Update

Woahh be off the blog for a minute life is moving so fast this year just flew by. Few updates I got a new car LOVING IT! Other than just enjoying life looking for the girl of my dreams (not really) I've notice Im very cold now its the way it has to be. Here what i've been doing at work I'll do an amateur hour video soon.

ATHLETES NATION

ATHLETES NATION

Feature story in Prospect Magazine Next Issue Fall 2011

ATHLETES NATION

Been away from the blog for a bit I promise as some point but here's what been going on at work.

http://ubatt.blogspot.com

ATHLETES NATION

We got a lot of videos back logged here was our last one. Stay tuned for a personal update soon.
#BOW

Visit http://ubatt.blogspot.com for the LATEST N GREATEST

U-BATT

TEAM CANADA

Well here are my highlights from the tournament

THE UNKNOWN BATTALION

Another plug in from the Homie H-MAN @HTHEMAN from the http://ubatt.blogspot.com/

GunDay MONDAY - FOOTBALL IS BACK, AND AS PREDICTED... WITH A VENGENCE! BOW

I couldn’t be happier to know that the NFL has finally settled its CBA dilemma. Now we can get back to the game we all love and enjoy watching on Sundays, Mondays and sometimes Thursdays! As a former player and fan, I know, how it feels to wait on the season to start back soon after its done! You get that itch to either play or watch the game (kinda like a Bret Favre only difference is.. we ain’t all as rich lol!), that’s why I’m grateful for certain media outlets like The NFL Network, ESPN, The Score and even TSN. Although I have several issues with their broadcasters and network direction, I'll hold my tongue for the simple fact that they show the NFL's Sunday and Monday night games. I can also appreciate them for showing the CFL games every week and trying to build the league up by giving the country more coverage in hopes of generating more interest across the nation. Now for anyone who knows me, knows, that I’m a HUGE Philadelphia Eagles fan and have been for some time (14 years exactly) now.  So when the news broke out last weekend that both parties (owners and players) were close to a deal getting done by Sunday, you bet your bottom dollar I was excited!  Now here we are … Monday, not only has training camp started for 32 teams but we have a slew of Free Agent signings to put y'all up to speed on! So lets go head and get right to it!

The Eagles make good on their promise and attack the Free Agent market, in hopes of bringing a title to the city of brotherly love!

GANG GREEN JUST ADDED SOME NEW PIECES

BOWBOWBOWBOWBOW the energy is too much to contain...BOW! I feel like a kid on Christmas morning, who got everything he asked for, and more lol! A couple months back I watched a short interview withPhiladelphia Eagles head coach, Andy Reid, during the third round of the NFL Draft when he stated that "they had an aggressive plan in place heading into free agency once the league resumed operations". Looking back on that statement now, and I see nothing but promise! Since the owners and players have agreed on new terms, the Eagles wasted no time in going after the players they felt gave them the best chance to winning a Super Bowl title right NOW! Honestly. I feel like for the last 14 years that's been our goal, only problem was, we've fallen short of the objective every time. But this season we're onto something. Something I haven't seen since that faithful '05 season when former franchise and starting quarterback, Donovan McNabb, lead us to the promise land. Only to fall short to the always challenging New England Patriots (I fucking hate the Patriots, that's my word on everything (Twinks voice) no LOL!). Although the feeling is leading and convincing, this is the NFL, and at the end of the day a handful of players don't win championships. TEAM does, and with Andy tuning this engine I don't see why it isn't just to believe!

The Eagles first off season acquisition, was aimed directly at the pass rush. With former Tennessee Titansdefensive line coach, Jim Washburn coming over in the off season, the Eagles move to go after a pass rusher should have shocked no one. With that they were able to acquire former Titan, Jason Babin, whomWashburn coached last season into a 12,5 sack campaing, and the first pro bowl of his career. The next day they traded away Kevin Kolb, to the Arizona Cardinals, for pro bowl corner back Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (also known as DRC) and a second round pick in the 2013 draft. At that moment I knew we were serious at returning to where we once were! Because the last time we made it to the super bowl our defense was clicking at all cylinders (if you remember correctly we had The human bull Hugh Douglas, Derrick Burgess, "the Freak" Jeavon Kearse, Weapon X (Brian Dawkins), Jerimiah Trotter, Lito "OhhhhhhhhwhoaOhOh" Sheppard,Mr. Brown (first name Sheldon) and the sledge hammering Michael Lewis)! Then the rumors started to swirl that the Eagles were looking into bringing former number 1 pick and Tenneessee Titans starting quarterback, Vince Young, to come in as a backup toMichael Vick. I've been a VY fan since his college days at the University of Texas. But last season he started acting funny. Disregarding his gifts and taking the opportunity given to him to play in The National Football league for granted. Str8 up I wasn't down with VY's attitude but you wanna know what, with him coming over to Philly he's gonna have to get it together because EAGLESNATION don't play that shit and if you didn't know you BETTA ask somebody! Then Friday afternoon I get an email on my phone from,PhiladelphiaEagles.com, saying that we just signed this year's most prized free agent Nnamdi Asomugha. First person I hit up was Brother Prime (@sammyokpro) to announce the news, but like me, he gets all the Eaglesupdate as they happen (Shout out to Dave Spadaro -@Eaglesinsider - for keeping us up to date on everything EAGLESNATION #RIGHTHANDSALUTE). Then I went on twitter and made the announcement like the world didn't know yet (and even if it did I wanted to say it my damn self, and as I said earlier the ENERGYis just too much to contain! BOW). With Nnamdi coming over to help bolster our secondary, its more than likely that one of our other DB's might be on their way out. I would hate to say it but Ashante Samuel might be that man. He was excused from practice for 2 days for a "personal matter" that was approved by the team. Some other names to look for would be free safety Marlin Jackson (who the Eagles signed last year, only to have lost him to injury in training camp) and nickel backJoselio Hanson, who if the team ends up keeping Samuel, would most likely be the one on the move. I would love to see us use a Green Bay type attack on defense this year, and if we can get that push up front I don't see why that won't happen! *THIS JUST IN*As I sit here and write this cover on my teams amazing splash into free agency! I'm pleased to announced that we've just signed former Green Bay Packers super bowl winning defensive linemen, Cullen Jenkins, to a 5 year deal, and the chips just keep on coming! The Eagles front office ain't playing this year, everything in, and we going for the WIN! With a possibility of having Samuel on one side DRC on the other and Asomugha playing a Charles Woodson type role in our defense the possibilities are simply endless! All we can do now is watch and see what happens. All I can say is this... It's going to be an interesting season! Be sure to check back every Monday as the season draws near for my (@HTHEMAN) review on the Eagles games as well highlights and scores from the entire league! This ain'tthe NFL network or ESPN. This is BATT TUBE  live where everything fits in! 

       >>> YOU ARE NOW TUNED INTO THE U!  <<<

What's Next?

Tournament is over the high from the vacation is gone I'm back to work. It's not bad because I love my job if I can't play I can do the next best thing and help other young athletes get to where I couldn't. An agent wants to represent me he believes he can get me on a team. The issue is he's not sure where of it's even in this country. Dilemma... do I let go of something I fought so hard to keep alive? I guess when you get to a certain age it's time to start thinking about your future, so does it benefit me leaving my job and playing 2 years of football overseas? I think not. What about if it was in Canada? I don't know it's something I have to talk to my work about because I don't want to leave my job. Or is it beneficial for me to be an athlete and still work from abroad? Answer I don't have now I've learned not to search for them and let them come.

I guess the other thing that's on my mind is the situation with my x. I stopped talking to her by phone over a year ago and by text or facebook 6months ago. I accused her here on my blog that she cheated on me from and unknown source. I never spoke to her about it.. It just felt better to accept it and use it as a tool to move on. It turns out I was wrong so I apologize but it still doesn't change what happened. I've grown and matured since then I can forgive but never forget. We communicated briefly it was nice but it took my back to place when I was growing threw hell it didn't feel good. Anyways enough about that I've change and moved on.

Here are some more photos from my trip

 My boy Peter Sign with Calgary congrats to him he deserves a shot!

 Walking to elevator to take us to the top of the mountain

 Graz city view

 6 AM in the morning with Christoph  he was our tour for the night great guy!

 Walking out the club 6am again in Vienna trippy

acting stupid

 More sights from Vienna

 View of Vienna

 Our tour guides in Vienna

OTB Music Group

Outside the Box Music Group Ent. just another talent coming out of Montreal my hometown. Here is Milli Millz two part video.

ATHLETES NATION

Check out our 1st commercial voice by none other than my good friend @HTHEMAN music by Skin Deep

THE UNKNOWN BATTALION

 http://ubatt.blogspot.com ;-- Brings U the LATEST n GREATEST --




Check out the UBATT blogspot it's a great Blog covering everything you need to know

TEAM CANADA

Here is more photos from the trip!

Practice Stadium,

REALLY?

Game Stadium in Graz, Austria

Lead the team with the Canadian Flag

Pass Break Up

Reverse angle

Open Field Tackle

ATHLETES NATION

This is one of our latest videos I did from work before I left for Europe Featuring a good friend one mine Luke Harris. Enjoy!

TEAM CANADA

Tournament is over we placed 2nd here are the game highlights from each game. I was named tournament all star and the MVP in the Gold metal game. More pics to come from the trip as I sort them out

Canada vs France


Canada vs Austria



Canada vs Japan



GOLD METAL GAME
Canada vs USA




I will post more pics when I get some free time need to get caught up with work. Thanks for all who supported me to this point!

TEAM CANADA

Well I have finally arrived in Graz, Austria it was a long trip but great! Instead of writting here are some pictures of what has been going on we had some free time in Paris so went on a mission to see downtown Paris. Here are the pictures!

THE COME BACK

Eve before I take off I feel ready unafraid for what is to happen. I just ask the God watches over me like he always has and bless me with everything I wanted. The journey has been bitter sweet more bitter than sweet, but I wouldn't change it for the world. I will try to blog as much as possible when i'm down there but if not follow me on twitter. Austria here I come!

THE COME BACK

Been away for a little bit I have moved closer to work and have been doing alot of videos for work as well. That cupped with training and work the blog some how go push back on the to do list.  Here is a little taste of what I have been doing over the last 2 Months if you want to see more visit our you tube channel  ATHLETES NATION TV  

10 days out marks the beginning of the trip, over these last few weeks I have been up and down. It's somehow hard to believe that after 3 years I will be playing football again. Now that we are a little closer I have some dates, I will be leaving Edmonton June 24th heading to London, Ont for training camp. Then leaving for Austria July 2nd it's a great feeling know that I will be playing again I just hope I can knock the rust off as fast as possible. 3 years is a long time not to be playing and I have to be at my best. Here is the link to stay up to date on the tournament WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OF AMERICAN FOOTBALL  I will not be bringing a laptop down to most probably will  be tweeting more so than blogging. Hit me on twitter @sammyokpro I will try to do a video here before I leave in the old school format no editing, hopefully I can get all my work affairs done. It's been a great journey so far and if my life were a movie I'd think this would be the climax. I have no clue what is going to happen after this tournament but I am ready for the good and bad. Special shout out to my family and friends for supporting me up until this point.

ACCESS GRANTED

THE COME BACK

My 1st fan out here in Edmonton came in today while I was training. It was good to see him again he was repping my jersey it made me happy. His friend in University needs a sports story for his class and I was asked to do it. He just took some photos today the interview will be done later in the week. Here is a little clip of today we will be doing the interview part later in the week I plan to video tape it. Stay tuned

THE COME BACK

Is it wrong to feel pressure? Nervous? Even a little scared? Been out the game over 3 years and no one seemed to care. Now, I have my 1st interview tomorrow people want to know the story. Everyone loves a winner, but when your not winning who really seems to care? Who was there all those lonely nights? All I remember it was me, myself & I, what I've learned is that the road to success is lonely, and you have to be willing to stand alone for your dream before others will stand with you. The stage is set 94 days and counting http://www.americanfootball2011.com/en/ I all most enjoy it more when there was nothing to train for. No pressure, no expectations just train. But, now there is added pressure way more than I anticipated. I stated a long time ago that my quest was not just about me anymore. This is about the name on the front on my jersey CANADA rather than the one on the back. This is about my work place ATHLETES NATION. The is about my group of friends back home THE UNKNOWN BATTALION. This is about any athlete who had a dream and let someone take it away. This is about any aspiring athlete wants to get to that next level but doesn't know how to get there. This is about anyone in general who has a dream to do something.  I feel like the world is on my shoulders... Am wrong for putting too much pressure on myself ? Possibly I am sleeping much less than before up late for no reason just listening to music, dreaming, envisioning all the possible outcomes. I do not know what is going to happened after this tournament that is where my visions stops. All I know is I have to be ready to lead...

Re-introduction

Well I've been rambling on for some years now and it never occurred to me that what if a new person came across my blog how would they be able to relate or know what the hell I'm talking about? Well I will try to sum it up in a short story...

Hello my name is Sammy I am originally from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, I moved to Edmonton 3 years ago it was not by choice call it fate. I came here to live our my life long dream which was to play football, the funny part is that I never actually got to play. Battling politics and coaches who did not like me I managed to keep my career alive despite being release 2 times. I stayed in Edmonton because at the time of being cut because I had a girl friend whom I cared about a lot. As I went back to work and continued to train she lost interests and ended up leaving, I did not take it very well but life goes on. Sept 2010 it was decision to make whether to go back home or try again. All signs pointed to quitting and going back home but I stuck it out and blessed with the opportunity to represent my country for the 3rd time in the sport I love. I am not sure what is going to happen after this summer but the future looks brighter than ever. So if you come across my page for the 1st time welcome, if you have been one of my supporters for a long time I thank you. No of this or what is about to happen would have been possible without you. Blogs are the truest form of expression I find and not one is a like, blogging has been the single reason I been able to maintain focus without getting lead astray. I will do my best to continue to post on a regular basis but life is moving much faster than it once was. I normally write when I am not the greatest moods and do videos when I am happy. If I disappear for longer than a few weeks or so feel free to drop me a message and tell me I am slacking.

Sammy

THE COME BACK

Over 3 years since I last played a meaningful game of football Nov 2007 to be exact. I've been on this war path for sometime it's been a hard fought battle, filled with pain, sorrow, hardship and lots of tears. 100 days and counting it hasn't really sunk in what is about to happen going from the couch to playing on a world stage has left me quite nervous, and anxious. Being removed from football for so long I question in my mind; Can I still play? Can you take a hit? Can you cover? Can you tackle? Did you get soft while u were away? Never that YOU STILL GOT IT OKPRO! Faced with the hardest decision in my life a few months ago either to walk away of try harder. Time has proved me wise... I am on a collision course with destiny and I'll be damned if I let anyone get in my way! All I know is when I finally return to the field there will be hell to pay, someone is going to have to pay the price for making sit this long.  Maybe all my years were meant to come down to this one shining moment in destiny. I've had preminitions of these times in my mind, playing football in a different continent it never made sense until now. As I prep for this moment I ask God that he give me the strength and power handle anything that may come my way and continue to guide me down the right path, as it was him who carried me when I didn't want to walk.

KEEP ON'

If you keep at it long enough eventually you'll see the reward. 3 years since I last played a meaningfull game of football. It still hasn't really hit me but that opportunity that I was seeking has finally come around. I will be representing Canada at the World Championship of American football. http://www.americanfootball2011.com/en/  It is truly an honor and a blessing to be representing my country for the 3rd. The 1st two have left a bitter taste in my mouth so hopefully I can wash it out with helping Canada win this one. I had dreams and visions of playing football overseas they were so real it was like I was in another universe, call it inception. My patience over the years has paid off a major step has been made closer to my dreams my football career shows sings of life. Failures in football has force me to create other dreams while still maintaining my 1st one, they are all staring right at me now it's up to me now to put it all together so that they can all work simultaneously. The hards times I can truly say are over but there is still more work to do. I continue to train but is not as hard now knowing that I am training for something. I feel blessed to be in the postion I am in after so long of a wait. The one thing I learned to this date that the key is believing in yourself because the road is not always full of people that will support you, there were times where I was truly alone on this journey. It was the faith and belief in myself that kept me going don't let anyone steal your dreams!

This blog marks the conclusion of KEEP ON' on deck is THE COME BACK

YOU ARE NOW TUNED INTO -THE U-

KEEP ON'

I'm tiered another 12hr day at work I've haven't been motivated the whole week. I though to remain positive when there is no reward in sight. Someone asked me today if I was an athlete I replied YES, What team do you play for? I told him I don't even know what I am training for, he gave me a blank stare... It was then I truly realized what I was doing maintaining the faith that I will be rewarded without really knowing for sure. This weekend while I was out I saw the man who had cut me last year from the team. No bad blood we had a great conversation I knew that he was just the man that had to do the dirty work. He left me with some great advice "No one is gonna sell you like you sell yourself, No one is gonna fight for your career like you fight for you career!" Everyone loves a winner but when the chips are down your phone doesn't ring as much, no message, facebook is quiet, it's the nature of the beast.  I just try not to pay it any attention and keep pushing. Also, I found out not to long ago that the girlfriend I was with last year cheated on me while we were together. It's funny how news always get's back to me though I did not know the man he knew me. Word traveled and  it eventually got back to me, I am not sure if it's true but I wouldn't put it past her.  I wish her well in all the relationships I messed up I can honestly say I was a good guy in this one. Anyways moving on that part of my life is done and will just chalk it up to experience. These last few weeks have been though consistently drained at the end of the day I don't know where I find the energy to get up every morning and continue to train. My friends back home in Montreal took matters into their own hands to try to get me back on the field They started a fan page and group on Facebook the group is called "FREE OKPREEZY"

I thought they were joking at 1st but they were serious. They even made sample t-shirts I feel blessed to have such great friends that believe in me. It truly keeps me going! As a member of THE UNKNOWN BATTALION we stand for what's on the crest "WHAT MEN HAVE BUILT LET NOTHING AND NO ONE COME IN BETWEEN" God is great and pray he will continue to guide and give me the fuel to stay headed in the right direction.

KEEP ON'

Road trip was good all business when in got the work done no photos were taken. Mind set is just continue to train and be ready for anything that turns up. If all goes well I think this is what I've been waiting for.

A few days later

Lack of motivation today a new friend of mine questioned my work ethic yesterday. He told me "Your attitude so nonchalant about football, like you don't care, like you don't believe in yourself. I would give anything to have half the career you had. He continued you had a great career and it's in the past so what you got dirtied by the Eskimos, all I know is that you could be close to getting your career back on track you should working your hardest right now...Do you even care? How do I believe in you and you don't even believe in yourself. "  

I had no reply I let him continue to ramble on about it. After sleeping on it some of the points he had were valid and some were way off. Though I didn't answer him I will answer his remarks.

The fact that I am still training seriously should be enough to show you that I still care and want to play. Despite how I act I find there is no use getting work up or excited about it. When I was re-signed last year I was so excited inspired only for it to come all crashing down again. An emotional roll-a-coaster I would rather not go on again. So I've chose to stay right in the middle not too happy not too sad. If I come off as nonchalant it because of the experiences I had.

I don't know what the future will hold emotionally drained today I don't know how long I can continue to train like this without any reward. It's been 2 years and counting that I have been training 5days a week 3hrs a day. I guess this is what faith is about continue moving forward into the unknown in hopes that it will pay off some how.