Career Opener - nicolas-11's Dynasty

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Career Opener

Posted on June 21, 2010 at 10:54 PM.

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Chapter V - Career Opener
Friday 15, Septeember, 2006 - Greenwich, Connecticut

�Its 10 percent luck, 20 skill, 15 percent concentrated power of will, 5 percent pleasure, 50 percent pain, an a hundred percent reason to remember the name�� (Fort Minor, Remember the Name)

�Come close, come close! Who are we?�

�TIGERS!!!�

�I SAID WHO ARE WE?�

�TIGERS�

�LOOK, WE DIDN�T START ON OUR RIGHT FOOT. WE FELL. BUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO AGAINST THSE MOTHER****ERS! THEY ARE NOTHING ON US! WIN ON THREE!�

�WIN!!!�

That�s how it was. The start of my first game. I had never been so nervous in my life. I could hear the cheering of our team. I heard the loud shouts coming from the stands. I knew that somewhere in those stands was Isabella, cheering for us. I ran onto the field, barely containing my screams. I was the third running back on the depth chart, especially because I didn�t know anything about the playbook. I had no idea which route was which, so putting e on the field was a definite stupidity.

The game started, we won the coin toss, and we elected to receive. The offense did well, but we had to finish the drive with a thirty seven yard field goal. This was a really tough match, the other team had also lost their first game, and they were as desperate for a win as us. They started strong, but thankfully, our free safety, Jim Barnley, picked the ball off in the end zone.

The game went on like that for the first quarter, as no team managed to score. Either the defenses were very good, or the offenses sucked. I think it was the latter one. It was late in the second quarter, on first and 5 after a penalty, when the coach called me.

�Martin, you are going in.�

�What! Coach, are you keeping in mind that I don�t know anything of the play book yet?�

�Look, this is what you have to do. We will fake an FB dive, and then Michael will pitch it to you. You are faster than any of our other half backs, and if we don�t get anything going now, then we might just never get something going.�

The play finished, Michael, our quarterback ran the option for four and a half yards, and it was second and inches.

I ran onto the field, and everyone, the fans and the other team included, were clearly surprised to see a 5�7 guy, the smallest of our team, who weighed no more than 150 pounds lining up at half back.

�Fake FB dive, HB pitch�

�Ok, hike on three, let�s go!�

I lined up exactly in the place coach told me, about a foot and a half behind the fullback. I looked at the sky, and Michael snapped the ball.

�Freshman Martin Gomez is running onto the field now. What can you say about that?�

�Well, clearly the coach must have something in mind. This kid was put in the football list on Friday last week, half an hour before the list was due, but did not play on the first game.�

�Well, Jenkins snaps the ball, gives it to the fullback, no! It�s a fake! He pitches it to Gomez and he jukes the defender. Gomez on his first career carry has gotten 6 yards, and the first down!�

Michael pitched the ball to me, it wobbled a bit, but I managed to secure it. I looked around as I ran, and saw the nearest defender right in front of me. I easily juked him, but got tackled right after that by the cornerback.

I quickly left the field, as the coach had instructed me to do. I ran back to the sidelines, and received high fives from some of the defensive starters, as well as from the second half back, Jermaine Dawson.

�Kid, that was amazing. You need to learn the playbook faster so you can get more playing time.�

�Thanks coach.�

The game went on; we got another field goal, which put us up 6-0 going into half time.

�Martin, I need you on this play. What you have to do is to run to the side of the field, on a slant. If you are open, Michael will pass it to you."

There were two minutes left on the game, and we were down by one, and it was third and seven. They had scored on a long pass, beating all our secondary.

I ran onto the field, telling Jermaine to get out of the field.

�Ace Shotgun, Slants�

�On one, break�

I lined beside the quarterback. What the **** was the coach doing, I had never caught the ball in my life, and he was putting me on a critical situation. Michael snapped the ball and

�Gomez is in again, but this time it is a more critical situation. The Tigers are lined up in the shotgun. Jenkins snaps the ball, Gomez is running an outside slant, and he is wide open. Jenkins passes it to Gomez, and there is open field for Gomez.�

�He jukes one, five more yards to go, he spins another and dives for the first down�And he got it!�

�This kid has impressed me, his first game, and he has made two clutch plays!�

I ran to the right of the field, I was wide open. I turned around, and saw the ball ricocheting towards me. I lifted my hands�And caught it. I saw a defender coming at me, I juked him. I did a spin to evade the next one, but there was one behind me, that was ready to tackle me. I was going to be just short. I dived for it, and got it!

My heart was pounding on my chest as I left the field. I had never felt so exited in my life.

I was received by high fives in the sidelines.

A couple plays later, it was fourth and 1, with three seconds to go, in their 30 yard-line. Our kicker went on the field to decide the fate of the team.

�Johnson is up to kick the ball, and it is�just wide. The Tigers lose this one in a thriller.�

�It could have been a last second come back, but it wasn�t. Well, the Tigers will practice more field goals now I guess?�

I felt broken. It was my first game, and we had lost. I knew I couldn�t have done much, I only had two touches for 12 yards, and I wasn�t the kicker. I was fighting back tears. There is nothing in the world that I hate more than losing. I put on my headphones, changed quickly and left the stadium.

�You, in the blue shirt! Where are you going?�