Living the Dream - A Real Life Dynasty

[Senator]

Living the Dream – A Real Life Dynasty



This dynasty will be a very personal one for me. The reason is, it will deal directly with my slightly younger brother and his attempt at something, at least to me, seems incredibly risky but amazingly heroic. What does it mean to follow your bliss?

The wonderful teacher Joseph Campbell said, “if you follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be.”

Can we say we follow our bliss? Most of us go the traditional route. We have a passion early in our lives, but something happens along the way. Most of the time, the risk became too much, and we opted for a more traditional path to a better life, albeit safer. We fall in love, get married, kids come along, and poof, we are using our Liberal Arts Degree in European Literature in the early 16th century as a CPA or something. Responsibility grabs the spotlight in our lives. And there is something admirable in that. To put your hopes and dreams aside for the security and well being of the family you have chosen to lead. To choose this is not only noble, but should be applauded. No one says we have to take responsibility, but we know that we must. And by doing so, we have paid tribute to the ones before us, who have done the same thing.

But what about that yearning you still have? Didn’t you want to be a pitcher in the World Series, an Olympic athlete, a CIA agent, a fireman, an astronaut, or even the President? What happened? Why didn’t you become one of those things? Someone had to. Why not you? Most of us, if we were being honest with ourselves, would say the price was too high for admission, and we didn’t want to risk the chance of failure. For you see, at some point we figure out, for every hero, for every guy who “makes it”, there are thousands who do not. Do you not sometimes, late at night before sleep, think of greatness in a life you will never have. In traffic, do you not throw a no-hitter against the Yankees? For most of us, these dreams diminish and fall away as we realize that adulthood means just that. And we give away those dreams to others.

My brother is not like that. He is one of those people that you are not sure if he is following his bliss, avoiding responsibility, or a little of both. But here we are, at the moment of truth, and the odds makers are having a field day on the over and under if he goes through with it or makes the cut at all.

He is 29 years old, married and with two kids, ages 3 and 1. His wife is an agreeable, and supportive woman who trusts that he is doing this for the long-term happiness of not only himself, but also the family. He is about to play college football again. At a time when most men are contemplating their retirement plans from the game, he is about to become one who lives out the fantasy most of us only think about when our thoughts ramble down a path on their own.

This dynasty will show his background, what his plans are, and follow him to either mediocrity, disgrace, or greatness. If he goes through it, makes the team, we will follow his games and look at his stats, and basically live vicariously through him.

Next chapter – His background and what led him to this moment.

[Senator]

Living the Dream – A Real Life Dynasty



Part II – History


My brother and I have always been different, but very close. We are competitive to a fault, we love the underdog, and both want more out of our lives than the mundane. But, where I am safe, he is risky. Where I plan and plot and save, he barrels full ahead. I am the tortoise and he is the hare. But this is not about me, so we point the microscope at him.

My brother was the star football player in a town full of star football players, in a state (Texas) full of football-frenzied fans. He played running back, wingback, safety, kick-returner and punt returner. He rarely came off the field. He started his junior and senior years. He had over 1000 yards rushing his senior year, over 30 catches, six interceptions, 80 tackles, six sacks, 10 rushing touchdowns, 8 receiving touchdowns, 2 kickoff return touchdowns, and 1 punt return for a touchdown. He still holds many records, including a 99-yard touchdown run from scrimmage that was voted as one of the greatest plays in school history. During a combine his senior year, sponsored by Reebok, he set the national record for the 4 coned sprint that tested pure speed and side to side speed, am important measure of true field speed. His was not only fast, but also strong. He benched 350 pounds 18 times. His vertical leap was in the Top Ten of the combine. His 40 was timed as an aggregate at 4.4. He was 6’0 and weighed 220 pounds. The letters began to come in to the household. Smiles all around.

But like all real life stories, it was not as simple as you would want happy endings to be. He did not like school, and saw no real reason to do well, even though his intelligence was far above normal. He fell in love with a pretty blonde, who wanted to get married and didn’t want him far from home. His strength on the field hid his inferiority complex in other aspects of his life. I had began to do well in politics, and he had to endure what I suppose was an unfair comparison in the mental competition that happens to siblings. He also began to see as he visited other schools, talent very much like his own, and even far better. His courage began to leave him, and he turned to the person who would make everything all right, the blonde girl. She told him all the things that two immature people say to one another. They were sure that no love existed like theirs. They were sure they were the centers of the universe.

But even young love doesn’t pay the bills. They wanted to get married, and he looked at his options. Many schools were very concerned with not only his grades, but also his commitment to improve those weaknesses if given an opportunity. He waffled back and forth, unsure what to do. He wasn’t looking for advice from my parents, and he didn’t want any from myself. The two of them would figure it out. Isn’t that the way all great love stories start out?

He was offered scholarships to several schools. But all were too far from the girl he loved. He decided he would join the Marines. This would “solve all the money problems”, and “get me the respect of her dad”, who had misgivings about them. And so he did. At 19, he joined the military. He went to boot camp in California, and when he returned four months later, he and his blonde girl got married, and lived happily ever after.

Of course they didn’t, or this story would be over. He was stationed in Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. He played on the local “camp” football team for two years, and then began his dreaded six-month “float”. He knew it was coming, and had put it off as long as possible, but it had arrived. He had to go by ship to Bosnia for six months in 1997. It was not a great time to be there, and he had many close calls. But most importantly for himself, he noticed a deterioration of communication between himself and the blonde girl. He tried to put on a brave face, but he began to worry. After what seemed like ages, he arrived back at Camp LeJeune. What he found confirmed his fears. The house was a mess; it looked like it had not been cleaned since he left. His truck had an enormous amount of mileage on it. And gossip around the area was less than flattering about her fidelity to my brother.

He is a proud person, and I know this was the last thing he ever wanted or dreamed would happen. After talking with her, he knew that the ivory towers he had built up in his mind had crumbled. I flew to North Carolina and was shocked at the condition of the house. The first thing I did was to get him out of military housing, and get him a duplex off base. He had one year left, and it would be a long one. During this time he dealt with the inevitable question of wrong choices and dreams deferred. Of a heart broken, and a pride bruised. He began to rebuild his life. His last year he took night courses at a local college and tested his ability to handle college coursework, which had been a truly big, and in the end unfounded, fear.

He left the military an older and wiser man of 23. He confided to me he felt that he had missed his window of opportunity. I assured him it was not so, but an older brothers advice is only listened to, long after it had any chance of doing any good. Besides, as I told him, his one life is his only life, and at some point the bad breaks are only the result of the choices we make. Whatever he decided to do, he should make it count.

He began to go to school and work during the day. He decided his love for football was what made him happy, and he thought he would love to coach. We began to see a plan take shape, and see hope where before was despair. We all crossed our fingers.

It was at this time he started seeing someone. We all thought highly of her, and noticed what a difference between the other girl and this one. Support seemed to take the place of neediness; maturity, where before immaturity held court. After a year they married. He was now almost 25. He was on his second marriage, and was going through school the hard way, working by day, slogging through it by night. Every fear he had at eighteen had come true. He did not want it to be this way. But, it had took some hard knocks to learn what he wanted and who he wanted to be with, and now, with a little persistence, he would get there.

But in the back of his mind, the constant regret. The memory was clear, from the time he was five years old. “I want to play college football. I want to play college football.” It had been discussed over and over; so much so it became fact before reality, and now it appeared, would dissolve in a puff of smoke and stories that middle age men tell.

“I was good enough to play college football but…”

Would he become one of those people? The kind you listen to about the glory years of high school, as you find the cleanest way to escape the uncomfortable feeling of it all. That would be a sad end to the story, but one, unfortunately, all too common.

He wanted to finish college as soon as possible to coach. Then he could get back to the game he loved, and place where he always felt at home. His bliss. His wife was from Arkansas, and they moved there to live while he attended Arkansas State. While there, he was working out in the weight room, and a coach approached him. He had been watching him, and liked his size. My brother had kept his workouts and sprints up to date. He still had good speed, and had added much to his weight maxes.

After hearing my brother’s story, the coach realized he had full eligibility to play football. He set up a combine to test him out. Everything went splendid. The season was in full bloom, and they had no scholarships to give until the following year. If he would commit, he would be playing on one of the worst Division I schools in the nation, but he would be playing football. He could hardly contain himself. He was overjoyed. Somehow, someway, it had worked out. Destiny had been a long time coming, but she finally showed, and brought with her one more chance.

And then his wife found out she was pregnant. Precautions were made, but precautions sometimes fail. It was as if time stood still. Suddenly, everything changed in his mind. This was responsibility he had never before known or expected, and he did what any man would who feared for his family. He decided he would come back to Texas, work full time as before and go to school at night. His dream of playing college football was just that. The book had been closed. Destiny turned out to be a prankster.

Luckily his older brother took pity on him. As he sat on the sidelines and hoped his brother would find the life he dreamed of, every defeat hurt him as well. No one likes to see their loved ones have a hard time, and even I thought that this time, football was a game for lighter souls who had the luxury of time and opportunity. I gave him a job that would coordinate with his school schedule. He would go back to plan B. Get through school and coach football. Start off in some small Texas town and work himself up through the ranks.

This past year saw another addition to the family, giving him two daughters. It also saw him inch ever closer to completion of college. He was now a senior with his credits, and all looked well. This past year also saw a coach from an NAIA school badger him with emails almost daily. The coach was the head coach of a successful school in Kansas. He was a friend with a coach from Arkansas State. The coach from ASU had talked very highly of my brother. This coach had just had success using older players with eligibility that had fallen through the cracks. He found them more mature, leaders, and at the prime of their athletic lives. My brother kept up friendly contact with the coach, but never really considered going there. But then, two things happened. My brothers wife said, “This is the dream of your life, why not listen what the man has to offer.” This was all my brother needed to hear, but when he flew to Kansas to meet the coach and workout for him, another thing happened. The coach offered a unique opportunity. Play football this coming season for him, and after he graduates, he will give him an assistant coaching position, so impressed he was with the knowledge my brother had of the game. So, he thought, he could kill two birds with one stone. Get his degree, and leapfrog the high school ranks and start his coaching career in the college ranks, even on that level is more than most get. Plus, and this is a big one. He would be able to live his life long dream of playing in college. Sure, it was not the University of Texas like he planned, but it was football, and he was playing it. He took the shot.

This past weekend, he and his family moved to Kansas. They found a place to live, his wife found a good job, and he is working out preparing for two a days. The first game is September 11.

Now, here is where it gets interesting. The open questions that will be answered in this dynasty are:

1. Will he actually go through with it, or will destiny or his choices change it from happening?
2. How will he feel playing football with guys 10 years younger?
3. How will he feel taking orders from coaches, some roughly his same age?
4. How will his body handle competitive football after being out for some many years?
5. Will he still have the same desire he once had to take the knocks?
6. How will he transition to playing middle linebacker from the other glamour positions he is used to?
7. Will he like Kansas?
8. Will the coach come through on his promise?
9. If he does play, how will he do?
10. What does it feel like to live a dream?


Next chapter – Report from two-a-days

[JAG]

Very impressive story Senator, I'm looking forward to reading about your brother and rooting him to make it. When I read your description of the two of you, I felt like I was reading a description of myself and my next youngest brother.

[CamEdwards]

wow. I'm not going to heckle him at all. Sounds like a great chance to fulfill a dream.

[Franklinnoble]

This is friggin' awesome.

Tell your brother that a lot of guys are pulling for him...

[FrogMan]

Chalk one more fellow rooting for your bro, all the way from Quebec City

This dynasty has some awesome potential, best of luck to your brother!

FM

[duckman]

Wow! This is a great inspirational story!

[thealmighty]

It may not be Texas, but ask Dorothy. Kansas can be a good place to turn a dream into reality.

I'm also pulling for him. He has a fan club already.

[Franklinnoble]

What school in Kansas? It's not K-State or KU, is it?

[Radii]

Wow, very very impressive, I'll be one of the masses following along.

[sachmo71]

I'm going to call my brother tonight and thank him for helping me when I was lost. You are a good brother, Senator.

[MacroGuru]

Wow!

Tell you Brother he has more balls than I have. I wanted to take the leap this year, but, I haven't had the support he has.

This is one I am following.

Have him document this, he has a book potential here with it as well.

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by Franklinnoble

What school in Kansas? It's not K-State or KU, is it?

Sen said that it was an NAIA school, so neither of those programs...

Great story, Sen. Awesome stuff and I'll be pulling hard for your bro.

[Desnudo]

Great story so far. If you had the end, I'd say submit the whole thing to a magazine.

[JeeberD]

Speaking of, aren't you currently writing a book about high school football, Sen? How's that going?

[Senator]

I have been for the past year. Very far along with it. I have probably six months left of rewriting. I like it. It may suck, but I like it. My brothers real life story seems more interesting though than my psuedo fiction.

Thank you for the support regarding my brother. I passed it along tonight when we talked. It seemed to make him feel even better about the whole thing. I have some more info to pass along that I will be writing about later.

[korme]

this is great sen

[Senator]

Dateline 7-14-04

Two-a-days start mid August, and the first game is September 11. Between now and two-a-days, my brother has one mission. To go into camp in better shape than anyone else there. He feels he will already be under the spotlight, and going in a sack of potatoes can only hurt his chances.

His coach called him last night and discussed with my brother the importance of conveying his situation with his teammates. He wants to use my brother as an example, I guess, in a few ways. “Man, you have been in a war, this is nothing for you,” in an obvious reference to Bosnia. “The difference between the young guys and yourself is that you have had football taken away from you, and you know how it feels.” My brother said, “I know this will end quickly, so I am savoring every second. I know this is one of the biggest gifts I have ever been given.”

I consider his attitude positive and upbeat. All except one area. I asked him how he was going to handle the inevitable smirking and whispering from his teammates, he responded, “I am going into that place like a headhunter. My goal every practice, every play, every game is to snatch the youth away from them.” I started laughing. Youth Snatcher.

In the conversation last night with the coach, he asked my brother something that never even crossed my mind. “Are you natural?” he asked. My brother said that he was, and would take a test anytime anyone wanted. “No, that is alright. I have to ask. I have to have some sort of explanation as to why you are more in shape than my 18 year olds are. We don’t have to test in the NAIA, but since this is a Christian school, someone from administration could ask and we would have to do it. It cost quite a bit of money, so we have never done it.”

I could see where someone would think he was on the juice looking at it from outside the situation. He is pretty stout, and very fast. I guess in this day and age you have to consider these things as a possibility. Knowing my brother the way I do, it would shock me beyond belief if I found out he was, but he doesn’t drink, smoke, or do drugs, which of course, does not discount him, but surely gives him the benefit of the doubt in my eyes. I just don’t think this is a possibility, but in this life, you just never know what people will do. He cares too much about his family to ever embarrass them and himself this way is my final word on the matter.

Yesterday he spent doing cone drills, and sprint work. He said the hardest thing was getting used to cleats again. I forgot how much they hurt your feet at first. He ran forties for time, and the coach was there to observe. When he ran a 4.4, the coach threw down his clipboard. “You may be way to fast for a linebacker, we might have to put you in the backfield. I am not sure what the hell we are going to do with you,” he said. My brother has this hidden fantasy of playing iron man, both offense and defense, but I can tell you that is not going to happen.

There is still a good chunk of time before two a days. He is still getting settled into his house and the town. “It looks like a small town in Texas,” he said. The whole town follows the team and they get roughly 6-8,000 people attending each home game. More if they make the playoffs. This is just a little more than saw him play high school football, but I think at this point, he would play if no one were watching.

After his workouts, his three-year-old daughter wanted to run the forty. She blazed in at a very respectable 12.37. My brother asked me to see what the record was for three year olds. I told him I think that may have been the first 40 timed for a three year old, since I timed him at that age so long ago.

[Senator]

An email from him a few minutes ago:

Today is the 4th day in a row I have run sprints. My sprint/conditioning workout consists of 10x40yd sprints, 10x20yd sprints, 10x60yd sprints, and 10x110yds. I also implement various cone drills to win back my agility that age has seemed to have stolen from me. I was clocked in the 40yd dash today at a 4.44. After the workout, actually within the first 15 minutes my legs began to tremble from fatigue. God how I wish I had at least 4 years of my life back. I honestly feel stronger and more athletic now, but the recovery time is three fold what it was when I was 18. I also do weight training; it is pretty brutal as well. I have held off from it for 2 weeks due to the fact that my leg stamina needs to catch up with my upper body. I lifted 405 lbs twice for my max 2 weeks ago, and I wonder if the 2 weeks off have rendered that personal best. Oh well, speed kills and that is how the game is played. My groin is sore, and my hamstrings are as well, but it is that good sore. It makes me feel that it's not over just yet, that the sweet feeling of competing among youth is still within grasp, even though it's not within reason. I watched The Natural again on ESPN Sports Classic, and every time I get the chills. Although football is the sport in which I love, that movie is by far my all time favorite. It's about the purity of one's passion to never give up no matter what the critiques say. It's about another chance, thumbing your nose at life and it's hairpin turns that seem to have a black lining of the occasional bad luck. It is about seizing that one moment, and excelling at the given opportunity like you know it's your last, because you actually do know it is your last. It's about erasing regret and the bad decisions that were made. It's not about proving those who said you could never do it wrong, but instead proving that small list of people who said you could always do it, right. It's about the love for football...God how I love this game.

[Senator]

Log - 7-15-04

I am eating Bratwurst with cheddar cheese. I need to keep the weight on, but the workouts are burning all of it away it seems. I weigh 230lbs, and would like to stay that weight. In the mornings it drops down to 225, which is acceptable I suppose. I was really going to take the day off, but why should I? Do I deserve it, what the hell have I really done anyway....nothing yet. There will be plenty of time to take off when this dream is over, so I am going to drag it out as long as I can. I dryheave at the thought of running sprints on a full Bratwurst stomach, but it must be done. I did some scouting on our opposition this upcoming season. We play a Texas team, Southwest Baptist I believe...they look like they have alot of speed, which is not a good thing for us. I guess we are going to have to bury the QB everyplay to prevent big plays...I can't wait. I have a hunger to hit so bad, maybe it is my anger about the fact that my youth is fading fast, and there is always someone there to replace it. The cycle of life will be my motivation to bust some heads. It is 8pm and I need to get out on the field to workout. The mosquito birds are awaiting my blood, the trashcan awaits my vomit, while the field awaits my sweat. I ask myself is it all worth it, as I slap myself to get motivated to go. Not even a second goes by as the voice in my head says, hell yes!

[Flasch186]

im hooked

[SFL Cat]

Great stuff, I wish your brother all the best.

[JeeberD]

I want a bratwurst!

[3ric]

Expect a whole bunch of FOFCers reporting their three-year olds' 40 times...

Great story Senator, I can't wait to read about your brother's first game!

[sachmo71]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

I want a bratwurst!

Apparently if you go to his pratice, you can have a slightly used one after his first round of sprints.

[JeeberD]

Mmmm...pre-digested are the best kind!

[sachmo71]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

Mmmm...pre-digested are the best kind!

Half the work is already done!

[Senator]

Monday, 19 July 2004
Entry #3
It's been a few days, I took off Fri-Sun like a chump. I am paying for it today, and will have to play catch up from this point. Today was brutal...I did 10x20 yds, 10x40 yds all for time. However, I have no idea what my actual time is. Come to find out my wife is very inconsistent with the timer, or I am a very inconsistent runner. I was timed everywhere from a 4.2 up to a 5.0, which just doesn't match up. I thought I was fast, but it might just happen that it has all been timer error, and I am a 4.8 or 4.9, mercy! My wife is a blessing though, she pushes me pretty hard. I also did 2x110's and then ended the workout with 600 yds worth of gashers. A gasher is when you run for 20 yds and run back 20 yds, run 40 yds and run back 40 yds, and I did that 10 times. I had side stitch like never before, and I resembled Erik Williams fat butt when in the middle of a Cowboy game he went down clutching his fat side missing a key block, and got Emmitt knocked out. I despised myself at that moment and pushed even harder. They say that you can feel your age sometimes, and never more was that true today. I wanted my heart to just explode so the pain would end, but it just kept pumping, despite my shaky legs. I have to eat and do a 1 hour chest workout. I should be in bed by midnight, and honestly at this point I ask myself why alot. I try not to look at myself in the mirror, I don't want to see the quit in my eyes...so I just look down alot and keep the heart pumping for more. It seems my heart is all that is keeping this dream alive.

[thealmighty]

The heart is the biggest muscle in the human body (or something like that). Listen to it!!

[condors]

great read, best of luck to your brother !

[Senator]

Tuesday, 20 July 2004
Entry #4
Today was a good day, despite the groin soreness from yesterdays workout. I did about a 1hr 15 minute conditioning workout. For some odd reason I keep having good things happen to me for once. I met this guy in my Sports History class and his dad works for the Houston Texans. He gave me the actual player spiral handbook that the team hands out every year. The knowledge in this book is awesome. It has everything from your diet and what to cook, to weight training, to conditioning, to position skills, to life related advice. This will be good to borrow from when I become a coach, and I will implement a bunch of it in my program, but for now I will use it as a player. This morning on my way to school I witnessed a fatal accident. A diesel had a blowout and he flipped over and was not wearing a seatbelt. They shut down the entire highway and brought in the Care Flight Helicopter, but I think the guy was gone. As I sat there for about 45 minutes the horns began to honk and the people began to get restless. I wanted to join in, but something told me to sit back and soak in the situation. A man's life might have possibly been ended, and the reality of that is surreal. Those idiots honking are so caught up in their own selfish life, that they could not set aside 1 hr of their precious time so that the proper authorities could possibly save a fellow human beings life. But you know what, although I did not join in the honking festivities, I felt sorrow. People are very selfish...and I am no different. This dream is selfish, but I can't say no to it. Does that make me no better than those honking, impatient fools this morning? Hell, I don't know, but I feel better than those people, because like Louden Swain once said, " you gotta live life out like there is no tommorrow, because when you get right down to it, there isn't." Let them honk in their nice Hummers and Lexus vehicles, status to them is material, and material is made to eventually fail. Happiness is the greatest hidden possesion one could own, and each day I wake up the happiness is building. Am I cocky, no. Am I big headed, no. Am I confident, somewhat. Am I rich, hell no....BUT am I happy, hell yes.

[Senator]

Wednesday, 21 July 2004
Entry #5
Headaches all day have haunted me...my sinuses are bleeding and I am at the mercy of the Texas heat and ragweed. I really don't remember the allergies being so bad when I was a kid, and I wonder if that is from the fact that I was too focused on kid stuff, or just didn't know enough to care. Anyway, it sucks now, and there seems like there is no relief. I did a 2hr shoulders workout today, and I am going to rest the legs today. It says in the Houston Texans manual that rest is just as important as the conditioning itself, and man was I glad to read that. So far, I have done 2 weeks worth of 5 day conditioning. Next week I start doing the conditioning 6 days a week for the rest of the month until camp starts. My daughter spotted a snake today when I was away at school. I got home and she was still terrified, so I got her to show me where she had seen it. i have to find this snake, or else she hallucinates spotting a snake everywhere she looks and it scares me to death. I am eating meatloaf tonight, and I can't wait. I feel like I am starving all the time, although I look nothing like a person needing weight. The mosquitos are evolving into buzzards down here. They hover outside the window waiting for my blood with every moment resembling Mothra from the Godzilla series. I have a project due tommorrow in Sports History class, so I am off to do it. Maybe I can take advantage of the brief time off, but it is killing me of guilt. I might have to do sit ups or some push ups to balance the shame of taking a day off. The wife says it's dinner time...tonight, I will feast like a king, and dream a little dream.

[Flasch186]

just caught up on reading this.....dont you dare give up!!! youre doing this not just for yourself but for everyone else who has ever missed out on a shot. Doesnt matter if you succeed but just that you dont quit as it is all of us that gave up, not you. You hang in there and show those guys down there in texas just how far dreaming a little dream can take you.

[Senator]

August 19, 2004

Two a days officially start on the 25th. My brother has dropped down to 230 from working out and running constantly. Yesterday was the first day players could enter the field house,talk with the coaches, and work out on their own on site.

My brother did a full weight workout next to a quiet kid who kept eyeballing him. Finally, my brother asked for a spot on the bench press. The kid said, "This is really the area used by the players."
"I know, I am one," my brother said.
"Ohhhh, you must be that guy from Texas that I heard about. Fought in Desert Storm or some shit," he said.
"No, that would make me 40, I was in Bosnia," said my brother.
"Yeah, Bosnia, I heard of that."

And so my brother met the starting strong safety and one of the seniors going into the 2004 season. After the workout, the guy said, "I know coach will want to know you are here," and took him to the office.

The coach was excited to see him, they talked a little about the day care problem my brother is having, and options on how to handle it. Then the coach said,
"Usually, I have one day put aside for handing out equipment, but I have yours special if you want it."
"Heck yeah," said my brother.
The coach fitted him a top of the line shoulder pad set, pants, pads, and a superb brand new Rydell Enforcer helmet with the Ray Lewis face mask. Then the coach threw him his practice jersey, #56. It had a big swoosh logo on the side. The school is sponsored by Nike and everything was top of the line.

"I know you want a different number, but I want you to be the LT of my defense. I don't want them to know where you are coming from, and with your speed, they should be down before they hand the ball off. What game number did you want?"

"Number 9," said my brother.

"Why?" asked the coach.

"The Natural is my favorite movie, and Roy Hobbs was a guy who had a last chance to live his dream, like me. He wore #9."

"Yeah, well so did Adam Sandler in The Waterboy," quipped the coach. "Now, go in the locker room, here is your combination for your locker."

My brother walked into the locker room, and there before his eyes was his name painted on the first locker. Inside was his jock, sweat top and pants, gray undershirt, shorts, and inside a box was the most awsome set of Nike cleats my brother had ever seen.
"I couldn't afford these at any point in my life," was how he described it.

Then, in the back of the locker was the thick playbook with a note attached.
'Know it by the 25th'.

[JAG]

Awesome.

[Franklinnoble]

Wow.... that's just bad-ass.

[3ric]

Great! I've been meaning to ask what had happened since the last update... now it's getting interesting.

[thealmighty]

Day-um (that's Texan for damn, for the uninitiated).

[duckman]

That is just awesome!

[k0ruptr]

Best. Dynasty. Ever

[CamEdwards]

Originally Posted by k0ruptr

Best. Dynasty. Ever

absolutely. and today's the first day of two a days. should be an interesting next post.

[Senator]

And I am flying to Alaska pretty quick. I won't even know how it went until I call him from Anchorage.

This is a pretty big day for him.

[JeeberD]

Hope everything goes well for him!

[MizzouRah]

Me too, excellent reading Senator.

I smell a book coming out.


Todd

[Senator]

I just returned from vacation in Alaska, and only talked to my brother briefly, on a dying cell phone on the way to the airport in Vancouver.

This is the info I have.

He said all the hard workouts preparing him for 3-a-days did little for him. To him, it was harder than boot camp in the Marines. He arrived at 7 in the morning and left at midnight. The coach is a films freak, and they watched films when they were not working out. The defense has 80 schemes alone, and this was a pretty big surprise.

Early in the week, they decided to put him as the roving defensive lineman. He will follow the strong side as either the defensive end, defensive tackle, and sometimes noseguard. He was a starter from day one, which made him pretty happy. On the second day of full contact he heard a pop in his left shoulder. He could hardly raise his arm without severe pain. Three days of this became unendurable. He was having trouble blasting through blocks, and the coaches started noticing it.

He decided he would go to the team doctor, fearful they were going to tell him his rotator cuff was thrashed or ligaments were torn. His first thought was, "This is how it is going to end?"

The doctor x-rayed him, and determined he had severe inflammation near his nerve. They gave him a cortisone shot. He is allowed by NCAA rules to have no more than three a year. He says, that with some heat/cold therapy did the trick. I am not a real big fan of cortisone to mask an injury, but I just have to hope the coaches up there are looking out for the best interest of the players. There is little I can do or say, so I won't.

The players call him "Pops", and the fellow defensive linemen call him "Gramps". He says there is way more talent on the team that he thought there would be. It seems every guy was All-Honors from wherever town he came from.

Three-a-days ended Thursday night, and today they had the intra-mural scrimmage. I don't know how that turned out.

And now the roster for the team. All the way down, you might notice #97 - a freshman from a little town in Texas, but with a pretty big story to tell so far.

No. Name Position Ht. Wt. Year Hometown
01 Brandon Barr QB 6'2 200 FR Longmont, CO
02 Mike Beach WR 6'2 200 JR Arvada, CO
04 Jake Schenk LB 5'9 195 JR Smith Center, KS
05 Anthony LeRoux QB 5'10 210 SO Lawrence, KS
06 Layne Frick WR 6'4 195 JR Durham, KS
07 Steven Chisholm WR 6'4 205 SO Durham, KS
08 Ricky Ishida QB 5'11 210 SO Shafter, CA
09 Tim Jones DB 6'0 175 SO Ft Worth, TX
10 Jack McBride QB 6'4 195 FR Edmond, OK
11 Tim Stevens DB 5'11 175 SO Bakersfield, CA
12 Vance Donahue WR 6'1 160 SO Herington, KS
13 Marcus Manny K 5'10 170 FR Dallas, TX
14 Ike Njaku RB 6'1 225 JR Seattle, WA
15 Garrett Bryant WR 5'6 150 JR Dallas, TX
16 Joe Fenske S 5'8 195 JR Corning, CA
17 Ben Schmidt QB 5'9 175 SO Newton, KS
18 Justin Gibson RB 6'0 205 FR Ft Worth, TX
19 Caleb Marsh WR 5'10 170 FR Hillsboro, KS
20 Jeff Corley WR 5'11 160 FR Dallas, TX
21 Keith Warkentin DB 5'10 175 SO Corn, OK
22 Phillip Robben WR 5'6 145 FR Wichita, KS
23 Brandon Durham DB 5'9 180 FR Richardson, TX
25 Cedric Ross-King LB 6'1 235 FR Houston, TX
26 C.J. Hill SS 6'0 220 SR Hillsboro, KS
28 Zech Lucero LB 5'7 170 FR Westminster, CO
29 Roger Butler RB 5'9 220 JR Hanford, CA
30 Kevin Carroll K 5'11 180 FR Quitman, GA
31 Vincent Martin RB 5'5 160 FR Rockwall, TX
32 Brent Overmiller LB 6'2 230 JR Smith Center, KS
33 Caleb Mason LB 6'0 220 JR Baldwin City, KS
34 Trevor Thiessen RB 5'10 190 FR Whitewater, KS
35 John Mark Phelps DB 6'1 180 FR Elk City, OK
37 Caleb Stanton FB 6'0 180 JR Anaheim, CA
38 Phillip Aitken RB 5'10 180 FR Yuma, AZ
39 T.J. Jackson FB 5'11 195 FR Rowlett, TX
40 Zach Coon LB` 6'0 210 SO Nickerson, KS
41 Kevin Pawlak LB 6'3 190 FR Benbrook, TX
42 Brian Kimsey P 6'1 210 SR Gold River, CA
43 Ted Telemaque RB 5'11 225 JR Long Beach, CA
44 Sonny Kaesbauer TE 6'1 220 FR Whittier, CA
45 Chad Malcom DE 5'11 220 FR Limon, CO
46 Tyler, McKim LB 6'1 225 JR Red Bluff, CA
47 Ben Brown RB 6'1 220 JR Los Banos, CA
48 Brian Durowaiye LB 6'0 215 JR Houston, TX
49 Luke Wiebe DB 5'10 190 SO Wichita, KS
50 Carson Greenhaw LB 6'1 185 JR Hillsboro, KS
51 Pete Hall LB 5'10 225 SO Gettysburg, SD
52 Cody Beckstrum DL 5'8 290 FR Cope, CO
53 Tom Stevens DE 5'11 225 SO Bakersfield, CA
54 Chris Williams DE 6'0 225 SR Carthage, MS
56 Lee Waldron LB 5'10 205 JR Shafter, CA
57 Cody Dick OL 6'1 265 SO Buhler, KS
58 James Pizano OL 6'2 330 JR Bakersfield, CA
59 Justin Buzzard OL 5'8 235 FR Vinita, OK
60 Reggie Barcendibar OL 5'11 235 FR Thomas, OK
61 Jimmy Shipman DL 5'11` 235 FR Marion, KS
62 Justin Mathias DT 5'11 255 JR Hutchinson, KS
63 Grant Myers OL 6'1 280 SO Bakersfield, CA
64 Matt Vaughn DL 6'1 240 FR Joes, CO
65 Jarod Richardson DL 6'2 295 SO Grant, NE
66 Matt Sahlfeld DL 6'0 250 SO Beloit, KS
67 Zack Peters DE 6'2 235 FR Shafter, CA
68 Jacob Sattler DE 6'4 225 FR Derby, KS
70 Bobby Hurd OL 6'5 325 SO Elmer, OK
71 Andy Curtis OL 6'4 270 FR Altus, OK
72 Victor Munoz OL 6'6 310 FR Shafter, CA
74 Jeremy Olsen DL 6'2 250 JR Wichita, KS
77 Chris Cook DE 6'2 250 SO Abilene, KS
78 Dan Rains OL 6'1 290 SO Hope, KS
79 Ben Ottoson OL 6'2 335 SO Englewood, CO
80 John Garcia TE 6'1 255 SO Johnstown, CO
81 Matt Rorabaugh WR 5'11 195 JR Smith Center, KS
82 Merle Johnson WR 6'0 185 SO Lee's Summit, MO
83 Lance Baar WR 6'5 200 FR Joes, CO
84 Jeff MacKinnon WR 6'2 200 JR Owasso, OK
88 Job Hilliard DE 6'1 220 FR Peabody, KS
89 John Sigle TE 6'0 190 FR Council Grove, KS
90 Ryan Dick DE 6'2 210 FR Buhler, KS
92 Jesse Lira DE 6'0 230 JR Parlier, CA
94 Dustin Brooks DE 6'0 210 FR Cassville, MO
95 Britt Jones DE 6'3 210 FR Dallas, TX
97 Clayton Sanders DL 5'11 235 FR Weatherford, TX
98 John Ohm DT 6'1 270 JR Red Bluff, CA

[MizzouRah]

Awesome!


Todd

[3ric]

Hope that injury won't hinder him too much.

[Senator]

Yesterday was the scrimmage. He had 3 sacks, 3 tackles for a loss, and a safety in 20 plays. He is ready for the game on Saturday. He went up against the best OL on the team, a kid named Big Country who is 6'5 325. Almost 5 inches and 100 pounds heavier. Thank God for speed and the head fake.

[thealmighty]

Will you be going to the games, or some of them anyway? I think we at FOFC need to take a tired, overused and, IMHO, not funny anymore statement and go one better...

StReaMVideO, plz. K, thkz (or whatever). Film at 11.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Senator

Yesterday was the scrimmage. He had 3 sacks, 3 tackles for a loss, and a safety in 20 plays. He is ready for the game on Saturday. He went up against the best OL on the team, a kid named Big Country who is 6'5 325. Almost 5 inches and 100 pounds heavier. Thank God for speed and the head fake.

..and they call him "old man".

Great stats, even from a scrimmage.


Todd