Vincent Sharpei isn’t like your typical linemen, when he came into camp, the San Jose Sabercats didn’t really know what they were getting themselves into. Vincent is one of those people who will literally work himself to death if needed. The first few days of rookie camp weren’t that bad, everybody getting to know each other and learn the books together. The first few days, a few of the veterans were there to help the new guys out. Ben Longshaw took Vincent, Jordan Yates, and Braden Sharp over to one side and was working on positioning, pulls and assignments with them, while Dan Miller took Chidubem Okonwo and Enchilada Charlton to the other side of the field and was working on different movements and swims with those guys.
As stated previously the first three days of camp were all fine and dandy. That fateful Friday, July 21st was the day where many problems happened. That Friday morning brought a scare to everybody that day that attended the Sabercats practice. About 11:00 A.M., during offensive line vs defensive line drill, as Sharpei went to go block Enchilada Charlton, as he went to engage, Charlton spun and Sharpei went down. Everyone thought it was a beautiful play by Enchilada, but instead it was BAD NEWS for Vincent. When the play was done, Longshaw tried to help Sharpei up, flipped him onto his back and realized that there was no response from him. Immediately practice was canceled for the remainder of the day, and 911 was called and they rushed Sharpei to the hospital.
At the hospital, Vincent was taken to ICU, and has had multiple tests run on him. They checked his heart, blood sugar levels, temperature, ran concussion protocol, the whole 9 just to figure out what was going on with Vincent. Friday evening rolls around, and multiple teammates have come and gone visiting Vince in the ICU. A few things that Vince has asked for is a playbook to study, and some music so he doesn’t die of boredom while waiting for his test results. Dan Miller happily agrees, and heads home to pick up those things for Vince. Ja Brill sat down and talked to Vince.
JB: Hey Man, what have the doctors said? What do you think is going wrong? Are you hiding any medical issues from the team? I just want to know what’s going on because as a team we are a family, and we need to let everyone know what’s going on.
VS: Mr. Brill, the doctors aren’t one hundred percent sure what’s going on with me, and want to keep me overnights for further testing just to be sure that it’s nothing completely serious. *Sharpei begins to have a coughing fit*, I don’t know Mr. Brill, I been okay I thought this whole week, I just got a little cold going on but that’s nothing much. I really don’t think it’s anything serious and I hope to be out of here tomorrow morning, don’t you worry about it! We’re going to get this figured out and get me back on the field as soon as possible.
JB: Alright Vince, I’m just looking out for you man. I really hope that nothing serious comes of this and we can get you back on the field as soon as possible, just let us know what the doctors say and we will happily oblige with what needs to be done. If you need a couple days off to recover say the word and it’s done.
VS: Thanks Mr. Brill, that means a lot. I really don’t think that it’s too much, probably some dehydration and light headedness is all. I expect to be back and full running mode come tomorrow. Just leave it to the Doctors here, I have full faith in them.
JB: Alright man, whatever you say. *He stands up to leave the room* Enchilada wants to talk to you, oh and one last thing, quit calling me Mr. Brill, it is driving me up the damned wall. Do it again, and were going to turn this hospital upside down. *He gives a smile to Vince and leaves the room as Enchilada walks in.
EC: Hey man, I didn’t mean to do you that dirty at the field today. I sometimes don’t know my own strength, and I just try to give my one hundred all the time, sorry that I had to do it against you, next time I’ll go easy on you, yeah?
VS: I would never expect that from you, Charlton, I expect you to give your 110 against me. Every dog gets their day once in a great while. I promise you, that it won’t happen again, and next time you’re going to be on the ground and wondering what happened to you!
EC: Hahahaha, yeah sure Vince, whatever you say man. I just hope you get better soon because this is going to be a hard time without you there, pushing all us rookies on, you set a high bar you know? We strive to be better each and every day by seeing the work that you put in on a regular basis.
VS: Thanks man that means a lot to me. Just so you know, I can’t value what you guys are doing on the other side of the ball and can’t wait to see you guys get at those opposing lines and destroy them.
Enchilada Charlton leaves the room, and Vincent has a few moments to himself. Why does it feel like everything is spinning, and just can’t get my head clear? *another coughing fit happens and he sits up and begins to spit blood.* Sharpei attempts to get up to go into the bathroom, and collapses on his way there again, just then, Denzel Diaz walks into the room. He promptly runs out of the room to get the nurses and doctor, and comes back into the room and helps lift Sharpei’s 6’5 315 pound frame off the floor. (Strength increase maybe for Denzel just for that, what do you guys think?). Once Vince is lifted back into the bed, he slowly regains consciousness and looks around the room. The Doctors run a few more tests, and leave the room again, waiting for results. Denzel is still standing there, shocked at how weak and pale the Number 4 Overall pick is looking compared to how he was looking a couple days ago.
DD: Hey man, Ja was telling everybody what you told him. I think there is more to this than meets the eye, what’s really going on with you?
VS: Nothing Denzel, nothing. I just having a bad day is all.
DD: Bro, this is the palest anyone has ever seen you, and you can’t even get up and walk to the bathroom without losing consciousness. How can you say that nothing is going on!?
VS: I just don’t feel like it’s that big of a deal. I just have a cough and I am light headed. What else do you want from me?
The Doctor knocks on the door and heads into the room. Looking at Vincent and then the charts, he states “Sir, have you had any head trauma lately? Also, have you been sick these past few days?”
VS: Yes Doc, everybody gets sick now and again, it’s not that serious.
Doctor: Well Vince, the tests we ran on you point out to us that you have pneumonia and have a concussion. This is quite serious, because if you were to go back out there and play football, you could easily get another concussion right now, and with pneumonia you could have died. It was 93degrees outside today and you could have easily died. Luckily we were able to get you in here, hydrated and back on the right path to recovery. If you need anything else, just let the nurses or I know. The doctor then exits the room, and there is silence between Denzel and Vincent. After about ten minutes, Denzel is the first to speak.
DD: I told you it was something serious man! Why do you got to do that to yourself? We need you on the team, and we need your presence on the line, but nothing is more important than your health. What were you even thinking!?
VS: Man I don’t know. I just can’t see myself missing practice or losing out, I feel like if I didn’t go to practice I would be hurting the team more than anything. I just want to help push us and get us into the playoffs, and that starts with unit cohesion and building a base from the get go. So I wasn’t thinking about my health, I just thought it was something that would go away over time. Can you deliver the news to Ja and the team, and let them know I’m terribly sorry. I just want to be alone now and tend to what needs to be done and get back out there with you all as soon as possible.
Denzel shakes Vincent’s hand and leaves the room. Will this cause a problem within the San Jose locker room, or will it just be another bump in the road on their journey to the playoffs. Vince believes nothing serious of it, but learned a valuable lesson this weekend, that your health always come first no matter what, and even if that can hurt the team, you need to be open and honest while working together to build a strong unit. In Sharpei’s mind, he’s going to strive to leave the hospital, and get back onto the field as soon as possible, and continue to prove why he was a good choice at Number 4 Overall to San Jose. Only time will tell, but hopefully soon Sharpei can join the team back on the field, even if it’s only for cheering the guys on. Until then, he will be nose deep into his playbook, and in Longshaw’s ear nonstop to make sure he can get everything down.
@ckroyal92 @mpclardy @ElMachoNacho
(1679 Words)
As stated previously the first three days of camp were all fine and dandy. That fateful Friday, July 21st was the day where many problems happened. That Friday morning brought a scare to everybody that day that attended the Sabercats practice. About 11:00 A.M., during offensive line vs defensive line drill, as Sharpei went to go block Enchilada Charlton, as he went to engage, Charlton spun and Sharpei went down. Everyone thought it was a beautiful play by Enchilada, but instead it was BAD NEWS for Vincent. When the play was done, Longshaw tried to help Sharpei up, flipped him onto his back and realized that there was no response from him. Immediately practice was canceled for the remainder of the day, and 911 was called and they rushed Sharpei to the hospital.
At the hospital, Vincent was taken to ICU, and has had multiple tests run on him. They checked his heart, blood sugar levels, temperature, ran concussion protocol, the whole 9 just to figure out what was going on with Vincent. Friday evening rolls around, and multiple teammates have come and gone visiting Vince in the ICU. A few things that Vince has asked for is a playbook to study, and some music so he doesn’t die of boredom while waiting for his test results. Dan Miller happily agrees, and heads home to pick up those things for Vince. Ja Brill sat down and talked to Vince.
JB: Hey Man, what have the doctors said? What do you think is going wrong? Are you hiding any medical issues from the team? I just want to know what’s going on because as a team we are a family, and we need to let everyone know what’s going on.
VS: Mr. Brill, the doctors aren’t one hundred percent sure what’s going on with me, and want to keep me overnights for further testing just to be sure that it’s nothing completely serious. *Sharpei begins to have a coughing fit*, I don’t know Mr. Brill, I been okay I thought this whole week, I just got a little cold going on but that’s nothing much. I really don’t think it’s anything serious and I hope to be out of here tomorrow morning, don’t you worry about it! We’re going to get this figured out and get me back on the field as soon as possible.
JB: Alright Vince, I’m just looking out for you man. I really hope that nothing serious comes of this and we can get you back on the field as soon as possible, just let us know what the doctors say and we will happily oblige with what needs to be done. If you need a couple days off to recover say the word and it’s done.
VS: Thanks Mr. Brill, that means a lot. I really don’t think that it’s too much, probably some dehydration and light headedness is all. I expect to be back and full running mode come tomorrow. Just leave it to the Doctors here, I have full faith in them.
JB: Alright man, whatever you say. *He stands up to leave the room* Enchilada wants to talk to you, oh and one last thing, quit calling me Mr. Brill, it is driving me up the damned wall. Do it again, and were going to turn this hospital upside down. *He gives a smile to Vince and leaves the room as Enchilada walks in.
EC: Hey man, I didn’t mean to do you that dirty at the field today. I sometimes don’t know my own strength, and I just try to give my one hundred all the time, sorry that I had to do it against you, next time I’ll go easy on you, yeah?
VS: I would never expect that from you, Charlton, I expect you to give your 110 against me. Every dog gets their day once in a great while. I promise you, that it won’t happen again, and next time you’re going to be on the ground and wondering what happened to you!
EC: Hahahaha, yeah sure Vince, whatever you say man. I just hope you get better soon because this is going to be a hard time without you there, pushing all us rookies on, you set a high bar you know? We strive to be better each and every day by seeing the work that you put in on a regular basis.
VS: Thanks man that means a lot to me. Just so you know, I can’t value what you guys are doing on the other side of the ball and can’t wait to see you guys get at those opposing lines and destroy them.
Enchilada Charlton leaves the room, and Vincent has a few moments to himself. Why does it feel like everything is spinning, and just can’t get my head clear? *another coughing fit happens and he sits up and begins to spit blood.* Sharpei attempts to get up to go into the bathroom, and collapses on his way there again, just then, Denzel Diaz walks into the room. He promptly runs out of the room to get the nurses and doctor, and comes back into the room and helps lift Sharpei’s 6’5 315 pound frame off the floor. (Strength increase maybe for Denzel just for that, what do you guys think?). Once Vince is lifted back into the bed, he slowly regains consciousness and looks around the room. The Doctors run a few more tests, and leave the room again, waiting for results. Denzel is still standing there, shocked at how weak and pale the Number 4 Overall pick is looking compared to how he was looking a couple days ago.
DD: Hey man, Ja was telling everybody what you told him. I think there is more to this than meets the eye, what’s really going on with you?
VS: Nothing Denzel, nothing. I just having a bad day is all.
DD: Bro, this is the palest anyone has ever seen you, and you can’t even get up and walk to the bathroom without losing consciousness. How can you say that nothing is going on!?
VS: I just don’t feel like it’s that big of a deal. I just have a cough and I am light headed. What else do you want from me?
The Doctor knocks on the door and heads into the room. Looking at Vincent and then the charts, he states “Sir, have you had any head trauma lately? Also, have you been sick these past few days?”
VS: Yes Doc, everybody gets sick now and again, it’s not that serious.
Doctor: Well Vince, the tests we ran on you point out to us that you have pneumonia and have a concussion. This is quite serious, because if you were to go back out there and play football, you could easily get another concussion right now, and with pneumonia you could have died. It was 93degrees outside today and you could have easily died. Luckily we were able to get you in here, hydrated and back on the right path to recovery. If you need anything else, just let the nurses or I know. The doctor then exits the room, and there is silence between Denzel and Vincent. After about ten minutes, Denzel is the first to speak.
DD: I told you it was something serious man! Why do you got to do that to yourself? We need you on the team, and we need your presence on the line, but nothing is more important than your health. What were you even thinking!?
VS: Man I don’t know. I just can’t see myself missing practice or losing out, I feel like if I didn’t go to practice I would be hurting the team more than anything. I just want to help push us and get us into the playoffs, and that starts with unit cohesion and building a base from the get go. So I wasn’t thinking about my health, I just thought it was something that would go away over time. Can you deliver the news to Ja and the team, and let them know I’m terribly sorry. I just want to be alone now and tend to what needs to be done and get back out there with you all as soon as possible.
Denzel shakes Vincent’s hand and leaves the room. Will this cause a problem within the San Jose locker room, or will it just be another bump in the road on their journey to the playoffs. Vince believes nothing serious of it, but learned a valuable lesson this weekend, that your health always come first no matter what, and even if that can hurt the team, you need to be open and honest while working together to build a strong unit. In Sharpei’s mind, he’s going to strive to leave the hospital, and get back onto the field as soon as possible, and continue to prove why he was a good choice at Number 4 Overall to San Jose. Only time will tell, but hopefully soon Sharpei can join the team back on the field, even if it’s only for cheering the guys on. Until then, he will be nose deep into his playbook, and in Longshaw’s ear nonstop to make sure he can get everything down.
@ckroyal92 @mpclardy @ElMachoNacho
(1679 Words)
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