Brothers of Fall

The Brothers of fall

          Ready! My legs bend, and a familiar burn flows in to my thigh. Down! I wait for my team mate’s call, it is a strong right I’m going right, the c-gap is my responsibility. Set! My three fingers hit the ground; my unmoving eyes penetrate the teasing ball ready for any movement that signifies the start of the play. Hut! I release myself from my stance and I explode to my blocker, throwing him aside. I am almost to the quarterback when I realize it’s too late. The quarterback  hands it off to the monster of a full back  who runs it up the middle smashing through are nose guard and middle linebacker to score. I run off the field swearing under my breath as I hear the speaker announce that it’s the fourth quarter, and the score is 26-0,them. I take my helmet off take a swig of water and theres the end of the defensive football game.

For the rest of the game i sit there.  hoping that maybe theirs is a chance, and then there is number 22 Jack Cunningham shoots down the field for a 40 yard game the excitement rushes back in to my body and i get on my feet. Set, hut, another play goes by by and this time a short pass to 43 Andrew Yamin for a five yard gain. at this point i am whoopng and hollering with the rest of the boys on the sideline. We can do this. We can win, or at least score. Then it happens. The shrill sound of a ref’s whistle fill the cold Autmn air and i know finally C.J.F is over. 

The two teams shake hands, and while the other team runs off the field whooping and celebrating, our team gets in to a solemn huddle, our coaches tell us how much of a pleasure it was to coach us and that we are  great young men. The huddle separates and 37 boys walk off the field some smiling talking to their friends, some hanging around the girls that had come to support us, some comforted by their families and some like me walked away jaws clenched, eyes teary, and mind filled with amazing memories of the last five years.

         Later that day after showering, playing halo, doing homework, and in general being a kid I had a thought about football. This was that football is a great sport; it combines brute strength, intelligence, determination, and will power. When you put on your uniform you become a family. A family, who laughs together, cries together, eats together, bleeds together, and sweats together.

         There are four more seasons of football and not all the guys who were on the team will make it. The people who do make it will form a band of brothers that is so strong that relationships will continue even after college. They alone know what it feels like to hear the screams of the coach, run until they can’t walk, enjoy the sweetness of victory, and mourn a tough loss. They alone are the brothers of fall.