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+---- Thread: *Brandon Mason's Draft Experience (/showthread.php?tid=40847)
*Brandon Mason's Draft Experience - Bmason0520 - 08-15-2022
Option 1:
The day is August 12, 2022, Brandon Mason is back in his hometown of Columbus, OH, surrounded by his family and friends. The anticipation is building and the waiting killing him. The ISFL draft was about to begin. This was the moment that every football player waits for, hearing their name called out as they move into the big leagues. All his friends and family are gathered around the kitchen and family room. Everyone is walking around, eating, chatting, all waiting for the moment for the ISFL draft begins. Brandon is nervous. He knows he will be drafted, the real question is, when? He tries to keep his mind busy by talking with different groups of people, and eating…lots of eating. As the time gets closer, everyone starts to migrate over towards the family room where Brandon is turning on the draft. He is seated right in the middle of the couch, mom on one side, dad on the other and everyone just pack in on and around the couch.
Brandon had met with scouts and GMs from across the league, besides 3 teams, Austin Copperheads, Chicago Butchers, and the Berlin Fire Salamanders. He feels the meetings went great and was just ready to hear one of the teams call his name. He was seen as one of the top offensive linemen in this draft class, behind his teammate Dusty Wilson.
It’s 8pm, and the draft begins. Berlin is on the clock first. The pick was in quick. They had taken Charlie Thorsen from Tijuana. Tijuana had just won the Ultimini and he was a crucial piece. Next off the board was Matthew Mara, heading to the New York Silverbacks. Then three straight QBs, Yates, Bickerman, and Beatz, heading to Colorado, Austin, and Balitmore, respectively. Brandon is shocked that Dusty hasn’t been picked yet. With the increased value of offensive lineman, due to the salary cap changes in the ISFL, he figured Dusty would have been a hot commodity. Three more picks go by, all defensive players. Then with the 9th pick of the draft, Yellowstone picks Dusty Wilson! Brandon and his friends and family are cheer, he had become close with Dusty. He was the first pick from the Kansas City Coyotes. Five more picks go by and Brandon’s hopes of sneaking into the first round, are crushed. He knew it was a long shot but, was hopeful someone saw the potential. The second round kicks off with Berlin. Brandon hadn’t met with Berlin but, was willing to go where to prove his worth. The pick shows that it is from the Kansas City Coyotes, so Brandon starts to get excited! “With the 15th pick of the ISFL draft, the Berlin Fire Salamanders select, Known Acquaintance, K/P from the Kansas City Coyotes!” Brandon is happy for his teammate but, is shocked a kicker went that high in the draft. “Good for him! If a kicker is going this high in the draft, I’m glad it’s him!” Brandon says. Next up is Honolulu, the back to back Ultimus champs. Brandon would love to jump on to that squad! However, they end up picking a LB from his former team, the Portland Pythons. Next up with the 17th pick, the Chicago Butchers. Brandon has friends who play for the Butchers and thought that would be a great place to play. He’s a quiet guy, so having some people he knows on the team would help. Once again, Brandon is passed up on. They end up picking a DE.
Next on the clock, the Austin Copperheads. Brandon is just chatting with friends and family, when he hears his phone ring. Phone number is a 512 area code. “What area code is this?” Then he realizes it is a Texas number. Franticly, he answers the phone. It’s the GM saying that they are going to pick him here with the 18th overall pick. Brandon is ecstatic. He talks to the GM for a couple minutes, then hangs up. The whole room explodes with cheers! Brandon had officially made it to the big leagues, he was heading to Austin! Once the initial shock and awe settled, Brandon chuckles to himself realizing, he never even talked to the Austin Copperheads in the pre-draft conversations. So weird, be he was honored that even though they never had conversations, they still picked him. The rest of the draft went on, but Brandon didn’t pay much attention. After the draft, Brandon saw a couple other Coyotes were draft, so he reached out congratulating them.
The next day, Brandon headed out to Austin to meet with his new team. He was excited, yet nervous. He hadn’t met with the team, so he didn’t know what to expect. He arrived at the facilities. They were nothing like anything he had seen before. Trying to contain the excitement, he gives out a little “woo hoo!” As he walks up to the door, he is greeted by staff member who was sent to meet him and give him the tour of the place. Brandon walks in and just takes a second to take it all in. Looking around he sees the banners, Season 20 Ultimus and ASFC Champions, Season 23 AFSC Champions, and Season 28 AFSC Champions. He is looking forward to adding more banners to that list.
Brandon is shown the weight room filled with brand new equipment. The room is filled from wall to wall with every type of equipment he could think of, and then more. Next was the trainer’s room, always have to know where to wraps and ice. The study/film rooms were incredible. They were loaded with interactive boards, where he could review game film and draw on the board to help himself learn. He was also shown the pool, hydro massage rooms, isolation tanks, the whole shabang. Lastly, they walked into the locker room. He was greeted by familiar face, PugWalrus! He was the Portland Pythons’ GM the picked him up in free agency when Brandon joined the DSFL. Brandon’s time in Portland was short (like 2 min long), before being traded to Kansas City but, Brandon enjoyed his conversations with PugWalrus, since he was new to the league. Brandon Is excited to see a familiar face. He is shown where is locker was. The moment hit him like a ton of bricks. Brandon thinks to himself, “This is it, I’ve made it!”
Option 1:
I have two golden retrievers, Lexi who is nine and Izzy who is five. They are the greatest dogs, however, all dogs are awesome.
We got Lexi back when my wife and I were in college. We got her at 8 weeks. My wife went away for school so I got Lexi to keep me company. The following year I graduate so Lexi and I packed our bags and moved to be with my wife. Lexii is your typical golden retriever, all fluff, happy as can be and will do anything for a ball. The girl will go and go to the point that she can’t walk anymore. Ball is life. Sadly about 3 months ago, she tore her ACL playing ball in my in laws backyard. But let me tell you, that dog limped and crawled her way to the ball before she eventually laid down. I originally thought she was ok since she made it to the ball. She had tweaked muscles before, but I ended up carrying her in the house and for the next 24 hours she refused to put weight on it. We took her in and they confirmed it was an ACL tear. Luckily after the surgery and her recovery, the big fluff is back at it, loving life. She currently getting the typical golden retriever white face, which is sad to see but I’m hopeful she still has some years with us.
Then we have Izzy, the little fluff. She was a wedding present from me to my wife. we got her at 9 weeks. She’s pure golden but weighs a whopping 55 lbs, which is small for a golden. She was born with a broken tail. It legitimately has a 90 degree bend in the middle of her tail. If she puts her tail down, it’ll go between her back legs and lay across her stomach. As for personality, she like a mix of a golden and a husky. She is happy as can be all the time, but is absolutely crazy. She basically screams at you when you come through the door. And literally, like you could walk out to the garage and walk right back in, and she goes berserk! When you take off your shoes, she immediately picks them up and brings them to you as your welcoming gift, and has more energy than I know what to do with. She is my little shadow thought. She goes everywhere I go.
Even though they are both goldens, Lexi from Michigan and Izzy from Kentucky, they are so different. Lexi out weighs Izzy by about 20 lbs. Izzy proportionately, is longer than Lexi. Lexi being from Michigan has a much thicker coat and sheds like crazy, where Izzy barely sheds at all. It’s really strange.
We each got a dog for the other person and the dogs we picked, ended up being attached to us.
I wouldn’t trade big fluff or little fluff for anything. They are awesome, happy and spoiled dogs for sure.
RE: *Brandon Mason's Draft Experience - dustywilson22 - 08-16-2022
I love It, but I swear I saw you on the red carpet. 0_0
RE: *Brandon Mason's Draft Experience - Kyamprac - 08-16-2022
excited to have you on the team!