As the leaves start to turn, the weather cools down, and days grow a little bit shorter, it finally feels like fall has arrived in Massachusetts. Although I will tell you that late spring into early summer is my favorite season, if I were to really sit down and think about it, fall has a very compelling argument. Between birthdays and soccer (among other things) some of my best memories have come in the fall. I am very fortunate to have a job at Milton Academy that allows me to spend a lot of time enjoying the outdoors (which becomes less enjoyable in the winter)! I have gotten to experience and appreciate the leaves changing and the air becoming crisp and unleashing the unmistakeable scent of fall. Next to our playground, a fence separates us from several Milton athletics fields, and during the after school hours, several of the kids sit and watch, as Milton's JV boys soccer team practices each day. As I watch with them, it brings me back to my days in high school, where I would sit through classes, eagerly awaiting practice or games. Then I start to think about games, and how for the 16-18 games of the season I was doing something that I was really good at, and looked up to as a leader (looking back, I could've done a better job in this avenue). In risking vanity, I also loved game-day, because it gave me a chance to showcase the skills that I had spent so much time working on. I always got a little boost and played a little harder as the crowd got bigger. I have so much to say and so many great memories from my years playing high school soccer, but this particular blog is about two fans who attended (almost) all of my games: my Mimi and Papa.
Mimi and Papa are my grandparents on my mom's side. For many years of my life, our family (Spoffords) have lived very close, thus I have been fortunate to be able to spend a lot of time with them. It would be really difficult to find two people as loving as kind as my Mimi and Papa are. They have lived truly remarkable lives. There are so many things that I could say and want to say, but I will stick to the effect they have had on my life in particular.
I will go back to soccer, because that is where I began. For Mimi and Papa, soccer was not even close to their radar. They had limited familiarity with it, as my Uncle Andy did some coaching, but other than that, it was not something that they had been exposed to much growing up (which makes sense based on the generations that they were born into). Obviously, soccer played a major role in the development of the Spofford family. When we moved back to Maine, we all (minus Isaiah) were very active in the Waterville soccer world (between travel teams and high school teams). Being active and having games nearby, meant that there would be opportunity to local family to come and watch us play. It was no surprise that shortly after we began to play, Mimi and Papa began to make their way over to watch us play. They may not have known much about the game, but their constant support drew them across the bridge. It wasn't long before Papa took a real liking to the game. He enjoyed the constant back and forth and liquidity with which the game is played. However, he did not have the greatest understanding of the game. Naturally, his engineering background kicked in, and he wanted to gain a deeper understanding of the game (especially if he was going to come to a lot of games). He began to find books about the strategies and tactics of soccer, and before long he became quite soccer literate. For the first few years, they came to games once in a while, but as time went on, they could be spotted in the folding lawn chairs at almost every game. It was always uplifting for me to see them at games, showing constant support. I would make sure to call them up the night before my home games to remind them what time the game was, so they could come and watch. Typically for away games they didn't travel, unless it was in a neighboring town, but I remember seeing them on the sideline of my very last game at Brunswick and being filled with pride to have them as my grandparents.
Their love and family values are very clearly reflected in the proximity with which their children live to them. Having six children, one would assume that the family moved apart and now lives all over the country. However, with the Dumonts, that is not the case, with the furthest family on three hours away (and the rest no more than 25 minutes). The Dumont kids have always visited regularly, keeping their family tight knit and showing the grandchildren true family values. It is clear when we are all together during the holidays, that the Dumont kids had a great childhood and that they love and respect Mimi and Papa to no end. The house is filled with warmth, smiles, and hilarious stories from days of the past.
For me, going to Mimi and Papa's house has always been something that I look forward to with great joy, and that has a lot to do with the people who built it (Mimi and Papa of course). As a little kid, I was always greeted with warm smiles and hugs, then offered candy (usually a Werther's or Twizzlers) and a soda. I mean what kind of kid wouldn't love a place filled with candy and soda?! They really knew the fast track into our hearts. After that, the kids (whether it was just the boys or cousins as well) would typically disappear into the basement to play indoor soccer or with the toys that they had saved since their children were little. If we ever needed anything, Mimi and Papa were always around to help. When we lived in Mississippi, we would come up to Maine in the summers, and Mimi and Papa would graciously offer us their spare bedrooms and be the most wonderful hosts. When I was sick, Mom and Dad would drop me off at Mimi and Papa's where they would look after me and make sure I was okay. On teacher's workshop days, Isaiah and I would go in the morning and Mimi made us two minute eggs and toast (which are always delicious). As I got older, I would go over there to watch soccer games on TV with Papa and help him out with chores around the yard. Papa had a system for every chore that we did (which always made them a little longer, but made sure that the task was done right).
One of my favorite traditions with Mimi and Papa is our annual Christmas Eve dinner, in which we host them for a wonderful tourtiere pie feast put on by my Mom. Every year at Christmas time, they come over to our house and eat and open their presents from us, and it's always a wonderful time for us and them. Usually at some point in the night, we play guitar and sing Christmas carols, and Mimi and Papa's eyes light up as they join in on the songs and sing along. These are some pictures over the last few years:
When I was in high school, my AP United States History teacher assigned the class a 10 page paper about a topic of our choosing, with the only stipulation being that it had to be related to the history of Maine. I chose to write about Flagstaff, ME, a town that was flooded in an effort to create a reservoir and now sits at the bottom of Flagstaff Lake. I thought there would be tons of material about it, (I mean a residents were moved and a town was flooded!) but there turned out to be a lot less than I had expected. I eventually made contact with a man who was once a resident of Flagstaff, and moved to nearby Stratton. My Papa used to work on the roads out that way, so me, my mom, Mimi and Papa took the trip out so that I could meet my primary source! In high school, like today, I am quite shy around new people, so it was a good thing Papa came along. He and the man talked for at least an hour about all things Maine. I got SO much information!
I am so thankful to have such wonderful grandparents, who were so active in my upbringing! They are true models of good family values, hard workers, and always encourage us to do our best. They have spent years worrying about their own children and grandchildren's well-being and always act in the best interest of their family. In turn, they are showered by love and devotion from the children, in-laws, and grandchildren. I have so much more that I could say about Mimi and Papa (and likely will in a later post!) I will close in saying Thank you to the best Grandparents a kid could have!!
Let me just get one thing out of the way very quickly: this post is long overdue! As most of you know, I have three brothers; Joe, Josh, and Isaiah. I wrote Joe a blog on his birthday and Isaiah a blog prior to his knee surgery in March. I have been waiting for a major life event for Josh, but I was at camp on his birthday and wasn't able to do it then. Well, finally, I am digging some time out to talk a little bit about the second of the four boys.
A True American
I typed the opening paragraph and then sat for thirty minutes trying to think of where I wanted to start talking about Josh. Not because I don't have anything to say, but mostly because there are so many things that I want to say about Josh. I think that rather than stick to my usual format, I will be jumping around a little bit to moments in my life that I feel provide a good illustration of Josh from my perspective.
I'm going to begin by talking about soccer. Josh probably played the biggest direct role in my improvement in soccer. While Joe was a role model for my play, Josh and I spent a lot of time working on my individual skills to make me a more effective player. We often drove to Webber Field or Colby, and spent hours playing one-on-one, shooting free kicks, and finishing and serving crosses. Prior to my high school days, Josh, Joe, and I played World Cup in the back yard. Joe played goalie while Josh and I played one-on-one. I am sure that Josh wasn't going 100% (unless I was really good), but he challenged me enough to keep the games close and push me to be strong on the ball and creative with my touches. He even made the effort to include me on his indoor soccer team, even though I was in eighth grade and the rest of the team consisted of high school seniors. I never said it in these direct words, but it meant so much to me, and obviously made me a better player. I will note that I was one of the team's lead scorers. As I got older, I remember how important it was to me when he would show up to watch me play in my varsity games. I always kept an ear out for him coaching me up from the fan section, urging me to go by defenders on my own and challenging me to do better.
I don't mean to brag in saying that the Spofford boys are more skilled in most sports than the average family of boys. We played all different sports all the time, and the practice paid off. None of us devoted a ton of our time playing organized basketball, but we did spend countless hours in the driveway playing two-on-two. Josh has always been my teammate. Unfortunately for us, our opponents, Isaiah and Joe, are definitely more gifted in the athleticism department. When I was younger, Josh was always left with the tall task of guarding Joe (who is hyper-competitive and rarely misses, especially when someone is right in his face).
Typical games usually go something like this:
Josh and I jump out to an early lead as Josh sinks a couple of shots from the right side. (Keeping in mind this is make-it-take-it)
After the first couple of makes, we miss a shot and its snatched up by Joe.
Joe hits a couple of similar shots in a row with Josh right in his shirt (Josh begins getting frustrated)
Joe fakes a drive, pulling me off of Isaiah, kicks to Isaiah, Zay makes an easy lay-up. Score: 3-2
Joe pulls up, misses one, I get the rebound
I take it out to the point, pull up and make it
I check it up with Isaiah, drive towards the hoop-- Josh looks wide open, so I throw a pass to him. Somehow, Joe comes out of nowhere and snatches up the pass. Back on defense we go. Josh and I haven't been doing much conditioning. It is at this point we start to feel the fatigue.
Joe gets it, passes to Isaiah, who does his signature sprint across the face of the basket and do a sideways fade (it is a terrible looking shot, but it's impossible to block and goes in more often than not)-- He makes itScore: 4-3
Joe takes the ball out, makes two more shots in Josh's face (Josh's frustration level is a code red-- Joe better not make his next shot) Score: 6-3
Joe passes to Isaiah who pulls up-- the shot is not good-- an airball. Josh and I breathe a sigh of relief, when suddenly Joe comes out of nowhere, grabs the ball out of the air, and slams it home (keep in mind we're playing on an 8'5" hoop-- Makes us feel like NBA players)
Josh punts the ball-- Noah goes to get the ball and the game starts again. Score 7-3.
Isaiah starts with the ball, passes to Joe who pulls up, but misses this time. Josh gets the rebound.
I drive to the basket, past Isaiah, makes a lay-up
I drive, but run into Joe as a help defender. I kick out to Josh who pulls up from mid-range and makes it! Score 7-5
I check it up with Isaiah and pull up from the top of the key-- Score 7-6
I pass the ball to Josh, he pulls up for the shot, but is blocked by Joe, who secures the ball, takes it out, shoots the mid-range jumper and sinks it (Josh begins getting heated again).
I make the defensive switch onto Joe because Josh is getting frustrated
Joe rattles off two more jumpers in my face Score 10-6
Joe passes to Isaiah, who tries to put it up over Josh, but is blocked. I grab the ball, put it up, miss, but Josh grabs the rebound and lays it in Score 10-7
Josh takes it out, I cut across the basket, catch the pass from Josh and turn it into a fade-away jumper-- I make it Score 10-8
Joe begins to sense a comeback, so he switches onto me to lock me out. Josh puts up a shot, but is off slightly, rebounded by Isaiah. (At this point, Josh and I are very winded... we have to work out more...)
Joe demands the ball from Isaiah and sinks the game winner in Josh's face.
Josh grabs the ball and punts it again.
Joe asks if we want to play another... Josh immediately says NO!
We go inside.
Sometimes the games swing in our favor, but that is about what it looks like!
Josh and Isaiah prior to Josh's first homecoming?
As a younger brother, I always wanted to be hanging out with my older brothers and be one of the guys. With Joe being about six years older than me, the age gap was a little bit too great and I would often be left out of his plans (I obviously don't blame him for that... It makes total sense). However, Josh (being a little closer in age) was much more accommodating in having me around. He always kept me in the loop about what he and his friends were up to and how he was doing in the girl world, which really allowed me to feel included. I can remember spending a lot of time with him while he sat on the computer listening to music and talked to people on AIM (AOL Instant Messenger for all you youngsters). Although I didn't always go out to hang out with him and his friends, I always felt like I was in the loop (I was so cool!) I can vividly remember when he taught me how to fast-dance (yeah, fast-dance... this blog is PG!) when I was in middle school (probably a little early for that). If I am looking for life advice, Josh is always the first brother I turn to, because he was always there to give me advice when I was younger. I will digress for just a second to point out a piece of advice Joe gave me that has stuck with me: "Noah, make sure to find a girl that laughs and smiles a lot!" (I think I did a pretty good job of that with Amy).
So dapper!
Out of the four of us, there is no doubt or argument that Josh is and has always been the most stylish. He (like myself) dedicates a decent budget towards shopping for new clothes and keeping up with the most recent styles. I often find myself trying to imitate his style choices and it has helped me dress very well indeed!
When Josh is home on vacation, you will most often find him cozied up the recliner reading on his Kindle. Josh has read so many books ranging from classics to modern day pop-culture reads. He is definitely the most well-read Spofford. He is also the most introspective of the Spoffords. When he was young, he was often "in the clouds" as my Dad would say. That imagination has allowed him to think critically and challenge normal conventions, which pushes people around him to keep up to his intellectual level and meet his standards (a quality that I am sure serves him well in the professional world). This has been a double edged sword, because he has the capacity to do so many things, but has yet to decide the exact direction he wants to take these skills in. He has thought about becoming a lawyer, nurse, librarian, or just furthering his degree in the field he is currently in. When he commits, I am positive he will be extremely successful.
Josh and Sara on their most recent Maine trip
Josh, like the rest of my family, has been a blessing in my life and I'm so happy that he is one of my brothers. He is a kind, compassionate dude with a real zeal for enjoying life in the here and now... a quality that I admire. So even though it's a little late, HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSH!! Hope you have an amazing, fruitful year!
Five years ago, I had the very good fortune to move into a Suite with seven of my best friends (see above). I have written a little bit about the guys of Suite K, but that doesn't begin to express how grateful I am to have such a great group of friends! One thing that brought us close back in the day was our affinity for sports, especially when it came to Fantasy Football. Prior to our move in day we figured out that it made sense to all pitch in to buy a tv (see above) for our common room, then at the end of the year whoever won the league would have the privilege of taking it home. For a group of college kids participating in our first competitive Fantasy league, we were pretty well organized (big credit to Josh, our commish). Since that first season, our friendships have obviously continued, and our league is still as competitve as ever (four different winners in four seasons). After leaving college, we have made sure to be in the same place for draft day. The past two years we have rented places near golf courses and made a weekend out of it. It is a real testament to our friendship that we can all meet up and still enjoy ourselves like no time has gone by. Now I'll get to it, the 2015 Suite K Fantasy Preview.
History:
2011: 1st: The Champions (Kyle), 2nd: Gridiron Brothel (Ebb), 3rd: WashingtonSentinels (Josh)
2012: 1st: Standish Mustangs (Kevin), 2nd: Washington Sentinels (Josh), 3rd: Foster the People (Ben)
2013: 1st: Defying Logic (Nick), 2nd: Julio's Foot (Noah), 3rd: Charles in Charge (Ben)
2014: 1st: Taco CHAMP (Taco/Rob), 2nd: Gridiron Brothel (Ebb), 3rd: WashingtonSentinels (Josh) Team Composition:
QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, W/R/T, K, DEF + 6 Bench
Ben:
Roster:
QB: Tony Romo
RB: Joseph Randle
RB: Tre Mason
WR: Antonio Brown
WR: Dez Bryant
WR: Julian Edelman
TE: Zach Ertz
W/R/T: Brandin Cooks
DEF: New York Jets
K: Cody Parkey
Bench: Todd Gurley, Duke Johnson Jr., Le'veon Bell, Victor Cruz, Phillip Rivers, John Brown
My Take: His top two wide receivers could potentially be the top Wide Receivers in the League this year, which is scary. Ben has historically put together really solid teams using strong a strong core of running backs (his philosophy has obviously changed a little bit). Once Bell comes back from his suspension, I expect him to be as explosive and dangerous as he was last year. Brandin Cooks looked like a world beater in his small sample size last year and preseason this year. Ben clearly took some chances on high upside running backs, but if they pan out, this team will be hard to beat!
Zay's Hot Take: "I don't know... It's okay... there are a lot of Cowboys on it."
Ebb:
Roster:
QB: Ben Roethlisberger
RB: Jamaal Charles
RB: Jeremy Hill
WR: Desean Jackson
WR: AJ Green
WR: Andre Johnson
TE: Rob Gronkowski
W/R/T: Andre Ellington
DEF: Philadelphia
K: Matt Prater
Bench: Brandon Lafell, Michael Floyd, Roddy White, Ryan Matthews, Charles Simms, Dwayne Allen My take: Ebb will clearly get a lot of points between his running backs this year, Charles and Hill should have huge years, just like they have in the past few years. Gronk is head and shoulders better than every other TE if he can stay healthy which is a huge advantage. If I had this roster, I would definitely be a little worried about my WRs and bench depth. AJ Green is sneaky good every year (especially since its a contract year). The other two starters have huge upside, but had sub-standard years last year. It will be interesting to see if the talent shines through with this lineup.
Zay's Hot Take: "Their pretty good... If Roddy White and Ryan Matthews have good years he could make it pretty far............ and if Ben Roethlisberger doesn't *poop* the bed"
Josh:
Roster:
QB: Eli Manning
RB: Marshawn Lynch
RB: Mark Ingram
WR: Calvin Johnson
WR: Alshon Jeffery
WR: TY Hilton
TE: Owen Daniels
W/R/T: Justin Forsett
DEF: Carolina
K: Mason Crosby
Bench: Matt Stafford, Golden Tate, Gio Bernard, Mike Wallace, Alfred Blue, Devonta Freeman My take: Josh is Mr. Consistency in this league. He is perennially in the playoffs and this year's roster composition looks solid yet again. There is a good balance of talent between positions with players who could have huge years. If Calvin and Alshon are healthy this year, Josh's team will definitely be a contender. I have historically stayed away from Lynch year-to-year, but every year he comes back and Beast Modes his fantasy teams into contention. Golden Tate is a must own for Calvin owners (especially if he gets hurt). I would be a little worried about running back depth on the bench, but the starters are strong.
Zay's Hot Take:"Dannggg... he's got his wideouts on lock, and Marshawn... this looks like a team that going to be carried by their wideouts"
Kevin
Roster:
QB: Drew Brees
RB: CJ Anderson
RB: Joique Bell
WR: Emanuel Sanders
WR: DeAndre Hopkins
WR: Torrey Smith
TE: Jason Witten
W/R/T: Jarvis Landry
DEF: Buffalo
K: Adam Vinatieri
Bench: Eric Decker, Arian Foster, CJ Spiller, Antonio Gates, LeGarrette Blount, Cam Newton
My Take: On draft day, Kevin was without a doubt in the worst shape of all of us this year. With that said, I think he had one of his better drafts this year. It seems he was determined to have a bench of players that were unavailable week one, but clearly a lot of upside on the bench. I think that Hopkins is going to have a monster year this year, being the only viable receiving option on the Texans. I will be curious to see how the Broncos perform this year (it's hard not to wonder about Peyton's health after the second half of last season). I would be worried about Jason Witten and Antonio Gates this year, as they are getting older and could be overtaken by younger TE's this year.
Zay's Hot Take: "They look okay... I don't know about having Torrey Smith in, he hasn't been very good in the last couple of years... It'll help if Arian Foster comes back though."
Kyle
Roster:
QB: Andrew Luck
RB: DeMarco Murray
RB: Alfred Morris
WR: Amari Cooper
WR: Steve Smith Sr.
WR: Keenan Allen
TE: Greg Olsen
W/R/T: Latavius Murray
DEF: Seattle
K: Dan Bailey
Bench: Jordy Nelson, Frank Gore, Chris Ivory, Vincent Jackson, Tom Brady, Reggie Wayne
My Take: Kyle took a huge hit with the Jordy Nelson ACL injury. His team is still in pretty good shape, led by very strong running backs. I think Amari Cooper will be the best rookie receiver in the league this year, which could be massive. I would be worried about receiever depth, especially if Allen is a dud like he was last year, but the running back depth could lead to some beneficial trades. I am interested to see how Steve Smith will step up in his self-proclaimed final season.
Zay's Hot Take: "He's got good QB's, he could use that as leverage. Hopefully Amari Cooper has a big year, because the rest of his wide receivers are not the best in the game... He has a lineup of aging wide receivers." Nick
Roster:
QB: Aaron Rodgers
RB: Matt Forte
RB: Tevin Coleman
WR: Demaryius Thomas
WR: Sammy Watkins
WR: Larry Fitzgerald
TE: Travis Kelce
W/R/T: Melvin Gordon
DEF: Green Bay
K: Stephen "Beaver" Gostkowski
Bench: Ameer Abdullah, Kenny Stills, Darren McFadden, Matt Ryan, Anquan Boldin, Dion Lewis
My Take: Any fantasy team with Aaron Rodgers can bank on a few games that he'll put the team on his back. I think that Nick took a lot of chances that could pan out and be great or be not so great. He lost Kelvin Benjamin to an ACL tear at the beginning of the season which was a really big his to his wide receievers. If his rookie running backs thrive in starting roles, Nick will be competitive. If not, he'll probably have to be a savvy waiver wire artist.
Zay's Hot Take: "Pretty balanced team, if Aaron Rodgers can make his receivers play for him. He should be...... okay"
Noah
Roster:
QB: Russell Wilson
RB: Lamar Miller
RB: Jonathan Stewart
WR: Mike Evans
WR: Jeremy Maclin
WR: Julio Jones
TE: Jimmy Graham
W/R/T: Jordan Matthews
DEF: Houston
K: Steven Hauschka
Bench: Rashad Jennings, Martavis Bryant, Davante Adams, Eddie Royal, Carlos Hyde, Allen Robinson
My Take: To be honest, I was not too happy with my roster on draft day. After further examination, I have talked myself into this lineup. I think I have a strong group of receivers with plenty of depth at that position. I am a little worried about my running backs, who could be good (but also could be terrible). I am hopeful that Graham will stay healthy and give me a competitive advantage over my opponents at that position!
Zay's Hot Take: "You have a good receiving corps... and with Lamar Miller's carry... rate up this season, it should be a strong showing." Taco
Roster:
QB: Peyton Manning
RB: Adrian Peterson
RB: Eddie Lacy
WR: Nelson Agholor
WR: Randall Cobb
WR: Odell Beckham Jr.
TE: Martellus Bennett
W/R/T: LeSean McCoy
DEF: Arizona
K: Justin Tucker
Bench: Stevie Johnson, TJ Yeldon, Pierre Garcon, Isaiah Crowell, Brandon Marshall, Doug Martin
My take: There's only so much you can say about this roster. It should be illegal to have a roster this good! Top to bottom (minus TE) it is so good. He could potentially have the top 2 fantasy RB's and WR's in the same season. He absolutely has the best chance to be the first one to repeat as champ of the League Suite K. (Thank goodness I only play him once this season)
Zay's Hot Take: "This team is nasty... WHAT!?.... I'd say this is the best looking team in the league... on paper."
I know "they" call baseball America's past time, but let's be real, everyone knows that America is actually captivated by the NFL. No matter how many mistakes the players and the commissioner make off the field, this organization is a cash cow that continues to grow in value and in viewership. Whether we are watching because we have a stake in a fantasy league (or five), we love the game, or we enjoy the company and delicious snacks, Sundays are football days. Now, there are only two weeks until the Patriots kick off against the Steelers and I am absolutely stoked. Since leaving camp, I have stayed up to date with Hard Knocks (this year it's about the Texans, who are basically coached by the guys who have left New England), I've watched a least a little bit of nearly all of the preseason games (which is brutal at times), and I've even finished watching Ballers (a show starring Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson as a former NFL player turned financial manager on HBO).1 With all that said, I am stoked for kick-off, and this is my preview on how things will play out this year!2 AFC EAST:
Overall: As with most years in the past decade and a half, it looks like this is the Patriots division to lose. However, that statement is not to discount the other teams in this division, who all added significant pieces to their puzzles. In the off-season, there were some coaching changes, some major player acquisitions, and some minor signings, but it is clear that the other three teams just want to find a way to finally dethrone the Patriots dynasty. 1. New England Patriots (Last year: 12-4, 4-2 divisional, Super Bowl Champs)
It is hard to pick against the New England Patriots to win the division. During the off-season, they lost Vince Wilfork, Brandon Browner, Shane Vereen, Kyle Arrington, Alfonso Dennard, and most painfully Darelle Revis. It is clear that the secondary is not nearly as strong as it was last year. Fans will likely see a lot more zone coverage, as the Pats no longer have Revis and Browner as shut down man-to-man corners. To make up for that, they will rely on a dominant front seven to make sure that quarterbacks aren't given as much time to get rid of the ball and force bad decisions. On the offensive side, a lot of the early success will be dependent on the ultimate decision on the Deflategate decision and whether or not Brady's suspension is upheld. There have been more than enough words spilled about that, so the only thing I will say is that the world needs to do a better job coming up with scandal titles... Watergate was an actual name of a place. I believe that there are enough offensive weapons to allow Garoppolo to have success, but he is certainly no Tom Brady just yet.
As long as Rob Gronkowski stays healthy and the offensive line does not regress their well-oiled machine should roll on. I would look for Brandon LaFell and Danny Amendola to fill larger roles this year as long as they can keep the same form that they had during last year's playoff run. Prediction: 13-3, 5-1 Divisional
2. Buffalo Bills (Last Year: 9-7, 4-2 Divisional)
After doing a lot of flip-flopping about who I think would get the number two spot in the AFC East, I have come to the conclusion that the Bills are a very likely candidate. Their major offseason aqcuisitions this year were fiery head coach Rex Ryan and slippery running back LeSean McCoy. Both of whom come to the team with very impressive resumes. Despite being a Patriots fan (admittedly jumping on the bandwagon in the early 2000's) I recognize that Rex Ryan is without a doubt one of the best coaches in the NFL, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. He is a defensive whiz and has fallen into the hands of a team with an absolutely stifling defense who ranked first in opponents average scoring per drive last year. I can only imagine that they are just going to get better this year. Their defensive line is arguably the best in football anchored by Kyle Williams, Marcell Dareus, and former number one pick Mario Williams, expect them to get to opposing quarterbacks a lot!
If the offensive side of the ball is able to score some points, this team will definitely win some ball games. Buffalo's big question mark on the offensive side of the ball will definitely be the the quarterback. Ryan announced a couple of days ago that Tyrod Taylor will be the starter for the Bills for Week One. Taylor has extremely limited time on the field in the NFL after having spent the last two years backing up Joe Flacco. This certainly doesn't mean he can't play (Flacco is a really good quarterback). The Bills will definitely look to use Taylor's threat of running to open up space for playmakers Sammy Watkins and LeSean McCoy and not become a one dimensional offense. As I type this, I believe that I am talking myself into the Bills possibly making the playoffs this year. A point of intrigue will be the use of Percy Harvin, who has a crazy good upside if he can get into a system that is able to utilize him correctly. Prediction: 11-5, Divisional 4-2
3. Miami Dolphins (Last year: 8-8, 3-3 Divisional) The Miami Dolphins used their off season to drop a big wad of cash on defensive stalwart Ndamukong Suh, who has spent his early career sacking quarterbacks (before and after the whistle).
Their below average defense should be significantly bolstered by that signing. Their secondary took a hit with the injury to Louis Delmas, but they, like the Patriots, will rely heavily on their pass rush to mask a weaker secondary. On the offensive side of the ball the Dolphins should have a lot of success. This will be a make or break year for Ryan Tannehill, as he has teetered on the edge of elite and good for the past couple of years. Miami got rid Mike Wallace, which should help the offensive chemistry. They will be relying on young, talented wide receivers, Davante Parker, Jarvis Landry, and Kenny Stills to help get the job done down in South Beach. Lamar Miller should be the primary running back down there after a breakout season last year. I would suspect the Dolphins will take a big step forward this year, especially with a seemingly weak schedule to start the season. If they can gain positive momentum early, they may be able to carry it into a difficult second half of the season. Prediction: 9-7, 2-4 Divisional
4. New York Jets (Last year: 4-12, 1-5)
Sorry Jets fans! While I do think that this year's Jets teamwill take a step forward after a couple of off-season acquisitions and a solid draft, it is hard to fathom a giant step forward will be in order with Ryan Fitzpatrick (Sorry, Ryan) or Geno Smith playing quarterback.
Exhibit A
The Jets did make some strides towards developing a stronger offense, bringing in Brandon Marshall, who had a down year last year after many very productive seasons, so they'll obviously hope he comes in and makes a big impact (I doubt it). They will also be led by offensive coordinator Chan Gailey who does come with a good offensive mind. He has experience coaching Fitzpatrick and will look to capitalize on Fitz's strengths until Smith comes back from his broken jaw. In order for the Jets to find success offensively, a lot will ride on keeping a healthy team. From a talent standpoint, their skill positions (other than QB) don't look terrible with Chris Ivory at running back and Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall splitting the majority of the catches. Their schedule isn't the easiest, but if they are able to string a couple of wins together, maybe they can build from that. One thing that they definitely have going for them is that they boast a very formidable defense. Their biggest additions came with the signings of Darelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie to significantly improve a leaky secondary. Revis proved last year that he is still one of the leagues best man-to-man defenders, shutting down some of the league's best wide receivers.
They also have a very young, but talented front seven with Wilkerson, Richardson, and first-round draft pick Leonard Williams (if he gets healthy). I believe that they will make strides towards a bright future, but with a tougher division and a difficult schedule, I don't think it is the Jets time to shine yet. Prediction: 6-10, 1-5 Divisional
1Ballers isn't actually as bad as I thought it would be, it's quite entertaining (if you like football and Entourage, it's right down your alley). 2 Obviously I'm not going to get everything right and I haven't spend a million hours doing research, so take these with a grain of salt.
As a lot of you know, I have spent the last eight summers at a wonderful place called Camp Bishopswood, and part of being at camp means that I have very limited time to do much else than be really immersed in camp, so unfortunately writing blog posts has been one of the things to fall through the cracks. Here at camp, we have spent the last couple of weeks on "magic time," which means that we set our camp clocks a half hour ahead so that we can maximize our time with daylight in the evenings. Unfortunately for most, it also means we are waking up a half hour before the "real world" people do. On weekends, we roll the clocks back, so long story short, my body is stuck on "magic time" and I am up and ready to go! While there are many things that I want to write about when I finish camp, I can't help but put down a few words about this summer and the things that have been happening here at camp!
Winter Camp
Unlike many of my seasons at Camp, this one started long before the campers were bustling around here. Mike, our director invited a group of the leadership staff up to the Gate House in early February for "winter camp." We had a great time catching up and getting the ball rolling, brainstorming about things that we would do this summer to keep things fresh and fun for the campers. As part of the weekend, we took a hike down to center camp to check it out. This turned out to be way more work than any of us thought it would be! A walk that takes about 8 minutes in the summer took at least 25, as we trudged through waist-deep snow towards camp. When we finally got down there, it was as beautiful as always, but SOO snowy (as illustrated in the photo on the left.) As we talked about camp, we agreed that the throughout the past couple of summers we have definitely made steps in the right direction as far as programming is concerned, and that we didn't want to make any wholesale changes to our scheduling. We began to brainstorm fresh new ideas for All Camp Activities and one that stuck (and I'm happy that it did) was to have our first annual Color Wars (more on that later).
I will admit that in past years after the camp season ends, my attention has often turned quickly towards other things (college, friends, work, etc.), which makes it difficult to stay in a mentality that allows me to do productive tasks in the off-season for camp. This year, however, I had a job that didn't require too much preparation or attention away from the job, so that opened up a lot time for me to do camp things remotely from my apartment (which was truly great!).
Enough about me though, I want to talk about the summer now!
Summer Camp!
I have enjoyed camp this summer immensely (one of my favorite summers for sure). Like any summer, there have been challenges and unexpected events that can be stressful, but having incredibly creative cabin counselors, leadership staff that is super cohesive, and many memorably wonderful campers it makes all of these things afterthoughts. This being the first summer that I spend at camp without Amy, I came in with plenty of apprehensions, not sure how this adjustment would manifest itself (especially after having lived with her for the past year). POOP week and the beginning of Staff Training week were particularly difficult for me. I still had some close friends on staff with me but it was just a little different than having my girlfriend of eight years and my little brother/best friend with me. In transition times or during down time when I would spend them with Amy and Isaiah, I found myself feeling a little bit lost. As the week progressed, I began to realize (through the help of some amazing people) that rather than dwell on the things that I was missing, I should try my best to live in the moment and get to know those who were around me.
Such a Wholesome Group
On Wednesday night of Staff Training week, we decided that we were going to do a full campout experience so that those who hadn't done one through the perspective of a counselor would have the opportunity to do so. To be honest, I was not looking forward to it. As a counselor, I enjoyed cooking out and spending time away with my cabins, but there has always been something about sleeping in the great outdoors that I have trouble coming to love. However, I knew that as a program director, it was important for me to put my program face on and enjoy it as much as possible. As the evening progressed, I found that I was enjoying myself and my company far more than I had anticipated. I was learning knew things about those that were in my group and really feeling more connected than I had for the previous few days.
Our Campfire
As the evening was coming to a close, I began to settle down in the tent, getting ready to read before I went to sleep. As I was doing so, Jake (a former camper of mine and first year counselor) came to settle in as well. I read for a few minutes in silence and then suddenly he asked "what is your biggest piece of advice for me as a first year counselor?" I answered the question the best way that I could, and ended up having a really lengthy, meaningful conversation, something that I had not expected at all. It was a real turning point for me as far as feeling connected and part of a community that I had been in for so long. I woke up the next morning looking forward to the summer to come and really feeling positively about the strides not only I had made, but that the rest of the staff was making as well!
Thursday of Staff Training week was our mandatory fun time, and boy was it a doozy (yep, I said doozy). We began our mandatory fun by gathering at Lauren's camp and just spending some quality low-key time together. Katherine and I split the counselors up and we were able to pair some counselors with their "Friends for Life." After that, we made the big reveal of cabin pairings. This has been a stressful process in past years, as some personalities just don't necessarily work well together. This year, thankfully, that was not the case. As the leadership group discussed the pairings there were really no red flags that were rising. As we announced the pairs, there was some outward excitement as well as some inward enthusiasm about the people each person would be working so closely with all summer. We breathed a quick sigh of relief... no drama in the announcement this year (Phew). The afternoon continued with some grilling, going to Belfast for Ice Cream, and culminated with some candle pin bowling to end the evening. Earlier in the day, each group was given the assignment to pick out costumes for the last event (which at the time was a mystery). Once we got to the alley, we costumed up (my team was Hawaiian themed). I never thought I would ever laugh or dance as hard as I did while we bowled. It became clear to me as we were bowling, singing, and dancing together that this year's staff was in it for the right reasons, and it was going to be an absolutely amazing summer. At one point towards the end of the night, Mike pulled me aside and said "Look at this Noah and remember it when you are feeling exhausted and frustrated in the middle of the summer." It was really valuable advice.
Bowling ended, we climbed back on the bus, and traveled back to camp, visibly drained for the activities of the day. As we filed off the bus, I could feel the positive energy from the staff and felt very confident that we were about to have one of the best summers ever!
Best Staff Ever?
More to come about the later weeks soon!
Until Next Time!
Hello blog world! I am finally out of the woods after a stellar summer (more to come on that at a later date) and am excited to be back in the blogosphere. As much as I want to tell you all how much fun I had at camp this summer, I missed a very important day on here and need to rewind back Father's Day to give a little airtime to a living legend and my wonderful father!
Meeting Dan Spofford is an experience that few people would ever forget. His constant smile, enthusiasm, and occasional toilet humor attract people to him. Whether I am in church, visiting him at work, or meet someone in passing who knows Dad, the response to me telling them that I am his son is always the same. The person's face lights up with a smile and they say "Oh you're Dan's son!" I haven't met too many people in my life that are able to leave that sort of impact on people. One day I went to visit dad at the hospital he works at and wasn't quite sure where his office was, because he had just relocated. I went to the front desk and asked where I might find him. The woman at the front desk didn't know him by name, but once I told him that he is in charge of patient care satisfaction, it came back to her and she said "Ohh yeahh, he's the one that's always smiling, he must be great to have as a dad!!" It's true, it really is.
In my post about my Mom, I talked a lot about how she lives with a quiet calm demeanor. Dad does not. Although he shares many traits with my mother, (i.e., thoughtfulness, kindness, compassion, zeal for family, love of God, many others...) quietness is not one of them. When the boys come home from being away, Dad is always there to greet us in excitement (often jumping up and down calling us one of many of our nicknames, mine is Noodie). He whoops and hollers, as we squirm through his excitement. While we pretend to hate this ritual, it is one that deep down inside we all know we look forward to as we enter the house.
One thing that I have definitely inherited from my Dad is the love of singing (and doing it constantly). When we are home and wake up on the weekends or holidays there are two things that we can bet on. 1) There will be a delicious breakfast prepared. 2) Dad will be singing as he greets us in the morning. He is certainly a morning person and there have been more than a few mornings that his energy has been met with chagrin from one or more of us boys. After a little while though, the energy he shares with us (the coffee helps too) finally kicks in, and we have a great day.
Dad is a man of many emotions and wears all of them on his sleeves. We always know if Dad is happy, sad, exhausted, or upset, because he (or his behaviors) will tell us. On occasion Dad has been known to lack a filter and often says exactly what's on his mind. This is a trait that most of us boys share within the house and with those closest to us, but hide it well otherwise. The first time I ever brought Amy home to meet my parents, my Dad immediately began to dance with our dog Sam and started sing "once in love with Amy," I almost died. Fortunately, he didn't scare her away, and she has stayed around for a while.
Due to Dad's outspoken nature, there is never any questions about where his priorities in life lay. Family is definitely within the top two for him. He constantly reminds us boys how much he loves us and provides praise, advice, and support at times when we need it. Sometimes, when it is necessary, he gives us the hard truths, and tells us the things we don't want to hear when we need it the most. There is no doubt that he puts our needs before his own, and always has. For years, he and Mom provided an amazing taxi service to us as they carted us all around the state to play soccer, nearly every single weekend. I am sure there are things that they would have rather done, but they dropped their plans in order for us to be successful doing the things that we loved. On occasion, Mom and Dad planned day trips and gracefully took things in stride, as we complained incessantly about having to wake up so early. Instead of turning the car around, Dad spent the car rides singing and pointing out how beautiful the scenery was around us. Looking back, I am grateful to have had these opportunities and I often find myself admiring views and scenery and think of my younger years. I often find myself striving to live my life with the same selflessness that my parents modeled for me!
I still share recliners with Dad! (It's much less comfortable)
If I had to pick the biggest similarity between me and my dad, I would definitely say that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree with our sense of humors. When I go home and see Dad, it does not take long before we can get each other laughing. Part of Dad's sense of humor that I value most is his ability to laugh at himself (something that I think not enough people are able to do). When he makes a mistake or misspeaks, he does not beat himself up over it. Instead, he laughs it off. When he does, he often causes others around him to laugh too. I am so happy that I have inherited this quality (as well as the propensity for toilet humor).
Something that I admire about my Dad that I would love to be better at is the ability to provide compliments and let people know how he is feeling. Dad provides a never ending chain of compliments to me and constantly builds me up, even during hard times. I think that I can attribute my self confidence to his praise of me when I was younger. I often notice when people do great things, but I hold it inside rather than praising them for what they've done, and I want to get better at saying "Great Job!"
Anyways, if you all can't tell, my Dad is awesome, in fact, I think he's the best Dad in the World! I know that many people feel strongly about their own and that's okay (but I know who the real best is...) He is kind, compassionate, God-fearing, silly, and all-around wonderful! Sorry this is late, but thanks for being an excellent Dad!!
As I have previously written, I was a child who was obsessed with soccer. I can't even begin to calculate the hours that I have spent devoted to some form of enjoyment of the sport. I played it, watched it live, watched it on TV, and lived it virtually through many different editions of FIFA. When I was I entered junior high school, my love for the game was at an all time high. I was playing on a travel team, watching my brothers play for the high school, and U.S. sports networks were finally giving soccer the slightest bit of air time. For most of my younger years, we never had premium cable, so when there were games on TV (usually Champion's League games) I would get a ride over to my Mimi and Papa's house to watch the games with them! (I haven't had a chance to write about what remarkable people they are, but will certainly dive into that soon.) However, due to my busy schedule, I wasn't always able to make it over there to watch the games. Fortunately for me, someone who helped feed my addiction to soccer fell into my life: his name was Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones was my math teacher (which I wasn't very good at) as well as the high school soccer coach. He coached my older brothers and was keenly aware of how much I loved the game (he was the one who asked if I wanted to be a ball boy). He loved the game of soccer and frequently taped the latest games so that he could study them to learn more to contribute to his professional development as a coach. Knowing how much I loved soccer, he would often bring in stacks of tapes for me to bring home so that I could watch as much as possible! I would often bring the tapes back to him, but I definitely still have some of them hanging around my house in Waterville. I began to watch all the time, whether it was at home after school or in our van (see road trip blog) on the way to soccer games. Through watching the games, I was able to be exposed to so many different styles of play and use them to help make me see the field differently. I have since continued to watch soccer on TV whenever possible (which is much more frequently thanks to growing popularity!). In this time, these are my favorite players that I have watched (bear in mind they may not be the best players ever, but some arguably are).
1. Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane is without a doubt my all time favorite player (and arguably one of the best ever). My first memories of Zidane came in the '98 World Cup finals when he scored two beautiful goals to lead France to a 3-0 victory over Brazil in front of their home crowd. I was struck by the fluidity in which he played. He was always in control and never seemed to lose possession. He also had a knack for scoring massive goals at critical moments in big games. Although he is most famous for his two goals in the '98 World cup, my favorite of his goals came in the 2002 Champion's league final, when he did this:
I remember seeing this live and going absolutely crazy. For those of you that play soccer, you know how hard it is to time up a volley as it floats toward you. Usually, my eyes widen at the chance and I kick it 20 yards over the net. Not Zidane though, he took a deep breath, and with his weaker foot, fired a bullet right into the back to the net it was incredible. However, he didn't stop there. Although he was growing older, he made one more run at the World Cup in 2006, where he nearly willed his team to victory. As one of the older players in the Cup, he was still one of the best players on the field, constantly making world-class players look silly. He scored France's only goal in the World Cup final by fooling one of the world's best goalkeepers, Gigi Buffon, by chipping his penalty kick perfectly off the crossbar and in (just barely). He may be the only player ever to have the courage to take a shot like that anywhere other than the practice field, let alone the biggest stage in all of sports! Unfortunately, most people will remember him in this game for the infamous headbutt that flattened Materazzi during extra time (not the first time Zidane headbutted someone) and forget that he nearly scored the go ahead goal for France just minutes before. Although he may have had some fiery moments in his career, he was and will likely always be my favorite player ever!
2. Ruud Van Nistelrooy
Great Jersey too!
The Dutch have famously produced outstanding goal scorers (see Cruyff, Van Basten, Bergkamp, Van Persie, and Robben), but of these, Van Nistelrooy has always been my favorite. I would probably attribute this to my dominance with him on FIFA '04, but he was without a doubt a fantastic player in real life too! In the mid-2000's Manchester United was one of the few teams that could regularly be seen on American television, therefore, there was a lot of exposure to van Nistelrooy in my youth. The thing that I have always admired about great scorers is their ability to seemingly always be in the right place at the right time. Part of being a world class striker is to clean up the trash, but in order to do that players have to have the presence of mind to put themselves in the proper position to do so. In this sense, Van Nistelrooy was one of the best in the early-2000's. He always appeared in that space that no one else filled, knowing exactly where the ball was going, and burying it. During his time on Manchester United, he was constantly near the top of the league in scoring, winning the Golden Boot once. I always admired his abilities and tried to mirror the way that he finished near the goal. He was also in some fantastic commericals, which of course always helps: (note young Tim Howard)
3. Phillipp Lahm
Lahm is a defender by trade, and as such does not get nearly as much press as he deserves. Before he retired from international play after he led the Germans to their World Cup victory in 2015, he had been their captain 5 years (replacing the legendary Michael Ballack). This in itself is quite remarkable, considering the level of talent on that particular team. Whichever team Lahm has played for, he has made an incredible impact, whether it is winning the Bundesliga, Champion's League, or the World Cup, he has done it all. It is amazing to watch him, because he is so smart and steady and is really a master at his craft. He is only 5'7", hardly the typical build for a defender (especially a German one), but uses his brains and speed to keep himself in the right positions around the field. Few players in the world in the past 10 years have made as large of an impact on their teams as Philipp Lahm does (and even fewer receive as little attention). I vividly remember the first time I ever heard of Lahm was in the 2006 World Cup, where he wasted very little time getting his name on the map with this strike:
Even though his goals are few and far between, this one cemented my fandom. Through three World Cups (06, 10, and 14) he played nearly every minute for the Germans, who made it to at least the Semi-Finals in each of those tournaments. Although fans will always celebrate the goalscorers more, I will always have a soft spot for the players (like Lahm) who make a profound impact on games without reaping the glory associated with scoring.
4. Brad Friedel
This list would be incomplete without my favorite goalie of all time. Friedel is arguably the best goalie in American history, and for a time was in the conversation as one of the best in the entire world. If there is one thing that Americans are successful when it comes to soccer, that would be producing outstanding goalies (Friedel, Keller, Howard, Guzan, etc...). Although the list is long, Friedel takes the cake for me, because of what he did in the 2002 World Cup, when he saved not one, but two penalties to ensure USA's passage into the round of 16: (Saves are 57 seconds in)
Little did we know, he would continue his world class form for the next twelve years, starting at Tottenham for much of that time (and even outplaying Hugo Lloris for one of those seasons to earn the starting spot.) Although I know that there are probably better goalies, he anchored a USA team that was right in the midst of my soccer filled childhood, and I will always respect him immensely for that! 5. Lionel Messi
What can I say about the Little Magician that hasn't already been said before? In my opinion, he is the best player in this decade by a wide margin. Standing at just 5'6", he makes impossible plays look easy on a regular basis. There is no one in the entire world that plays as fluid or intelligently as Messi does. I am going to stop writing and just put up a highlight reel, because enough words have already been published around the world:
6. Gareth Bale
Even though Messi is the best player in the world, Gareth Bale is my favorite current player (although I wish he wasn't on Real). I admittedly have a soft spot for players that are from areas that typically do not fare well in World Cup qualifying (i.e, Ryan Giggs and Dimitar Berbatov), but just because Wales probably won't qualify for a World Cup anytime soon doesn't mean that Bale is to blame. When he was at Tottenham he improved steadily, becoming one of its best players in the 2012-13 campaign and stacking up 26 goals. He was swiftly bought by the money pit Real Madrid and inserted into a key role on a team that won the Champion's League last year thanks to this goal. This year, he has received more criticism from the Spanish media, as he was put in a new role and put up less than stellar scoring numbers (he still scored 17 goals). At just 25 years old, I assume that he will continue to improve and grow as player, and saw rumours that Madrid's new coach, Benitez will be moving Bale back to his preferred position of Left wing. He is a famed free kick specialist, (as documented by this 4:00 video) a skill that I worked very hard on when I was in high school. In last year's Copa Del Rey he scored this beauty:
7. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Finally we come to Zlatan Ibrahimovic. For over a decade, I have had the absolute pleasure to watch Zlatan score goals. Zlatan became one of my favorites after showing off some sweet moves in this amazing Joga Bonito ad with Cristiano Ronaldo. Zlatan is famed for scoring some pretty whacky and incredible goals. Every time I look at a Sweden box score, it seems as though he scores all of their goals (which of course isn't true). Regardless, his bicycle kick goal against England is one of my all time favorite finishes:
When it came to scoring, there are few players that I tried to emulate more than Ibrahimovic (he has some obvious physical advantages). He has found success on every team that he played for, and has an absolute knack for finding the back of the net. I will leave this video of Zlatan being a savage versus Moldova:
Honorable Mention: Thierry Henry, Olivier Giroud, Samir Nasri, Patrice Evra (I guess I like the French), Gabriel Batistuta, Freddie Ljunberg, Clint Dempsey, Eden Hazard
Until Next Time!
P.S.
I am sure many of you will read this and think "WHAT, NO RONALDO (Cristiano that is)!?" I didn't include him, because he is not one of my favorites. I obviously recognize his talents, but my feelings for Cristiano Ronaldo mirror my feelings for LeBron James. I know that they are good, but everything they do feels too calculated for me (and I'm not a huge fan of whiners.)
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