Football as we know it in this country – 11 players on the field at one time for each side, six points for a touchdown, 10 yards for a first down – may not yet be an Olympic sport, since the rest of the world already believes it plays futbol, though we know it as soccer.
But former Baylor School defensive lineman and Southern Miss fullback Ryan Seaberg plans to take home a gold medal from the World Games in Wroclaw, Poland, later this week.
“How cool would it be to win a gold medal playing the game I love?” Seaberg exclaimed a few weeks ago before heading off to join the United States team for practice in Pennsylvania. “How many people get to represent their community and their country in an Olympic-type setting? I feel so fortunate to be one of 45 players who gets a chance to play our game, American football, on a world stage.”
For now, that stage is merely an exhibition, or as the good citizens of Poland might refer to in soccer terms – a friendly.
After flying out today for Poland, the U.S. team will take part in the World Games’ opening ceremonies Thursday, play Germany on Saturday and then – should the Red, White and Blue win that one – meet the France-Poland winner two days later in the championship game.