08-24-2021, 11:37 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-03-2021, 08:27 AM by Tesla. Edited 1 time in total.)
![[Image: 1200x0.jpg]](https://s.hdnux.com/photos/45/65/10/9916990/3/1200x0.jpg)
Raphael Delacour was surprised to see the press waiting in France when stepping off his flight yesterday afternoon at Lyon–Saint Exupéry Airport. Having travelled to Europe to visit his older sister, Sophia -- currently playing for Olympique Lyonnais in the French Division 1 Féminine -- he was caught unawares by media representatives who had thought he was supposed to be taking part in a World Football Championships (WFC) warm-up game in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, playing for the South-East United States (SEUS) team. Instead, they saw him greeting his uncle, Raymond Carter -- who acts as Sophia's agent -- at the airport (see above). After finding out his name was on the manifest for the flight, a handful of reporters had made their way to the airport to catch him.
"What? No, I declined the call-up." Delacour told a reporter from L'Équipe when asked why he wasn't with the rest of the SEUS team. "I looked at the projected depth charts and decided it wasn't for me. Then I booked a flight to come see my big sis." Reporters asked Delacour why he opted out, wondering aloud why one of the ISFL's better receivers would pass up the opportunity to display his talents further, to which he laughed. "I've been lower on the depth chart before, and it wasn't a fun experience," he explained, referring to his debut season in the ISFL. "It doesn't really make sense to travel all over the world for these games if I'm not going to take many snaps." The reporter in question was still confused and asked "aren't some yards better than zero?" to which Raphael shrugged. "Not really." He said. "I'd rather take a break, recuperate, and be at my best for my team when the ISFL season starts. Picking up minor yardage doesn't interest me."
Undoubtedly, some will frame the Yeti receiver -- who is yet to confirm that he will be picking up his option for the coming year -- as a diva for this response, but for a player who has openly stated his aim of reaching the Hall of Fame, passing up the opportunity to pick up more career stats doesn't make sense. The reporter pushed. "Don't you think this will harm your legacy?"
"Why would it?" Delacour replied. "This tournament is a new concept, and there will be future editions, I imagine. I already told the organisers that I'd prefer to transfer to another region, but the rules make it difficult to tell whether I'd be moving into another, similar situation. So I said I'd wait until the next edition and decide then. There's no rush, I'm still young." One reporter, from France24, was unconvinced, however. He noted that this tournament would be a great opportunity for Delacour to "advertise" himself to potential suitors in free agency should he opt not to pick up another year in Colorado, and that his failure to do so suggested that he would be returning to Colorado for the next season. Raphael gave a non-committal "you're a smart guy" and moved on, with the reporter asking whether he would be "travelling to Germany in the coming days, perhaps?"
All of these events, of course, beg the question if Raphael Delacour was in France last night, who played for the South-East United States against APAC? Whoever it was looked a lot like Delacour, at the very least. One rumour gaining traction online is that the mystery player is actually none other than Will Fuller V, of the NFL's Miami Dolphins. The two do bear a striking similarity in appearance and build, with Fuller standing a couple of inches taller than Delacour. Notably, Fuller also hails from Philadelphia, which would make him eligible for the SEUS team. The SEUS delegation has declined to comment, and WFC organisers have been silent on the matter. Others have suggested that the man in the airport was in fact the imposter, though this theory seemed to have been debunked when "Delacour" was seen embracing his sister after her match last night in Lyon.
This also puts into question who featured in the other three WFC warm-up games for SEUS. Whoever it was picked up a touchdown when hosting the Europe team a fortnight ago, and it's unclear whether that was Delacour or a lookalike. When asked, Raphael noted that he was filming in Baltimore for The Abominables, reminding all in attendance that he has stunt doubles. Perhaps one of them took the field... who knows?
I impersonate a programmer for a living
Father of the League Wiki • Friendly Neighbourhood Angry Black Guy™ • NOT British
Originator of the Sim League Cinematic Universe (SLCU)
Super capitalists are parasites. Fite me.
Alternatively, if you agree, you can support a grassroots movement dedicated to educating and organising the working class by buying a digital newspaper subscription. Your support would be greatly appreciated.