The fact that I used to eat this and thought it was in anyway nutritious is crazy.

2. Lucky Charms - My parents didn't get this cereal when I was growing up because it was too unhealthy, so it was always a treat for me when I got to have it. Saving all the marshmellows for last is the way to go.

3. Reese's Puffs - Peanut Butter Chocolate flavorrrrrr... Best commercials and a top 5 cereal no doubter.

4. Cocoa Krispies - My favorite chocolate cereal. The best thing about these is the chocolate milk once you finish the cereal.

5. Honey Bunches of Oats - My favorite "healthy" cereal. Not sure if it actually is, but it has great flavor and is a great cereal.

What Else Did I Do This Week?

Nikki and I had another awesome week together. We kind of just did our normal routine most days. We woke up, went for a walk, made breakfast, then I went to practice while Nikki worked in the apartment. I came back and had lunch, then went back to practice while Nikki worked out. We make dinner together and go for another walk. Then, we call it a day. Distance sucks, but being together for these week stretches has been so fun. It is nice being in a routine together because it just feels right.

We went out for a spectacular dinner on Wednesday which I will talk about a bit later. I had an off day on Thursday, so Nikki and I went into ZG for a bit during her lunch break. We went to a croissant place that our strength & conditioning coach recommended in the center. I got a raspberry and white chocolate croissant and Nikki got a different one. We both loved them, and I will for sure be back. After that, we shopped at a market for some fresh fruit and veggies. The produce in the grocery stores here is not that great, so it was good to get some crisp apples and other things we needed. After Nikki finished work for the day, we went bowling. It was the first time we have bowled together since high school if you can believe it. Nikki doesn't like to bowl, so we have not gone. But, it was fun. I won both games we played with pretty measly scores. I think my top score was like 120 or so. We headed home and picked up some sushi on the way home. We also made some homemade chicken dumplings with a dipping sauce. They were outstanding and also a fun activity for us to do. Great date night!

Our game was on Sunday, so Nikki had some time Saturday to hang too. I met her in town after practice, and we grabbed lunch at Cosmo's which is a Greek restaurant. We shared a solid sandwich, salad, and smoothie before heading to the "castle" in ZG that I went to a couple of weeks ago. Nikki and I went for a really nice walk around the surrounding park.

We also made dinner plans at my teammate Conley's apartment. His wife, Maggie, is eight months pregnant. I am super pumped to meet their baby boy in December. Maggie and Conley made an awesome jambalaya dish, and Nikki made an apple crumble & fall salad. The food was sensational, and it was a really fun hang. They are great company, and we try to have a little double date every time they come to town. It was nice to see their new apartment too. It is a great spot to watch football which I will definitely do going forward.

Top Meal of the Week:

Third time writing about this restaurant this year, and I am always so impressed with il Viccolo. Nikki and I went again as a late birthday dinner. I got fish soup and a mushroom risotto with steak pieces in it. Nikki got a salad and a muscles dish. Everything was unbelievable.

Cultural Difference in Poland:

A difference in Poland compared to the Netherlands is how people dress. Last year, any time we were out in public, Nikki would be on me if I was wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Every single person was in at least jeans. People really made an effort to dress nicely at all times. However, in Poland people routinely wear sweatpants and chill clothes. Here, Nikki doesn't care what I wear in public! Thanks for reading!