Musik Monday - MfG by Die Fantastischen Vier

Musik Monday is back!  And this week is one of my favorite songs.  I have about 10 songs on my phone, and this is one of them.  It's so clever and fun to listen to and sing along with/mess up many of the lyrics. 

Die Fantastischen Vier (Fanta 4) have been around for a while - officially since 1989 to be exact.  They are a German hip-hop group that was the first to really reach the top of the music charts in 1992.  Their music employs a lot of comedy, but later in the group's career, some of their songs became more serious.  Fun fact: they voice the Penguins in the German-dubbed Madagascar films.  

(source: www.rotoscopers.com)

The group is still making music, but this song is from 1999.  The song is MfG, which is an acronym for "Mit freundlichen Gruessen," which translates literally to "with friendly greetings"; it's a way to end a letter before signing your name, like "sincerely yours". *Warning: Some adult themes*

If you know the German alphabet, it might sound a little like random letters being rapped then a chorus of actual words thrown in.  It's not random at all though.  First, the title itself is "text speak" and a way that people shortened words to make things quicker and easier.  The other letters in the song all go in groups of 3 as well, and each group of 3 stands for something.

Going even further into the song, each line of 3 acronyms is its own grouping.  The sets of 3 all have something in common.  I took a Deutsches Popmusik class when I studied in Heidelberg and we had a worksheet where we had to try to fill in each group of 3 letters while listening to the song.  Then, after we reviewed those, we tried to figure out what each acronym stands for.  Some were easy, because they're used in English as well as in German.  Others we knew because of learning German.  But the remaining ones were total guesses if we put anything down.  We started seeing patterns though, which is extremely interesting.  I'd urge anyone to try to figure out what the acronyms are before looking at the chart in this link.  I'm a bit of a nerd, but it's kind of like a puzzle and really fun:

http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/german/DeutscheWoche/DieFanta4-MFG.pdf

While some groupings immediately make sense (i.e., EDV, IBM, and WWW are all computer related), some require a little research or additional knowledge to understand.  For example: KMH, ICE, Eschede refers to the Inter-City Express trains (ICE) known for their speed (KMH), one of which crashed in a town in Lower Saxony (Eschede) in 1998.

This is a great tool for teaching adults who are beginning to learn German.  It could also be useful for high school students, but there are some PG-13 themes in the song that a teacher might not want to explain to younger students (or their parents).  Most of all, it's a fun, clever song.

Filme Friday - Schlussmacher

Since Valentine's Day is next weekend, what better time for a romantic comedy Filme Friday?  This month's movie is "Schlussmacher", which roughly translates to "The Break-up Man."  I wasn't sure what to expect and was hesitant to watch because the poster on IMDb looked to have more romance and drama than comedy.  It turned out to be a lot like American romantic comedies, with a little bit of a "The Hangover" feel to it.  Another lesson in not judging a book by its cover!

The bottom poster works a lot better
(Source: [top] IMDb, [bottom] ontab.tv)

The main character, Paul (the handsome blonde on the posters) works for a company that specializes in ending relationships.  Paul's job is to break the new to people that their significant other is dumping them.  He remains professional and does what he can to give them their "happy end."  He's great at what he does, though it's clearly affecting his personal life.  He can't fully commit to a relationship, which causes the woman he's seeing to doubt whether they should be together.  His own romantic relationship is put on the backburner for most of the movie though as he deals with his latest client.

Paul and his "girlfriend", not as perfect as they seem (source: www.listal.com)

Paul is faced with his most important job yet.  If he is successful, he will get a huge promotion and become a partner in the company.  After he thinks this job is finished, things start falling apart.  His girlfriend says she's not happy with the way things are, and he realizes that Toto, the man who was his latest break-up victim, is a little crazy.  Trying to smooth things over, Paul gives Toto a ride, and loses his drivers license in the process.  Not wanting to tell his boss, and not having anyone else to turn to, Paul uses Toto as a way of getting around.  He's faced with trying to protect, control, and console Toto, and ends up lying to him a lot.  The two men have many misadventures, many of which are hilarious.  Of course, as is the case with movies like this, they learn some sort of lesson along the way.

Not being able to sleep alone: one of Toto's many quirks (source: meetup.com)

The movie is more of a lighthearted comedy than anything else.  It's fun to watch and not a chick-flick, despite being a romantic comedy.  There is violence, profanity, and sex in the movie, so it's at least a PG-13 rating, if not higher.  Parental discretion advised.  I watched without subtitles, but there are definitely versions with subtitles out there.  You don't need to be fluent in German to follow the story, but you might miss a few jokes without a translation.  It's a great date movie or one to watch alone for a few laughs.

(source: www.thimfilm.at)

H&R Block "Nein nein nein" Commercial

I love commercials (and anything else) that use foreign languages for comedy.  The other day, I saw one of many new H&R Block commercials advertising filing state tax returns for $9.99.  The message didn't click (I missed the end of the commercial because I was laughing) until I saw a different commercial, but it's hilarious example of false friends.  Hope it's as funny for some of you as it is for me!

Filme Friday x4 in November

November 9, 2014 marks the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall.  This may not sound terribly spectacular, but it's huge in perspective.  The wall was established on August 13, 1961 and cut off West Berlin from East Berlin and East Germany.  It tore the country apart and tore families apart.  Even today, its lasting effects can be seen, most notably in Berlin.  Half of the country endured communism while the other half had democracy.  This lasted until November 9, 1989, over 28 years later, when the wall was torn down.

I was barely 1 year old when the wall came down, so I don't remember what the division was like, but I've heard about it from many people.  I have family that lived in the East and family that lived in the West.  My parents and grandparents have shared stories about being terrified going into East Germany to visit.  I've heard about how family in East Germany was anxious and paranoid even outside of the East and how free they felt to be out of there.  It's hard to convey how much this impacted so many people and how powerful and symbolic the wall coming down was.

So, why not let some movies try?

I don't intend to review movies every week because I honestly don't have the time to rewatch them and write about them so often.  But, this month will be an exception.  I plan to review 5 movies this month: 1 on each Friday and possibly a non-movie post on Sunday, November 9.  All of them are related to the Berlin Wall in some way and paint a picture of how things were before, during, and after it.

I really hope that people will watch at least one of these movies as a result.  I'm excited to see them all again myself and maybe learn some things I didn't see or know before.  Please share your reactions and stories in the comments too!  I'm interested in hearing from you all.

Filme Friday: Freaks (1932)

A couple of weeks ago, I promised a new series called Filme Friday where I'll review at least one German film each month.  This is my first review, and while "Freaks" isn't actually a German film, it's a classic, perfect for this month, and there is German spoken in it.

(source: amazon.com)

I think I first saw the movie "Freaks" around when I started college.  I've always been a horror junkie (it just wasn't a Saturday night without seeing "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" on SNICK) and wanted to see where it all started.  Somehow, I came across what some people consider a cult film.  I decided to review it for two reasons:  First, it's October and this is considered a horror film.  Second, "American Horror Story: Freak Show" premieres October 8 and will almost definitely use "Freaks" as inspiration.

Be sure I'll have something to write about this show too (source: hypable.com)

The movie "Freaks" may have lost some of its shock value over time.  Not only have there been many disturbing and unbelievable things shown in horror films, but society has also changed.  We are more likely to accept and try to understand those who are different, either because they are born that way or because they choose to be.  There are still oddities, but when it comes to humans, they aren't really put on display anymore unless they choose to be.  Many people are into body modification and alter how they look with tattoos, piercings, and implants.  So, while the idea of a freak show still clearly fascinates us (see American Horror Story), the characters are less shocking than when the film came out in 1932.

The main plot involves Hans, a dwarf in circus who is engaged to Frieda, another dwarf.  While Frieda loves Hans, Hans has feelings for the beautiful trapeze artist Cleo, who is not a freak.  This love triangle causes suspicion among the freaks that Cleo does not love Hans, but is instead interested in the gifts he gives her.  Without spoiling the story, viewers are treated to an insight of the personal lives of the performers, and many truths are revealed.

Even though this film is usually labeled as a horror film, I'm not sure it should be.  It's really almost a genre of its own.  There's romance in the main plot and several of the subplots.  I was particularly intrigued by the subplot of how Violet is affected by her conjoined twin Daisy being engaged to one of the circus clowns.  I plan on watching "Chained for Life", a movie based on the real lives of Daisy and Violet.

There is also plenty of drama in this film.  How can you not expect that with at least one love triangle?  The level of drama only increases as the story continues.

The jokes aren't perfectly executed, but there are some great one-liners.  I love when Josephine Joseph, the half-man/half-woman gives Hercules a flirtatious look and Roscoe comments, "I think she likes you, but he don't."  There isn't much comedy in the movie, and it's pretty dark in general, but there are funny moments.

Lastly, the film has plenty of mystery and intrigue.  The viewer spends the entire movie waiting to see what people were so shocked by in the introduction's sideshow.  And it's impossible not to be fascinated seeing some of the freaks performing what would be simple tasks for others.  At one point, Prince Randian, the Human Torso, rolls a cigarette (not shown in the final cut), takes out a match, lights the match, and lights the cigarette, all with just his mouth.  Several others in the cast are missing limbs and it is shown how they compensate.

I guess I can see where the horror element comes in at the end.  Unlike many other horror movies, the gruesome part is done off camera (though, it seems like these parts were cut due to complaints by initial audiences), which leaves it to the imagination.  That's a method that can almost be more terrifying if done right.  It is a suspenseful moment, but it doesn't elicit the usual fear, possibly because the viewer almost feels like the victim deserves the fate.

The acting is not wonderful, but considering that some of the cast were not experienced actors, that's understandable.  I also wish the movie explored some of the other characters in more detail.  Again, some of this may have ended up on the cutting room floor.  One of the most interesting things about the movie is that it used real people, not special effects, and reclaimed the word "freaks" as something good.  The "Freaks" Wikipedia page lists the cast and has links to pages about some of them.  You can read about most of them and see that in many ways they really were the characters they were portraying.

As for the German in the movie, Hans and Freida both speak German a number of times.  The version I saw had no subtitles, but context and tone makes it pretty clear what's generally being said.  These characters were played by Harry Doll Earles (aka Kurt Fritz Schneider) and Daisy Doll Earles (aka Hilda Emma Schneider), two of four dwarf siblings born in Stolpen Germany.  These four siblings became known as The Doll Family.

(source: Wikipedia)

Harry and another sister, Grace, first performed in sideshows in Germany and were brought to the United States in 1914 where they lived with the family of Bert W. Earles, an American entrepreneur who included them in his 101 Ranch Wild West Show.  Later, Daisy and Tiny, the fourth sibling, joined their brother and sister in this act.  The Doll Family toured with Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus and acted in several movies.  Harry, Daisy, and Tiny all appeared in "Freaks" with the latter having a small role, and all 4 were munchkins in "The Wizard of Oz."  Harry was one of the Lollipop Guild members who first welcomes Dorothy.  Perhaps I'll write about them more in a later post.

Harry and Daisy as Hans and Frieda in "Freaks" (source: http://thesilverscreenaffair.blogspot.com)

Harry (right) as part of the Lollipop Guild (source: Wikipedia)

I really like the movie "Freaks."  I'm tempted to watch the 2007 remake "Freakshow", but I'm not sure how it will compare to the classic.  If you're interested, you can watch Freaks free at archive.org.  I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes things that are a little strange and twisted.  And if you plan on watching season 4 of "American Horror Story," this film is a must-see.

Musik Monday - Die Twinnies: Where are they now?

My most popular post by far is Musik Monday - Die Twinnies from over 2 years ago.  When I first posted the video, it was already 2 years old itself and what happened to the adorable rollerskating, accordion-playing, singing duo was a mystery.  Now, 4 years after the video was first posted, people are still writing comments about how much they love it and asking whatever happened to the girls.  I don't have all the answers, but I did some investigating and came up with something for all you Twinnies fans.

Franziska and Astrid in the Twinnies days (source: kidsmusic.info)

According to the birthdays listed on the duo's Wikipedia page, Astrid and Franziska are now both 18 years old (they were about 13 when the original video was made).  Unfortunately, it looks like the girls have chosen different paths and, at least as far as their music careers go, parted ways.  While Franziska (Franzi) is still in the public eye and pursuing music, Astrid seems to have stepped out of the limelight for a more private life.

Honestly, all I could find of Astrid is what I think is her Facebook page.  Please do *not* friend her or bother her using that link.  First of all, I can't be 100% sure it's her (only 99% sure), and secondly, it's private for a reason.  It looks like that's her personal Facebook for her personal life.  I'm not sure how she'd feel about fan mail, but if you do send messages or anything, please be kind and respectful.  It looks like she's happy and surrounded by some good friends.  Hopefully all is going well for her!

Astrid then and now (source: Facebook)

Franzi was a lot easier to find.  Her Facebook page is made for her fans, so please like it to keep up with what she's doing!  She's still performing music on stage, but it looks like she may have taken a small break for a couple of years.

Franzi then and now (source: Facebook)

Since June 2013, Franzi has been in Stefanie Hertel's DirndlRockBand.  Thanks to that, she's been touring with them in several countries and been with them on stage on on television.  Franzi's Facebook page also chronicles her adventures on the road and what she's doing outside of the band.  She writes in German, but there are plenty of pictures and videos...plus there's always the Google translate button.  I'm sure she'd love to not only have more likes on her page, but also to hear from her fans.  Hopefully her music career continues strong and her talent shines through!

DirndleRockBand (source: mdr.de)

Franzi performing with Stefanie Hertel at Musi Open Air 2014 (source: Facebook)

All is not lost Twinnies fans! Franzi also has a youtube account.  And there are some videos of her and Astrid hidden among the other great videos.  Here's the most recent one I could find.  Enjoy!

 Both girls have become beautiful young ladies and I wish them success in whatever they choose to pursue!  Hopefully this was helpful to everyone curious about where Die Twinnies are now!

Filme Friday, a new monthly post

So far, I've done Musik Monday and Spotlight Saturday.  It felt like something was missing though.  Then it hit me: Movies!  I'm a TV and movie junkie.  I would much rather be at home watching a movie than out with a bunch of people on a free night.  That's something I'd love to share with other people.  So, one Friday of each month (unless I'm feeling really ambitious), I'll be reviewing a movie.

Of course, in the spirit of the blog, these will be German movies.  And, why not?  I've always said that music is a great language learning tool, and movies are as well.  Both foreign music and movies not only allow people to hear (and see) the language being spoken, but also share a piece of the culture.

I'm looking forward to sharing some of my favorite movies with everyone and watching some new ones!  Suggestions and requests are definitely welcome!

Look for this new segment starting next month.

Steuben Parade 2014!

This Saturday, September 20 is the 57th annual German-American Steuben Parade in New York City!  The parade starts at noon (get there early) and goes up 5th Ave from 68th St to 86th St.  Unfortunately, the Oktoberfest sold out almost instantly as always, but the parade itself is so much fun.

Some of you are aware that I tried out for Miss German-America (twice) and was the Princess in 2012.  That was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, even with the stress of attending so many events and always having my Princess-face on.  Now that I know so much more about the inner workings of the parade, I appreciate it more.  I also know a lot of wonderful people because I was in the court that year.  Even before 2012, I cannot remember a year I didn't attend the parade.  I was always on the German School of CT float as a kid and watched the parade a few times as well.  I didn't realize how different all the cultures and costumes within one country could be until I actually saw the whole parade.  It's really an amazing event.  I could write a lot more, but it might be better to share some of my favorite pictures from the last few years.

My first year watching from the side

You don't need to be in the parade to have fun

German School of CT

My club in the traditional Frisian dress

Restaurants and bars always have fun floats

Always adorable kids in lederhosen and dirndls

Bavarian Club Edelweiss Westchester

Foehrer Musik Freunden!

Celebrating German-Americans

Still trying to perfect our waves

Bet there will be even more German soccer fans after the World Cup this year!

Still my desktop background picture

Lots of bands

Lots of bikes

Keep an eye out for these guys!

Wienermobile!

Beard Teanm USA

So many German Autos

Bierhaus NYC

Always a Trabi

Back on the court in 2012

There was an actual wedding during last year's parade

Parade wear: Berlin Ampelmann shirt and a Dirndl

A break for a quick soccer game in the middle of the parade

Big fluffy dogs!

And a bonus picture of Miss German-America and her court from the first Steuben Parade in 1957:

(Source: germany.travel and German Consulate General NY's Facebook)

There are so many more, but it's a lot to take in at once.  If that's not enough, here's the link to my Facebook albums from the 2009 Parade and the 2010 Parade.  I'll have even more to share after Saturday!

If the parade interests you, please go, buy a cornflower if you find one of the girls selling them, and try some of the other events this year and next year.  I guarantee a fun time!

Check out the Steuben Parade Website for more info!

Germans try saying "squirrel"

It's the middle of the week and we all could use a pick-me-up.  So, here's a video of Germans trying to say the word "squirrel."




Whoever thought of making this video is a genius.  It's interesting too because it shows how we somewhat lose the ability to form certain words and sounds.  Put a bunch of English-speakers on camera trying to say German words and it would be just as hilarious.  Of course, there's a response video where exactly that happens because the Internet exists :)




Enjoy your Wednesday everyone!

Losing never tasted so sweet!

I couldn't resist making a celebratory post about Germany taking First place and USA taking 2nd place in Group G!

Also, the Google Doodle is too good to pass up sharing.  This is one of my favorite ones yet!

Hope everyone enjoyed the game, whether in Germany or America.  And thanks to Portugal for winning their game!  Let's be real, G was by far the most exciting group to watch.
Our boss was generous and let us watch the game on one of the televisions in the office.

Did anyone take off of work to watch?  I know there were some office parties out there and plenty of conference rooms full of snacks and game watching.  I brought in surprise soccer cupcakes; half were Red, White & Blue inside and the other half were Gold, Red & Black inside.

Now lets just keep the soccer frenzy alive USA!!

(source: Business Insider)

USA vs. Germany! (and some nerdy analysis)

Today is the day!  Americans everywhere are finally excited for soccer and German-Americans are unsure who to cheer for.  It's exciting and nervewracking, even with statistics working in favor of both Germany and the USA.

Any real Patriot would be fine with red or blue outcomes (source: Forbes)

Some awesome person took the time to make that chart so lazier nerds like myself can see all the possible outcomes of the Group G games.  The chart is color-coded to show who would advance to the final 16 (the top 2 teams in each group advance).  It's like those Mendel Matrices we used to do in high school bio class to figure out the likelihood of a couple's child having blue or brown eyes.  This one is a little more complex, but works in the same way.  The US vs. Germany possible results are on the top and the Portugal vs. Ghana results are on the left.  Group G's top 2 depend on the outcome of both games.  So, for example, if it's a 1-1 draw in both games, Germany is 1st and US is 2nd, with both teams advancing.  In almost every outcome, if the US beats Germany, the US will be 1st and Germany 2nd, with both teams advancing.

Here's more of a breakdown:

• -218/256 (85%) possible outcomes have USA and Germany advancing. (Red + Blue)
  Not going into more detail, it's slightly more likely that Germany will take 1st in these outcomes.
• 30/256 (12%) possible outcomes have Germany and Ghana advancing. (Orange)
• 3/256 (1%) possible outcomes have Germany and Portugal advancing (Green) 
• 2/256 (0.8%) possible outcomes have Germany advancing and Portugal and USA drawing lots (Purple)
• 2/256 (0.8%) possible outcomes have USA advancing with Germany and Ghana drawing lots (Army Green)
• 1/256 (0.4%) of USA and Ghana advancing (Yellow)

I know most of my American friends will be rooting for the US to win, which is a totally fine outcome for me.  If they win, it's almost certain that both my teams will advance.

But, for anyone else cheering for Germany and USA to advance to the final 16, it's probably more important to cheer for Portugal.

German-American Spotlight: Jürgen Klinsmann

The 2014 World Cup started 2 days ago, so it seemed like a completely appropriate time to write about a German-American soccer star.  Not only that, but he is Team USA's coach this year.  It's hard to consider his career and not admire Jürgen Klinsmann as a player and a coach.  Most soccer fans are aware of his days as a player in Germany, but in recent years, he has a German-American connection that's been criticized at times.

Klinsmann as the USA men's team coach (source: 9worldcup.com)

Like most German kids (it's a stereotype for a reason), Klinsmann played soccer growing up.  He played for amateur football club, TB Gingen when he was 8, then played for SC Geislingen from ages 10-16.  He signed on with the Stuttgarter Kickers when he was 16 and when he was 18 began his professional career.  More German stereotypes: his family owned a bakery and made him finish his apprenticeship as a baker in their family business before he went pro.  Hard to blame them, with such uncertainty when it comes to careers in sports.  The best bit of trivia from that is that he is a journeyman baker (if he ever wants to fall back on that) and his family's bakery still stands in Botnang, Stuttgart, Germany.  Had I known that when I studied there in 2009, I definitely would have made the trip!

Klinsmann Family Bakery (source: Wikipedia)

In his professional career, Klinsmann played for several teams:  Stuttgarter Kickers (1981-1984), VfB Stuttgart (1984-1989), Internazionale (1989-1992), AS Monaco (1992-1994), Tottenham Hotspur (1994-1995), Bayern Munich (1995-1997), Sampdoria (1997-1998), Tottenham Hotspur (again from 1997-1998), and the Orange County Blue Star (2003 after retiring and moving to the USA under pseudonym Jürgen Göppingen).  His time on all these teams is interesting, but his Wikipedia page gives a better summary of that than I ever could.

During his professional career, Klinsmann also played for the West German team and the Unified German team.  He scored in all 6 major international tournaments he played in from 1988 through 1998 (Euro and World Cups) and was part of the West German team that won the 1990 FIFA World Cup and the unified German team that won the 1996 UEFA European Championship.  His professional career as a soccer player is nothing short of impressive.

Klinsmann with the 1990 FIFA World Cup trophy (source: jolie.de)

After Klinsmann moved to California (in 1998, and became an American citizen), he made a long commute (seriously) to coach the German national team from 2004-2006.  He had many critics because of initial poor performance among other reasons.  But, the team did well in the 2006 World Cup and only lost in the July 4 semi-final against Italy (still among my least favorite teams for that fame).  The team finished in third place, and Klinsman had many fewer critics.  Though many wanted him to continue coaching, he declined and took over as the coach of Bayern Munich from 2008-2009.  This team also did well, but it wasn't long because Klinsmann became the head coach of the US Men's Soccer Team in 2011, a position he is contracted to hold until 2018.  He's faced criticism again in this position.

One major criticism this year is Klinsmann's decision to not include Landon Donovan on the team roster for this World Cup.  Klinsman said that Donovan was not performing as well as the players who were chosen and it is more important to consider current level instead of past accomplishments.  The criticism rode to pretty harsh attacks with many saying Klinsmann should leave American soccer to Americans (people don't seem to realize he is an American) and go back to Germany.  The whole situation was messy, but everyone seems to have come out okay from it.  This blogger did a good job of explaining the situation.

Another round of criticism related to nationality came soon after, but this time the target was the nationality of the players chosen for the US team.  It may have stemmed from Donovan being cut, but fans became angry that seven of the players are dual-nationals; all of them are American citizens because they have an American parent or were born in the USA, but they grew up outside of the USA.  These men are Norwegian-American Mix Diskerud, Icelandic-American Aron Johannsson, and five German-Americans: Jermaine Jones, Fabian Johnson, Timmy Chandler, John Brooks, and Julian Green.  For many of them, English is their second language, just like Klinsmann (though he is fluent in German, English, Italian, and French, and I'm unsure which is technically his second language).  It's interesting that there are also four first-generation Americans on the team: Omar Gonzalez (parents from Mexico), Alejandro Bedoya (parents from Colombia), Jozy Altidore (parents from Haiti), and Tim Howard (parents from Hungary).  It's a very diverse group, and some are not happy that players like Donovan were passed over for others who are not "fully" American.  Or, these critics don't understand that all of them are US citizens and not that different from a lot of us Heinz 57s with heritage rooted worldwide.

One other reason Klinsmann has been criticized in the past few months is because of his statement that "we [the United States] cannot win this World Cup."  This comes from an understanding of the sport from the perspective of a player who has won the trophy and a coach who has come close, but Americans don't like being told that we can't do something.  We've had underdog stories pushed on us since before all those 80's movies and we want to be the underdogs who prove everyone wrong.  We want to be The Big Green.  But, the team's record in the past has not been wonderful and they will be lucky to get out of Group G, also known as "The Group of Death," and advance to the final 16.  Americans definitely believe in miracle stories though and Klinsmann being realistic doesn't jive well with that.  He has faith in his team, but feels they are "a work in progress" and "doing fine."  That's hard to argue with, but we'll see what happens!

Despite the critics, Klinsmann had had an continues to have an amazing career.  He also does amazing charity work.  Here's to seeing even more great things from him!

Best coaches of 2014 (source: dw.de)