Brotherly Love

We knew coming to Italy to play football meant that we would be introduced to a whole new way of life. I have experienced such a small depiction of these “new” experiences. Brock on the other hand, has “felt” firsthand what it is like to be initiated into this new brotherhood Milan calls football.

I was so thrilled to receive a phone call from Brock saying that they had won their football game against Bologna, 42-27. According to him; “Offensive line was strong, I was never touched. I had all the time in the world in the pocket. Receivers were on target and the first half I threw 100% completions.” I could hear the excitement in his voice and I was sad I was unable to travel to see the team thrive on the “muddy” field.

Brock experienced this game, a pride and brotherhood with his teammates and he was even “baptized” as an official Milano’s Rhino. The bus ride back was filled with chants and songs, slaps and “manly bonding”; I as a woman will never understand.

When he finally returned home at the break of dawn I was sound asleep. Exhausted from his night of victory and team initiations, he hit the pillow and drifted off to sleep, leaving behind the night before him, looking ahead as an “official” team member, and never looking back at the slightly painful way he got there. When I woke up the next morning before him, I was startled to see the remnants of my husband’s initiation: a large target was drawn on his back and a few hand prints and bruises around it! He had a lot of explaining to do!!!

Waking up to his “distraught” wife, Brock explained how the team members initiated the new players as a Rhino. The team chanted and sang an initiation song that welcomed the new players and declared the Rookies “One of them.” Brock in return had to recite in Italian that he was now about to get baptized, he then walked the walk of death from the front of the bus to the back, with a target on his back, and received a few friendly taps from his fellow Rhinos. At the conclusion of the ritual, when Brock’s back was nice and red, the players cheered because Brock had completed his commencement into their brotherhood.


After waking up Brock and asking him: "WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU! WHY IS YOUR BACK SO BEAT UP FROM THE GAME AND WHY THE HECK IS THERE A TARGET ON YOUR BACK!" His response to me was, "If it is any consolation, I told the guys that my wife is going to be sooooo mad when she sees this!"