In my freshman year of high school, we
were warming up for our second game of the season. As we stretched,
the coach walked by and told me that I would be a captain for the
game. I nodded then he walked away while I pondered the awesome
responsibilities that might be required of me.
I wondered if I should move to the
front of the team to lead the exercises. But there were already two
players leading, and it would have caused a scene if I pushed them
aside. But I was the captain. Didn't I have the duty to take over?
Instead I decided I would do some shouting to inspire the team.
“Yeah, okay, woo-hoo!” I shouted
through my helmet
The player next to me looked at me and
said, “God bless you.” He apparently thought I sneezed.
Just before gametime, the referee led
my co-captain and myself to the middle of the field for instructions
and the coin toss.
The referee said, “Now when there is
a penalty, raise your hand so we can find you and go over the
possibilities. We don't want you looking at your coaches for
assistance. This will be a good learning experience.”
He then flipped the coin, and I called,
“Heads.”
The coin came up tails and allowed our
opponent to get the ball first. As we jogged off the field, my
co-captain said, “You idiot! We always call tails.”
“What? Since when? Nobody told me
that.”
He just sighed.
When we got back to the sideline, I saw
him talking to the coach who then glared at me. Apparently I had
missed the super secret captain's meeting where such matters were
discussed.
“It's not like the coin toss is going
to decide the game,” I told myself in a little pep talk.
Five minutes later, we came off the
field after the other team had taken the ball and driven right down
the field for a touchdown. I noticed the coach frowning at me again.
Later in the game when were down 20 –
0 (and reducing the importance of the coin flip), the other team was
flagged for a penalty. The referee grabbed me by the shoulder and
steered me away from my teammates and away from my coach on the
sidelines. He started explaining my options, but having played and
seen enough football, I already knew the correct decision.
Regardless, out of the corner of my
eye, I could see my coach practically doing backflips trying to
signal me what to do. Meanwhile, my teammates followed the referee
and myself as we seemed to dance around the field trying to avoid
coaches and players. My teammates yelled at me to accept the play
and not the penalty which I had already decided to do.
“We'll decline,” I told the referee
while motioning my hands in the normal referee decline signal.
“What?” asked the referee as if he
were a novice.
“We don't want the penalty.”
“So you want the play?”
“Yes, that's what I said.”
The referee then approached the
sidelines where he announced, “The penalty is declined.” He
waved his hands below the waist just like I had done a minute before.
The game ended shortly thereafter. But
I have always been annoyed that I got blamed for something I didn't
know (always call tails) and everyone else took credit for the one
penalty decision I had to make.
Later that season, that day's
co-captain and myself were named captains again. As we went out for
the coin toss, I told him he could make the call.
The referee tossed the coin and my
co-captain said, “Heads.”
I stared at him in disbelief as the coin turned up heads, and we got the ball first.
As we ran off the field, I said, “I
thought we always called tails?”
“I just had a feeling.”
The coach slapped him on the back when
we got back to the sideline. I guess some captains are born leaders
and others are destined to be stuck in a regiment of majors.
Geez! Talk about a rough start. Good for you for sticking it out. I cracked up about the "Bless you!" moment.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed, thanks for the comment!
DeleteIt just proves that you can't win them all, but you must get dressed up for every game - win or lose; right call on the toss or not!! ;)
ReplyDeleteEntertaining story!
Excellent point! Thanks for the comment!
DeleteEveryone loves a winner but everyone needs someone to blame for a loss. Had that coin toss gone the other way, you would of been the one to get high-fives.
ReplyDeleteYour coach wasn't particulary strong in conveying directions was he?
No, he wasn't. It's funny how things that seemed so important at the time just end up being amusing later on. Thanks for the comment.
Delete