03-12-2018, 12:30 PM
(This post was last modified: 03-12-2018, 01:07 PM by caltroit_red_flames.)
"No. No! Don't take them away from me!" On any given night, in a dark and cold dorm room you'll be able to hear the screams down the hall from Chad Pennington. What does a college football player have to fear? What could a person who has fought wars on the turf for his whole life, who stands at 6'4", who can take down those of the largest stature and run past those of strongest muscle have to fear?
Some might say that he should be afraid of not making the big leagues. After all, so many players enter the draft and either go unselected or are never good enough to play. But a player like Chad isn't scared of that. He's been playing ball his whole life, training day in and day out. Nights and weekends where he could've been hanging out at parties or have been spent in the gym, on the field, and at the turf getting ready for the next big game.
Again, others would speculate that Chad should be afraid of dropping out of school and losing his scholarship. But Chad has been working hard in class. He's not a straight A student, but he's done well enough to stay on track to earn is Bachelors of Arts in Business. As long as he finishes these last few weeks on class strong, he'll finally be able to say he graduated from school, and his parents are going to be damn proud of that.
Maybe he should be afraid of a career ending injury? But Chad lives in the moment, soaking every second of his playing career because he knows how quick it could all come to an end. He's not ready to be done, but if the time comes where can't play anymore, he'll embrace it and move on in life, knowing that his education he has received at Syracuse University will serve him well during life after football.
So if Chad isn't afraid of failure at the hands of his own foolishness by not finishing school, or another player's strength destroying his ACL, or not being good enough to keep playing, what could possibly keep this young adult with a future ready to blossom from getting a good night's rest nearly every night of the week?
Chad jolts up from his pillow, heart pounding and in a cold sweat. He looks around his room, remembering he isn't at the draft, but he is in a dorm with his brothers Brad and Thad Pennington in the room, in their own beds, sound asleep. Oblivious to Chad's scream of absolute terror. Chad buries face in his elbows and begins sobbing uncontrollably. "Don't take my brothers away from me... Don't take my brothers away from me..." Chad is strong man. Chad is a loving man. Chad has spent his whole life doing one thing. Playing football with his brothers, and nothing terrifies him more than being drafted 3rd overall, behind his brothers who went 1st and 2nd overall. To different teams.
@Dawegg - Brad Pennington
@Blastmeaway - Thad Pennington
Some might say that he should be afraid of not making the big leagues. After all, so many players enter the draft and either go unselected or are never good enough to play. But a player like Chad isn't scared of that. He's been playing ball his whole life, training day in and day out. Nights and weekends where he could've been hanging out at parties or have been spent in the gym, on the field, and at the turf getting ready for the next big game.
Again, others would speculate that Chad should be afraid of dropping out of school and losing his scholarship. But Chad has been working hard in class. He's not a straight A student, but he's done well enough to stay on track to earn is Bachelors of Arts in Business. As long as he finishes these last few weeks on class strong, he'll finally be able to say he graduated from school, and his parents are going to be damn proud of that.
Maybe he should be afraid of a career ending injury? But Chad lives in the moment, soaking every second of his playing career because he knows how quick it could all come to an end. He's not ready to be done, but if the time comes where can't play anymore, he'll embrace it and move on in life, knowing that his education he has received at Syracuse University will serve him well during life after football.
So if Chad isn't afraid of failure at the hands of his own foolishness by not finishing school, or another player's strength destroying his ACL, or not being good enough to keep playing, what could possibly keep this young adult with a future ready to blossom from getting a good night's rest nearly every night of the week?
Chad jolts up from his pillow, heart pounding and in a cold sweat. He looks around his room, remembering he isn't at the draft, but he is in a dorm with his brothers Brad and Thad Pennington in the room, in their own beds, sound asleep. Oblivious to Chad's scream of absolute terror. Chad buries face in his elbows and begins sobbing uncontrollably. "Don't take my brothers away from me... Don't take my brothers away from me..." Chad is strong man. Chad is a loving man. Chad has spent his whole life doing one thing. Playing football with his brothers, and nothing terrifies him more than being drafted 3rd overall, behind his brothers who went 1st and 2nd overall. To different teams.
@Dawegg - Brad Pennington
@Blastmeaway - Thad Pennington