Narrative+Writing

“NFL fans the 2010 draft is now open, teams, begin.” I remember the commissioner said into the microphone at the Radio City Music Hall in New York. We sat at the tables behind the stage in anticipation. The first team went by then the third, then the fourth, both of witch claimed their interest in him. The phone rang, My brother answered, in a quivering voice he said, “Hello?... Yes sir.” He said as a smile crept across his face. “Of course I am, I can't wait to start” he replied to Brad Childress the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. My brother started to bounce around in his chair until he hung up the phone. The all at once like a cannon went off their was cheering, crying, laughing, and the, “I knew you could do it!” From my parents. As Roger Goodell walked to the microphone, He worked his way to the stage. “With Fifth pick in the 2010 NFL draft the Minnesota vikings select Chris Anderson, Running-back, Boston College.” The crowd cheers at deafening levels as my big brother is selected to pla in the NFL. “Boy, did they pick a good player.” Said Sports center.

“Minnesota has selected one of the best talents in the history of the draft.” Said Rich Eisen of NFL Network.

“He comes from the Town of Natick, Massachusetts, the same town as former Quarterback Doug Flutie.” Said Rod Woodson an analyst for the NFL.

As Chris shook the commissioner's hand and held the number one Jersey he could not stop smiling. This was the best day of his life, and the begin of mine in the shadow from Minnesota.

August twenty third 2014, I have been pressured into playing football and follow in my brother's footsteps my Sophomore year. I have always liked football but I am more of a numbers and science man. The football field is right down the street form the school but, but I feel so far away from the robotics lab.

The coach started going through the names of the roster, “Anderson?”

“Here coach.” I said in a confident voice to mask my emotions of fear and anxiety. “Well, well, well, look what we have here. Chris was one of the best players I've seen in my life as a coach and player. He got me a lot of fantasy points too. I hope for your sake it runs in the family.” The coach replied with an enthusiastic tone that made me shiver. As the team went silent I had no clue to respond to this.

“Me too coach.”

“Well you don't look as strong as your brother was, but you look like a fast runner and your tall, your playing wide receiver.” He said while looking me over like a used car. As we went into warm ups I pass the other kids in the laps around the field and in a forty yard dash which surprised even my self. But when we went into the strength training I lost my lead. We had to start of with one hundred marine corp push-ups, fifty burpees, fifty sit ups and then twenty five squat jumps. I felt the eyes of the coach and other players on me like lasers burning my skin.

“Look at him, hes Chris's brother.” Some say behind my back.

“He is going pro like his brother.” Other say.

But the truth is I'm nothing like Chris. He is funny, brave, athletic, strong, made the varsity team as a freshmen and people love him. Im just the captain of the robotics team and well just me, I'm never going to be the most popular or the kid that makes everyone laugh and i'm scared of too many things to be brave. I''m not Chris Anderson, I am Will Anderson.

As practice went on, it was harder and harder. When we finished our war m ups and “light” conditioning, Most players didn't even break a sweat, the other first year players like myself cramped up, and threw up. Soon the crowd of massive people was separated into position training. The “skilled” positions on one side of the field practicing catching, running, throwing and tackling while the other players the “non-skilled” positions worked on blocking and how to get around blocking. As the crowd dispersed, I was stuck in the middle.

“I'm too small to go with the linemen, but I don't have the talent to go with the skill positions.” I thought.

The coach noticed me confused while the crowd separated,

“Hey Anderson, where do you think your going?” He said with a joking attitude.

“I don't know sir.” I replied trying to sound cooler and more confident than I really am.

“Well don't be ridiculo us, get yourself over here.” He stated while motioning me to join the skill positions. This made me more nervous than anything. All of the seniors and Juniors bigger than me started at me like a pack of wolves staring down their pray.

“Okay men, first drill of the day is one on one coverage. One of you will play wide receiver and the other will play corner back and try to make sure he does not catch the ball on a deep pass.” Coached explained to the team.

“Alright first ones up is Johnson and Ray.” Mike Johnson is one of the best strong safetys' in the country, while Brendan Ray is the starting tight end who made varsity his freshmen year. The coach said hike and dropped back to get ready to throw the ball. As Ray sprinted down the field Johnson covered him tight with almost no separation. The ball went up in the air and reached it's peak. Ray turned his head towards the throw and used his vertical to go up and attempt to catch it at the hight point possible while Johnson's mission was to make sure he does not make it back to Earth with the ball. Both men soaring through the air light as balloons both meet at the ball as two pairs of hands fight for it. One pair comes down with it, but not for long as the unforgiving hands of the defender come and knock the ball out of Ray's hands that seemed un beatable.

As the two jog back to the crowd Johnson receives a few high fives and pats on the back. “Well done Johnson, and for you Ray, I expect better. Alright next ones up are…”

“Me and Anderson.” Said Steven Parker in terrifying tone.

“Your right, Anderson get up their your playing receiver.” He said to me like I knew what I was doing. Steven Parker is an All-American linebacker who is being recruited by the Alabama Crimson tide n ext year. He is big, mean and tough.

As we both near the line of scrimmage my heart is pounding. We line up and coach hikes the ball and drops back while I speed as fast as I can down the sideline with Parker close being. As I see the ball in the air I become mesmerized at the sight and think of the days I used to play catch with my brother

“Always get under the ball.” He would tell me.

I pump my legs even harder as I see the ball is over thrown. Parker still close to me I decide to jump for my life to catch it before he can catch me. I extended my legs and rose into the air when suddenly a brute force takes my legs out from under me just as the ball touches my finger tips. I fall down fast but I see a brown figure in the air and twist myself towards it. I extend my left arm out to at least bobble the ball to make my efforts look greater but found it got sucked into my chest as I land on my back with Steven landing a few yards away from me. The team cheers and looks in astonishment as I stand up with my shoes missing. “Holy cow!” coached said while jumping in the air, the other kids with their jaws on the floor.

“What happened?” I asked, a little confused?

“I'll tell you what happened, you were beating Parker to the ball when he decided it would be a good idea for him to play dirty and take you out at the knees even though you are his teammate and we don't have pads yet.” He said while motioning for Parker to take a lap. “Then, you tipped it up and made a one handed catch before you even touch the ground. And you got even after he hit you so hard you lost your cleats!” He exclaimed.

` After that practice I felt great. But at the same time I fell uneasy about what has happened, now I feel Parker is out to get me. With a guaranteed spot on the Crimson tide he has nothing to lose.

At school the next day my friends heard about what happened at practice the night before and how it went. I did not expect their reactions.

“Dude, congratulations!” My friend Brian exclaimed. “Will, that's awesome. But i've heard Parker is irked about how you beat him in that drill and got all of the coaches attention yesterday.” Josh said to me in a little bite of a panicked voice.

“I know, I have that feeling that he is after me too.” I replied know that my glory cannot last forever.

But apparently I was wrong. Because at the next couple practices I continued to perform in the one on one drill I did good with four out of five catches, which really surprised me because sports were never my forte. But when we got our pads the team started the oklahoma drills in which I did not do so good. Oklahomas are when there are two blocking pads about two yards apart and there is two players one with the ball. Both start off on their backs with their heads touching each other, their bodies parallel to the pads. When the coach blows his whistle both players get up as fast as possible and run at each other. The one with the ball must try to get by the other player with out being tackled and if he passes the end of the pads it is considered an offensive win.

These are more of Chris type of drills with his powerful moves that will knock any man over and his graceful fakes and spins that would make anyone miss him. He moves like an amoeba, it seems like he is every where at once yet when people go to tackle him, Chris slips right by them. But me however I am more like a stork, I have long skinny legs and to light to plow through heavy defenders.

As it was my turn to start, the coach coincidentally called me the mad stork.

“okay in this drill is Bradford and the mad stork”. He said while pointing at me, getting a few chuckles from the team.

Bill Bradford is a big two hundred thirty pound running-back who plays for the varsity team. He is a nice guy though, he has never shoved my friends in a locker or made fun of me or any one I don't think. He looked at me with sad eyes that said he didn't want to hurt me.

We both lied on our backs, I had the ball and felt the poison of terror course through my veins. Chris would always tell me that in these drills you want to get up faster than your opponents.

“When you get up, he is going to be right in your face. You do not want to run straight into him if he is bigger than you, fake one way and then cut the other and juke him out of his shoes, fake him out so bad he would brake his ankles.” He would tell me.

The whistle blew as I waste d no time to get to my feet. As Chris predicted he was right in my face ready to take my head of with a jarring hit when I took my brother's words. I took a quick step to the right and then took of to the left, when a bulldozer hit me on my starboard side and propelled me into the air and land on the ground hard with an impact that made wish I stayed home. I got up from the collision and was in pain form contact. I got up slow as coach stood over me.

“Way to take a hit stork.” He said in an expressionless tone. Bradford helped me up.

When practice ended I took a shower in the locker room. As I was drying myself off I found my locker ajar all of my clothes missing. I went to coach to tell him the problem.

“Coach, my clothes are gone. I think someone took them.” I said in a voice that screamed desperation.

“Sorry stork, there's nothing I can do.”

“But coach how am I supposed to get home?” I asked shocked by his answer

“Im sorry kid but certain people in the organization have complained about giving specific players way more attention than others. If I want to stay the coach of this team I have to treat everyone equal from now on” This angered me but I didn’t want to show that to coach.

After I stormed his office I check and made sure the parking lot was empty and sprinted to the robotics lab. There deathly atmosphere in the dark hallways of the school as my bare feet slip along the tiles. The light from escaping from the door illuminates a small strip of the darkness that is the hallway. I Cautiously entered the lab making sure no one will notice. Then I see Josh alone working on his battle robot he has been preparing to use to compete in the annual state robotics convention.

“Hey, Josh.” I said in a whisper. “I need your help”. He looked form his work surprised.

“Sure, whats up?” He said startled at my appearance.

“I think Steven took my clothes while I was in the showers.” I told my best friend. “That's a good hypothesize. Word on the street is he has been sore ever since you beat him at practice and how coach favors you. Did you tell the coach?” He told me acting tough like usual.

“ yeah, I did. He told me that he couldn't help me because people with in the organization are complaining about how i't favored.” I replied

“ He played this perfectly, he left you in that towel that could be a little bite longer, with almost no help.” He said proud he put it all together.

“ Yeah I know, He can't get away with this. Do you still have your brother's car?” I asked desperately.

“ Of course I just need to bolt up the lab.”  After Josh gave be an awkward ride home I did some thinking and a conclusion came to me. I will take care of him at practice.

When there was just a couple minutes left of practice the starting offense scrimmages the defense. Our quarterback Drew Michaels gave us the last play.

“ Alright, I-right slot dig.” This play is where the third receiver is covered by a line backer and does a short route towards the end zone and tries to out jump the defender. I Lined up at the slot receiver position as Parker lined up across from me and gave a smile like a crocodile. But what he doesn't know is that today i'm Steve Irwin and going to take him out. The ball was snapped and I felt my legs carry me down the field, passing Steven. And turning waiting for the ball to be lobed into the air as he caught up to me. The ball flew up into the air in a beautiful arch and descended down to us. Parker left the ground and outstretched his meaty arms to snatch the football, when grabbed him around his sweaty waist and drove his upper body into the unforgiving turf. After rolling off his chest he looked at me in pure shock and pain. I returned his stare, spit on the ground and walked away as coach declared practice over running towards the injured bear.  In the locker rooms I got high fives and pats on my rear end in approval. Until coach stormed in;  “Anderson in my office now!” He yelled in a voice that made me feel I was alone in an empty auditorium. I passed the once cheerful player showering and changing on my way to coaches office. They now looked at me in, fear, shock and disapproval. My hand shaked like a maraca as I reached for the door no that would open the door way to shear death. “ Yes coach?” I said in a quivering voice “ What was that?” He asked me in a demanding tone as players gathered around the door peaking through the small window to see me face my doom.

“ You could have killed him with that stunt. Parker is one of our best players, what if you killed him? What you have you done then?” He yelled at me in pure heat and fury that I thought you could only find in volcano. He got up to shot the blinds at the window cutting off the other players view of my death.

“ I'm sorry coach, he just stole…” I stammered until interrupted.

“ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">That was freaking awesome!” He said in a surprisingly excited voice.

“ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Excuse me?” I asked.

“ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">The way you took care of Parker out their. He stole your clothes and left you to run around naked and decided to handle it yourself. I don't approve of how you did this, but it showed me that you are tough, self sufficient and not afraid on fear itself.”

“ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Thank you coach, but why did you yell at me?” I wondered out loud.

“ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Are you kidding me, I can't say this in front of the other player. They will assume it is favoritism and I will losing my job by people thinking I told you to act that way.”

“ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Oh, I see.” I replied a little excited myself.

“ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">You have a good future stork.” He told me while pacing around my chair. “ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Your smart, tough, can solve your problems and have a good future ahead of you. Just like your brother.” He told me as I felt he said it from his heart. “ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">I see.” A little annoyed to be compared to Chris.

“ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">I know you don't like being compared to your brother but he was the same as you when I first got a hold of him. Well minus the robot thing.” He replied to my attitude. Coach said just what I needed to hear all my life.

“ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Thank you coach, it means a lot to me.” I told him.

“ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">No problem. As a coach I dream of having two players like you both. When I said your future is bright I meant it. How would you like to start at receiver for the varsity team?” He explained. “ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">I would love to sir!” I exclaimed, “What should I tell the others” I asked him.

“ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Well don't tell them right away, they will find out eventually. I pretend to cry a little when you leave.” He instructed me.

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">This moment in my life really made me feel like someone and that I have a chance to do what ever I want.

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Seven years later I graduated from Boise State from a full scholarship from football and my grades. I was the staring All-American Wide receiver. I was offered a chance to play I the NFL and follow my brother's footsteps. But I turned it down to fulfill my dream and thirst for knowledge and take my career as chief robotics engineer at NASA space program and designed and built the first rover to ever go to Mercury.