You need to take some real deep breaths when you feel the world closing in on you. Matt wanted to ask him how he knew about that, but the shrink said, âThatâs all we have time for today.â
The shrink called Dad in and talked to both of them. Said he thought it would be a good idea if Matt came in once a week for a while, and talked on the phone at least once a week, too. Dad said he would think about it, but on the drive home he exploded, called the guy a quack. Dad said the shrink knew Matt was a winner and he wanted to get on the gravy train early, screw with his head, get control. This is a quick-fix situation and this hustlerâs looking for a long-term payoff.
Never saw the shrink again. Monty found the steroid combo that worked and Matt broke up with Terri. Never dropped another pass.
Wonder how the shrink would deal with Chris and Ramp.
NINE
The third and fourth days at camp went quickly, as they always did. They were the busiest, the hardest, and in some ways the most fun. The players were starting to understand the new plays even if they couldnât always execute. The pains of the first two days had settled into the dull aches that would remind them all season they were football players. And they were hitting now, which was what the game was all about.
On the fourth day, Chris went up against Ramp one-on-one for the first time. No contest. Ramp hit low and hard and came up with Chris on one shoulder like a matador speared on a bullâs horn. Everybody winced when Chris hit the ground. He didnât bounce up, but he didnât rub. He said something to Ramp they couldnât hear, but it wiped the smirk off Rampâs face.
The second time they collided, Ramp was too eager.He drove Chris backward, but he couldnât knock him down. Ramp glowered as Chris walked away, smiling. Chris had toned down the hotdogging, but he could get Ramp steamed just by making a good move.
Matt avoided them both. There was plenty to do. He worked hard, running, lifting, paying attention at meetings. A captain is a role model. You donât always have to be on peopleâs backs. You can just be. Show them. The younger players would come hunching up, shyly or with bravado, to ask questionsâDid he use stickum? Did the new face masks obscure his vision? What about bump and run?âbut it was really to see if he would blow them off. They wanted to be sure heâd be there for them if they ever had a real problem. He listened carefully and tried to answer their questions. If they asked for advice, he would tell them to concentrate, not to let anything distract them, to keep their eyes on the ball. They nodded seriously at that, made him feel like Obi-Wan Kenobi.
He could always concentrate, could shut out the distractions, the noise from the sidelines, the waving banners, the stray thoughts that could snag like plucking fingers. Dad, Ramp, Mandy, Chris: bury them all deep in the duffel bag. Think ball. Learn the new plays, make the new routes automatic, home in on the vibes off Brody, the ball a heat-seeking missile locked on his hands. Brody was complaining that the new plays gave him too much to think about, three primary targets instead of two, butMatt figured he really wanted more chances to run with the ball. Corndog didnât like Brody scrambling. He said thatâs when bad things happened, injuries, lost yardage, turnovers.
The defensive backfield coach, Dorman, a young guy, had come up with some new pass coverage ideas. More to learn. That was good. Keep the mind as tired as the body. Matt liked playing safety on defense because it reminded him of centerfield, the last chance to stop a score.
Casually, during a water break, Dorman asked Matt if he had ever thought about moving to cornerback.
âI think youâd have a better shot at the NFL as a corner than a receiver,â said Dorman. âTry it out hereâyou might think about making the switch in college. Your
The shrink called Dad in and talked to both of them. Said he thought it would be a good idea if Matt came in once a week for a while, and talked on the phone at least once a week, too. Dad said he would think about it, but on the drive home he exploded, called the guy a quack. Dad said the shrink knew Matt was a winner and he wanted to get on the gravy train early, screw with his head, get control. This is a quick-fix situation and this hustlerâs looking for a long-term payoff.
Never saw the shrink again. Monty found the steroid combo that worked and Matt broke up with Terri. Never dropped another pass.
Wonder how the shrink would deal with Chris and Ramp.
NINE
The third and fourth days at camp went quickly, as they always did. They were the busiest, the hardest, and in some ways the most fun. The players were starting to understand the new plays even if they couldnât always execute. The pains of the first two days had settled into the dull aches that would remind them all season they were football players. And they were hitting now, which was what the game was all about.
On the fourth day, Chris went up against Ramp one-on-one for the first time. No contest. Ramp hit low and hard and came up with Chris on one shoulder like a matador speared on a bullâs horn. Everybody winced when Chris hit the ground. He didnât bounce up, but he didnât rub. He said something to Ramp they couldnât hear, but it wiped the smirk off Rampâs face.
The second time they collided, Ramp was too eager.He drove Chris backward, but he couldnât knock him down. Ramp glowered as Chris walked away, smiling. Chris had toned down the hotdogging, but he could get Ramp steamed just by making a good move.
Matt avoided them both. There was plenty to do. He worked hard, running, lifting, paying attention at meetings. A captain is a role model. You donât always have to be on peopleâs backs. You can just be. Show them. The younger players would come hunching up, shyly or with bravado, to ask questionsâDid he use stickum? Did the new face masks obscure his vision? What about bump and run?âbut it was really to see if he would blow them off. They wanted to be sure heâd be there for them if they ever had a real problem. He listened carefully and tried to answer their questions. If they asked for advice, he would tell them to concentrate, not to let anything distract them, to keep their eyes on the ball. They nodded seriously at that, made him feel like Obi-Wan Kenobi.
He could always concentrate, could shut out the distractions, the noise from the sidelines, the waving banners, the stray thoughts that could snag like plucking fingers. Dad, Ramp, Mandy, Chris: bury them all deep in the duffel bag. Think ball. Learn the new plays, make the new routes automatic, home in on the vibes off Brody, the ball a heat-seeking missile locked on his hands. Brody was complaining that the new plays gave him too much to think about, three primary targets instead of two, butMatt figured he really wanted more chances to run with the ball. Corndog didnât like Brody scrambling. He said thatâs when bad things happened, injuries, lost yardage, turnovers.
The defensive backfield coach, Dorman, a young guy, had come up with some new pass coverage ideas. More to learn. That was good. Keep the mind as tired as the body. Matt liked playing safety on defense because it reminded him of centerfield, the last chance to stop a score.
Casually, during a water break, Dorman asked Matt if he had ever thought about moving to cornerback.
âI think youâd have a better shot at the NFL as a corner than a receiver,â said Dorman. âTry it out hereâyou might think about making the switch in college. Your
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