Hachiko's Spirit of Leafa College Football Dynasty

[Hachiko]

Preseason All-Americans and All-Conference, 2077

 

[Hachiko]

Week 1 2077 Preview

 

[Hachiko]

Nao Tomori, provost, Leafa College.​

180 Countries in 180 Days: Leafa's Push To Be A Global Name

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
August 1, 2077

In an unprecedented marketing campaign by the Mitakihara University System and Leafa College, Dan Harding's Leafa Spirit Gridiron Team took part in 180 rallies in 180 days spread across all the countries that Yuu Otosaka, the father of Spirit free safety Hugh Otosaka, visited, along with other countries not visited before. Coursework was accounted for through distance learning sessions and proctors accompaning the team and the rallies consisted of youth gridiron clinics, with some countried lucky enough to host a game between the Spirit and one of its residential teams. The Spirit went undefeated, going 15-0 in all the games played around the world in all six countries, starting in New Zealand and ending in Australia.

"This is an exciting time to make a claim as being the college football team of the world," said Leafa provost Nao Tomori, the mother of Hugh Otosaka. "In America, you have your choice of team to support when it comes to college football. But outside the world, there is only one team willing to put the hopes of the world on its shoulders, and that is the Leafa College Spirit.

"Leafa is the world's team. Leafa will make the world's dreams come true. Leafa is here to raise the world's spirit higher. What a fantastic tour we had, a beautiful journey spreading our love across 180 countries that embrace this sensational sport to watch and play. Our brand name is stronger than any Premier League side, or any side that plays for the Big Four leagues in North America.

​

"The mascot, the shield, the Rune L, that symbol of our Tower, they are all national treasures. Our games are always sold out and we are considering moving the matches to Canberra Stadium because the demand is so great. Leafa does it better. We play gridiron with style, class, execution and passion. We only conceded seven touchdowns during this tour, while recording 300 equally through the ground and through the air.

"And this is a sign of things to come. Our players, including my son, will get some rest before training for next Spring. The season starts in America against Georgia and the Bulldogs want to slow us down. We won't let them. The world won't let them. We're Leafa College, we can do what we want, and we're going to stuff anyone that gets in our way. The world's team is ready to rock the universe. It's time to Lift Your Spirit Higher!"

​

 

[Hachiko]

"Don't Expect Much To Change": New Leafa Offencive Coordinator Ethan Wakamatsu

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
August 3, 2077

New Leafa Spirit Gridiron Offencive Coordinator Ethan Wakamatsu, the former receivers coach, doesn't expect much to change in the Spirit's methodology and collective approach to game day. The Spirit open the season with three straight games on the road and will reconvene for training on Aug. 14 after giving two weeks to recuperate following a grueling promotional trip that saw them been around the world. Ay, ay, ay.

"Don't expect much to change regarding our way of handing the game this season," said Wakamatsu at Houraisan Centre during a press conference. "We know what we are capable of, we expect high production and we have a very young side this season, mostly first-years and second-years.

"Our overall captain will be Gareth Kokonoe, a fifth-year player on our side. A number of second-years applied for the defencive captain position and I gave it to Shaun Hijirikawa because of his academic successes and outstanding form and professionalism during our trip. Gareth and Shaun have a responsibility to live up to the expectations when wearing the C. It should not be wasted. As one of the elder statesmen, Gareth knows this very well and is ready to lead the way as overall captain of this team.

"The boys are getting their rest and units done. One of the first-year players on the team is getting excused to attend a family matter with his sister and he's off to Western Australia to pay his respects. Otherwise, all of the boys are here and they are getting their rest.

"It's been a long trip, something we've never done but hopefully the world knows that we're not just a team all of Australia can support. We're for the world and for the sport, and you can't ask anything more than that."

Leafa open up their season on Aug. 28 against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, USA. The match will be televised live on One in Australia and broadcast by 1LF (pronounced One Life), the radio station formely known as 5AO, and 1LF Sports Radio Network.

 

[Hachiko]

​

EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT: August 5, 2077

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
August 5, 2077

Newly-minted Leafa Spirit first-year defencive tackle Jules Amagiri and his sister/partner, Karen Amagiri, flew to Perth this past week then took a bus to Bremer Bay to the Church of the Holy Cross on John Street to pay their respects to Karen's biological mother, Kirin Toudou, who passed away due to a sudden heart attack. As they made their way to the Church, accompanied by their parents Ayato Amagiri and Julis-Alexia van Riessfeld, Karen was in tears as she passed by the casket of her now-deceased mother.

As it was her time to finally speak a Eulogy, Karen went up to the podium, biting her lip and holding back the tears as she coolly and calmly said her eulogy.

"Citizens of the West, men and women of the East, children of the North and South...I was only six years old when I went to the northern part of Western Australia with Papa, Mama Julis and my own Mama Kirin. As we arrived in this sleepy town, it was so hot and dusty I needed to drink lots of water. Along the way, my mom pointed to a sign. It said, '6KA.' Now, as you all know, my full name is Katherine Kimberly Kristina Karina Kumiko Karen Amagiri. Combine the Ks, you have six of them. Mom said, 'I named you after the radio station here.' That's when I realized how special and precious Mama is to me.

I realized the history of Mama Kirin Toudou, known for her excellent swordsmanship and chivalrous nature, and how she became a great mother and a wonderful wife for my father, Ayato Amagiri. She is a woman that could do anything she could, other than overcome a fear of planes, swim and cook. I can do those things because of my other two parents sitting across from me as I say this farewell.

"Mama Kirin was my mom. I have her eyes, her hair, her frame, her demeanor. Her big-brother complex attachment to Papa is why I became so attached to my onii-chan Julius, who I love with everything I have because I depend on him more in every way. But it was my mom that taught me everything I needed to be to be a lady. To be refined, to say no when it needed to be done, to not overwork oneself when times get desperate...Mama Kirin was the shoulder I cried on when I couldn't be with onii-chan. She was a rock in our family that provided the cool voice of reason when Mama Julis showed her temper issues. She was that effective.

"Mama Kirin told me, 'You should take up sports because you've got the body that can be successful playing sports.' I decided to play volleyball because the way girls serve balls is just like how Mama Kirin attacked with her nihountou, which she calls Senbakiri. It is a memento that I now keep as my good-luck charm that I kiss before I play a game. In fact, all the clothes Mama used to wear when she was younger are now my property, even her undergarments.

"Strange and lewd, I know. But Mama had the gift and the...endowments to be the role model that I could be and she was also an inspiration to many young people in Western Australia. Earlier this week, I met a number of kids who met Mama Kirin and talked with her. They told me that she wants peace and tolerance in our community. Give a little bit, even if it may be too much. Take a stand against the oppression of minorities. Respect and celebrate Australia's aboriginal heritage. And promote the rights of the LGBT community and be free to choose who you want to love without being stigmatized by anyone.

"That was Mama Kirin, in a nutshell. She may not be with us anymore, but her legacy lives on in all of us, and it's up to us to keep the fire burning. The woods are lovely, dark and deep. She has kept her promises and earned her sleep. Mama...daisuki."

As the tears finally began to fall out of Karen's eyes, she went to the casked, closed her eyes and kissed it. A flash of light caused Karen to black out and collapse on the floor. "Oy, Karen, KAREN!" exclaimed Jules, rushing over to her.

"Oh my," said Julis, looking over at the casket. "It's...empty..."

After a few hours, Karen woke up, back at her bedroom in the house that she and Jules lived in when they were younger. She was in her underwear and an open shirt, the event causing her to sweat profusely and her body heat rising. "Where...am I?" She turned around and saw a relieved Jules, tears falling out. "O...nii-chan?"

Jules hugged Karen before they kissed. "Karen...don't let me lose you anymore. I'm so glad you recovered. I love you so much!"

"I love you too, onii-chan." As they let go, Karen noticed her bust size and her frame. It resembled that of her mother. "I think...I am now one with Mama..." A smile was on her face as the two of them kissed again. "Now I am with you everywhere you go. I am your mother, sister and lover all wrapped into one. I think this is what mom wanted, to be with you to the end."

"R...really!?" Jules got on the bed and hugged Kirin from behind, spooning her as he wrapped himself around her, savoring her soft skin and beautifully scented hair.

"So now you have to listen to me and not be rash when you make choices all right? If I have to, onii-chan, I'll make you know your place, but it's because I love you too much to let you go."

"The type of stuff Mama Kirin would say, indeed. Because, Karen, you are now Mama. I'm so glad you never left me."

"And I never will...Jules."

Ayato and Julis watched from a distance as the two of them fell into a deep sleep, locked in each other's embrace. "So when are they going to head back to Canberra?" Julis asked.

"They report to camp on the 14th," Ayato said. "Give them time, it's been a long day for all of us. At least Kirin's spirit still lives and our son doesn't mind."

"Not one bit." Karen and Jules would return to Canberra two days later to prepare for the 2077 college gridiron season. The Spirit are ranked No. 2 in the polls behind LSU and face No. 3 ranked Georgia on the road to start the year.

 

[Hachiko]

"The Heisman Doesn't Matter To Me Anymore": Shae Katou-Aki

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
August 15, 2077

As Dan Harding's Leafa Spirit gridiron go through training, third-year quarterback Shae Katou-Aki has declared that he will not worry about winning the Heisman. In fact, the projected starter has decided that the Heisman will not be a priority at all, and understandably so at that. The Spirit face Georgia on Aug. 28 to start the year.

"I don't understand why people are talking me up to win a trophy that I will never win because the voters vote with an agenda against me," said Katou-Aki at training. "What's the point? The Heisman doesn't matter to me anymore. I mean, they were supposed to give me the Heisman two years ago and last year and they didn't. They gave it to Jackson (Tatara) and Jack (Fukushina) and that just sticks in my craw.

"So here what I'll do: I dare the press to vote me second in the balloting this year after I do my thing on the field. And if you don't see me in Orlando or in New York in December, you Yanks will have realized you made a terrible mistake three years straight and I will know before the awards ceremonies even take place. I'm not going to waste my time around this type of crap if I feel that you want me to finish second all four years I'm eligible. That is an agenda, and I have no time for that.

"And as for all you journos here, don't even talk about awards unless you want to get stuffed. I'm here to win games and team championships and keep the dynasty going. We got a young team, plenty of fresh new faces and they want a taste of victory as well and I'll be content just being a game manager. Individual awards are nice but we don't care about them. We want to be the best team in college football, and with the world on our side, we're ready to do just that."

 

[Hachiko]

Yusa Nishimori, mother of Joe Takajou. ​

"You Go, Joe!": Yusa Nishimori Behind Joe Takajou In Every Way

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
August 17, 2077

On a routine day after training, Leafa Spirit Gridiron strong safety Joe Takajou has a chat over dinner with his mother, recruiting coordinator Yusa Nishimori. The dinner, catered by the Big Group, consists of a variety of Japanese and Australian staples and Joe's favorite entree: roasted corn on the cob with sweet cream butter. Takajou, the son of Joujirou Takajou, likes eating big, dreaming big, and winning big, and that's something his mother appreciates.

"You Go, Joe! I mean, I love my son's work ethic and approach to class and gridiron and relationships, all that slice of life stuff," said Nishimori, holding a cob during an interview at their dinner, which takes place at the VIP suite and restaurant of the Subaru Pleiades Stadium as she watched her son eat up a storm. "He's a sweetie pie and he tells me all these tall tales of big guys from America, all these receivers and all the turnovers he's forced.

​

"Joe just loves to play gridiron and he even pretends to be a general manager while simming games like that. He's professional, gets good grades, has the charms and swagger that my husband has...everyone that I have met never said a bad thing about Joey. They even call him 'Mojo' because he just keeps moving when he plays. Never keeps his head down, never goes after the referee, never complains about a call.

​

"That discipline that Joe has is something that my husband instilled in him. He could have played baseball or cricket but that was just not his thing, even though one time he did hit a century as a silly mid-on. Joe wants to hit people, to intercept passes, to go after the quarterback and put his body on the line. He never got injured last year and that is something I am personally proud of.

​

"Since he's the returning strong safety, he's going to be the mentor to the two new guys coming up to compete with him at the position. I told Joe today, 'You now need to be a teacher and teach the others how to play your position and make plays because you never know if you'll pay the price and they'll have to fill in for you. And then they're like, how do we do this. Joe, where should I position myself when I do prevent or 5-2? Stuff like that, so get a move on.' That's what I told my son. He's gotta be accountable.

​

"Whatever he does, I support it. Joe believes in doing the right things. He's very ethical, very responsible, and most important, very professional. So that's why when the fans chant, 'You Go, Joe!' I know he's making me and my husband Joujirou very proud."

​

 

[Hachiko]

(from top left) Hugh Otosaka, Nao Tomori, Yuu Otosaka and Ayumi Otosaka.​

"I don't want my mom to go through hell again": Hugh Otosaka

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
Spirit News
August 20, 2077

As the countdown towards the 2077 college football season winds down, Leafa Spirit Gridiron free safety and second-year student Hugh "The Playboy" Otosaka recalled a difficult episode in which his mother, provost Nao Tomori, was attacked by foreigners and was nearly left for dead before being saves by his father, Yuu Otosaka. Hugh accredits his playing style to the resilient character of his father and the compassionate determination of his mother and imagines himself in that dark and lonely place, his mother's face in blood spilled by a humble man who protected her through the wreckage.

Yuu Otosaka. ​

"I don't want my mom to go through hell again," said Hugh after practice at Houraisan Centre. "I told my mom that if Dad can't look out for her, I will be more than willing to take care of her, Uncle Shun(suke) Otosaka and Aunt Ayumi (Otosaka) at all costs because I am willing to sacrifice everything to ensure the happiness of my parents.

​

Nao Tomori. ​

"Mom always told me that family is important. To this end, I treat Ms. Yusa (Nishimori) like another of my aunts, Joe as my brother in arms and Mr. Joujirou (Takajou) like a second father. I dedicate my work to the people who raised me when I was younger and it's because of them that I can be spontaneous in what I do without cutting corners. I use my own natural ability to make history in my own way.

​

Ayumi Otosaka. ​

"Everything I do, I do by the book. I want to learn things on the fly, learn to adapt, learn to survive when I have my back against the wall. I thrive on pressure and being battle-tested. If I am not tested, I cannot prove myself in the real world. Mom and Dad, Uncle Shun and Aunt Ayumi know this and that's why my Dad and I went through survival camps in North Australia to really embrace the elements and turn the weakness of not adapting into my biggest strength.

Shunsuke Otosaka (the uncle of Hugh Otosaka), Yusa Nishimori, Joujirou Takajou, Ayumi Otosaka, Yuu Otosaka and Nao Tomori.​

"I am ready for more great games, great matches, and more victories for my team. We're all excited about the new season, and the new players coming in. We want to remain as the best college football team in the world, but to do that, we have to work hard for it, and that's why we going to be in America for a few weeks to do just that."

​

 

[Hachiko]

Strike While The Iron Is Hot: Leafa Hammer Georgia On The Road

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
August 29, 2075

Quarterback Shae Katou-Aki passed for 290 yards, ran for 272 yards and scored six touchdowns on offence as Dan Harding's Leafa Spirit Gridiron defeated the Georgia Bulldogs, 87-40 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, USA. Middle linebacker Rhys Miyazawa added 21 tackles and an interception to lead the defence.

Halfback Brett Inohara ran for 134 yards and two touchdowns, first-year halfback Ace Kurogane had 118 yards and two majors, wide receiver Jiji Petricca had eight catches for 81 yards and a score, and wideout Jarryd Kaizuka led the blockers with 31 pancakes.

Three other players on defence besides Miyazawa had an interception apiece, including strong safety Joe Takajou, who added 13 tackles to his credit. Cornerback Vern Dahlgren had 14 tackles, while left end Steele Craftman had two sacks to lead a relatively quiet pass rush.

Leafa improve to 1-0 and continue their road trip next week against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, USA.

 

[Hachiko]

 

[Hachiko]

​

​

The Mystique Of The Bogan

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
September 1, 2075

The term bogan (/ˈboʊɡən/) is an Australian and New Zealand slang word that can be used to describe a person with a lower working-class background, or whose speech, clothing, attitude and behaviour exemplify a gratified working class mentality and depending on the context, can be pejorative or self-deprecating. The bogan person will generally lack sophistication and refinement.

Over the course of the last several decades, the bogan has become a very widespread and well recognised subculture, often as an example of bad taste. Various localised names exist that describe the same or very similar groups of people.

Bogans generally reside in the outer suburbs of larger cities, have teeth that haven't had braces or other orthodontia or dental care due to cost, have an anti-authoritarian stance, jingoism, home-done tattoos, a love of classic rock and Peter Brock, hooning and drinking alcohol to excess. A bogan attitude consists of a lot of pretence and a willingness to be brutally honest.

Certain types of clothing are stereotypically associated with bogans, including flannelette shirts, monkey hoodies, Stubbies shorts, King Gee workwear, thongs, ugg boots, jeans and black leggings. Bogans may also show a lowbrow standard of personal grooming by wearing their hair in a mullet style. Vehicles such as the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon, particularly modified or poorly maintained examples, also have similar associations.

A bogan, for various reasons, refuses to conform to middle-class standards of taste, dietary habits, leisure activities, styles of dress and ways of speaking. Bogans are sometimes looked down upon by some groups due to their implicit biases. These implicit biases can often make the lives of disadvantaged people much tougher.

Mel Campbell argued in a 2006 article in the Sydney Morning Herald that bogan (including "cashed-up bogan") is a nebulous, personal concept that is frequently used in a process by which "we use the idea of the bogan to quarantine ideas of Australianness that alarm or discomfort us. It's a way of erecting imaginary cultural barriers between 'us' and 'them'." Campbell argues that though many people believe they know exactly what a bogan is and what their characteristics might be, there is no defined set of characteristics of a bogan: the speaker imagines the denoted person to be different from, and less cultured than, themselves. Campbell considered "cashed-up bogan" to be a "stupid term". A similar argument is made by David Nichols, author of The Bogan Delusion (2011), who says that people have "created this creature that is a lesser human being to express their interclass hatred".

The term bogan has in recent times been employed more favourably to indicate a pride in being rough around the edges. In 2002, Michelle Griffin discussed the fact that ‘bogan’ is no longer just being used as an insult, but is in fact a way to identify with the ‘Aussie’ culture that many Anglo‐Saxon Australian citizens are so proud of. In the past, bogan was a term of disdain, but nowadays it has become cool to be a bogan. Radio station Triple J held a "National Bogan Day" on 28 June 2002, which they commemorated by playing music by bands such as Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil, Rose Tattoo and AC/DC. In a 2075 study, linguistics students at Leafa College found that the term was likely to be thought of as a good thing by people under the age of 30, compared with over 30's who generally felt it was more of a negative term.

 

[Hachiko]

​

"My Dad Was Known As The One-Eyed Reaper From Hoshinoumi": Hugh Otosaka

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
September 3, 2077

Even though his right eye has been replaced by a prosthetic eye that allows his eyesight to be restored, the scar that Yuu Otosaka was forced to bear in his youth remains and is passed on to his son Hugh, who is diagnosed with heterochromia, which activates only when his mood is that of a serious nature. It has not stopped him from working as an executive for a local business in Canberra, rather, the experience and the resilience inspired his son to reveal to his father a past that he has come to terms with.

"My dad was known as the One-Eyed Reaper from Hoshinoumi," said Hugh after practice at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, ahead of Leafa Spirit Gridiron's match with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. "He would take away the special abilities of people until he was the only one left standing. But when he woke up one day, he lost his memories of everything that took place. He was in a wheelchair for two months before he could walk and run and make love to my mother again.

​

"When I was 12, I saw a tape that was made by my mother (Nao Tomori, Leafa Provost) of people with different supernatural abilities. One mom saw me take a look at the proof, she told me everything about her and dad when they were students at Hoshinoumi. Mom told me that she withheld everything so that I would be the one to tell him.

​

"At first, Dad thought I was making it all up. But when he placed a hand on my head, everything started to come back, and his right eye was hurting again. Thankfully, I was able to salvage enough money over the summer to pay for a new right eyes that would allow Dad's vision to be restored. Now he can see with both eyes, but the scar still remained.

"I asked Dad, 'hey Dad, we can also fix the scar so that you will look better.' He refused, saying, 'I don't want to separate myself from what I did back then with Nao. I love her, as much as I love you, and I believe that this scar is my bridge between then and now and the future. I want to bear this scar, knowing that I did what I could to help the world the way I want to, without cutting any corners to do it.'

​

"Dad then said, 'Use your own ability to change the world. Don't cut corners like I tried to do and like what your mom, your aunt and your uncle tried to do. Believe in your own inner strength, because when you do, you can do anything you want. In life it's okay to take the long way home, as long as you get there no matter what. That's all I ask, and nothing more. Can you do it?' I said, 'Yes, sir!'

"My father is the best role model I could ever have. Without him, I couldn't be where I am today. Seasons don't fear the reaper, nor do the wind, the sun, or the rain. We could be like they are. Don't fear the reaper."

​

 

[Hachiko]

Ouka Ootori, the mother of Morgan Kusanagi.
​

"In My Family, My Roots Go Deep": Morgan Kusanagi

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
September 4, 2077

The grandson of Izumo Kusanagi and the son of Takeru Kusanagi and Ouka Ootori, Morgan Masaharu Kusanagi was raised to be useful as a serviceman for the Australian Army, hence his computer science major degree. Well-fit, well-chiseled and full of speed and strength, Kusanagi can play the wide receiver and tight end roles without much dropoff in production.

"Be versatile, be ready, be prepared," said Morgan via phone interview ahead of Leafa Spirit Gridiron's scheduled match with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. "In my family, my roots go deep. My grandfather in his younger days was a smoker but quit later on so that he could have a wife and be married to my grandmother. However, when I turned four, he died of lung cancer and he said to me, "Morgan, I can only regret not being able to live to see you grow up. For this, I take responsibility and offer you my blessings to live long and be successful from this point forward.

"After Mom and Dad retired from military work, they chose to settle in Australia and have a family. I have a twin sister, Yuuko, who plans to play soccer at Leafa. She plays as a winger and is fleet of foot and scored at least 10 goals per season back in juniors.

"Mom and Dad want me to serve in the military when I grow up but I can only do that after I have a good career playing professionally in America. If things don't work out, I already have a plan B in hand. Mom and Dad have it all set out for me but it's up to me to provide the finishing touches.

"I gotta make my parents proud because without their love and affection, I wouldn't be born and raised in Footscray, watching the occasional Bulldogs game on the side. I don't play footy, though. I play gridiron, a sport for real blokes like me. I'm going back to my roots."

​

 

[Hachiko]

Leafa Spirit hammer Notre Dame on the road

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
September 6, 2077

Quarterback Shae Katou-Aki passed for 293 yards and ran for 382 more, scoring seven touchdowns on offence as Dan Harding's Leafa College Spirit Gridiron drubbed the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 99-38, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. Left end Steele Craftman had 12 tackles and five sacks to lead the defence.

Halfback Ace Kurogane had 216 rushing yards and six touchdowns, wide receiver Jarryd Kaizuka had eight catches for 100 yards and a score, wideout Jiji Petricca had five catches for 68 yards, Kaizuka added 22 pancake blocks and wide receiver Touma Yukihira added 13 pancake blocks. On defence, free safety Hugh Otosaka had two interceptions while middle linebacker Rhys Miyazawa led in tackling with 18 tackles.

Leafa College improve to 2-0 on the season and return to action next week in Death Valley against the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

 

[Hachiko]

 

[Hachiko]

​

The Mystique of the Ugg Boots

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
September 8, 2077

Ugg boots (sometimes called uggs) are a unisex style of sheepskin boot. They are typically made of twin-faced sheepskin with fleece on the inside, a tanned outer surface and a synthetic sole. The boots originated from Australia, initially as utilitarian footwear worn for warmth, and were often worn by surfers during the 1960s. In the 1970s, the boots were introduced to the surf culture of the United Kingdom and the United States. Ugg brand boots emerged as a fashion trend in the U.S. in the late 1990s and as a world-wide trend in the mid-2000s. In Australia, they are worn predominantly as slippers and often associated with "daggy" fashion sense, and "bogan" culture. Noteworthy Australian manufacturers of ugg boots include Luda Productions (which has roughly 75 percent of the market share in Australia), EMU Australia, and Uggs-N-Rugs.

The name of the boots in varieties other than Australian English and New Zealand English is complicated by a legal dispute between some manufacturers of ugg boots as to whether "ugg" is a protected trademark, or a generic term and thus ineligible for trademark protection. In Australia and New Zealand, where the term is a generic one, more than 70 registered trade marks include the term "ugg" in various logos and designs. But the fact that the term was not widely recognised outside of Australia and New Zealand before being trademarked in the United States has meant that in much of the rest of the world, it has not been considered generic for legal purposes. This has allowed the American-based Deckers Outdoor Corporation and its subsidiary, UGG Australia, to obtain trademarks on the term "ugg" in over 130 other countries. As such, even if made by Australian or New Zealand manufacturers, ugg boots cannot be sold under that name outside of Australia and New Zealand without violating these trademarks, and for this reason it is Deckers and the UGG brand whose sales dominate the world market.

The origins of the Australian ugg boot style are disputed, with both Australia and New Zealand laying claim. Artisanal sheepskin boots were known in rural Australia during the 1920s, and were reportedly worn by shearers as they found them resistant to wool yolk, which would rot their ordinary boots. However the date of commercial manufacturing began remains unclear. They were reportedly being manufactured in 1933 by Blue Mountains Ugg Boots of New South Wales. Frank Mortel of Mortels Sheepskin Factory has stated that he began manufacturing the boots in the late 1950s. Lifelong surfer Shane Stedman of Australia has stated in interviews that he invented the ugg boot. Perth sheepskin boot manufacturers Bruce and Bronwyn McDougall of Uggs-N-Rugs have manufactured the boots since the late 1970s.

The origin of the term "ugg" is also disputed. Stedman registered the trademark "UGH-BOOTS" in Australia in 1971, and in 1982 registered the "UGH" trademark. Frank Mortel claims that he named his company's sheepskin sheepskin boots "ugg boots" in 1958 after his wife commented that the first pair he made were "ugly." Some accounts have suggested that the term grew out of earlier variations, such as the "fug boots" worn by United Kingdom Royal Air Force pilots during World War I.

The 1970s saw the emergence of advertising using the UGG and UGH terms both in trade names and as a generic term in Australia. The Macquarie Dictionary of the Australian language first included a definition for "ugg boot" as a generic term for sheepskin boots in its 1981 edition. (After Stedman complained to the editors of Macquarie, a trademark notation was added to subsequent editions indicating that "UGH" was a trade mark).

In the 1970s, ugg boots became popular among competitive surfers. After movie theatres in Sydney banned ugg boots and ripped jeans, the footwear became somewhat popular in the youth market as a sign of rebellio Sheepskin footwear accounts for around 10 percent of footwear production in Australia.

Traditional Australian ugg boots are made from sheepskins with fleece attached. The fleece is tanned into the leather and the boot is assembled with the fleece on the inside. Some ugg boots have a synthetic sole, commonly made from Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). The stitching is often prominent on the outside of the boot. The natural insulative properties of sheepskin gives isothermal properties to the boots: the thick fleecy fibres on the inner part of the boots wick moisture and allow air to circulate, keeping the feet at body temperature and allowing the boots to keep feet warm in cold weather and cool in hot weather. The original design was a pull-on boot in natural (undyed) tan sheepskin, about 10 inches (25 cm) in height, with rounded, almost shapeless uppers; this is now described as the "classic" design. Produced by a number of manufacturers, they come in a variety of colours, including black, pink, blue, chestnut, and fuchsia. They are available in both pull-on and lace-up varieties and their height can range from just above the ankle to above the knee.

Some variations of ugg style boots have also been made from kangaroo fur and leather. There are also synthetic boots. Although derided as "fake" by some in the industry, their lower price made them appealing to large retail chains such as Myer.

 

[Hachiko]

Katou-Aki struggles with passing form as Leafa cruise past LSU

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
September 12, 2077

Leafa Spirit quarterback Shae Katou Aki struggled with his passing throwing for only 190 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions, but he ran for 390 yards and seven more majors as Dan Harding's Spirit leveled the LSU Tigers, 104-28, at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Middle linebacker Rhys Miyazawa recorded 18 tackles, a sack and an interception to lead the defence.

Halfback Ace Kurogane ran for 190 yards and two touchdowns, halfback Dana Rinaldi ran for 199 yards and two scores, tight end Anthony Kagurazaka caught five passes for 52 yards, wide receiver Jarryd Kaizuka had 27 pancake blocks and wide receiver Touma Yukihira had 19 pancakes.

On defence, Norman Mitsuka had 12 tackles, Geronimo Hikigaya had 11 tackles and left end Steele Craftman and defencive lineman Kieran Hyakuya each had two tackles each. Two other players on defence each had a sack apiece.

Leafa improve to 3-0 and face the Wyoming Cowboys next week in Homecoming 2077.

 

[Hachiko]

 

[Hachiko]

​

Leafa Homecoming 2077: Rise Of The Four Stars

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
September 13, 2077

Homecoming Week is a celebration of a coming together, observed each Spring here at Leafa College, organized by the Leafa College Associated Students, or LeafaCAS. This year's edition is entitled "Rise Of The Four Stars" and salutes the rise of the Federated States Of Micronesia as a footballing powerhouse nation as it faces its biggest challenge yet: the home-and-home series with the United States of America for the 32nd and final spot in the 2078 FIFA World Cup in Australia.

Managed by Leafa Class of 2053 graduate Dale Evans, grandson of the legendary Mitakihara Magi men's soccer coach Mark Evans, the Four Stars have gone through a storybook journey during this last FIFA World Cup cycle, with surprising victories over Sweden, Germany, France, Russia and Brazil to go with a record-setting 50-0 pasting of Vanuatu in the OFC National Cup.

Senior oceanography major Aika Arashi-Evans is the wife of Evans's son, Dale Evans, Jr., who is a fourth-year goalkeeper for the Leafa Spirit men's soccer team but is also the starting goalkeeper for the Four Stars. Arashi-Evans is the Homecoming Chair for this year's Homecoming Week.

​

Aika Arashi-Evans, the daughter in law of Micronesia national team coach Dale Evans.​

"A great deal of the emergence of Micronesia as a footballing powerhouse comes from land reclamation efforts in the country to allow for more soccer fields, more infrastructure and a remarkably improved quality of life in Micronesia," said Arashi-Evans at a rally today. "Thanks to Leafa College, the Government of Australia and the Mitakihara University System, the land size of Micronesia is now slightly bigger than the state of Hawaii, with all the atolls turned into full, livable islands. This has allowed the establishment of a highway system among the four states and the infrastructure improvements have made Micronesia one of the hottest travel destinations in the world.

"The transformation of Micronesia as a sports power globally comes from the fact that many of its young people come to Leafa College to train, learn and improve as athletes and students. Now its national team are close to achieving the impossible dream of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup next year.

"This year's homecoming salutes the Patriots of Micronesia and our soccer game involving the men's team will actually be a friendly between Leafa and the Micronesia Under-23s, the Pleiades Cup sponsored by Subaru."

The Homecoming game will be broadcast via television on broadcast partner One and One World Sports globally. On radio, the game will be broadcast live and online on flagship radio station 5AO 980 AM Canberra, as well as the 5AO Leafa Sports Radio Network, including the affiliate radio station from Melbourne 3TK 710 AM, affiliate radio station from Perth hit92.9, Gold Coast affiliate radio station Gold FM 92.5, Sydney affiliate 2TK 1350 AM, Brisbane affiliate 4LF 1290 AM, Newcastle affiliate Fly98.1 and Adelaide affiliate Cruise 1323.

The Schedule is as follows:
(all times in AEST)

Tuesday, September 14
8:00 a.m. - Morning Prayers - Leafa Convocation Centre
Speaker: Archbishop Robert Royce Griffiths
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra

12 p.m. - Homecoming Registration Opens - Kirigaya Hall (Administration Building)
Registered participants must check in here for their Passport and vouchers for The Saturday Homecoming Barbie at Subaru Pleiades Stadium Car Park.

All Day - Museums: Spend the afternoon visiting one of the Leafa College Museums. Admission is free with your Homecoming Passport.
* Diomedea Museum of Japanese Animation, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
* D.W. Streets Museum of Natural Sciences 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., miyazaki.madoka.ca
* Leafa College Heritage Museum of Australian History, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
-Museums open all day Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday

Leafa College Garden: Find your peace of mind visiting the Leafa College Garden and Nature Reserve, located next to the Leafa Convocation Centre. Admission is free with your Homecoming Passport. Open 6 a.m. to sunset, all week.

Libraries: Admission is free at the following locations with your Homecoming Passport:
* Shinozaki Library, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
* Ayano Library 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Special Exhibit at Shinozaki Library: The Rise of the Micronesia National Football Team.
For more information, please visit the Shinozaki Library website.
Libraries open all day Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday

1 p.m. Classes: Participants are invited to sit in on a variety of undergraduate classes:
Classes TBA, see College Web Site

2 p.m. and 3 p.m. - Konno Library Tours
Take a guided tour of the Konno Library at the Mitakihara School of Graduate Studies at Leafa College. Tours will meet at the reception area inside the front door and will leave at 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Space on each tour is limited, first come, first serve.

3 p.m. - Open band practice
Leafa College Co-Directors of Band, Kumiko Oumae and Shuuichi Tsukamoto, hold a special band practice with members of the Leafa College Spirit Pep Band, the college's marching pep band.

3:30 p.m. Campus tours led by The Sleeping Knights
Paying tribute to the defunct guild in the game Alfheim Online, the Sleeping Knights is the premiere student-run organization that is dedicated to serving the Leafa College community, the City of Canberra and the Australian Capital Territory and is owned and operated by the Leafa College Associated Students. Tours are conducted in English, Korean, Chinese and Japanese.
1. Leafa College General Tour
2. Beyond The Campus: A Tour of Leafa Square, The Dorms and More
3. Touring the Leafa College Garden: One With Nature
Also will take place on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. All tours start at Yuuki Konno Memorial, near Mother's Rosario House, the administrative headquarters of the Sleeping Knights.

4:30 p.m. Campus tours led by The Sleeping Knights
1. Leafa College Athletic Facilities
2. Leafa Architecture: Reinventing and Redefining The Way You Learn
3. Leafa Garden Tea Ceremony (refreshments provided)
Also will take place on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. All tours start at Yuuki Konno Memorial, near Mother's Rosario House, the administrative headquarters of the Sleeping Knights.

5 p.m. - Shino Asada House Association Distinguished Australian Award
Honoring the Micronesia National Football Team. Accepting the award: Dale Evans
Presentation of Award, Nao Tomori, Provost, Leafa College, Shino Asada House Conference Room (Doors open at 4:00 p.m.)

Wednesday, September 15
9 a.m.- 3 p.m. - Homecoming Registration - Kirigaya Hall (Administration Building)
Registered participants must check in here for their Passport and vouchers for The Saturday Homecoming Barbie at Yunipingu Field Parking Lot.

5 p.m. - Leafa Social Club Concert
Tickets required: $50 for adults, $40 for students and $30 for pensioners. Tickets can be purchased directly through the Leafa Box Office by phone at 061 2 51LEAFA (061 2 51125161) or online at the box office website.

Thursday, September 16
9 a.m.- 3 p.m. - Homecoming Registration - Kirigaya Hall (Administration Building)
Registered participants must check in here for their Passport and vouchers for The Saturday Homecoming Barbie at Subaru Pleiades Stadium Car Park.

5 p.m. - Men's Water Polo vs. USC
Aniplex Campus Pool

7 p.m. - Leafa College Greens FC vs. Box Hill Hawks
Battle for the Mother's Rosario Cup, Leafa Oval. Tickets required: $60 for adults, $40 for students and $30 for pensioners. Tickets can be purchased directly through the Leafa Box Office by phone at 061 2 51LEAFA (061 2 51125161) or online at the box office website.

7 p.m. - Leafa College Battle of the Bands, Tsuboi Centre and Exhibition Hall
Tickets required: $50 for adults, $30 for students and $20 for pensioners. Tickets can be purchased directly through the Leafa Box Office by phone at 061 2 51LEAFA (061 2 51125161) or online at the box office website.

7 p.m. - Men's Futsal vs. North Canberra
J.C. Staff Arena, Main Court

7:30 p.m. - Leafa College Rugby Club vs. UC Vikings
The A-1 Pictures Canberra Classic, Yunipingu Field. Battle for the Dicey Cafe Bowl. Tickets required: $60 for adults, $40 for students and $25 for pensioners. Tickets can be purchased directly through the Leafa Box Office by phone at 061 2 51LEAFA (061 2 51125161) or online at the box office website.

Friday, September 17
9 a.m.- 3 p.m. - Homecoming Registration - Kirigaya Hall (Administration Building)
Registered participants must check in here for their Passport and vouchers for The Saturday Homecoming Barbie at Subaru Pleiades Stadium Car Park.

5 p.m. - Women's Volleyball vs. Mitakihara Magi
Battle for the Trophy of Hope. Exhibition, Main Court, Kirigaya Family Pyramid

Approx. 8 p.m. - Pep Rally at Main Court, Kirigaya Family Pyramid
Following the Women's Volleyball game vs. Mitakihara, the 2077 Leafa College Spirit Team will be introduced. Speeches by head coach Dan Harding, offensive team captain Gareth Kokonoe, defensive team captain Shaun Hijirikawa, Leafa College athletic director Haru Onodera and college provost Nao Tomori will be made.

9 p.m. - Evening activities
Visit the world-renowned Dicey Cafe or your favorite restaurant at the Campus.
Meet Your Mates: Special gathering for Leafa College Sports Society at Dicey Cafe, cash bar @ 9:00 p.m.

Saturday, September 18
5:00 - 9:00 a.m. - Brekkie at the Dorms - Passport holders are invited to enjoy a hot breakfast at the dorm of their choice. Pay at the door (cash please), cost is $15 per person.

7 a.m. - Morning Prayers - Leafa Convocation Centre
Speaker: Archbishop Robert Royce Griffiths
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra

7 a.m. to 9 p.m. - Homecoming Headquarters and Registration - Leafa Tower
Registered participants must check in here for their Passport and vouchers for The Saturday Homecoming Barbie at Subaru Pleiades Stadium Car Park.

10 a.m. - Men's Soccer vs. Micronesia Under-23 Men's National Team
Miyamori Field, Battle for the Pleiades Cup sponsored by Subaru

11 a.m. Women's field hockey vs. California
Ogasawara Field

10 a.m. to kickoff Pre-Game Tailgate at Athletics
Pack a picnic and set up a tailgate with your friends prior to the Leafa-Wyoming gridiron game. The Spirit Tailgate Area will be located inside Subaru Pleiades Gate 5. Cars can park at the adjacent car park for $50, payable on-side. Tailgate is permitted for 2 hours prior to kickoff and for one hour following the game.

12:30 p.m. Gridiron Kick-Off
Cheer on the Leafa College Spirit as they take on the Wyoming Cowboys. A block of tickets for Leafa Homecoming is currently reserved through the Leafa College Box Office. Tickets are required and cost $60 each, children ages 12 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased directly through the Leafa Box Office by phone at 061 2 51LEAFA (061 2 51125161) or online at the box office website.

11 a.m. - 4th quarter - The Homecoming Barbie
Barbecue in the Pleiades Stadium Parking Lot, Gates 7-11. A voucher for the "Canberra Barbie Society Fan Zone" is included in your Homecoming registration price. Please be sure to check-in at the Homecoming registration desk to receive your meal ticket. Drinks will be sold separately on-site. A variety of family a children's activities will be offered in the "Fan Zone," including face painting, music, sports games, prizes and raffles.

2 p.m. Women's Soccer vs. Alabama
Miyamori Field

5 p.m. Women's Netball vs. Canberra Darters
Battle for the Asuna Yuuki Memorial Cup. Exhibition game, Kirigaya Family Pyramid

6 p.m. - A Symphony Dedicated To Micronesia
Presented by the Leafa College Philharmonic (LeafaPhil), Tsuboi Centre.
Ticket Required: Regular: $60.00, $50.00, $40.00;
Students: $40.00, $35.00, $30.00; Pensioners (65+): $30.00,
$25.00, $20.00.
Tickets can be purchased directly through the Leafa Box Office by phone at 061 2 51LEAFA (061 2 51125161) or online at the box office website.

Sunday, September 19
9 a.m. - Leafa College 10K Race Through The Streets
Get ready to put on your running or walking shoes and take a cruise around the different places on campus and in Canberra. The route starts at Leafa Tower and will weave around the city before ending at Campus Square. Registration is $80.00 ($50.00 for students with ID, $30 for pensioners) at the Madman Quad tent from 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. All proceeds benefit the Konno Foundation For HIV Prevention. Concessions and medals will be provided at finish line. This is a noncompetitive run/walk. No cash prizes will be awarded.

 

[Hachiko]

The Leafa College Dynasty will take a short break due to laptop issues. My laptop just died and I need to replace it so that I can continue to update the dynasty. In the meantime, here's a couple of new fight songs for Leafa College.

The Spirit Team From Leafa Town" is a song written by a 17-year old (at the time) fan of the Leafa Spirit Gridiron Team, Ulysses "Uptown" Fong Wang Chung, a schoolboy and son of a former Islamist terrorist and buxom maneater that also plays as an offensive lineman for his club side. The song debuted at the Leafa Gridiron Victory Ceremony in January 2077 and was adopted by the Leafa College Spirit Pep Band and the LeafaCAS as an official fight song one month later. It incorporates a tune by his great-grandfather (on his mother's side), Ben Gibbard, entitled "I Will Follow You Into The Dark."

Green and gold,
A story that is told
To many, the young and old,
The Spirit Team from Leafa Town.

Around the world,
The banners will be unfurled
By every boy and girl,
Raise them high, wave them around.

Desire, it burns inside, Southern Cross will turn the tide.
We're on a road to fame, it's our year and our time.
So head on down and join us, we're the best around.
We are the Spirit Team from Leafa Town.

So give your all, see the foes rise and fall,
And whether big or small, every team will be beat.
And on the field, we will never yield,
When we play for the Shield, at the crossroads we'll meet.

Desire, it burns inside, Southern Cross will turn the tide.
We're on a road to fame, it's our year and our time.
So head on down and join us, we're the best around.
We are the Spirit Team from Leafa Town.

Shout hurrah!
Give em a sis-boom-bah
From London to Canberra.
Wherever you roam,
Our hearts will sing
While riding the angel wings.
For Leafa means everything,
It's our hope and it is our home
And you're not alone!

Desire, it burns inside, Southern Cross will turn the tide.
We're on a road to fame, it's our year and our time.
So head on down and join us, we're the best around.
We are the Spirit Team from Leafa Town.
We're the Spirit Team from Leafa Town.

-B. Gibbard and U. Fong
​

​

 

[Hachiko]

Written by two members of the Leafa College Class of 2077, Tongkul "Teppa" Bongkreek and Jimiporn "Porno" Ayutthaya, "Leafa Spirit Bunch" is a Spirit fight song set to the tune of a Glenn Danzig-penned standard called "Braineaters." Bongkreek and Ayutthaya, Engineering majors, are two Thai immigrants who emigrated to Australia at the age of 14 to escape the strife of being caught up in impossible harems in their native Thailand. Incorporating the "Leafa Leafa Leafa" chant, it has become a popular song to be played after significant decisive victories postgame. During the performance, the female and male students of the student section strip down to their underwear and fraternize in an orgy-style mosh pit, ending with everyone falling on top of each other in a satisfied mass of youthful, naked humanity.

Leafa Leafa Leafa! A A A!
Leafa Leafa Leafa! A A A!
Leafa A! Leafa A!
Leafa Leafa Leafa! A A A!

We're the Leafa Spirit Bunch!
We will eat you up for lunch!
We're the greatest team around,
The Boys From Leafa Town!
A A A!

Winning's all we ever do,
We love how good it tastes!
Winning's all we ever do,
The Green and Gold's all over the place!

We're the Leafa Spirit Bunch!
We will eat you up for lunch!
We're the greatest team around,
The Boys From Leafa Town! A A!
The Boys From Leafa Town! A A!
The bells will ring for Leafa Town!
A A A A A A, WHOOOOO!

-G. Danzig, T. Bongkreek '77 and J.Ayutthaya '77
​

​

 

[Hachiko]

Leafa College Roll Past Wyoming On Homecoming

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
September 19, 2077

Quarterback Shae Katou Aki passed for 390 yards, ran for 193 yards and scored six total touchdowns on offense as Dan Harding's Leafa Spirit Gridiron slaughtered the Wyoming Cowboys, 104-29, at Subaru Pleiades Stadium in Canberra, ACT. Left outside linebacker Gilles Troyard was a menace, recording 13 tackles, five tackles for loss and three quarterback sacks.

Halfback Brett Inohara, who is still nursing a shoulder injury, ran for 342 yards and four majors, halfback Ace Kurogane ran for 109 yards and four scores, wide receiver Jiji Petricca caught seven passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns, tight end Anthony Kagurazaka caught five passes for 83 yards and a score and wideout Jarryd Kaizuka led the blockers with 25 pancakes blocks.

Middle linebacker Rhys Miyazawa led the defense iun tackling with 16 tackles, while cornerback Adam Sakurada had 13 tackles and an intertception. Kieran Hyakuya also had a strong outing on defense, recording two sacks on the afternoon.

Leafa improve to 4-0 and hit the road away to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs to face the Air Force Falcons next week.

 

[Hachiko]

 

[Hachiko]

​

The Mystique of Penfolds Grange

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
September 20, 2077

Penfolds Grange (until the 1989 vintage labelled Penfolds Grange Hermitage) is an Australian wine, made predominantly from the Shiraz (Syrah) grape and usually a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon. It is widely considered one of Australia's "first growth" and its most collectable wine. The term "Hermitage", the name of a French wine appellation, was commonly used in Australia as another synonym for Shiraz or Syrah. Penfolds is owned by Treasury Wine Estates.

The first vintage of Penfolds Grange was made on an experimental basis in 1951 by Penfolds winemaker Max Schubert and were largely given away at the time. Having toured Europe in 1950, Schubert implemented wine-making techniques observed in Bordeaux upon his return, aiming to create a red wine able to rival the finest Bordeaux wines both in terms of quality and ageing potential. Individual bottles of the 1951 vintage are still held by collectors; one sold at auction in 2004 for just over $50,000 AUD. The first vintage to be commercially released was the 1952. Penfolds Grange was styled as a powerful still wine in an age when fortified wines were in fashion. Negative reviews by wine critics and poor commercial prospects for the wine led Penfolds management in 1957 to forbid Schubert from producing Penfolds Grange, but Schubert persisted in secret through 1959. As the initial vintages aged, however, their true value came to be appreciated, and in 1960 the management instructed Schubert to restart production, oblivious to the fact that Schubert had never stopped production and had not missed a vintage.

The great 1955 vintage was submitted to competitions beginning in 1962, and over the years has won more than 50 gold medals. The vintage of 1971 won first prize in Shiraz at the Wine Olympics in Paris. The 1990 vintage was named 'Wine of the Year' by the Wine Spectator magazine in 1995, which later rated the 1998 vintage 99 points out of a possible 100. Penfolds Grange also carries a "Bin" designation, referring to its storage location in Penfolds cellars while aging. 1951 was Bin 1, 1952 was Bin 4, and later vintages carried various designations. By 1964 the designation was standardised as "Bin 95". Max Schubert retired in 1975, passing the custodianship of Grange to Don Ditter. Ditter had been working at Penfolds since 1950 after graduating from Roseworthy Agricultural College. Ditter retired as Penfolds Chief Winemaker in 1986. During his time as Chief Winemaker several highly regarded Grange vintages were release, including 1976 and 1986. 1976 was awarded 100 points by American critic Robert Parker Jr. 1986, Ditter's last vintage, has been labeled as the 'defining vintage of the 1980s' as well as an 'important and very successful vintage'.

The 1971 vintage received the top score against other renowned international wines of the 1970s in a blind tasting with an international panel of judges in 2015. Originally released for around AUD $10 in 1976[9] the 1971 sells at auction between AUD $700 and AUD $1,100. John Duval assumed the mantle of Penfolds Chief Winemaker from Don Ditter in 1986 until resigning in 2002. John was named International Winemaker of the Year in 1989 by the UK's International Wine & Spirit Competition while in 1991 and in 2000 he was named Red Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge in London. Each of these awards were conferred during Duval's period as custodian of Grange.

The 1990 vintage of Grange attracted a great amount of interest after Wine Spectator Magazine naming it their 'Wine of the Year' in 1995. The name "Hermitage" was dropped from the label with the 1990 vintage, following objections by the European Union authorities to the use of a French place-name; no third-country wine entering EU may carry a geographical name recognized by European wine officials. Duval also oversaw the 'White Grange' project at Penfolds. This project intended to produce a white wine that would equal the quality and reputation of Grange. The resultant wine, Penfolds Yattarna, was first released with the 1995 vintage.

In 2002, Peter Gago assumed custodianship of Penfolds Grange as the replacement Chief Winemaker to the outgoing John Duval. During the ensuing years Gago has overseen a number of highly acclaimed Grange vintages, including 2008. The 2008 Vintage of Grange was awarded 'perfect' 100 point ratings from two influential American wine reviewers, "Wine Spectator". and "Wine Advocate". With these accolades the 2008 vintage of Grange became the first 'New World' wine to receive 100 points from both reviewers. By the end of the 1980s the wine came to be regarded as a collectors' item. The first vintage, 1951, is now considered highly collectable with one sold at auction in 2004 for just over $50,000 AUD.[4] Collections of Grange have been sold at auction in Australia for AUD $150,000. Listed in the 4th edition of Langton’s Classification of Australian Wine at the "Exceptional" level, Grange has been in the top Langton classification since 1991. Penfolds Grange is the only wine to be heritage listed by the South Australian National Trust.

Unlike most expensive cult wines from the Old World which are from single vineyards or even small plots (called blocks) within vineyards, Grange is made from grapes harvested over a wide area. This means that the precise composition of the wine changes from year to year; it is the expertise of the winemakers which purchasers value, rather than the qualities of the specific places where the grapes are grown, or the particular vines. The quantity of Penfolds Grange produced varies from year to year, with 1,800 bottles of the original 1951 vintage produced. Gago states that 7000 to 9000 cases are made each vintage as of 2013. Despite the vagaries of grape sourcing and vintage variation due to growing conditions, some believe that there is a consistent and recognisable "Penfolds Grange" style.

In the 1980s, Tooth & Co. (who were then part of the Adelaide Steamship Group) purchased a number of wineries, including Penfolds. AdSteam sold its wineries to SA Brewing Holdings in 1990, who then amalgamated all of its wine holdings into "The Penfolds Wines Group". In 1994 SA Brewing Holdings split into three companies: brewing into SA Brewing Company, wine in Southcorp Wines, and other activities into Southcorp. Upon its acquisition of Southcorp Wines in May 2005, ownership of the Penfolds brand, along with its museum collection of Penfolds Grange, passed to the Foster's Group. In May 2011 Penfolds, along with the rest of Foster's wine brands, were spun off into Treasury Wine Estates, a separate company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.

 

[Hachiko]

New Fight Song For Leafa College Released!

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
September 21, 2077



"Gone Up For Leafa" is the second song written by Ulysses "Uptown" Fong Wang Chung, a schoolboy and son of a former Islamist terrorist and buxom maneater that also plays as an offensive lineman for his club side. This song was co-written by the great-grandson of Cold Chisel's Ian Moss, Andrew Moss, who also goes by the name Andy Warhammer. The song debuted at Homecoming 2077 in September 2077 and was adopted by the Leafa College Spirit Pep Band and the LeafaCAS as an official fight song on that day. The song is set to the tune of "Bow River" by Cold Chisel.

"Gonna put on my colours.
Put on my green and gold.
Feel that Spirit lift me to my feet again.
I don't want to see your crying eyes.
I'll be home soon, and I'll tell you why.
Just so you know, I've gone up for Leafa again.

You can lift me higher, aim me for the stars
And I will bring another trophy to the Leafa Town.
Finding peace of mind, of heart and might
And the dreams that I shared will make you come around.
I'm going for the glory, gonna be number one,
I won't let anyone take my pride away from me.
And when it's time for action, we will light the fire,
And gone up for Leafa is where I wanna be.

Gonna put on my colours.
Put on my green and gold.
Feel that Spirit lift me to my feet again.
I don't want to see your crying eyes.
I just want to see your smile against the Southern Skies
Until my dying day.
I don't want be another American
Cause I've always been Australian.
I've had enough, gone up for Leafa again.
Just so you know, I've gone up for Leafa again.

It's where I get my knowledge, my university days.
Under the Tower I sing this victory song.
So over down in Canberra, you will find me there,
I won't leave it to fate, I won't be dead and gone!

Gonna put on my colours.
Put on my green and gold.
Feel that Spirit lift me to my feet again.
I don't want to see your crying eyes.
I just want to see your smile against the Southern Skies
Until my dying day.
I don't want be another American
Cause I've always been Australian.
I've had enough, gone up for Leafa again.

Running up the score,
They're breaking down the door.
Gonna heave away. We'll be back for more!
We are from Leafa, and every game is a war.
Touchdown offence, hit 'em defence!
This is where my life and the fun never ends.
Just so you know, I've gone up for Leafa again.
Just so you know, I've gone up for Leafa again.

Just so you know, I've Gone
Up For Leafa
Again!"​

-I. Moss, U. Fong and A. Moss​

 

[Hachiko]

Savanna Ebina-Doma, the wife of Brock Ebina-Doma.​

EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT: In Brock Ebina-Doma's Words

By Brock Ebina-Doma
Special To The Spirit News
September 22, 2077

As a punter, you have one job, and one job one, and that's to give the opponent the most difficult field position imaginable. My name is Brock Ebina-Doma, the punter for Coach Harding's Spirit, and I'm a second-year student at Leafa College. I've settled into my role as a punter, and I want to believe that I have a future playing in North America in this position but I am always willing to try AFL and maybe try out as a top-up player for the Giants.

My wife is Savanna Ebina-Doma, formerly known as Savanna Konecki. Adele Adkins, Florence Welch and Taylor Swift are among her grandaunts/grandmothers. She loves to sing and her body resembles that of Grandaunt Taylor in her younger years. She like to sing as a hobby and prefers to work in the coffee or fashion industry, or perhaps work as a nurse. She embraces the coffee culture we have here and her preferred blend combines Liberica with Arabica beans procured from Southeast Asia.

Sometimes I think about my own mortality when I am on the road. I think about Savanna and the day when we decide to have kids and settle down as a family, living the Australian dream like the song "Leafa Heave Away" suggest. What is the Australian Dream, I wonder? Surely sports has something to do with it, as well as friendship and compassion. Great food and drink and humor is part of it too.

Savanna worries about me too much on days when I have to be away from her. She's studying to be someone, I'm studying to be a successful athlete and put food on the table. I tell her, "Listen, Savanna, everything I will do, it will be for you and our kids. Trust the one that will take care of you when your life is on the line because I will deliver." She listens to everything I tell her. When I can see that trust in her eyes, I know that I can carry the burden of responsibility when me and mates go to battle on gameday.

Every snap, every kick, every coffin corner...I always look forward to the next play. If I am needed, I will be there to make a difference. i know Savanna wouldn't want it any other way.

​

 

[Hachiko]

Leafa Reduce Air Force To Three Field Goals Away

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
September 26, 2077


The Air Force Falcons were reduced to just three field goals as Dan Harding's Leafa Spirit Gridiron throttled the Falcons 146-9 at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. Quarterback Shae Katou-Aki passef for 265 yards, ran for 523 yards and scored 15 touchdowns on offense, while left outside linebacker Gilles Troyard had nine tackles and five sacks.

Halfback Brett Inohara ran for 302 yards and a score while backup Ace Kurogane added three extra touchdowns on the ground. Wide receiver Jarryd kaizuka caught four passes for 46 yards and two touchdowns and also led the blockers with 29 pancake blocks. Middle linebacker Rhys Miyazawa had 13 tackles, two sacks and an interception while Case Tasmin Jagger added four sacks and Steele Craftman had six.

Leafa improve to 5-0 and will return to action in two weeks when they host the Boise State Broncos at the Subaru Pleiades Stadium in Canberra.

 

[Hachiko]

 

[Hachiko]

The Mystique of David Unaipon

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
September 28, 2077


David Unaipon (born David Ngunaitponi) (28 September 1872 – 7 February 1967) was a well-known Indigenous Australian of the Ngarrindjeri people, a preacher, inventor and writer. Unaipon's contribution to Australian society helped to break many Indigenous Australian stereotypes, and he is featured on the Australian $50 note in commemoration.


Born at the Point McLeay Mission on the banks of Lake Alexandrina in the Coorong region of South Australia, Unaipon was the fourth of nine children of James and Nymbulda Ngunaitponi. Unaipon began his education at the age of seven at the Point McLeay Mission School and soon became known for his intelligence, with the former secretary of the Aborigines' Friends' Association stating in 1887: "I only wish the majority of white boys were as bright, intelligent, well-instructed and well-mannered, as the little fellow I am now taking charge of."


Unaipon left school at 13 to work as a servant for C.B. Young in Adelaide where Young actively encouraged Unaipon's interest in literature, philosophy, science and music. In 1890, he returned to Point McLeay where he apprenticed to a bootmaker and was appointed as the mission organist. In the late 1890s he travelled to Adelaide but found that his colour was a bar to employment in his trade and instead took a job as storeman for an Adelaide bootmaker before returning to work as book-keeper in the Point McLeay store.


On 4 January 1902 he married Katherine Carter (née Sumner), a Tangane woman. He was later employed by the Aborigines' Friends' Association as a deputationer, in which role he travelled and preached widely in seeking support for the Point McLeay Mission. Unaipon retired from preaching in 1959 but continued working on his inventions into the 1960s.


An interpretive dance based on Unaipon's life, Unaipon, was performed by the Bangarra Dance Theatre, while the David Unaipon Literary Award is an annual award presented for the best of writing of the year by unpublished Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors.


The David Unaipon College of Indigenous Education And Research at the University of South Australia is named after him, as is Unaipon Avenue in the Canberra suburb of Ngunnawal. 21 years after Unaipon's death in 1988, the annual national David Unaipon Award was established for unpublished Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers.

 

[Hachiko]

 

[Hachiko]

The Mystique of the Clontarf Foundation

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
October 5, 2077

The Clontarf Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that exists to improve the education, discipline, self-esteem, life skills and employment prospects of young Aboriginal men and by doing so, equip them to participate more meaningfully in society. Participants are offered an opportunity to succeed and hence to raise their self-esteem through participation in the popular sport of Australian rules football or Rugby League.

Using the passion that Aboriginal boys have for football allows Clontarf to attract the boys to school. But it is not a sporting program.

Each Clontarf Academy, formed in partnership with the local school, is focussed on encouraging behavioural change, developing positive attitudes, assisting students to complete school and secure employment. Fundamental to this, is the development of values, skills and abilities that will assist the boys to achieve better life outcomes.

Through a diverse mix of activities, the full-time, local Clontarf staff mentor and counsel students while the school caters for the educational needs of each student.

In order to remain in the Academy, members must consistently endeavour to:

• Attend school regularly
  
• Apply themselves to the study of appropriate courses
  
• Embrace the Academy's requirements for behaviour and self-discipline

Clontarf combines mentoring with a broad range of extra-curricular activities to expose participants to a wide range of life experiences which challenge and develop them. Participants are involved in leadership camps and personal development activities throughout the year. Highlight activities include interstate and regional tours, school camps, inter-Academy events and excursions. All activities are structured to ensure the development and enhancement of life skills.

Upon completing the programme graduates are helped to find employment. A specialist employment officer is employed to do this as well as to provide support until the graduate becomes comfortable with his new job and surroundings.

With support from the private sector, state/territory governments and the federal government, Academies now operate in 45 schools in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Victoria. Some of the Clontarf students who have gone on to play football at a professional level include Mark Williams, Dion Woods, Andrew Krakouer, Michael Johnson, Lewis Jetta, Chris Yarran and Patrick Ryder.

 

[Hachiko]

Leafa roll past Boise State as Spirit fill needs at O-Line

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
October 10, 2077

Dan Harding's Leafa Spirit rolled past the Boise State Broncos 112-27 as its high-profile signing, centre Uptown Fong, verbally committed to the Spirit following a strong performance from the offence at the Subaru Pleiades Stadium in Canberra. Quarterback Shae Katou-Aki passed for 268 yards and ran for 422 more, scoring 10 total touchdowns while cornerback Lloy Auerback had three interceptions to lead the defence.

Halfback Brett Inohara ran for 173 yards and three scores, halfback Ace Kurogane ran for 111 yards and two majors, tight end Anthony Kagurazaka caught three passes for 73 yards and a touchdown, and wide receiver Touma Yukihira led the offence in blocking with 10 pancake blocks. Ben Ayugase led all tacklers with 13 tackles and three sacks while Rhys Miyazawa added 12 tackles. Cornerback Adam Sakurada had two picks while Gilles Troyard and Steele Craftman had two sacks each.

Leafa improve to 6-0 for the season and hit the road next week to face the UNLV Rebels at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

 

[Hachiko]

 

[Hachiko]

Mao Kurokawa and Nao Mashiba, the mother and (surrogate) father of Uptown Fong.
​

"I do 100 snaps a day after school to get the form down": Uptown Fong

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
October 12, 2077

Mao Kurokawa, Uptown Fong's mother.
​

Ulysses "Uptown" Fong never knew his father the way he wanted to. His father, Fong Xu-Kai, a former Islamist under the alter ego Jassim Abu Bakr Al-Badraq, was killed in action while fighting for the military in China against the same enemies he used to work for when Uptown was four. To this day, he lives with his biological mother, Mao Kurokawa, a Hiroshima Carp supporter, and his second mother and surrogate father, Nao Mashiba. Fong never wanted to be in the military. He embraces sports and songwriting and was responsible for penning a couple of Leafa College's fight song.

"I was named Uptown in tribute to the late Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson and their song 'Uptown Funk,'" said the Canberra native Fong, doing another of his usual rituals at practice: 100 snaps after practice. "I do 100 snaps a day after school to get the form down as a centre. Before my father left on his fateful journey to the Levant, he confided to my mother Mao that I would grow up to be big, strong and play gridiron.

"I didn't think he would be right in the end, but I love college football, the NFL, our local league here in the Territory and New South Wales that I wanted to be a part of it. Mother Nao told me, when I turned 10, you should follow your dreams and never shy away from a challenge. I am glad I listened to her because now I know what I want to be: a Super Bowl-winning centre in America.

"I do a lot of lifting, a lot of eating in the form of Major League Eating, and actually, believe it or not, Matt Stonie is one of my distant relatives, so I naturally have an expandable capacity. But eating and drinking competitively is not my trade. I write songs, I play sports. And that's pretty much it, other than studying.

"I especially want to make my mother Mao proud of what I do when I join the team for camp next winter. I know it won't be easy to be a student at Leafa, but my mothers told me, I can't back down from any challenge. Embrace, enjoy, enlighten. I'm going to turn skeptics into doubters and be a difference for my new team. Uptown Fong you up."

​

 

[Hachiko]

Dan Harding Pertubed By Lack Of Privacy At Practices Away

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
October 17, 2077

Leafa Spirit Gridiron coach Dan Harding is not pleased that enthusiastic onlookers were able to find out the location on their team camp and request for autographs and photo opportunities when training sessions are generally not open to the public. In a change from the usual camp in Las Vegas's city limits for away matches against the UNLV Rebels, the team stayed at a Best Western and had their training at Canyon Springs High School. However, when word got out that an unusual set of buses were rolling in after school hours, some students decided to stick around and watch the training in secret.

"I can't believe that some of the locals here knew we were coming to train," said Coach Harding following the team's 122-27 rout of the Rebels at Sam Boyd Stadium. "Apparently, someone noticed the extra police vehicles and figured that we were going to roll in here for our training. I didn't want to leave a bad impression so after practice, our players did pose for photos and signed autographs for the students.

"But that's what I don't understand. I tell the students, this is what you blokes have to put up with when you are playing this sport at this level. You have a high standard to maintain and you have to protect the image and the brand of this programme and the system overall and also our nation. Naturally, the lads were able to handle themselves well, but the weather could have done its part too, because we played in a massive downpour.

"Handling success and the pressures to put on a good performance every game is part of the learning process for this team. We make improving our dynamics, our intensity a massive priority when we are training, devising a plan, executing it every quarter. So this is nothing new for them, it's elements that they have internalized before we started camp back in July. We have a week off to keep everything in perspective before we get back on the grind."

Leafa are off this week but will be training in Los Angeles next week and for half of the following week at Anschutz Centre in Carson, Calif. before flying to Colorado to face the Colorado State Rams. Training will not be open to the public, but players and coaches will be able to speak to the media following each morning session.

 

[Hachiko]

 

[Hachiko]

​

Alice Third Macy, mother of Albert Miyakuni.​

Are Leafa's Gridiron Heroes Really Professionals In Disguise?

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
October 19, 2077

One of the big questions that many students at Leafa College have been asking is this: are the players who compose the list for the gridiron team really just professionals disguised as genuine student athletes? Or are these all baseless rumours designed to discredit the legitimacy of the program in question? Alice Third Macy is the mother of Leafa signee Albert "Abba" Miyukuni and she argues that no, there is no reason to be concerned.

"They just have a very good conditioning program for the first years and that helps establish their form," said Macy. "I talked to the trainers to ask if Abba will be able to handle their rigorous standards and they told me, it's all up to him. So knowing that Abba's a tough lad, I think he can handle the difficulties of working into the first team."

Koito Minase and Haruhiko Ichijou, Derek Ichijou's parents.​

Haruhiko Ichijou is the father of Daisuke "Derek" Ichijou. He and his wife Koito Minase are convinced that the players on the gridiron side are not professionals but the quality of football makes them NFL prospects.

"Every member on that list is bona fide NFL talent. From the top to the bottom," Ichijou said. "I cannot find a single player on that team that won't be at least coaching the game professionally. Every one is a star, and that's why Derek decided to sign. They're amateur student athletes with the quality and work ethic of professionals."

​

Xam Yatorishimo and Sorouku Ikuta, Roy Ikuta's parents.​

Sorouku Ikuta is the father of Yoshito "Roy" Ikuta. He feels tha the environment is the optimal environment for his son, a 6'3", 272 pount tackle that specializes in run blocking.

"My son loves to block players but he is too heavy for league," said Ikuta. "I said, "Roy, you can be successful being a run blocker for Leafa, they're a drive away. He did the visit and signed afterwards. It's a great fit."

Hitoka Yachi and Shouyou Hinata, parents of Josiah and Rhett Hinata.
​

Shouyou Hinata is a retired volleyball player now working as a sports trainer in Coffs Harbour. His younger son, Masaya "Josiah" Hinata is a signed recruit who plays as a guard, while Josiah's older brother Rito "Rhett" Hinata is a first-year outside hitter on the Spirit men's volleyball team. Shouyou dismisses the alleged disguise as dialogue to get people talking.

"I just see all this as good publicity and my two sons see through the smoke and mirrors like accountable lads," Shouyou said. "My wife Hitoka [Yachi] and I told the boys, 'don't let anyone dismiss you as professional ringers. You have a degree to obtain. The titles and honors on the court and pitch will always come second to your education.' They know it, and I don't really have to say anything elese."

Leafa are off this week and are away to Colorado State next week to resume play.

 

[Hachiko]

 

[Hachiko]

"The Blokes On This Team Are A Hungry Bunch Of Mugs": Dan Harding

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
October 28, 2077

Officially, Dan Harding's Leafa Spirit Gridiron Team fly via issued charter. However, the university has an agreement with Southwest Airlines to fly the team to away matches in the USA via Los Angeles International Airport. Today, the team left Anschutz Centre to board a flight in special Leafa College green and gold livery to Denver, where they will be based ahead of their match with the Colorado State Rams. CSU are 1-6 on the year and are expected to get run over by this side.

But it's not just the in-flight entertainment that the players like. It's the snacks. Complimentary beverages, peanuts, pretzels and Snack Packs are provided to players, coaches and staff. All the equipement is housed on a cargo plane flying ahead of the players 12 hours prior. And the entire allocation is generally used up, within an hour.

"The blokes on this team are a hungry bunch of mugs," said Leafa coach Dan Harding. "They love to have energy so that they can study and train and play. I ask the staff at Southwest to provide healthier options for the players and coaches but they told us that this was all they could provide. It hasn't harmed their form, but it does provide calories to burn."

Linebacker Storm Ingvalt is the biggest pretzel eater on the team, downing five packs of pretzels per flight. Ingvalt believes that pretzels are soul food for hipsters and preaches about the mystiques of pretzel towns.

"Every place we visit for a game has at least one place where they sell pretzels," Ingvalt explained. "Every town is a pretzel town, and that get me motivated to lay the don't argue on someone. It causes the mates to lift. We like to lift our game when it's match day. The in-game experience, playing in a pretzel town...that's where it's at for me."

​

 

[Hachiko]

Away Days Done As Leafa Storm Past Colorado State In Storm

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
October 31, 2077

The stormy weather chased Dan Harding's Leafa College Spirit to Fort Collins, Colorado, but it wasn't anything the Gridiron team couldn't handle as they outlasted the Colorado State Rams, 78-26. Halfback Brett Inohara was best on ground for Leafa, rushing for 291 yards and four touchdowns on the day. However, the team will be sweating on the status of Shae Katou-Aki, who left the game early due to an injury.

"We're going to evaluate Shae and see if we can get him lined up for Nevada next week but by the looks of things, it's going to be a nervous wait," said Coach Harding after the match in the postgame presser. "Brett's had to battle from being lost to injury before and he's been able to pick up the pieces. He and Kaz [Kasumigaoka] have lifted the team despite the setback and we didn't change our gameplan because our main main took a knock.

"The great things about this team is the continuity from our offence, defence and special teams units. We have depth and players that can step up when the going gets tough. What we plan to do for the next few weeks is to ease in our second team and get other players some time to contribute, as we are at home for all of our remaining matches.

"Our team does not start and end with Shae. We are going to have to prove to a lot of people that if Shae can't finish the rest of the season, we have Kaz and Rocky (Naoe) and even Keisuke (Natsume) to fill in the holes. But we need to fit and proper and keep plugging away. We won't let Shae's injury discourage this side, they have been fantastic so far through 10 rounds."

Leafa improve to 8-0 on the season. Colorado State drop to 1-7 and are eliminated from bowl contention.

 

[Hachiko]

 

[Hachiko]

​

Megumi Katou, the mother of Shae Katou-Aki.​

"A Miracle": A Simple Visit By Katou-Aki's Mother Heals Shae Of Injury

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
November 2, 2077

Leafa Spirit quarterback Shae Katou-Aki suffered a concussion and had to recover at Leafa College Medical Center. The prognosis was that he would be out a few weeks and he would be under threat of not winning the Heisman Trophy for another year. However, in miraculous news, at a press conference at Houraisan Centre, Spirit coach Dan Harding announced that Katou-Aki recovered from his injury and would be back at training the next day ahead of the match with Nevada.

"This is, I can't believe it, unbelievable news," said Coach Harding, wiping away a tear. "What Shae told me was that his mother visited him, they had a long talk over classes, the team's progress, and the long road ahead and all that sorts, and after she kissed his forehead, apparently his symptoms subsided and he was back to full health.

"This is a miracle that he healed quickly, and I think it was the mother's touch that got this man back on his feet. We look forward to seeing Shae back at training because we have a long, challenging stretch of home contests to take care of and we need Shae out there for the boys."

Shae's mother is Megumi Katou, who is a former model and video game designer that has now retired to doing writing and photography. No surprise that she knows Shae more than anyone out there.

"I told Shae, you're been eating too much sausage rolls and saveloys, that's why your head hurts," Katou said. "Mind what you eat, mind where you are when you play any down with your mates because you are responsible for you. That's what I told my son. Once I assured him there was nothing to worry about, his body responded and it's back to work for him again. A long ways yet to go, but I am pleased with Shae's work for his team and for the College. Real proud of that lad."

Leafa College vs. Nevada is part one of the November To Remember promotion as buildup intensifies ahead of a strong postseason placement for the Spirit. All November To Remember packages, which include admission to all remaining Leafa Gridiron home contests, are sold out.

 

[Hachiko]

Leafa Second Team Dials In Against Nevada in 150-10 Rout

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
November 7, 2077

Left end Case Tasmin Jagger recorded 17 tackles and eight sacks and quarterback Kaz Kasumigaoka passed for 396 yards, ran for 472 and scored 12 touchdowns as Dan Harding's Leafa Spirit Gridiron got the second team to roll past the Nevada Wolf Pack, 150-10, at the Pleiades Stadium in Canberra. The stats were career bests for Kasumigaoka and Tasmin Jagger, who are expected to earn NCAA and Mountain West Player of the Week honors for their efforts.

"As promised, I wanted the fringe players to get some reps down and they delivered," said Harding after the match. "The boys lifted from the kickoff and didn't look back. They were spot on and got to work from the start. I was really pleased with their commitment to running the offence and defence and special teams."

"I knew I was going to be called up today and I just plugged and way and made some hits," said Tasmin Jagger, known as Tazza for short. "I like throwing the quarterback down when I get an opening because I have good speed and can accelerate past blockers after getting space. When I have a second, I am there. I had a lot of fun today."

"I was disappointed I didn't throw for any majors but I have the legs and vision to make up for it," said Kaz, known as Kazza for short. "I watch how the AFL players use their legs to go through space and I didn't disappoint. If I can get in on my own power, I can cash in. I had a sprain late so I didn't finish it out, but Rocky wanted some reps too and he got a major as well so it was a good outing for us."

Leafa improve to 9-0 and host San Jose State next week.

 

[Hachiko]

 

[Hachiko]

Vladimir Putin, Ekaterina Verniyeva and Verka Serduchka, the great-granduncle (father's side), mother and great-granduncle (mother's side) of Leafa recruit Andriy "Addo" Shamalov​

From Russia To Tokyo To Canberra: The Khorosho Journey Of Andriy Shamalov

By Reiko Arisugawa-Bell
The Spirit News
November 9, 2077

At age 16, Andriy Verniyevich Shamalov is the son of Ekaterina Verniyeva, a restauranteur and former officer of the Russian Navy, and Gregoriy Shamalov, the youngest grandson of the late Rossiya Bank owner Nikolay Shamalov. Andriy, who prefers to play as a running back or receiver, worked at Furukawa Bread as an artisan baker and accountant when he was in junior high school and learned the skills of finance and accounting at a very young age. In 2074, he and his mother chose to leave Furukawa Bread and emigrate to Australia to reunite with his father, who ran a small business serving Russian and Ukrainian cuisine.

Ekaterina, who goes by Katya or her nickname "Verniy" and whose Japanese name is "Hibiki", is a grandniece of the late Ukrainian entertainer Andriy Danylko, a.k.a. Verka Serduchka, of which Andriy is named after. As for the Leafa recruit himself, he is fluent in English, Japanese, Korean, Russian and Ukrainian and is a talented singer that has a voice similar to his great-granduncle on his mother's side. Thus, he has Japanese, Russian, and Ukrainian heritage but he is especially close to his mother because, as he will tell you, he was spoiled by.

"I'm blessed to be the descendant of a Russian president/prime minister and a brash crossdressing entertainer and comedian and the son of a shipgirl, according to my mom," said Andriy, who prefers to be called Addo in accordance with Australian sports nickname convention. "But since the Community Party is back in charge over in Russia, I sometimes put where I was born in the back of my mind.

"I was born in Saint Petersburg, the same place where my parents married and also where my great-granduncle on my father's side was born. At age four, after my mother retired from the military, we moved to Japan where I learned to work in a small business selling bread, curry and other Japanese specialties. At age 10, my father moved to Australia so that he could start up a business. He earned a job in Tuggeranong serving Russian and Ukrainian cuisine and on weekend, customers queud up for a buffet that included dressed herring, stroganoff, pirozhki, pirogies, and self-serving pots of borscht, as well as the customary meat pies and other Australia delicacies.

"But as the years passed, my mother started to be bored of working at Furukawa Bread so three years ago, we immigrated here so that were were reunited with my father. I decided to take up a sport and play gridiron because I liked the dynamics of the game. I told Mom that I wanted to play on offence and be like Jerry Rice. I watched the Leafa College games with my mom at Pleiades in my first year of applying for citizenship, and my mom liked the action. I clasped her hand and said, 'This could be me. This will be me.'

"She agreed to it, but she told me to focus on my classes and do well on my exams. When I decided to enroll at Leafa, I want to play as a receiver or halfback but I if I end up trying a different position, I will do it because I want to be versatile. I'm 6'0", 200 lbs, I can diversify my skills, I like running the option, the most pure element of offense.

"I'm competing with other people to earn a spot on the team next recruiting class, but Leafa is a very prestigious school. It's similar to Stanford in the States. Competitive, high-performing students come here, and the distance learning programs means there are students of the system on every continent. However, Leafa is exclusiv to Oceania-based students, so now that I am wrapping up my citizenship process, I can get the wheels in motion. At Leafa, I plan to major in finance and accounting and also have an option to go for an MBA if my professional playing career is not to be.

"As my mother tells me, 'You need a plan if you want to survive, and you need a plan in order to live. When you know what you want to do, you can be ready for anything.' I am ready to give everything I have to make everyone I love proud, especially my mom. My favorite phrase comes from her: Жизнь хорошо. Life is wonderful."

​

 

[Hachiko]

​

Leafa Spirit March Past San Jose State

By Reiko Bell
The Spirit News
November 14, 2077

Quarterback Shae Katou-Aki ran for 598 yards and 11 total touchdowns and cornerback Lloy Auerbach made four interceptions to help Dan Harding's Leafa Spirit dominate the San Jose Spartans, 147-34, on Spirit Senior Day 2077. It was a complete performance that won the day for the Spirit on both sides on the ball, but also a day dedicated to the team's vaunted ground game.

"We just like to run the ball ad nauseum," said Coach Harding. "We figured that our speed and block was all we needed to take down San Jose and we forced our opponent to try and have a crack at our bread and butter. Then our defense made some stops at defending their passing game and that obviously factored into the result."

Halfback Brett Inohgara ran for 372 yards and five touchdowns, wideout Jiji Petricca had 13 pancake blockes, Satoshi Aiza added 12 for the offensive line, middle linebacker Rhys Miyazawa had 26 tackles and secondary ballhawk Geronimo Hikigaya added 17 tackles and a pick. Gilles Troyard led a quiet yet effective pass rush with three sacks on the night.

Leafa improve to 10-0 and are away to San Diego State next week at Qualcomm Stadium on Nov. 20.

 

[Hachiko]

 

[Hachiko]

​

The Mystique of the Halal Snack Pack

By Reiko Bell
The Spirit News
November 15, 2077

A halal snack pack, or HSP, is a dish consisting of halal-certified doner kebab meat (typically beef but also chicken and lamb), chips, and one or more sauces, especially chili, garlic and barbecue. Yoghurt, cheese, jalapeño peppers, and hummus are common additions. It is traditionally served in a styrofoam container, and has been described as a staple dish of takeaway kebab shops in Australia. Some Australian restaurant menus refer to the dish as a "snack box" or "mixed plate", rather than as a "halal snack pack".

The halal snack pack dish originated in Australia as a culinary fusion of Middle-Eastern and European cuisine. By some accounts, snack packs have had a long history, originating more than 90 years ago. They have since become a quintessential Australian dish. However, variations or similar dishes exist in other countries; such include "doner meat and chips" in the United Kingdom, "kebabtallrik" ("kebab plate") in Sweden, and "kebab ranskalaisilla" ("kebab with French fries") in Finland. In Adelaide, South Australia, the dish is known as "AB".

In late 2015, following the creation of the Halal Snack Pack Appreciation Society, a subculture formed around the dish and has been suggested to bring cultures together. This led to wide coverage of the dish in the media, as well as a notable reference by Senator Sam Dastyari in Australian Parliament during a debate about halal certification which is credited as largely the reason for the increase in attention paid to this dish.

Health concerns have been raised, even flippantly, about halal snack packs' refined carbohydrate and saturated fat content, causing obesity and heart disease, among other conditions, such as cerebrovascular, metabolic and renal conditions and complications.

The AB in Adelaide is a very similar dish, which is prepared using gyro meat, chips, tomato sauce, chilli sauce, barbecue sauce, and garlic sauce. The dish is sometimes accompanied with alcoholic beverages. Two restaurants in Adelaide have claimed to have invented the dish: the North Adelaide Burger Bar (also known as the Red & White), which claims to have invented the AB between 1969 and 1972, and the Blue & White, which dates their claim to 1989. The AB may be consumed as a shared dish, with the meal being placed at the centre of a table. According to urban legend, the North Adelaide Burger Bar AB takes its name from one of two words: "afterbirth" or "abortion". Since a change of ownership, AB appears as Atomic Bomb on the North Adelaide Burger Bar menu.

In Canberra, the HSP is a popular dish at Leafa College and Leafa Town, is called a "Leafa Pack" and uses organic, locally grown ingredients. It is the official dish of a secret co-ed gastronomy society called the "Haraam Dingoes," named after those who order their HSP with tomato sauce and/or salad. A plurality of people in this club are said to be actual practicing Muslims who are anti-terrorism.

Kapsalon is a Dutch food item consisting of fries, topped with döner or shawarma meat, grilled with a layer of Gouda cheese until melted, and then covered with a layer of dressed salad greens.

A munchy box is an inexpensive fast-food product sold from takeaway restaurants, primarily in the West of Scotland and Glasgow. It typically includes kebab meat, fried chicken, pizza, chicken tikka, onion rings, pakora, naan bread, garlic bread, coleslaw, and other fast foods and sauces.

HSP culture also has a Canadian cousin in poutine dishes. Poutine (french slang for "a mess") traditionally consists of fries, thin gravy and cheese curds, plus a variety of toppings from ground beef, sliced sausage, or doner meat like the HSP, to pizza sauce, bacon and maple syrup, even foie gras and truffles.

 

[Hachiko]

San Diego State Get Decapitated By Leafa College

By Reiko Bell
The Spirit News
November 21, 2077

Quarterback Shae Katou-Aki passed for 184 yards and ran for 517 yards and 10 total touchdowns on offense as Dan Harding's Leafa Spirit Gridiron rolled past the San Diego State Aztecs 125-13. Left outside linebacker Gilles Troyard led a professionally organized defensive unit with 11 tackles, two tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California.

Halfback Brett Inohara had 376 rushing yards and four touchdowns, wide receiver Touma Yukihira added two extra touchdowns on the ground while making six catches for 57 yards and 17 pancake blockes, wideout Jarryd Kaizuka had 14 pancake blocks, Anthony Kagurazaka had seven pancakes and offensive lineman Larry Tribeca Wood added five pancakes.

Defensively, Joe Takajou had 11 tackles, cornerback Adam Sakurada and Vern Dahlgren added an interception apiece, and the brute on the defensive line, big Ben Ayugase, had three sacks. Also with three sacks to go with eight tackles altogether wass all-American candidate Steele Craftman.

Leafa improve to 11-0 and conclude the regular season on the road next week against the Fresno State Bulldogs.

 

[Hachiko]