I'll have a lot of season review/round-up pieces for you next week including an editorial piece, round table discussions by the Irish-born players of GFL2, highlights of the game itself, and some more 'What Happened Next?': be sure to stay tuned for all the great content!
Anyway, as the dust settles after the pomp and nonsense of the week's build up let's kick back with another great addition to the Der Irlander back catalogue of interviews as we sit down with Irish-born Steve Walsh.
Seems fitting to wind up the week with an interview with Steve who plays defensive end for the Lubeck Cougars. Steve has been with the Cougars since this years training camp and has fought his way into the starting line-up for the mountain lion defence. As the season comes to a close two players on opposing teams took a few minutes out to set aside the rivalry and provide a final nugget of preview for you!
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| Steve Walsh, DE, Lubeck Cougars |
Der Irlander: Hey Steve, thanks for taking time out of your preparations to talk to me. First off, how have you found the transition from IAFL to GFL2? Was there much culture shock?
Steve Walsh: The main shock i received was the size of the organisations over here and the game speed. Outside of football it wasnt much of a shock because I've been living with two english speakers and the team all has a good level of English. The cost of living also surprised me; everthing in Germany is so much cheaper then back home!
DI: You had two former Dublin teammates with you in Lubeck, how helpful were they to helping you adjust to life here?
SW: They helped quite a bit of course. When I arrived here I stayed with one of them for a few weeks and they were really helpful in the first while. For some things here you are kind of dependant on the locals and they helped alot with contacting them and basicaly assimilating me to how the team operates.
DI: What about the Cougars as an organisation, must be a world of difference to the teams back home?
SW: The Cougars spoke of the "Cougars Family" alot when I got here and I assumed it was the same as alot of other teams talking about being a family but they really take that to heart here. They are always avalable to help you out when needed and they really reach out to you from the moment you get here. The amount of people involved knocked me back a little as well. Seeing the amount of bodies at practice from the U11 right upto the first team is just staggering compared to back home, game days also when it's mothers and friends and brothers and sisters, wives and kids all there to run the gameday definately gives a freedom to the players that I haven't experianced before.
DI: What the biggest thing for you to adjust to with the German game, the mental aspect or the physical aspect?
SW: I think the physical aspect was the hardest to adjust too; the size and speed of the players over here was a bit daunting. At home I had a bit of a "Big fish in a small pond" mentality but that was definately knocked out of me when I walked into our dorm in camp and realised that I was the smallest lineman we had: I actually had a bit of an "out of my depth here" moment right there.
DI: Was there ever one moment that made you realize you were playing in a big boy league now?
SW: Yeah I had two moments; one on the field and one off. On the field was in the first preseason game when I went back to block on a punt and a linebacker hit me, sent my feet over my head and my helmet landed about ten yards away from me. The off the field moment was when I sat down to watch my roomate Mike Davis´ game tape and realised I was living with someone who had played in the NFL and in college in front of over one hundred thousand people.
DI: Now, that big game: how do feel about playing in a game that big in your first GFL season?
SW: The game this weekend is probably the biggest of my life so far, but like they say "pressure makes diamonds"
DI: Assuming us Irish lads stick with our respective teams the IAFL will have an Irish-born player in GFL1 next year, how significant is that for the Irish game?
SW: Having an Irish player in GFL1 would be huge for Irish American Football; it will let Europe know that there is a big untapped talent base in Ireland the recognition could do big things for the national programme.
DI: What're your plans for future seasons?
SW: Future seasons are undecided, it all depends on how much life gets in the way. I´ve had a great time here in Lübeck but you never know when your last play's coming.
DI: Any advice for any Irish players thinking of getting out into the European leagues in the near future?
SW: DO IT!!!!!!! Apart from the different cultures and experiances you´ll have, the amount of knowledge you will pick up from some of the best coaches around Europe is phenomenal.
DI: If they were to make a movie about your making the leap from IAFL to this huge game in GFL2 this week who would play you in the movie and why?
SW: Ugh, how vain can I be and get away with this. Had to ask a friends advice on this one and I was told Vin Diesel. I'm absolving myself from any backlash this will bring me though.
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