Making waves with the Admirals

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Sher Jasperse of the Metro Sports Report is taking a bicycle tour of the Netherlands. Here is her second report.)

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands -- A trivia question: What is the connection between Amsterdam and a now-famous Cedar Rapids prep athlete? The answer comes later in this dispatch.

Amsterdam – like most of the Netherlands – is a place that can barely hold its head above sea level. The oldest and most interesting part of the city is built on a great semi-circle of intersecting canals lined by streets full of narrow row houses, shops and churches that have stood for hundreds of years. There are 54 named canals in the city, and you can get around almost as easily by water as by land.

Yesterday, my husband and I participated in a favorite Amsterdam tourist activity when we took a canal boat ride around the city. The tours offer close-up views of the city’s historic neighborhoods and architectural treasures, with narration provided in any major language.

The canals are also home to hundreds of private houseboats and smaller craft used for navigation around the city. In Amsterdam, unlike in Ellis Harbor, the houseboats actually look like boats. The owners pay city taxes and receive services such as electricity and drinking water.

For reasons of geography and necessity, the Dutch have always been seafaring people, once known for their worldwide commercial trading network. In fact, my maternal grandfather, who was born in Apeldoorn, Holland, traveled the world with the Dutch Merchant Marine before emigrating to North America. As a result, he was an excellent – if
uncredentialed – weatherman, and he had a collection of intriguing artifacts gathered on trips to far-flung continents. He also had stories to share with anyone who would listen – and, of course, now that he’s gone, I wish I had paid more attention.

Given all of the above, it easy to understand why Amsterdam’s professional football team was called the Admirals.

Answer to the trivia question: After Kurt Warner became an Arena Football League star and before he went on to greatness in the NFL, he played for the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe. In fact, I saw his picture in a sports bar here. Okay, not really. It’s mainly soccer players and speed skaters who are well-known in these parts. But Kurt did stir the waters in the European league. During his one 10-game season with the Admirals (1998), he led the league in passing yards (2,101), completions (165), attempts (326) and touchdowns (15). Then he returned to the U.S. to await his chance with the land-locked Rams. All good things come to those who wait – especially if they’re as talented and determined as Kurt Warner.