10-08-2019, 07:28 PM
(This post was last modified: 10-11-2019, 10:02 AM by Fordhammer.)
I suppose it is time to do a little write-up about, my self, the league and my experience with it. Well to start, I announced my intention of joining the 2034 (S18) DSFL draft as soon as I could. Papaw always said that it's better to shoot for early than shoot late. I think he was referrin' to shooting in general, but you can apply that to life. To kick off the personal bit, I was born in East TN, about an hour from Knoxville. I grew up on Volunteer Football. Dad loved. Mom loved it. My grandparents lived it. Their dining room is themed to Peyton Manning. Their guest room is covered in the "Power T." Safe to say, I always wanted to play in Neyland Stadium. My dad started me young in sports. First, baseball then football. He never really cared for soccer. Explains my apathy for the sport, to be honest. He made me and my brothers live and breath the game, and we really lived for game days.
You see, dad was a son of a bitch. Mom died when we were young, and it left some misplace feelings on us kids. Dad had always placed his own hopes and dreams on us. Ain't the first time a kid had to deal with that, but it just got worse after she died. It became more than just his dream. It became his idea of "their" dream for us. I don't want to get all into my upbringing, but I am who I am despite all that. Our homelife improved after an incident in my junior year of high school. My brothers and I moved out, and I finished out my schooling with my grandparents.
Once I finished that, I was getting some offers to various colleges around the country. However, we always knew where I was going. I got a signed Peyton Manning Football for Pete's sake. Well, really, my Papaw signed it, but I thought that for the better part of a decade. Now, I love the shit out of Knoxville. It was a wet campus so you could drink. Its spread out, but not too much so you don't feel cramped. Also, if you never been on Neyland's field, looking up at those checkerboard stands, well you're missing something.
I didn't start my freshman year. We had some hotshot TE who decided to become an accountant after college. More power to him, but that couldn't be me. I still remember my fingertip catch in that 2030 TN-Florida Game. I, definitely, threw up afterward. That got some recognition for my time there. However, I was awarded two John Mackey National Tight End of the Week, so I became fairly well known for other reasons. Now, I knew that I may not have what it takes to make it in the big leagues, so I ended up graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. Also, minored in Graphic Design, too. I don't know what I'll do with it, but I got it? I had to plan for some sort of future. Anyway, when I finished my last game, I knew I couldn't end it there. I had to at least see if I could.
So after my declaration for the 2034 DSFL Draft, I got claimed on waivers by the Portland Pythons. I like the shit out of their program up there. The management staff was very nice to me, but I had a sub-par showing during my short stint there. I think I averaged like 2 yards a carry? I can't really check right now, but I got some good pancakes if I do say so myself. My biggest take away from that experience was the playoffs. They had a great showing, but they lost it in the finals by one. Now, not everyone gets to go to the finals, so I felt I had to absorb all I could from the experience. I'm not sure what I took away, but it was something.
Following the end of the 2033 season, I started to prepare for the draft. It started off pretty slowly. I became known for some graphics I did for some of the players (mainly Hardagain's Soundcloud Album) so some GMs knew of me pretty well. A lot of the talks went the same way.
"Hey man we like you a lot, but we have some questions."
"Would you like to specialize in either catching or blocking?"
"What things do you look for in your team?"
I answered essentially those questions three times. To be frank, it felt like a form letter, at times. Only the feedback they gave mixed it up. Prior to the draft, I had no idea who would take me. I hoped for a first-round pick. I mean, everyone does... but that didn't happen. I was able to tune into the stream live, and I got a really amped up. As they made their way through the first round, I was a tad dismayed. I had put in a lot of work during my time in, but I knew TEs weren't that sought after in the DSFL. Then, as they made their way through the second, I got really disheartened. I started to think "maybe I really ain't shit." It was about to be a humbling experience. Then, at pick #12, my name was called. "San Antonio Marshall picks Austin McCormick, TE, of the University of Tennessee." I didn't know how to feel, honestly. I didn't know any of the Marshals that well. While most of the 2033 rookies "adopted" me as one of their own, I only talked to a few of them. I wasn't upset by any means. I had talked to the GM prior to the draft. He seemed like a stand-up guy, and I love the locker room. Before I carry on to the next day, I want to say that I really appreciate what the commentators said about me. It really made me feel loved.
So one reason I didn't think the Marshals wanted me was because their GM expressed his interest in having a receiving TE so I wasn't sure if he wanted me. I mean, I told him I was open to it if that's what he needed. Sure enough, when I arrived in San Antonio the next week, they asked me if I still wanted to focus on being a Vertical Threat. Told them I'm already a threat vertically so feed me the ball.
You see, dad was a son of a bitch. Mom died when we were young, and it left some misplace feelings on us kids. Dad had always placed his own hopes and dreams on us. Ain't the first time a kid had to deal with that, but it just got worse after she died. It became more than just his dream. It became his idea of "their" dream for us. I don't want to get all into my upbringing, but I am who I am despite all that. Our homelife improved after an incident in my junior year of high school. My brothers and I moved out, and I finished out my schooling with my grandparents.
Once I finished that, I was getting some offers to various colleges around the country. However, we always knew where I was going. I got a signed Peyton Manning Football for Pete's sake. Well, really, my Papaw signed it, but I thought that for the better part of a decade. Now, I love the shit out of Knoxville. It was a wet campus so you could drink. Its spread out, but not too much so you don't feel cramped. Also, if you never been on Neyland's field, looking up at those checkerboard stands, well you're missing something.
I didn't start my freshman year. We had some hotshot TE who decided to become an accountant after college. More power to him, but that couldn't be me. I still remember my fingertip catch in that 2030 TN-Florida Game. I, definitely, threw up afterward. That got some recognition for my time there. However, I was awarded two John Mackey National Tight End of the Week, so I became fairly well known for other reasons. Now, I knew that I may not have what it takes to make it in the big leagues, so I ended up graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. Also, minored in Graphic Design, too. I don't know what I'll do with it, but I got it? I had to plan for some sort of future. Anyway, when I finished my last game, I knew I couldn't end it there. I had to at least see if I could.
So after my declaration for the 2034 DSFL Draft, I got claimed on waivers by the Portland Pythons. I like the shit out of their program up there. The management staff was very nice to me, but I had a sub-par showing during my short stint there. I think I averaged like 2 yards a carry? I can't really check right now, but I got some good pancakes if I do say so myself. My biggest take away from that experience was the playoffs. They had a great showing, but they lost it in the finals by one. Now, not everyone gets to go to the finals, so I felt I had to absorb all I could from the experience. I'm not sure what I took away, but it was something.
Following the end of the 2033 season, I started to prepare for the draft. It started off pretty slowly. I became known for some graphics I did for some of the players (mainly Hardagain's Soundcloud Album) so some GMs knew of me pretty well. A lot of the talks went the same way.
"Hey man we like you a lot, but we have some questions."
"Would you like to specialize in either catching or blocking?"
"What things do you look for in your team?"
I answered essentially those questions three times. To be frank, it felt like a form letter, at times. Only the feedback they gave mixed it up. Prior to the draft, I had no idea who would take me. I hoped for a first-round pick. I mean, everyone does... but that didn't happen. I was able to tune into the stream live, and I got a really amped up. As they made their way through the first round, I was a tad dismayed. I had put in a lot of work during my time in, but I knew TEs weren't that sought after in the DSFL. Then, as they made their way through the second, I got really disheartened. I started to think "maybe I really ain't shit." It was about to be a humbling experience. Then, at pick #12, my name was called. "San Antonio Marshall picks Austin McCormick, TE, of the University of Tennessee." I didn't know how to feel, honestly. I didn't know any of the Marshals that well. While most of the 2033 rookies "adopted" me as one of their own, I only talked to a few of them. I wasn't upset by any means. I had talked to the GM prior to the draft. He seemed like a stand-up guy, and I love the locker room. Before I carry on to the next day, I want to say that I really appreciate what the commentators said about me. It really made me feel loved.
So one reason I didn't think the Marshals wanted me was because their GM expressed his interest in having a receiving TE so I wasn't sure if he wanted me. I mean, I told him I was open to it if that's what he needed. Sure enough, when I arrived in San Antonio the next week, they asked me if I still wanted to focus on being a Vertical Threat. Told them I'm already a threat vertically so feed me the ball.
Quote:1085 words