The coach stated that such behavior was not going to be tolerated, that targeting a teammate was unacceptable. He said that everyone knew the code of conduct, and they were expected to follow it.
Coach Clayton had Matt come up and apologize to the team. Then Coach had David come up, and he and Matt shook hands to show they were moving past it. There were still clearly grumblings in the ranks since it looked like Coach Clayton was just sweeping this under the rug. Football was a rough sport, and knowing you might be hurt intentionally in practice without the culprit facing significant consequences didn’t sit well with them at all.
“Can I say something?” David asked.
David could see that was the last thing Coach Clayton wanted, but he’d made his request in front of the whole team, so the coach relented.
“Many of you don’t know me very well yet, but I plan to change that. You probably heard I was a hotshot recruit that could have gone anywhere to play ball. In the end, I chose to come to USC. Like most of you, my ultimate goal is to play in the NFL someday. But that’s down the road.
“What I want to do is to get us back into the conversation each year as potential national champs. To do that, we have to get past all this drama and start focusing on what it’s going to take to win games. I will make you one promise: I’ll work my ass off to make that happen.
“But I can’t do it on my own. It starts with us as a team. We have to come together and focus on the prize. USC has a proud tradition, and I want us to commit to winning a national championship. Once we win, when people mention your name, they will add national champ to it no matter what else you do in life,” David said.
He looked around and saw some heads nod in agreement.
He could tell he hadn’t won them over yet, but David knew he would before he was done. Right now, he was the newbie who thought he knew everything. David smiled. He would change their minds.
Developmental Editors: XofDallas and Bud Ugly
Line / Copy Editors: Bud Ugly, TheMikeBomb, Zom, and Old Rotorhead
Continuity Editor: Rusty
Last One Through: Bud Ugly
Chapter 65
David
David didn’t get to Malibu until almost five. After the team meeting, the coaches had spent time with the players, both one-on-one and in groups, talking about the progress that had been made and what they wanted to see improved.
As the day had worn on, he had been taken aside by one, two, or sometimes three guys at a time for a word about what he’d said in the team meeting. David had noticed that the majority who approached him were freshmen or sophomores, and almost all of them were backups.
Toward the end of the coaching sessions, David found himself with Percy. Their defensive line coach was busy talking to four defensive tackles.
“Thanks for having my back,” David said.
“When that smug bastard did a fist pump after John tried to hurt you, I didn’t give a damn anymore. I was surprised I only got a one-game suspension, though. I did lay him out pretty good,” Percy said with a self-satisfied smile.
“You weren’t getting more than that. After UNLV, we play Stanford, and there’s no way they wouldn’t want you on the field.”
“I guess that makes sense,” Percy agreed. “What are you up to with the speeches and stuff?”
“Someone needs to step up and act like a leader. Right now, half the team is mad at Matt and John. If we let that fester, it will only get worse come fall,” David predicted.
“Good luck with that,” Percy said to voice his doubts.
“I hear you. Seriously, though, Matt needs to stop focusing just on himself, or we’re never going to win games. I didn’t come here to lose,” David said.
“The problem is he’s not the only guy just looking out for number one. I went to a high school with a lot of talented players. I would have bet my firstborn that we would have beaten your team easily,” Percy reminisced.
“Think if your teammates hadn’t been focused on the individual,” David responded. “You all went to that school to get into college and play ball. Each of you focused on developing yourself, and from what you’ve said, there was no thought on anyone’s part about creating an integrated team.
“On the other hand, a local news reporter back home created a documentary about our program and how we turned into a powerhouse by building such a team. It’s available online; I can send you the link.
“Anyway, we’ve got the same situation here, and it’s not good for any of us if it continues. A cultural change has to happen, and if I have to be the shining example and be a team player, so be it,” David concluded.
“You can’t honestly tell me that you wouldn’t rather be playing quarterback,” Percy said to call him on it.
David thought for a moment before answering.
“If Matt Long turns out to be the better quarterback, then I can live with that,” David admitted.
“But you don’t think he is better, do you?”
David just raised an eyebrow in response.
They were called into their next meeting. On the way, David sent Percy the link he’d promised.
When David finally got home, he followed the screams to find Pam, Tracy, and Cassidy in the pool with the rug-rats. Pam had grown up in and around water, so when Coby had been only a few weeks old, she’d started to get him into a pool. David had just about had a heart attack when she’d jumped in the deep end with their son in her arms, and they both had gone under.
Pam had explained that children instinctively know to hold their breath under the water but need to be taught how to float on their backs so they can stay on the surface and breathe. She wanted to make sure that Coby and Dave learned early on so that if they accidentally fell into a pool, they would be okay. When the other three kids joined David and his family, Pam had taught them as well.
David did a quick count of noses and confirmed that there hadn’t been any thinning of the herd. His mom hadn’t sent Coby to Alaska as she’d threatened. Duke had obviously been in the pool, too. David’s hound was pacing along the edge, ready to jump in if anyone needed rescuing. David picked up a big towel.
“Come on, Buddy. Let’s get you dry.”
Duke loved getting rubbed with a towel, so he abandoned his guard duties. Once Duke was happy, Allen squawked to get David’s attention. David went to the edge of the pool, pulled him out, and gave him the same treatment Duke had gotten. David then spent a few minutes talking to Allen.
They’d been working on teaching the munchkins to take turns. Having all five of the kids demand your attention at once could be overwhelming. Ashley came out and got her son while David gave Carol her alone time with her daddy.
Once all his kids had been taken care of, Cassidy got out of the pool to dry off. Both Pam and Tracy raised their hands, the same way the rug-rats had.
“We should get the same treatment,” Pam said.
“You two behave. David only gets so much family time. He can come over later,” Cassidy said.
David raised his eyebrows at his little ninja. When did she start making sense?
“You don’t have a date tonight?” Tracy asked.
“No, I can come over,” David agreed.
“Then hurry up and see if Rosy has dinner ready,” Tracy ordered.
Someone was horny.
After the little ones had run down and finished dinner, David spoke with Ashley and his mom about his Statistics project.
“How did you find out about the house in Venice Beach that had gone into receivership and was available to be sold?” David asked.