I found a very nice surprise waiting for me when I got home from work this morning. I found out that I get to finish off 2008 by being able to watch Cardiff play Ospreys in a Welsh Rugby version of a civil war to played out from the Cardiff Arms Park. If Ospreys can win, they can climb to the top of the Magner’s League. 

In an interesting move, fullback Lee Byrne-who played so well for Wales-is going to be moved to the wing, and Gavin Henson will move to fullback. James Hook drops to the bench so Dan Biggar starts at fly-half, partnering Mike Phillips at half-back. Blues are without prop Gary Powell and centre Jamie Robinson through injury, the pair having both picked up minor knocks in the win over the Dragons.

Wing Leigh Halfpenny(A youngster who looks to have a bright future) and utility back Ceri Sweeney are named on the bench.

Sweeney gives way at fly-half to Nicky Robinson, despite his try-scoring performance in the 21-19 win against former regional side Newport Gwent Dragons on Boxing Day.

Wales stars Martyn Williams and Gethin Jenkins are both recalled to the Blues’ starting line-up.

It’s a pretty safe bet that in over a year and half on the blogosphere, I have yet to comment on anything by Oprah Winfrey.  On the one hand, she really is an American success story. I have no trouble with anybody using hard work, talent and chutzpah to obtain financial success. 

It’s been a raw weekend here in the Gopher State. We had warmer weather and rain on Friday, but then the thermometer dipped the last couple of days, now almost every parking lot, driveway and sidewalk is like a hockey rink in need of a Zamboni machine. At the very least, all of the glare ice on the ground is a broken hip waiting to happen to somebody.

I had a very nice Christmas. I came home from my night shift at work, everybody got up, and we exchanged presents. I went to be at close to 10 AM. I got up for Christmas dinner at 4pm. My wife made a great Turkey dinner with mashed red potatoes and all of the trimmings. I was still really knackered and had to go back to bed-I slept from 6-10 PM. It was very frustrating to miss so much of Christmas because I was just so bloody fatigued from working nights-I worked the graveyard shift on both Christmas Eve and Christmas. 

As I sit here on this Christmas Eve, I am thinking about a lot of things that  I could be writing about: Past Christmas memories from my childhood, my memories of Christmas in France 27 years ago, the many fun Christmas mornings of my own kids, and finally my first Christmas as “Papi”, or “grandpa” of my six month old grandson, Duncan. There is also so much bad news to write about, because to me, bad news like catastrophe’s, accidents and lay-offs just seem uglier and crueler during the holiday season. 

Last week it was announced that there have been some changes at the coaching level with my club, the Metropolis Rugby Football Club. 

I had a chance to play with Augie in a couple of games in the Spring(Augie has the shaved head to my right). He played as a fly half, and was really the field general. This was a guy who exuded leadership skills…and was a really nice guy on top of it. Augie has been involved with Learn Rugby Minnesota in doing some clinics to try to get rugby out to kids at the more grass roots level. 

I may be just an “Old Boy” who tries to get into the odd B-squad game, but as a member of the club, I think that as good of a job as Denny has done, I think he left the club in good hands to Augie to see if he can take the A-side to the next level. 

My Grandson, Duncan, turned 6 months old the other day. He had his 6 month well-baby check, where he was at the 50th percentile for weight…and the 95th percentile for height. He had his immunizations and his flu shot. Good to see that he got a clean bill of health.

This Christmas season has been fun having a baby in the house. My animals seem to enjoy hanging around him, as well…

This picture was taken a couple of weeks ago when we were getting our decorations out. I was hanging on to Duncan, when Buddha the Bulldog and Emmie the Calico cat decided to join us. Buddha, in particular, just loves his “ugly puppy”. It will be interesting to see how things go with Duncan and the animals once Duncan is more mobile in a few short months. I know I am looking around my house thinking that if I was a toddler, would I want to stick a certain thing in my mouth, touch it, grab it, or throw it, or what will be the ramifications if I fall on it. It’s clear that me and “Da Redhead” have a lot of work to do to baby and toddler-proof our house.

Aside from my chortling and generally good-humored grandson, the other thing that has helped a whole lot with holiday-time cheer has been my wife being back at work for over a week. Things are going just swimmingly with her new employer. One thing that I just love is that each employee at the funeral home takes turns bringing in lunch for the other 6-7 workers, and they eat lunch together. Yesterday, I made cassoulet (it’s amazing what you can do with some spare ham, white fava beans, spuds, onions and some red wine) for her to bring in to work, and the favorite from the region around Toulouse was a big hit. It’s great that they take the time to eat together.

I know things are looking a bit grim in a lot of places in the world, but not here in my little corner in New Hope, Minnesota. I am counting my blessings. I hope wherever you are, dear reader, that things are looking up for you, as well.

My friend Jacques and Jean, an AFS student from near Perpignan (I’m a volunteer with AFS and his contact person), came to my house this past Sunday to see if Dan Carter could show Catalan supporters that the vast amounts of Euros being spent on the All Black fly half were going to be worth it, as Perpignan hosted Leicester in the south west of France.

The answer to the question, was oui, bien sur.

Carter accounted for 16 of Perpignan’s 26 points with his left boot, scoring two conversions and 4 penalties as the Catalans won a very entertaining game, 26-20. Carter certainly did not do it alone-to the delight of my Saffa friend, Jacques, he got to see his compatriot Gerrie Britz scored two tries, and just generally play a very good game from his flanker position. Jean, who is a big time Perpignan fan, was just about giddy with their play and the result.

In a rare foray into the international news scene, the big talk coming out of Iraq was the attempt of an Iraqi TV reporter to nail President Bush with his shoes, not once, but twice…
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/12/15/bush.afghanistan/index.html

He missed on both attempts.

In looking at the video a couple of times, I could not help but to think the following:
1. President Bush still has pretty good reflexes.
2. Secret service and security were really S-L-O-W in getting to the thrower before he ran out of shoes.
3. This iconic image is going to stick with President Bush for a long time, not too unlike President Ford wacking his head on a helicopter doorway, President Carter’s stupid, toothy, sheepish grin during 444 days of American embassy workers being held hostage in Iran,  President Bush senior vomiting on the lap of the Japanese Ambassador, and  President Clinton’s angered insistent pledge that he “did not have sex with that woman.”

There is no truth to the rumor that Muntadhar al-Zaidi received coaching from English fly half Danny Cipriani nor French fly half David Skrela before his 0-2 throwing effort on the big stage.

As group play in the Heineken Cup, the tournament for rugby club supremacy in Europe, moves into match day 4 this weekend, we are seeing some teams already separating themselves apart, and some teams still in the mix. The big surprise last weekend was Stade Francais getting dumped in the Stade de France by a very opportunistic London Harlequins side.

The thing that will make this weekend’s matches more interesting is that the matches will all involve the same teams playing the same opponents-only the teams who were home this past weekend will now find themselves on the road. Probably the three best matches last weekend were Leicester beating Perpignan, Clermont Auvergne defeating the holders, Munster, in a thrilling match played out in Clermont Ferrand, and the best of the lot, Bath hanging on to defeat Glasgow 35-31 in an absolute orgy of open rugby-Glasgow came this close to stealing a win on an interception that just missed on cashing in for a last second score.

Those matches, plus Stade Francais going to England to play ‘Quins are already saved in my DVR to record for my viewing pleasure. I think it’s a pretty safe bet of which match will carry more than passing interest, not just in France and England, but as far away as New Zealand, as a certain All Black, Daniel Carter will play his first game wearing the Catalan yellow and red of Perpignan. To say that anticipation is high among Perpignan supporters would be an understatement. The unfortunate thing for Perpignan, is that any influence Carter might have to get the Catalans out group play and into the Heineken Cup Quarterfinals might be a case of too little, too late. Carter stands to make a ton of money for his seven month sojurn to the Southwest of France, but because of the All Black’s (very successful) autumn tour in Europe, and commercial obligations to the All Blacks and Addidas, he has not had much time to practice, or learn much French. I think as far as Perpignan’s management is concerned, the Heineken Cup is a nice thing, but most people involved with the club and supporters are REALLY hoping for, is for Carter’s vast skills from the fly-half position will help bring Le Bouclier du Brennus back to Perpignan for the first time in 54 years. Carter’s presence will certainly sell a few more Perpignan shirts, but can it finally take the Catalans to the promised land at the Stade de France in June? Time will tell.