The Bench Warmer (Book 1)

Chapter 12: Hike!

I shivered, as I was quite a bit afraid for just what it was that was about to come next, if I was not going to lie to my self, as much as I hated to feel that way about the game, and the sport that I loved to play, as I knew that one day in the near future, it was going to be my future never the less, all at the exact same time as well, as I felt like I could not help but to be a little bit scared that I was going to fail.
From the corner of my eyes, I could see that the scouts were staring at almost what felt like was me, which might in fact actually be the case as well, due to the fact that I knew that I was the #1 prospect on the team, and I knew that the scouts were going to be itching to get their hands on me, and to talk to me at the exact same time as well.
I knew that once it was that they found out that I was a star student at the exact same time as well, than they felt like they would have but no other choice but to offer me a scholarship all at the exact same time as well. I saw a few scouts from some schools that had already offered me scholarships at the exact same time too, as I wondered if they were here for me, or if they were wanting to see other players that were on the team.
I knew that they were at some nearby schools, as I saw that one of the scouts was from San Diego State, and I knew that they had already offered me a scholarship, all at the exact same time as well, which I really did not want to accept, as I kind of felt like I wanted to get as far away from this city as possible if I was not going to lie to my self.
I wished that some of the scouts from the east coast would come to see me, but sadly that was not the case at all, which I knew was due to the fact that it was going to be a long flight to a state that odds are, the players were not going to want to go join their school in the very first place any ways, never the less.
I also knew that there was some thing else that came with the fact that the scouts were not only trying to see how good of a player or an athlete that I was, but I also knew that they wanted to talk to me, all at the exact same time as well, as I knew that a lot of it went on the fact that if I was a good person or not, or if I had a high ego.
I knew that coaches of some schools did not want a player that had a big ego, which I did not blame them for, as luckily enough for me, none the less, I did not have a big ego on my self at all, all at the exact same time as well, so I knew that I would be fine about that.
I also knew that I was a good team mate all at the exact same time too, which I knew was hard to see just based off of the fact that I was a receiver and I was not a QB at all, all at the exact time too, but I also knew that I boosted the morale of our team, at the exact same time too, as I knew that I had a lot of good team chemistry with the offense, all at the exact same time too.
Not so much with the defense, even though I knew that I did in fact play defense from time to time, as a lot of them just were not going to like me no matter what, simply due to the fact that I was a star athlete, and it seemed like to them, that every one loved me, and I got to play on the offensive side of the ball, which I knew got a lot more recognition than the defensive side, as I could see it on any sport.
Players usually did not win MVP due to their defense. I knew that I was an excellent CB, but I really did not want to play in that position, all at the exact same time too, as I felt like I would rather play on the offense, and make plays for the team, rather than to try to make stops and hope that an offense that I could not control, did some thing good with those stops.
I blinked my eyes a few times, all at the exact same time too, as I was not all too sure as to just what it was that I was even thinking right at this very moment in time, if I was going to be completely honest with my self, all at the exact same time too, as I felt like I was quite a bit lost in my head, and lost in my mind right now, when I knew that there was a lot more important things going on right now.
I remembered that we were at a scrimmage right now, and whilst I was sure that the scouts could not see me from far away, as to just as to the way that I was acting right now, I felt like if I was not paying attention to the play calls, and just what it was that was even going on right now in the very first place any ways, than they would then notice that, at the very least.
I breathed in quite a bit of a soft sigh to my self, all at the exact same time too, as I got my mind off of all of that, all at the exact same time too, as I did my best to try to get my mind on the fact that I knew was a lot more important to me, all at the exact same time too, which was simply the fact that the offensive coach, Coach Strauss was in fact speaking to our offense at this very moment in time too.
I blinked my eyes a few times, as I then all of the sudden nodded a bit to my self, all at once, as I did my best to get my focus on all of that, that was even going on right in front of me in the very first place any ways, as I knew that it was in fact quite a bit important for me to hear what it was that coach had to say, and what it was that the play calls were going to be, all at the exact same time too.
I sighed a bit to my self, all at once, once again, as I got my eyes, and my ears on Coach Strauss right at this very moment in time, as I still noticed that he was speaking to the team, thankfully, and luckily enough for me, as I hoped that I had not missed out on all too much, all at the exact same time too, as I then all of the sudden began to start to listen as to just what it was that he had to say to us all in the very first place any ways, as well.
"So... We are going to start with the 4th strings, and we are going to go from there... You should know what string you are, based off of the papers that we had signed up for you..." He said to them all, all at the exact same time as well, as I saw that he was looking at all of the players that were in fact the 4th strings, all at the exact same time too, as I was sure that it was a bunch of kids that he did not know the names of none the less, as I knew that even if the kids played some what decent, they most likely were going to get cut from the team unless they showed a lot in this scrimmage.
I was sure that Coach Strauss did not know the names of a single one of those kids either, all at the exact same time too, just based off of the look that I saw on his face, as I could tell that he did not seem to care all too much about the 4th strings, and the kids that were on it, all at the exact same time as well, none the less.
A lot of those kids I was sure did in fact care quite a bit about it how ever, as I knew that it was make or break for a lot of them. I knew that a lot of them were in fact freshman at the exact same time as well, as I was sure that if they did in fact get cut, than they would get a chance on the JV team, as I knew that had almost been the case for me my freshman year, all at the exact same time too, if it had not been for that amazing catch that I had made in the end zone of one of our practices.
I blinked my eyes, all at the exact same time too, as I knew that it was besides the point, and I knew that I should not worry about all of those kids all at the exact same time as well, as I knew that it had nothing to do with me right now, and I knew that it was sort of like what it was that my father had told me, all at the exact same time as well, as he had told me that I needed to focus on my self, and that I needed to get my self strong, before it was that I should worry about the other people that were near me.
I knew that he was right, all at the exact same time too, as I then all of the sudden nodded to my self, all at once, as I then got my focus back on to the presence once again, as it was not the first time that I had to do that in the last few moments, all at the exact same time too, as I let out quite a bit of a heavy sigh to my self, as I was not all too sure as to just what it was that was even going on with me, if I was going to be for real with my self, none the less.
I blinked my eyes a few times, as I then shook my head shortly after I had nodded to my self, as I then got my focus back on to the circle that was in the end zone right now, as I looked at the defense that was on the other side, as I knew that I should not have my focus on them at all right now, but for some reason I did, as I had my eyes on a lot of the players.
Not any of them in specific, as they were far too far away to notice who was who, all at the exact same time too, as I just felt some thing kind of strange from them right now, all at the exact same time too, as it kind of felt like it was some thing that I could not explain at all, none the less, as I blinked my eyes a few times, and I then got my eyes back on to the offense that was around me right now, all at the exact same time too, as I then all of the sudden began to hear one of the kids speak up, all at the exact same time too.
I turned my head over to the kid, all at once, as I blinked my eyes a few times, all at the exact same time too, due to the fact that I was not all too sure as to all that was even going on right at this very moment in time, in the very first place any ways, as I then all of the sudden let out quite a bit of another soft sigh to my self, as I turned my head over to the kid, and I looked at the kid right in to his eyes.
I knew that the kid did not have his eyes on me at all right now, as he should not be, as I knew that he was trying to talk to the Coach right now, all at the exact same time too, as I just stared at the kid, all at once, as I nodded a bit to my self, as the kid kept on saying what it was that he even had to say to Coach Strauss in the very first place any ways, as I did in fact begin to listen as to just what it was that the kid had to say to him in the very first place any ways, never the less.
"Coach, we have like 15 players on the 4th string side of the ball... How are we going to play with 15 men on the field? That is not legal for a play call!" He said to the coach, as I saw that coach just stared at the kid right in to his eyes, as if the kid was some kind of idiot for what it was that he had just asked, all at the exact same time too.
It was quite a bit of a stupid question if I do say so my self, all at the exact same time too, as I felt like I could not blame coach for the way that he was, as I saw that Coach Strauss had his eyes squinted at the kid, all at the exact same time too, as he just felt like he should not even answer the kids question, all at the exact same time too, as I heard him all of the sudden let out quite a bit of a heavy sigh to him self, all at once, as he felt like there was no point.
Of course the kid would be worried, as I could tell that the kid was a receiver, at least that was his build looked to be like none the less, as I was sure that there were a lot of 4th string receivers, all at the exact same time too. It was clear that the kid also thought that this scrimmage had some thing to do with the 4th stringers for some odd reason, all at the exact same time too, which it was not the case at all.
Unless some one just played absolutely terrible, than the odds were the the kid was not going to get cut this early in to the season, all at the exact same time too, so the kid should not be worried about all of that, as this scrimmage was simply due to the fact that there was a lot of college scouts out right now, as they were all looking at all of the young players, and I was sure that the coaches were hoping that they were looking at them, all at the exact same time too, which I felt like was not the case at all how ever, due to the fact that I knew that we did not have the best coaching staff in the world any ways.
I rolled my eyes a bit to my self, all at the exact same time too, as I knew that it was all besides the point right now, as I blinked my eyes a few times, and I then stared over at the kid for just a little bit longer, who had just spoken up to the coach in the very first place any ways, as I saw that the kid had his head a bit low to the ground, all at the exact same time too, as I could tell that the kid felt like he had said some thing stupid, as he felt like he could no longer keep his eyes on the coach for any longer, all at the exact same time as well, none the less.
I sighed a bit to my self, all at the exact same time too, as I was sure that the kid felt like he had a lot of eyes on him right now, as I was sure that he had a lot of stress on him, such as the rest of us did right now, due to the fact that there was a bunch of scouts that were watching us right now, as I could tell that the kid was a freshman all at the exact same time too.
The kid at the very least did in fact have my eyes on him right now, as I did in fact feel guilty, as I felt a bit bad for that, as I then all of the sudden began to get my focus off of that kid, all at once, as I did not want to put any more stress on the kid than it felt like he was under at this very moment in time, in the very first place any ways, as I then instead got my eyes, and I got my focus back on Coach Strauss, such as the rest of the team already had done, as I had begun to notice, at the same time as well.
I blinked my eyes just a few times, as I was a little bit lost in my own head space once again, all at the exact same time too, as I then just shook my head, and I nodded a bit to my self, all at the exact same time as well, as I looked at the coach right in to his eyes, all at once none the less, as it felt like that was all that I could do right at this very moment in time any ways.
The rest of the kids were doing it, so I felt like coach had some thing important to say at the very least, all at the exact same time as well, as I then all of the sudden nodded to the coach, all at the exact same time too, as if he had his eyes, and he had his attention on me right now, which I saw was clearly not the case, as I saw that the coach had his eyes on some thing that was much different than all of that right now.
I wondered if it was the kid that had just spoken to him, as I saw that he had his eyes squinted at some thing right now, as I felt like it would make sense, and it would explain as to the fact as to just why it was that the kid had his head so low to the ground in the very first place any ways none the less, as I then turned my head over to just what it was that the coach was even looking at in the very first place any ways, as I then all of the sudden noticed, and I saw as to just what it was that he was looking at in the very first place any ways never the less.
It was clear that he was looking at the defense that was in the other end zone on the other side of the field right now, as I saw that the defense, all at the exact same time too, was already done with what ever it was that they had to say to one another, all at the exact same time as well, as I then all of the sudden began to see that the defense was splitting it self apart, and it was heading over to the side lines, as it was clear to me, all at the exact same time too, that they were ready.
I looked at the head coach from the corner of my eyes, all at the exact same time too, as I saw that he too had noticed that the defense was ready as well, as I then all of the sudden saw him turn his head over to the offensive side of the field, all at the exact same time too, as it was clear that he was making sure that we were ready as well, which sadly was not the case at all right at this very moment in time how ever.
Just as I thought on that how ever, I did in fact begin to start to hear Coach Strauss start to speak up all at the exact same time as well, as I then all of the sudden turned my head over to him, all at the exact same time as well, as I just squinted my eyes at him, such as I had seen him doing to what ever it was that he had been looking at in the very first place any ways, just a few moments ago none the less.
Coach Strauss how ever, once again, did not seem to have his eyes on me at all, as I saw that he was just surveying the entire offense right now, as I then saw him nod to us all, all at the exact same time too, as he began to continue to speak up to the entire team, once again, as I stared at him with the same blank look that I had on my face before hand, as I then began to start to listen as to just what it was that he had to say to our entire offense in the very first place any ways, never the less.
"I will put players in and out after each turn... Every one will have their fair share of snaps, it will be even all across the field... There is nothing that any of you need to worry about..." He said to us, as I saw that he had quite a bit of a blank look on his face him self all at the exact same time too, as I saw that he did not seem to care all too much as to just what it was that he had even said in the very first place any ways. As it kind of seemed like, if I was not going to lie to my self, that he disagreed with the coaches decision to let the kids have an even number of snaps, all at the exact same time too. I felt like he should not be that sort of way, if I was not going to lie to my self either, as I blinked my eyes a few times, as I began to start to see as to just what it was that both sides might be thinking right at this very moment in time how ever, as I was sure that Coach Strauss was thinking as to the fact that he was worried that the scouts would be watching him... Meanwhile, Coach Sheldon just wanted to give every one a fair chance. For once, I felt like I was defending Coach Sheldon, as I felt like I agreed with his decision, all at the exact same time too. I blinked my eyes how ever, as I then all of the sudden got my focus off of all of those thoughts, all at once, all at the exact same time as well, as I then all of the sudden got my focus instead, on the thoughts that Coach Strauss was starting to speak up to the team once again, such as he had been doing a few moments before, as I blinked my eyes a few times, and I stared at him once again, with a blank look on my own face, as I then all of the sudden continued to start to listen as to just what it was that he had to say to all of us in the very first place any ways, none the less. "Every one go split in to your separate sections, so I can put the players in that need to go in and I can perform the play calls, alright?"
I looked at him keeping the same blank look on my face, as to just what it was that he had just said to the entire team, all at the exact same time too, as it was clear that he was trying to get us all to go to the side line, so that we could catch up to the defense right now, as it was clear to me and him, that we were in fact a bit far behind, as I then all of the sudden looked over to the defense at the exact same time too, as I saw that the defensive coach was already heading to mid field, to go and meet up with Coach Sheldon, all at the exact same time too.
I blinked my eyes a few times, as I let out quite a bit of a heavy sigh to my self, all at the exact same time too, as I felt like I was once again having my mind drift off on to a bunch of thoughts that did not seem to matter all too much at all right now, as I shook my head, all at the exact same time as well, as I did my best to try not to think all too much on all of that, all at the exact same time too.
Just as I was about to turn my head over to Coach Sheldon, I then all of the sudden heard a very loud whistle blow from right behind me, all at the exact same time too, which did in fact make my ears ring quite a bit, all at the exact same time too, as I turned my head over to Coach Strauss, all at the exact same as well, as I knew that he had done it to get the attention of the offense on him right now, but it did upset me quite a bit, if I was not going to lie to my self, as to just what it was that he had even done in the very first place any ways, none the less.
It hurt my ears quite a bit, as it felt like my ears were going to be ringing for quite a bit of some time, all at the exact same time too, as I knew that I did in fact have quite a bit of some sensitive ear drums none the less, as I knew that it hurt my ears every time the refs called a whistle right beside me, all at the exact same time too, such as when ever it was that I got in to the end zone and I caught a touch down.
I blinked my eyes a few times, as I knew that there was nothing that I could do about it now, as I did my best to try to ignore the ringing that was going ears right at this very moment in time none the less, as I then all of the sudden began to notice, all at the exact same time as well, that the entire team that had been around me, at the exact same time as well, was now starting to walk away from all that was going on right at this very moment in time in the very first place any ways.
I was a little bit lost by it, and I was a bit lost by all that was even going on in the very first place as well, due to the fact that I felt like the defense had me a little bit in over my head, and it had me a bit lost in my thoughts for some odd reason or another, almost as if I thought that the defense was going to win today, which I felt like surely would not be the case, unless our backups really were that bad, which I felt like might be a possibility, none the less, all at the exact same time too.
It did not matter if we won or lost to me though, so long as I put out a good showing today, as I was sure that they new Quarterback, Samuel Cornell, while I was sure that he thought he was the next big thing him self, would know that if he wanted to get a rating, and if he wanted to get some attention, than the best thing for him to do was to feed the ball to me, at least when I was open, which I often tended to do, all at the exact same time too.
I put out a bit of a slight grin on my face, all at the exact same time as well, as I knew that I was over thinking all of this, and that I needed to calm my self down at the exact same time too, as I knew that things were going to end up being fine when all was said and done for me, as I knew that as much as I felt like I had been worn out and tired earlier, I felt a rush of adrenaline right now, due to the fact that I knew that our season was about to start, all at the exact same time as well.
I knew that this was going to be a great year for me, and whilst I might be tired as hell, when all was said and done, so long as I put up a good showing tonight, than it meant that things were going to only go up for me in the ratings, as I knew that I had worked hard as hell in the off-season, and I knew that I was more buff, and that I was more swole than I had ever been in my life, all at the exact same time as well.
I nodded a bit to my self, as I then began to start to follow with the rest of the team as well, as I saw at the exact same time too, that the team was splitting off in to different sections, all at the exact same time as well, which did in fact have me a little bit lost at first, until I then all of the sudden began to remember as to just what it was that Coach Strauss had told us a few moments ago, in the very first place any ways, about the fact that he had said that we were going to have to split in to different sections.
I sighed a bit of a heavy sigh to my self, as I looked around for some of the players that I knew for a fact were going to be starters, as I spotted Ray from not all too far away, as I saw that he was walking with Cornell, and the rest of the OLine over to one side of the bench, all at the exact same time too, as I then all of the sudden nodded a bit to my self, and I then began to jog a bit to catch up to them, all at the exact same time too.
It only took me a few seconds, even with jogging, to catch up to them, as I then walked with them to our side of the sidelines, all at the exact same time too, as no one seemed to want to say a single word to one another, all at the exact same time too, for some odd reason, as I felt like I should not care as to just what it was that the reason might be in the very first place any ways, as I knew that I simply only needed to focus in on my self right now, as I then blinked my eyes a few times, and I then once again began to look over to the defensive side of the field at the exact same time too.
Just like us, they were split in to 4 different sections, as I was relieved to see as such a thing, all at the exact same time too, as I blinked my eyes a few times, and I let out a bit of a relieved sigh, as if I might have thought that Coach Strauss had been lying about what it was that he had told us, and what it was that he had said to us a few moments ago at the exact same time too, which I knew had clearly not been the case, as I was not all too sure as to just what it was that I had been thinking in the very first place any ways, none the less.
I gulped a bit of some spit down my throat, all at the exact same time as well, as I knew that I could clearly see on the other side of the field, all at the exact same time too, that all of the scouts were writing stuff down at this very moment in time, even though nothing had even started yet, all at the exact same time as well.
At first, I thought that it might actually have some thing to do with the coaches, until I then all of the sudden, at the exact same time too, began to realize that they were trying to test how strong we were mentally, all at the exact same time too, just based off of the fact that we all knew that there was a bunch of scouts all around us, all at the exact same time as well, as I now all of the sudden began to realize all of that, all at once, and I then all of the sudden nodded to my self at the exact same time too, as I then did my best to try to stay strong right at this very moment in time, too.
I sighed a bit of another heavy sigh to my self, as I was not all too sure as to just what it was that I should have my eyes, or just what it was that I should have my focus on right now, as I knew that I did not want to have my eyes on the scouts, nor did I want to have my eyes on the defense right now, at the exact same time as well.
I for sure did not want to have my head down low to the ground, as I was fairly certain that for sure would not be a good look to the scouts, all at the exact same time too, as I let out another bit of a soft sigh this time to my self, and I did my best to try to think to my self, all at once, as I knew that I was not some kind of idiot. I blinked my eyes a few times, as I then all of the sudden began to think of a good idea, all at the exact same time as well.
The good idea of course, was simply to just have a smile on my face, and to be looking at Coach Strauss, and the rest of the 4th stringers right now, as I knew that was who it was that I should have my eyes, and who it was that I should have my focus on right at this very moment in time, due to the fact that I knew that was after all, who was about to go on the field right now, as I then all of the sudden saw Coach Strauss smack on to the shoulder pads of one of the 4th stringers, all at the exact same time too, as I then all of the sudden began to realize as to just what it was that was even going on right at this very moment in time, in the very first place as well.
I blinked my eyes a few times once again, as I then all of the sudden nodded a bit to my self, as I then saw all of the players begin to walk out on to the field, all at the exact same time too, as I saw that from the corner of my eyes, all at the exact same time too, that the 4th stringers on the defensive side of the ball, were doing the same, all at the exact same time too, as I saw that there were a few kids left behind on either side, all at the exact same time as well, which I felt like I should not at all have my focus on them either, as I kind of felt bad for them, but I knew that they were all freshman, and that they would all soon have a chance in the near future, all at the exact same time too.
I nodded a bit to my self, as I felt like the best way to not have my attention on the defense, not even from the corner of my eyes right now, was to do the simple fact of putting on my helmet right now, such as I saw the rest of the team doing, even the ones that were not on the field just yet, as I then did the same as the rest of them were doing, as I knew that it was time for me to get my focus on in, and I knew that I needed to get my head in the game, all at the exact same time too, as I cracked a bit of a grin to my self, once again, and I just stared on at the kids that were now lining up on the field right at this very moment in time too.
I could see the looks on the eyes of a lot of the kids, all at the exact same time too, as I could tell that they were afraid, and that a lot of them were scared right now, which I felt like I could not blame them at all for none the less, as I let out a soft sigh to my self for once again, not the first time in the last few moments, as I got down on to one knee, all at once, as I was ready to begin to watch it all unfold from a fair distance away, all at the exact same time too.
Even it being a fair distance away, all at the exact same time too, I could still clearly hear the scared yelling of the 4th string quarterback, all at the exact same time too, as I could tell that he was in fact a bit freaked out about all of this, as he should be none the less, as I saw that he was stumbling a bit all at the exact same time too, as I was glad that was not my Quarterback, all at the exact same time too.
I still felt like I could not help but to feel bad for the kid, as I felt like I might have been the exact same way as he had been, though I had not been the quarterback at all, as I knew that I had been in a new state, and a new place with a bunch of people that I did not know at all, all at the exact same time as well, as it had in fact been quite a bit scary to me, and it had been a bit over whelming for me, all at the exact same time too.
Luckily I did good, and I felt like I could only hope for the best for all of the kids that were on the field right now, as I knew that like it or not, they still were my team mates. I rolled my eyes a bit to my self, as I then all of the sudden got my focus off of all of that, and back on to the fact that the Quarterback was yelling loudly, all at the exact same time too, as I heard him let out the shout that had every one all of the sudden moving, all at the exact same time too, as I listened to just what it was that the kid was saying to every one that was here in the very first place any ways.
"Down... Set... Hike!!!"