Adorable New Liony Fan at Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions Game

I was one of the first fans to show even before the Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions game against Ramat Hasharon Hammers began. There was one new Lions fan there before me, this gorgeous, humongous red tabby, male. I had never seen him there before. He reminded me of the red tabby we used to have, a female who was very fertile when we didn't give her birth control pills. Could this one be a descendant? Her kittens ended up all over.

By the end of the game, the stands were full of fans, mostly for the Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions, some were just curious Israelis who wanted to see "real American tackle football," and of course there were some Ramat Hasharon Hammers fans.

Last night I did not take the bus and walk from "Tzomet Bar Ilan." One of the players, who's a neighbor, gave me a ride, and a different player dropped me off in Shiloh. But I still got in lots of "steps" following the game. It has become one of my favorite fitness pass-times. A bonus is talking to the fans and friends and family of the players. I love being able to answer "Who do you have on the team?" with "My son is the Head Coach."

As you can see from the scoreboard below, the Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions won the game 48:18. Gd willing we'll continue winning, another championship IFL season.

IFL Football Season Began With A Win For The "Lions"

I still don't believe I did it. I walked to the Kraft Family Sports Campus. No, I didn't walk from Shiloh; I'm not insane. I walked from the Shmuel Hanavi Junction, which is where Eshkol Boulevard becomes Bar Ilan Street. I could have taken a bus part way, to the Har Chotzvim Industrial Zone, but that wouldn't have saved me much time. It's less than half the way. I checked with Google Maps.

I had gotten rides to previous games, and this time there didn't seem to be one. Besides that, I had the time. Most of the way was flat, and I even stopped off at one of the commercial buildings in Har Chotzvim Industrial Zone to try out the public toilets, which I'll have to write about in my Pishers' Guide series. When you go to the Kraft Family Sports Campus, which is near Ramot Junction, by car it seems far away. The road is off of a highway, and you have to be on the correct side of the road, or you have a long detour.

Even with all my walking, I got to the football field with time to spare. The players were still warming up. Soon the stands filled and the game began.

The Lions were ahead the entire game, though they mostly scored in the first half, if I'm not mistaken. There are many changes in players from last year, so it'll take time to really show their potential. The next game should be tougher, but it was a good season starter. The score was 31:15.

Yaala "Big Blue!" Let's have a fourth championship season, Gd willing!!

Yes! The Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions Won Israel Bowl XII

If you had been wondering if The Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions won its third consecutive IFL Israel Bowl national championship, yes, we did! Yes, this is tackle football, like in the USA. 

The Petach Tikva Troopers played hard and well, but the Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions played better. That's it in a nutshell.

Yes, as you can see from the score, 29-26 was a close game, and at one point we were behind. But lions don't give up.

The game had been scheduled for Thursday night, but since very stormy weather had been forecast, the league was able to arrange a postponement with the Jerusalem Municipality for Friday morning. It was perfect weather, dry and not too sunny. The crowd was all ages, and Hebrew was the dominant language, even though you could hear plenty of English.

Today's The Game- How did I End Up in The Bleachers?

You probably don't believe me, but not only am I not from an athletic family. None of us were sportsmen. We weren't in any of the school teams. We didn't watched sports, not on television and not in the stands. Only once did my father take my brother to baseball game, and that was because his cousin's husband somehow convinced him that they should do a father-son outing together. For a short time in high school, I went to junior varsity basketball home games and did have fun cheering Great Neck North, which probably won every game. None of my friends went to them or the varsity games, even though our school was generally first or second in all categories. Once I became active in the Great Neck Synagogue Teen Club, NCSY* chapter, that was the end of my life as a spectator.

So, it's rather funny to think that today I'm one of the loyal fans, too hyper even at my age, to cheer the Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions from a seat. I guess that I'm considered one of the "local characters" by the team and other fans. "Why?" You're probably wondering.

When my youngest child came back from his post-army sojourn in New York, he was hooked on American tackle football. He tried out for Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions and became part of the defense. And we started going to the games to cheer for him and the team. At that time the Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions was a middling team and didn't win any championships. But I enjoyed watching, being with most of my children, getting to know other fans and the energy surge I felt even as a spectator. After a number of years, my son was appointed head coach, and in his second season, which would make a great movie, the Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions won the IsraelBowl X Championship! That was two years ago, and last year we also won.

Today at 11am in the Kraft Family Sports Campus, we'all watch IsraelBowl XII and cheer on the Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions and pray for a third record-breaking championship in a row, Gd willing. Yaala Big Blue!

*Davka, one of the players in Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions is the grandson of NCSYers from the 1960s.

Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions to The 2019 Finals!

Last night Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions, reigning champions for the past two years, showed its superior... everything... in the semifinal game against the Tel Aviv Pioneers. Big Blue won, 47:8. Just two years ago, Big Blue had met the Pioneers in the finals, a game that could make a great movie screenplay. In that legendary game, Big Blue was behind until they started inching forward in the final, fourth, quarter. Until then, it looked like we hadn't a chance. Then, only six, yes 6 seconds to the end of the game we tied them. The crowd went berserk and could hardly be held back. We beat them in overtime, yes, just like in the movies.

selfie of me watching the game

Last night's game was different. This season's Pioneers aren't the same team that we played against in 2017. They started pretty well, but couldn't keep it up for the full four quarters.

There was a nice supportive festive atmosphere in the stands watching the game. The fans are a real mix of Israeli society, as are the players. And there's a wonderful feeling of family, too, among players and fans.

The Jerusalem football games take place in the Kraft Family Sports Campus, under the Ramot Junction. BTW, the Kraft who donated money for the fields is Robert Kraft, owner of the NFL Patriots which just won the Super Bowl.  BTW#2 Head Coach of the Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions is my son. I can brag, right?

Next week is the Finals of the 12th season IFL Tackle Football. Yaala, BIG BLUE!

Last year's finals against the Petach Tikva Troopers. There's a good chance that we'll be playing them again, next week.

Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions Undefeated in Season Play 2018-1019

The foggy night in the new Kraft Family Sports Campus didn't fog up two year reigning champions, Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions last night. In a very tough game against the Judean Rebels, the Lions showed their superior playing power.

53-12 Lions over Rebels

The next game is the semifinals in two weeks. Gd willing, we'll win that one, too, and then on to our third National Championship.

For more information about upcoming games and American Tackle (and flag) Football in Israel, click here IFL.

American Football in Israel, Lions in The Lead

After last Thursday night's nail-biter of a game, the Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions defeated its only real competitor, Petach Tikva Troopers, 27:20 and is now the only undefeated team in IFL American Football in Israel.

I braved the cold, wearing woolen socks under my Timberland boots, plus my newly crocheted Lions' colors scarf, which I had only finally completed on the bus traveling to the game.

American football isn't an easy game. First of all, the players are encumbered by restricting shoulder pads, and their vision is restricted by the helmet. When it's windy, even the most perfectly tossed pass can be moved off target by the wind.

The past few seasons, watching the game has been a bit easier for me, since my son is head coach. Of course, I still worry about the players on the field, since the only way an offense player can be stopped from scoring a touchdown is when an opposing defense player tackles, meaning jumps on top of him. And frequently, there's a pileup of players on the player holding the ball. So, I used to be happy that my son was a defense player and more frequently on top, or in the middle, rather than underneath. Of course, the better the offense player is, the more chance he'll be tackled. And the more he's tackled, the more he can be injured. That's the truth, though it can hurt in more ways than one.

Gd willing fair games and refuah shleimah, complete recovery to the injured.

Yaala Big Blue! Let's have another championship season, Gd willing.

Jerusalem Lions Start Season With Big Win 46-0

Here's one of the touchdowns:

Last night was the first game of the IFL season, and the Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions  totally overpowered the Tel Aviv Pioneers, their opponents in the championships a year and  a half ago. That was a legendary game, which belongs in the genre of sports movies. After trailing for the first three quarters, the Lions awoke with a roar and managed to tie Tel Aviv six 6 seconds before the end of the game. Then in overtime the Lions won their first championship in close to a decade.

The Lions we saw last night played like they did in that fourth quarter of the 2017 championship game. They didn't relax for a minute. Tel Aviv seemed to be missing their great star players from two seasons ago. The league doesn't give out programs that list the players, and the new Kraft Family Stadium's much larger playing field, makes it hard for my aging eyes to read all the names and numbers on the uniforms. So it was hard to know who was on the field.

Tel Aviv played much better than the score indicates. They had some bad luck, such as when halftime came just when they were on their line and close to scoring.

The Jerusalem Lions team consists of some of the most veteran players in the IFL, plus much younger ones. The future looks good, Gd willing.

Gd must love football, because He decreed no rain during and right before the game. The needed winter rain didn't resume until we got home.

Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorach

May You Have a Peaceful and Blessed Shabbat

Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions Into The Finals, 2018, 5778

The Tel Aviv Pioneers quickly ran out of steam last night at the new Kraft Family Stadium, as the reigning champions, Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions outplayed/crushed them in the first of the two semi-finals. Final Score 54:12!






Gd willing, we will complete the season this coming Thursday, undefeated.

Ya'ala BIG BLUE!

Pishers' Guide to Jerusalem #26, New Kraft Stadium, Complaining May have Helped

This is a continuation in my ongoing series about public toilets in Jerusalem. See #25,  #24,  #23, #22, #21,#20, #19, #18, #17, #16,  #15a, #15,  #14, #13, #12, #11, #10, #9,  #8, #7,  #6,  #5, Saved by The First Station aka #4a, #4, #3, #2 and #1

These open urinals make it MEN ONLY.

It sure pays to complain. Or am I taking too much credit? As regular readers know, I attend football games in the new Kraft Stadium near Ramot to cheer for the Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions.  The first time I needed to use the WC, 00 aka Public Toilet, there I discovered that there was just one open, for the men. Now I don't mind going to "mixed facilities," like in the First Station, but when there are urinals, they are obviously MEN ONLY.

After a sympathetic ref made sure it was clear of men, a few women took over guarding it, so we could all have a turn. The men who needed graciously volunteered to "use the wall" in the back. I sent a message of complaint about the lack of a "ladies room" to IFL officials, and asked others to do the same. Besides the female spectators, there are female referees, physiotherapists and photographers at the games on official business.

So, at the next game, with great trepidation I approached the little WC building and discovered that they had unlocked the door to the room on far left, also. The lights were on, and it looked large and impressive. OK, there wasn't any toilet paper, nor did I notice soap, but the locks seemed to work as did the water faucets. As I've said before, it is important to always come prepared.

There also weren't any signs on the door indicating male, female...

But I did discover that if you find the official with the key, there's a handicapped toilet there, too, for those in need.

A Second Win for Jerusalem Big Blue Lions

It was cold at the new Kraft Stadium outside of Ramot, Jerusalem, so I took almost no pictures last night.

From the very minutes of the game, Jerusalem Big Blue Lions were ahead, and as hard as Haifa Underdogs tried, they just couldn't score. That is except for when their player, stubbornly still holding the ball, was pushed over the Lions' line and the touchdown went to Jerusalem.

The final score was 37-0, but the game was closer than the score shows.

Gd willing this season will continue well for the Lions, and there will be another championship!

Jerusalem Big Blue Lions Started Season With A WIN

Jerusalem Big Blue Lion played the Petach Tikva team and won. The game was close. Both are among the top teams of the league. The field was the special American Football field in the new Kraft Family Sports Campus that Robert Kraft funded for the Jerusalem Municipality.

Photo by Ruti Eastman

JBB Lions were the home team and decided to go to the far side leaving the visitors the very narrow sidelines where the fans tried to watch. It was disappointing for us fans not being close to the players, but the Lions coach made the right decision. It's just too crowded where we were. We were all tripping over the equipment, bags and players from the visiting team. And of course they were also blocking our view. It was OK for the fans sitting on the top row, but I like to walk, watch and cheer simultaneously. I'm not an expert in artificial turf, the fake grass which is now used in most sports fields, but as a walker, I loved it. Even after a long day, it was easy on the feet and made walking very enjoyable.

I'm not an expert in football and barely know the rules, but my guess, also from the results in last night's game, is that the top four teams of last year will give each other real competition. None seem to be far superior to the others.