[div align=\\\"center\\\"]GOAT Rebirth
Epiphany In Iceland[/div]
Maddox - Gray
Bork - Orange
Mat/Spike - Red
Eidur - Purple
Askins - Blue
Francisco (Francois) - Green
After Our Latest Training Camp
*After getting all showered up from practice and getting dressed to get ready to head home, Bork walks by and sits on the bench, looking up at me*
Hey Ricky, you have a minute?
Of course, what's happening?
Eilur and I are going to be going up to Iceland for a couple of days before the preseason starts and we was wondering if you wanted to join us? We've already asked your protégé Joseph and he said that he's all for it! Akselsen and Lamoreux also said that they're joining too.
For real? Well, I can't pass that opportunity up if my backup is going to be going. I can use this to help build Askins up to, we'll all be getting some training. Sounds good to me!
Awesome, be prepared, it's going to be extra cold here, much more crazier than here in Canada.
I'll be fully prepared for this, trust me. All I wanna know is what flavor wings do you guys want?
°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°
*After getting all of our plane tickets purchased, we begin the long journey towards Iceland. Over $1,900 for the ticket, most definitely my most expensive flight up until this point, it wasn't like it took a hit into my bank account.
I sat next to Joseph Askins and going over some game film from our last season, showing a bit of my highlights to give him a good indication of what he'll need to work on.*
So what do I need to do to be able to help make this team better?
Well, you're already a much better blocker than I was when I first joined the league. Your ceiling is definitely much higher in that area as well. We're going to be working on the receiving end for the most part. Also we got to build on your physical attributes. Speed, Strength, Agility and Endurance. All of those things need to be in tip top shape come next year.
*Askins eats a lemon pepper chicken wing and nods*
Sounds like a plan, what exactly are you working on?
Well, I'm working on everything, bro. More importantly in my eyes, I need to block better.
Didn't you have-
The best blocking performance of a TE in NSFL history? Yes. Yes I did. Haha But I don't want to stop there. The defenders are gonna be much stronger, much faster, much more athletic. If I stay the way I am, I didn't get better and my last year will be an afterthought.
Well, I can help you out there, blocking is my specialty like you said. Helping each other insures we both grow and we both have things to work on.
Word, it's gonna be tough, both of us never been to Iceland before. Uncharted territory can bring out some emotions and strengths we never realized, so just be prepared. Can't wait to see how we all perform this year.
Me too! I hope you don't mind me coming for your starting spot this year.
*My ears perked up with a raised eyebrow, The Rock style*
Say that again?
I said that "These wings taste delicious!"
That's what I thought. Haha Just kidding.
*I snag one of his wings and starts eating it as he walks to the back of the plane to get a drink. I continue to look at the game film before eventually knocking out. 20+ hours and three plane transfers later, we finally arrive into Reykjavík, Iceland.*
*After getting our luggage from the plane, we all received greetings from family members of Bork and Eidur, along with fans of the Wraiths, all donning jerseys, t shirts and hats with our logo embroidered on it. It was a very welcoming site, didn't know our fan base reached out this deep into the world. It was definitely a humbling experience.
When we finished all of our pleasantries, signatures, and photo shoot with the fans, we start making our way to the football field deep in the heart of Reykjavík.
*I took in the harsh cold air deep as I looked around the field, I didn't see too much in the horizon from where we was when we landed. Maybe a few houses from the town but other than that, it was pretty bare, it was almost like we went to some ice abyss with all of the football equipment we would need for our personal training.
Besides the actual field itself, there was a shack that we can use for our own personal gym, all of the weights and workouts we can use there will be useful for our development.*
So.. Are we ready to get started?
Let's get to work.
*Throughout the first hour of us working on our craft, we stayed disciplined to our workouts both positional and individual. Running, weight lifting, calisthenics, you name it, we we're all pumped up throughout the workouts, making sure we we're all in top performance shape for week one.
One of the first workouts that both Askins and I participated was going through 250 passes with the JUGS machine to see who will be able to get the most catches from 25 yards away. The person that was not catching made count of how many catches the other person had. After 250 passes, I managed to catch 217 out of a possible 250.*
Now that was impressive. I'll let you know when I get to that status. Haha I know your hands are getting ready to break with not wearing gloves.
*I shrugged and stretched a bit before looking his way*
You'll get there, brotha. I had to build up my catching by just doing this, it's going to work it's way out for you the longer you put the work in. Let's see how much you can do.
*We switched places and I made my back to the JUGS machine. After he was all set, we started the process. Pass after pass, I saw him get into a rhythm, getting up to a highest 25 without dropping a pass, which I immediately thought was impressive.
As the pass count got towards the high 100s, the drops became much more apparent, actually getting a streak of almost 20 drops before getting back on track, but he was unable to make a big streak like he did before. Askins ended up getting 171 catches out of 250. He came back to JUGS short of breath.*
How was that?
For your first time, and in this type of environment, I can't be mad at that, we'll be working on your endurance and try this again before we head back to Yellowknife. I want you to balance your abilities so you will be able to do everything just like me. Being able to have that balance and being able to everything at a high level will be key to the start of your development here.
Most definitely.
Alright, let's do these tire drills with Eidur and Bork so we can get our core up.
*We walk down to the other side of the field where Eidur was flipping the large tire down the sideline. Lamoreux and Akselsen were working on footwork drills to help with their blocking for the most part before heading back inside the gym area to work on weight lifting. Look like their fitness and technique will be their main target area for right now. Both Joseph and I reached Bork and watched Eidur put in some work.*
Bork, how long has he been flipping that tire?
Eh, for about thirty minutes, it's part of his workout. We did some weight training earlier and a part of what we're doing is when we're done with the weights, we flip the tire down the sideline and then we work our way back.
Good Lord. How many times have you guys went up and down?
I did three and Eidur is on his third now.
That's insane! You wanna help us out on some blocking drills?
I'm game, we still have a minute until Gustav is finished with his tire flips.
*We set up a dummy to play the part of the quarter back where we visualized that either me or Askins will be protecting the QB's blindside. The dummy is in a throwing motion so it can be swiped from the QB if the defender gets there.
If the QB couldn't be touched within a four second timer, the O-Linemen wins that round.
If the defender takes down the QB, dislodges the football from the QB, causes pressure to the pocket (bumping the O-Linemen into the QB) or commit a holding penalty, the defender will win that round.
Best seven out of eleven will determine who will be the winner of the war. Holding a stud like Bork is no easy task. Four seconds seems like a little but four seconds is all it takes for a guy like Bork to disrupt the pass.
I started out with the blocking going up against Bork. After hearing the simulated hike, Bork came at me with a strong force right at me but I held up as best as I could staying right in front of him, making sure to keep steady from the QB. Four seconds ran out, the QB stayed in place, O-Line gets the first point.*
Damn, Ricky, all those wings giving you super strength or something?
Haha Nah, just been putting that work in. Askins, lets see what you got, brotha. We're gonna rotate it out until Matty and Francisco come back out from the gym.
*Joseph lines up in the same spot I was earlier. I play the hike from my phone, Bork comes rushing again, this time making a jab step to the inside that forced Joseph to respect the interior rush he wanted to do, Bork then used his strength to knock Askins off balance long enough for him to hit the QB. Point goes to the defenders.*
Damn, that was a good move, Bork!
It's mostly a pass rush move but I use that to keep the O-Linemen on his toes and I only use this for attacking the OT. Make sure that he knows that I have the ability to go inside, that way he doesn't know what I'll do until it hits him and he can't stop it.
Very well done, you just gotta dig your feet a little deeper into the ground with your cleats, gives you more torque when you try to take away the pressure that is coming your way when you're blocking. Try it again, it's tied 1-1. Give us the lead back so I can make it 3-1.
*Bork rolls his eyes before Eidur steps in and taps Bork's shoulder*
Mind if I join?
By all means.
ROOKIE BATTLEEEEEEEEEE!!!
*Eidur and Askins both got into position and after the simulated hike, Eider pulled off a studder step before working a spin move to the outside. Askins worked and met him, matching Eidur's position stride for stride. Essentually looping around the dummy.
Eidur reached out to swipe at the ball after getting close but appeared to be a few inches shy of touching it. The four seconds expired and the dummy remained clean in the pocket, O-Linemen took another point to make it 2-1
Bork looked my way and I looked back at him*
You're thinking what I'm thinking, huh?
This matchup is too close to call and you think that them going at it would be a great match up to see who would win the series?
Exactlyyyyyyy. Both of you are gonna be doing a best five out of nine starting in a little bit. Get a quick Gatorade break and be back here in five.
*They both nod and break out their respective bottles, I do the same and take a swig.*
Gatorade?
Yes. Preferably Lemon Lime.
*Five minutes have passed and they we're already into position.
First win goes to Askins, in a similar fashion as their first meet up in this drill.*
1-0 Askins.
*Next time, Eidur goes straight bullrush and it proved to be effective, the QB gets pushed over and loses the ball because Askins got rammed into the dummy. Eidur recovers the football for good measure. Brownie points!*
1-1.
*Eidur then goes at Askins with a inside rush, not faking it this time around. Askins sniffed it out this time, staying in front of Eidur and pushing the defender down to the ground. Relentless. That's some dope starting power.*
2-1 Askins.
*The next three came out of nowhere, Askins got beat by Eidur, coming out of the gate with a nasty swim move to work his way around Askins each time. The apparent difference in speed and agility becoming more noticeable throughout the drills. Joseph wasn't getting beat bad in these plays but he did have some struggles keeping up with Eldur's explosiveness really coming into play. One of these three, Askins held and took Eidur to the ground. Bork blew his whistle in a reenactment of what a referee would do in that situation, doing*
HOLDING, OFFENSE, #83, POINT TO DEFENSE!
4-2 Gustavsson.
Alright, Eidur you need one more to win this series, Joseph, you need to hold on, it's sudden death for you.
But will it be sudden death for me?
*Francisco Lamoreux and Mat Akselsen walks up to the mini huddle, quickly identifying that Francisco wants to be put in this situation. I look at Askins, he did look a little tired, we'll give him a little break, he's been moving a lot*
Askins, switch out with Fran, I wanna see what he can do as well.
Awww. I got him right where I want him!
Haha It's fine, we have plenty of time to get this brewing. I wanna see what our latest edition to the O-Line can do.
*Askins nods and after he leaves the spot, Francisco then gets in the position, preparing for the matchup with the steady handed Gustavsson. The simulated hike goes off and Eidur tries the move that helped him gain this lead. This time around, Eidur got visibly further from the dummy as the seconds ran by. The strength advantage obviously in the O-Linemen's favor. Francisco gets the dub.*
4-3 O-Line Squaaaaaaaaaa
*Next play, Eidur tries a inside move to go at the QBs front part of the pocket, but once again, Francisco holds strong to the movements, preventing too much forward progress, four seconds wraps up and Francisco starts with a great streak.*
Very well done, I must say. Next one wins!
4-4
Will Francisco complete the comeback or willl Eidur come out to stop the streak?!
*The hike goes off and Eidur pushes with all of his might, going straight ahead before swinging his arm under Francisco's, a valiant move to get some seperation but once again, Franciso holds strong keepeeping his body in front of Eidur's. He then makes a last second swupe to dislodge the ball from the dummy but one last push from Francisco keeps Eidur out of reach, essentially ending the duel, the dummy stays free in the pocket and the timer goes off.*
The winner of this matchup goes to the O-Linemen!
5-4 O-Line.
Very well done by the both of you! This team is going to be ready come primetime. I can feel it already.
Indeed, let's take a little break and then we can continue from there.
*We all head over to the gym where i begin to break out the wing containers for us, still as hot and ready as if they just left the oven*
How do you keep these so hot in these cold conditions?
That's something you shouldn't worry about, my brotha.
*We all laugh a bit before taking a bite into these wings, I look over at Bork and start thinking*
Bork, I got a question.
What's up?
How easy was it for you to identify what move to do and how do you see in your matchup would be the best course of action from a D-Linemen standpoint?
Well, I'd have to say that a lot of it comes from instinct, that and watching plenty of film, you start to see their tendencies, what they like to do with their hands when they block, their footwork, what they tend to focus on during blitzes, I take it all into account and I try to keep the focus amongst that first. After that, it's just finding out what I can do to beat that with the tools, smarts and physical gifts given to me. Why do you ask?
Hmm.. I was just feeling out how it would go from your perspective, I'm seeing a lot of similarities from what I was doing as a blocker and I'm finding more ways in my head of how I would get beat. But I'm also seeing the details in the actions too.
Oh really? You care to try it out?
What's that?
You heard me, let's do the drill again but this time, you up against an O-Linemen.
*I thought about it for a second and shrugged a bit as I stood up*
I haven't played on the D-Line since High School but let's see if I learned anything from then to now.
Now this is something I gotta see.
Oh, you'll get the first crack at him, bro. You better be ready.
Niiice. Can't wait to see what you got, GOAT TE!
Before we start on that, we're going to do something a little different. Or should I say, in a much different environment. You ready to show them Eidur?
Now is as good of a time as ever.
*After we all get finished with our food and all cleaned up, we make our way to the field, Bork walked to the endzone pylon and flipped up a casing of some sorts, he then presses a few buttons (I assumed it was some sort of pin code) and the bottom of the field began to rumble and split in half.*
Make sure you stay away from the center! Or you're gonna have a bad time! As in you're gonna tumble down some rocky stairs!
*After fully splitting apart, it revealed a rock based staircase heading downward. Mat, Francisco, Askins and I all looked puzzled as it looked slightly sketchy. We then look at Bork and Eidur*
Make your way down that flight and you'll really see where we need to be.
*I shrugged again as I started descending, light increasing as I get closer to the bottom, the rest of the team followed. When I made it to the bottom of the staircase and looked around, I was immediately impressed and surprised of what I saw.*
Holy fuuuuuuuuckk.
*The whole field was an ice blue, drizzled in snow, we looked around and saw similar football equipment as the ones we had on the field we was currently at, all of it donning a crystallized tone to it, made it appear that they were all made of crown jewels. It felt very VERY majestic. But we all knew that we were still going to put heavy work in this facility.*
Alright, GOAT TE, we're gonna do the same drill as we've done up there but this time it's just going to be best out of three. Let's see how you handle our current champion Lamoreux.
*I look his way, feeling just a tad intimidated. Gotta get back in this form that I haven't done in over a decade. I took a deep breath as we make our way back to the middle of the field where the dummy wearing a King Bronko jersey stood up in a throwing motion. Same as before, only difference is I'm playing for the other team. Take the QB out.
Both me and Lamoreux got into our respective positions, and I close my eyes, imagining how I prepared in high School as a Defensive End before opening them again.
The hike comes up and I come out of my stance with solid force, coming towards Francisco with a gear, I didn't know was possible for me. Not only did it surprise me a lot, it took Lamoreux by surprise as well, I approached him and made a spin move similar to what Eidur did earlier to him. Difference is I'm much more nimble than Eidur was and it put me over the edge in this first matchup, he kept me away from the QB for a second but I eventually inched over to strip the dummy, also finding a way to pick it up in stride and it would have been a solid return on the fumble recovery. I celebrated a little extra because I didn't think it was possible or that it'll feel THAT good. it felt a lot more natural than I originally thought.
I looked back to my teammates and all of them stared me down with wide eyes.*
Ricky.. What the hell was that?!
]What do you mean what was that? That wasn't good at all?
Quite the opposite, that's nearing elite status. From how you continued after contact to the footwork, the burst out of your stance, the timing after the hike, the hand placement with how you control your body, the mindset to finish the play afterwards and the recovery of the football. That was damn near pitch perfect.
So what you're saying is, you think I got something here?
I think we might have stumbled into an even bigger diamond in the rough. But for now, I think we need to try the big guns now. Mat, see what he can do. Ricky this time, bull rush. Let me see if you can push Mat to the QB and make pressure that way. I gotta see your strength.
Word, let's do it!
Just remember that this isn't my first rodeo, Maddox.
You don't have to tell me about your credentials. I know how great of a O-Linemen you are. I'm curious my damn self how I stack up against the Elite.
*We both grin and shake hands out of respect before getting into our respective stances. Same for me, staying in the three point, getting myself ready, I lock in ready to get an effective push.
The hike goes off and I rush immediate after I see Him jump out of his stance, heading straight towards him with such force, it got my blood flowing, the adrenaline taking over as I reach him, eventually giving way for the strength I added during the workouts. My movements beginning to be too much for Mat to handle, essentially pushing him into the the dummy, knocking it over making it lose the ball. Once again, I notice the ball being free and pouncing onto the ball to secure the turnover.*
Holy fuuuuuuuuckk.
So.. How was that?
*Bork and Eidur both look at me and Mat, who I then help up off the turf, he's looking just as surprised as the rest of our teammates, a majority of them currently at a loss of words for exactly what happened. They then look at Askins with a grin.*
I think you'll be happy to know that we have a vacancy in the offense with your name on it.
Dopeeeeeee.
°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•
*One day after returning back from Iceland, we all went to the Spike Crown's office and showed him video of his workouts as a DE, his eyes popping out of his head like my teammates that were actually there live for the spectacle.*
That is impressive. I can't deny your talent, Ricky. If you're doing this every week, we can really put our defense to another level. Especially seeing as we do want to get better in the defensive line. You seen who we picked up with Eidur and Fitzfatrick to help lead the future of Yellowknife in that area.
That's exactly why the move would make sense. With all of us growing together, that'll shore up one area that we've been lacking ever since Ramrod left.
And it's not like I wouldn't think of doing this without having a capable replacement. Askins has everything he needs and the drive to be as good or even better than I ever was as a TE. Will it take a little time, sure, but he has the blueprint, I'm still going to be sticking around to make sure he's putting in the work, we all prosper. He gets valuable playing time, I get to take some heads off on some QBs and RBs, the defense overall gets better, the offense keeps clicking, we profit.
Couldn't have said it better myself, Ricky. We'll make this effective immediately. Make sure to get all caught up with the defensive playbook by preseason.
Roger that! I'll be getting ready for the defense immediately. That and I got some dope teammates to show me the ropes. This thing is gonna be cake.
That's what I like to hear, now head out and prepare, I gotta make some calls about this.
Gotcha, take care!
*All of the players depart and Spike then takes his phone out to call the head coach.*
..You're not gonna believe this.
#WraithsNation
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GRADED
Epiphany In Iceland[/div]
Maddox - Gray
Bork - Orange
Mat/Spike - Red
Eidur - Purple
Askins - Blue
Francisco (Francois) - Green
After Our Latest Training Camp
*After getting all showered up from practice and getting dressed to get ready to head home, Bork walks by and sits on the bench, looking up at me*
Hey Ricky, you have a minute?
Of course, what's happening?
Eilur and I are going to be going up to Iceland for a couple of days before the preseason starts and we was wondering if you wanted to join us? We've already asked your protégé Joseph and he said that he's all for it! Akselsen and Lamoreux also said that they're joining too.
For real? Well, I can't pass that opportunity up if my backup is going to be going. I can use this to help build Askins up to, we'll all be getting some training. Sounds good to me!
Awesome, be prepared, it's going to be extra cold here, much more crazier than here in Canada.
I'll be fully prepared for this, trust me. All I wanna know is what flavor wings do you guys want?
°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°
*After getting all of our plane tickets purchased, we begin the long journey towards Iceland. Over $1,900 for the ticket, most definitely my most expensive flight up until this point, it wasn't like it took a hit into my bank account.
I sat next to Joseph Askins and going over some game film from our last season, showing a bit of my highlights to give him a good indication of what he'll need to work on.*
So what do I need to do to be able to help make this team better?
Well, you're already a much better blocker than I was when I first joined the league. Your ceiling is definitely much higher in that area as well. We're going to be working on the receiving end for the most part. Also we got to build on your physical attributes. Speed, Strength, Agility and Endurance. All of those things need to be in tip top shape come next year.
*Askins eats a lemon pepper chicken wing and nods*
Sounds like a plan, what exactly are you working on?
Well, I'm working on everything, bro. More importantly in my eyes, I need to block better.
Didn't you have-
The best blocking performance of a TE in NSFL history? Yes. Yes I did. Haha But I don't want to stop there. The defenders are gonna be much stronger, much faster, much more athletic. If I stay the way I am, I didn't get better and my last year will be an afterthought.
Well, I can help you out there, blocking is my specialty like you said. Helping each other insures we both grow and we both have things to work on.
Word, it's gonna be tough, both of us never been to Iceland before. Uncharted territory can bring out some emotions and strengths we never realized, so just be prepared. Can't wait to see how we all perform this year.
Me too! I hope you don't mind me coming for your starting spot this year.
*My ears perked up with a raised eyebrow, The Rock style*
Say that again?
I said that "These wings taste delicious!"
That's what I thought. Haha Just kidding.
*I snag one of his wings and starts eating it as he walks to the back of the plane to get a drink. I continue to look at the game film before eventually knocking out. 20+ hours and three plane transfers later, we finally arrive into Reykjavík, Iceland.*
*After getting our luggage from the plane, we all received greetings from family members of Bork and Eidur, along with fans of the Wraiths, all donning jerseys, t shirts and hats with our logo embroidered on it. It was a very welcoming site, didn't know our fan base reached out this deep into the world. It was definitely a humbling experience.
When we finished all of our pleasantries, signatures, and photo shoot with the fans, we start making our way to the football field deep in the heart of Reykjavík.
*I took in the harsh cold air deep as I looked around the field, I didn't see too much in the horizon from where we was when we landed. Maybe a few houses from the town but other than that, it was pretty bare, it was almost like we went to some ice abyss with all of the football equipment we would need for our personal training.
Besides the actual field itself, there was a shack that we can use for our own personal gym, all of the weights and workouts we can use there will be useful for our development.*
So.. Are we ready to get started?
Let's get to work.
*Throughout the first hour of us working on our craft, we stayed disciplined to our workouts both positional and individual. Running, weight lifting, calisthenics, you name it, we we're all pumped up throughout the workouts, making sure we we're all in top performance shape for week one.
One of the first workouts that both Askins and I participated was going through 250 passes with the JUGS machine to see who will be able to get the most catches from 25 yards away. The person that was not catching made count of how many catches the other person had. After 250 passes, I managed to catch 217 out of a possible 250.*
Now that was impressive. I'll let you know when I get to that status. Haha I know your hands are getting ready to break with not wearing gloves.
*I shrugged and stretched a bit before looking his way*
You'll get there, brotha. I had to build up my catching by just doing this, it's going to work it's way out for you the longer you put the work in. Let's see how much you can do.
*We switched places and I made my back to the JUGS machine. After he was all set, we started the process. Pass after pass, I saw him get into a rhythm, getting up to a highest 25 without dropping a pass, which I immediately thought was impressive.
As the pass count got towards the high 100s, the drops became much more apparent, actually getting a streak of almost 20 drops before getting back on track, but he was unable to make a big streak like he did before. Askins ended up getting 171 catches out of 250. He came back to JUGS short of breath.*
How was that?
For your first time, and in this type of environment, I can't be mad at that, we'll be working on your endurance and try this again before we head back to Yellowknife. I want you to balance your abilities so you will be able to do everything just like me. Being able to have that balance and being able to everything at a high level will be key to the start of your development here.
Most definitely.
Alright, let's do these tire drills with Eidur and Bork so we can get our core up.
*We walk down to the other side of the field where Eidur was flipping the large tire down the sideline. Lamoreux and Akselsen were working on footwork drills to help with their blocking for the most part before heading back inside the gym area to work on weight lifting. Look like their fitness and technique will be their main target area for right now. Both Joseph and I reached Bork and watched Eidur put in some work.*
Bork, how long has he been flipping that tire?
Eh, for about thirty minutes, it's part of his workout. We did some weight training earlier and a part of what we're doing is when we're done with the weights, we flip the tire down the sideline and then we work our way back.
Good Lord. How many times have you guys went up and down?
I did three and Eidur is on his third now.
That's insane! You wanna help us out on some blocking drills?
I'm game, we still have a minute until Gustav is finished with his tire flips.
*We set up a dummy to play the part of the quarter back where we visualized that either me or Askins will be protecting the QB's blindside. The dummy is in a throwing motion so it can be swiped from the QB if the defender gets there.
If the QB couldn't be touched within a four second timer, the O-Linemen wins that round.
If the defender takes down the QB, dislodges the football from the QB, causes pressure to the pocket (bumping the O-Linemen into the QB) or commit a holding penalty, the defender will win that round.
Best seven out of eleven will determine who will be the winner of the war. Holding a stud like Bork is no easy task. Four seconds seems like a little but four seconds is all it takes for a guy like Bork to disrupt the pass.
I started out with the blocking going up against Bork. After hearing the simulated hike, Bork came at me with a strong force right at me but I held up as best as I could staying right in front of him, making sure to keep steady from the QB. Four seconds ran out, the QB stayed in place, O-Line gets the first point.*
Damn, Ricky, all those wings giving you super strength or something?
Haha Nah, just been putting that work in. Askins, lets see what you got, brotha. We're gonna rotate it out until Matty and Francisco come back out from the gym.
*Joseph lines up in the same spot I was earlier. I play the hike from my phone, Bork comes rushing again, this time making a jab step to the inside that forced Joseph to respect the interior rush he wanted to do, Bork then used his strength to knock Askins off balance long enough for him to hit the QB. Point goes to the defenders.*
Damn, that was a good move, Bork!
It's mostly a pass rush move but I use that to keep the O-Linemen on his toes and I only use this for attacking the OT. Make sure that he knows that I have the ability to go inside, that way he doesn't know what I'll do until it hits him and he can't stop it.
Very well done, you just gotta dig your feet a little deeper into the ground with your cleats, gives you more torque when you try to take away the pressure that is coming your way when you're blocking. Try it again, it's tied 1-1. Give us the lead back so I can make it 3-1.
*Bork rolls his eyes before Eidur steps in and taps Bork's shoulder*
Mind if I join?
By all means.
ROOKIE BATTLEEEEEEEEEE!!!
*Eidur and Askins both got into position and after the simulated hike, Eider pulled off a studder step before working a spin move to the outside. Askins worked and met him, matching Eidur's position stride for stride. Essentually looping around the dummy.
Eidur reached out to swipe at the ball after getting close but appeared to be a few inches shy of touching it. The four seconds expired and the dummy remained clean in the pocket, O-Linemen took another point to make it 2-1
Bork looked my way and I looked back at him*
You're thinking what I'm thinking, huh?
This matchup is too close to call and you think that them going at it would be a great match up to see who would win the series?
Exactlyyyyyyy. Both of you are gonna be doing a best five out of nine starting in a little bit. Get a quick Gatorade break and be back here in five.
*They both nod and break out their respective bottles, I do the same and take a swig.*
Gatorade?
Yes. Preferably Lemon Lime.
*Five minutes have passed and they we're already into position.
First win goes to Askins, in a similar fashion as their first meet up in this drill.*
1-0 Askins.
*Next time, Eidur goes straight bullrush and it proved to be effective, the QB gets pushed over and loses the ball because Askins got rammed into the dummy. Eidur recovers the football for good measure. Brownie points!*
1-1.
*Eidur then goes at Askins with a inside rush, not faking it this time around. Askins sniffed it out this time, staying in front of Eidur and pushing the defender down to the ground. Relentless. That's some dope starting power.*
2-1 Askins.
*The next three came out of nowhere, Askins got beat by Eidur, coming out of the gate with a nasty swim move to work his way around Askins each time. The apparent difference in speed and agility becoming more noticeable throughout the drills. Joseph wasn't getting beat bad in these plays but he did have some struggles keeping up with Eldur's explosiveness really coming into play. One of these three, Askins held and took Eidur to the ground. Bork blew his whistle in a reenactment of what a referee would do in that situation, doing*
HOLDING, OFFENSE, #83, POINT TO DEFENSE!
4-2 Gustavsson.
Alright, Eidur you need one more to win this series, Joseph, you need to hold on, it's sudden death for you.
But will it be sudden death for me?
*Francisco Lamoreux and Mat Akselsen walks up to the mini huddle, quickly identifying that Francisco wants to be put in this situation. I look at Askins, he did look a little tired, we'll give him a little break, he's been moving a lot*
Askins, switch out with Fran, I wanna see what he can do as well.
Awww. I got him right where I want him!
Haha It's fine, we have plenty of time to get this brewing. I wanna see what our latest edition to the O-Line can do.
*Askins nods and after he leaves the spot, Francisco then gets in the position, preparing for the matchup with the steady handed Gustavsson. The simulated hike goes off and Eidur tries the move that helped him gain this lead. This time around, Eidur got visibly further from the dummy as the seconds ran by. The strength advantage obviously in the O-Linemen's favor. Francisco gets the dub.*
4-3 O-Line Squaaaaaaaaaa
*Next play, Eidur tries a inside move to go at the QBs front part of the pocket, but once again, Francisco holds strong to the movements, preventing too much forward progress, four seconds wraps up and Francisco starts with a great streak.*
Very well done, I must say. Next one wins!
4-4
Will Francisco complete the comeback or willl Eidur come out to stop the streak?!
*The hike goes off and Eidur pushes with all of his might, going straight ahead before swinging his arm under Francisco's, a valiant move to get some seperation but once again, Franciso holds strong keepeeping his body in front of Eidur's. He then makes a last second swupe to dislodge the ball from the dummy but one last push from Francisco keeps Eidur out of reach, essentially ending the duel, the dummy stays free in the pocket and the timer goes off.*
The winner of this matchup goes to the O-Linemen!
5-4 O-Line.
Very well done by the both of you! This team is going to be ready come primetime. I can feel it already.
Indeed, let's take a little break and then we can continue from there.
*We all head over to the gym where i begin to break out the wing containers for us, still as hot and ready as if they just left the oven*
How do you keep these so hot in these cold conditions?
That's something you shouldn't worry about, my brotha.
*We all laugh a bit before taking a bite into these wings, I look over at Bork and start thinking*
Bork, I got a question.
What's up?
How easy was it for you to identify what move to do and how do you see in your matchup would be the best course of action from a D-Linemen standpoint?
Well, I'd have to say that a lot of it comes from instinct, that and watching plenty of film, you start to see their tendencies, what they like to do with their hands when they block, their footwork, what they tend to focus on during blitzes, I take it all into account and I try to keep the focus amongst that first. After that, it's just finding out what I can do to beat that with the tools, smarts and physical gifts given to me. Why do you ask?
Hmm.. I was just feeling out how it would go from your perspective, I'm seeing a lot of similarities from what I was doing as a blocker and I'm finding more ways in my head of how I would get beat. But I'm also seeing the details in the actions too.
Oh really? You care to try it out?
What's that?
You heard me, let's do the drill again but this time, you up against an O-Linemen.
*I thought about it for a second and shrugged a bit as I stood up*
I haven't played on the D-Line since High School but let's see if I learned anything from then to now.
Now this is something I gotta see.
Oh, you'll get the first crack at him, bro. You better be ready.
Niiice. Can't wait to see what you got, GOAT TE!
Before we start on that, we're going to do something a little different. Or should I say, in a much different environment. You ready to show them Eidur?
Now is as good of a time as ever.
*After we all get finished with our food and all cleaned up, we make our way to the field, Bork walked to the endzone pylon and flipped up a casing of some sorts, he then presses a few buttons (I assumed it was some sort of pin code) and the bottom of the field began to rumble and split in half.*
Make sure you stay away from the center! Or you're gonna have a bad time! As in you're gonna tumble down some rocky stairs!
*After fully splitting apart, it revealed a rock based staircase heading downward. Mat, Francisco, Askins and I all looked puzzled as it looked slightly sketchy. We then look at Bork and Eidur*
Make your way down that flight and you'll really see where we need to be.
*I shrugged again as I started descending, light increasing as I get closer to the bottom, the rest of the team followed. When I made it to the bottom of the staircase and looked around, I was immediately impressed and surprised of what I saw.*
Holy fuuuuuuuuckk.
*The whole field was an ice blue, drizzled in snow, we looked around and saw similar football equipment as the ones we had on the field we was currently at, all of it donning a crystallized tone to it, made it appear that they were all made of crown jewels. It felt very VERY majestic. But we all knew that we were still going to put heavy work in this facility.*
Alright, GOAT TE, we're gonna do the same drill as we've done up there but this time it's just going to be best out of three. Let's see how you handle our current champion Lamoreux.
*I look his way, feeling just a tad intimidated. Gotta get back in this form that I haven't done in over a decade. I took a deep breath as we make our way back to the middle of the field where the dummy wearing a King Bronko jersey stood up in a throwing motion. Same as before, only difference is I'm playing for the other team. Take the QB out.
Both me and Lamoreux got into our respective positions, and I close my eyes, imagining how I prepared in high School as a Defensive End before opening them again.
The hike comes up and I come out of my stance with solid force, coming towards Francisco with a gear, I didn't know was possible for me. Not only did it surprise me a lot, it took Lamoreux by surprise as well, I approached him and made a spin move similar to what Eidur did earlier to him. Difference is I'm much more nimble than Eidur was and it put me over the edge in this first matchup, he kept me away from the QB for a second but I eventually inched over to strip the dummy, also finding a way to pick it up in stride and it would have been a solid return on the fumble recovery. I celebrated a little extra because I didn't think it was possible or that it'll feel THAT good. it felt a lot more natural than I originally thought.
I looked back to my teammates and all of them stared me down with wide eyes.*
Ricky.. What the hell was that?!
]What do you mean what was that? That wasn't good at all?
Quite the opposite, that's nearing elite status. From how you continued after contact to the footwork, the burst out of your stance, the timing after the hike, the hand placement with how you control your body, the mindset to finish the play afterwards and the recovery of the football. That was damn near pitch perfect.
So what you're saying is, you think I got something here?
I think we might have stumbled into an even bigger diamond in the rough. But for now, I think we need to try the big guns now. Mat, see what he can do. Ricky this time, bull rush. Let me see if you can push Mat to the QB and make pressure that way. I gotta see your strength.
Word, let's do it!
Just remember that this isn't my first rodeo, Maddox.
You don't have to tell me about your credentials. I know how great of a O-Linemen you are. I'm curious my damn self how I stack up against the Elite.
*We both grin and shake hands out of respect before getting into our respective stances. Same for me, staying in the three point, getting myself ready, I lock in ready to get an effective push.
The hike goes off and I rush immediate after I see Him jump out of his stance, heading straight towards him with such force, it got my blood flowing, the adrenaline taking over as I reach him, eventually giving way for the strength I added during the workouts. My movements beginning to be too much for Mat to handle, essentially pushing him into the the dummy, knocking it over making it lose the ball. Once again, I notice the ball being free and pouncing onto the ball to secure the turnover.*
Holy fuuuuuuuuckk.
So.. How was that?
*Bork and Eidur both look at me and Mat, who I then help up off the turf, he's looking just as surprised as the rest of our teammates, a majority of them currently at a loss of words for exactly what happened. They then look at Askins with a grin.*
I think you'll be happy to know that we have a vacancy in the offense with your name on it.
Dopeeeeeee.
°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•
*One day after returning back from Iceland, we all went to the Spike Crown's office and showed him video of his workouts as a DE, his eyes popping out of his head like my teammates that were actually there live for the spectacle.*
That is impressive. I can't deny your talent, Ricky. If you're doing this every week, we can really put our defense to another level. Especially seeing as we do want to get better in the defensive line. You seen who we picked up with Eidur and Fitzfatrick to help lead the future of Yellowknife in that area.
That's exactly why the move would make sense. With all of us growing together, that'll shore up one area that we've been lacking ever since Ramrod left.
And it's not like I wouldn't think of doing this without having a capable replacement. Askins has everything he needs and the drive to be as good or even better than I ever was as a TE. Will it take a little time, sure, but he has the blueprint, I'm still going to be sticking around to make sure he's putting in the work, we all prosper. He gets valuable playing time, I get to take some heads off on some QBs and RBs, the defense overall gets better, the offense keeps clicking, we profit.
Couldn't have said it better myself, Ricky. We'll make this effective immediately. Make sure to get all caught up with the defensive playbook by preseason.
Roger that! I'll be getting ready for the defense immediately. That and I got some dope teammates to show me the ropes. This thing is gonna be cake.
That's what I like to hear, now head out and prepare, I gotta make some calls about this.
Gotcha, take care!
*All of the players depart and Spike then takes his phone out to call the head coach.*
..You're not gonna believe this.
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