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 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

For Real, Jerusalem Big Blue Lions, The Champs 2017!

Yes, this was another amazing "like in the movies" game. Do the IFL's Jerusalem Big Blue Lions play any simple wins?

Besides the game's first touchdown by veteran star player #41 Binyamin Schulz, Big Blue was behind the entire game. That is until the last minute or so, when it skillfully clawed its way up to the same score as the Tel Aviv Pioneers. In that alone it made history. Never before had there been a need for overtime play in a championship game.

Suddenly there was something magic on the field. Big Blue fans crowded up close. The Pioneers somehow shrank; their fans were silent, in shock. We could all taste the impending victory. This past season, Big Blue had pulled off quite a few fourth quarter wins, and they got stronger every second. Lions for sure!



The Pioneers didn't know what had hit them. Just over a month ago, they had defeated the Lions, breaking the Lions' season long winning streak. Throughout the championship game, it looked like the Tel Aviv Pioneers would do it again. But there isn't a team in the League with the ultra-marathon mental toughness of the Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions.

The game opened with the singing of Israel's National Anthem, Hatikvah, The Hope, which  ends with the word Jerusalem-Yerushalayim. It was very fitting, because in the game, the Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions certainly had the "last word."



PS Praise goes to the Head Coach, who happens to be my son, Baruch Hashem, bli eyin haraa. He may possibly be the youngest Head Coach in the league, but it's obvious that he's the best!