He remembered the day like it was yesterday.
The team simultaneously knelt down to one knee in full uniform, holding hands, all looking down at the floor awaiting the FHSAA’s verdict. Guillermo was merely a week away from catching the game-winning touchdown in Canola High’s first-ever State Championship game. The opposing coach cried fowl, claimed that Guillermo was a meta, and while the rest of his teammates fought for him ‘till the bitter end, he couldn’t help but feel that things just felt different in that moment. He knew the results before the rest of his team did.
Coach Ruffin came in holding the envelope, as the whole team looked up, hands still held. They looked to each other.
“Guys, if the results come in like I think they will, please know, I’m sooo sorry.” spoke Guillermo, in an unusual soft tone.
Ruffin opened the envelope, and hesitated to begin reading.
“Espy, man, we wouldn’t have had this chance if it wasn’t for you ma dude. We know you ain’t no cheat. No matter what some dumbass test says. You know I neva’ believed in test anyway.” Said starting Running-Back Jaleel Jackson. The rest of the team chuckled in agreement, no matter what happened, Espy was their captain, and they were his team.
Guillermo wished he could smile at the moment. But as far as he knew, the life he had been working so hard for was about to come to an end.
“Thanks guys, it means a lot. Cobras for life, amigos.”
In a wondrous chorus of practiced simultaneous chanting, the rest of the team repeated after him.
“Cobras for Life!”
Coach finally read the letter, scanning over his unified team. Never had he had a team so talented. And now, his captain was at risks. He had prepared for this moment for a long time; there was no way he was going to let Espy give up football for good. There was a city that seemed to be developing the technology to level the playing field, literally.
He simply gave Espy a small nod, and Espy stood up, looking to everyone else. They all knew what that meant.
The room stayed silent, until Hoover Cunningham, starting QB said one last thing:
“Once a Cobra, always a Cobra.”
Once a Cobra, Always a Cobra
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Guillermo Espinosa
- Former Member
- Posts:84
- Joined:Tue Aug 16, 2011 7:46 pm
-
Guillermo Espinosa
- Former Member
- Posts:84
- Joined:Tue Aug 16, 2011 7:46 pm
Re: Once a Cobra, Always a Cobra
The weather wasn’t too bad. Espy had heard it had been pretty much a monsoon in the northeast, but it was nothing compared to the hurricanes he had to deal with. He recalled his meeting with his parents and Coach Ruffin, how he told him about Paragon City, and there were several schools there with football teams. He wouldn’t get the national exposure immediately, but with his skills, scouts would eventually come to see him.
There were a few schools that popped out at Espy the most. He had toured the campuses of the best schools in the city. The first one he visited was the Collingwood School. The coach had tried recruiting Espy –hard-. He wanted him on the team badly, but the Athletics Director simply wasn’t having it.
Espy’s grades simply weren’t good enough to get him a scholarship, nor did he have any crime fighting experience. As much as he’d love to have him on the squad, they already had a team full of All-Americans.
The next team he looked at was the Delmont Academy Spartans. He watched the team practice, and they reminded him the most of home. They were gritty, down to do the dirty work. They weren’t the most organized squad, but their hearts rivaled the Cobras. They had a longstanding tradition in sports, and even had stories of teachers passing football team members without much effort.
The next school was one he hadn’t heard much about. New Connaught High. They boasted the best defense in the league, run by their Middle Linebacker, Maxwell Cane. Espy even got the opportunity to run some drills with them. At the moment, this school seemed like the best fit.
The last school on the list was a place called the Westbrook Academy. They were going into their first year as a football team, and they didn’t have much tradition in any sports at all. To be honest, Espy had no intention to even think about going there.
For some reason though, his parents insisted. They wanted him to focus more on his education then his sports, they wanted to show him that there was more to life than just football.
More to life than just football?
Espy had pretty much written the school off until he went back home to Miami to think it over.
“Espy man, think about it.” said Hoover Cunningham. He was the QB, and although he was dyslexic, he was one of the smartest kids Espy had known.
“You came to this school when we –sucked-. You pretty much carried us all the way to where we are now. If you do the same thing in a city full of super-powered teenagers, THE city of super-powered teenagers? For a team that hasn’t even started yet, you’ll become a legend, man.” He gunned the ball towards Espy, who caught it easily with one hand, tossing it back.
“I don’t know, CC. Maybe you’re right. What if this blows up in my face, though?”
“You know, there’s more to life than just –“
“Don’t even say it.” Espy laughed as he tossed the ball quietly back and forth. He thought about the situation over and over in his head. His parents wanted it. His best friends thought it was a good idea. Hell, he’s taken worse risks than this before.
“I’ll think about it.”
There were a few schools that popped out at Espy the most. He had toured the campuses of the best schools in the city. The first one he visited was the Collingwood School. The coach had tried recruiting Espy –hard-. He wanted him on the team badly, but the Athletics Director simply wasn’t having it.
Espy’s grades simply weren’t good enough to get him a scholarship, nor did he have any crime fighting experience. As much as he’d love to have him on the squad, they already had a team full of All-Americans.
The next team he looked at was the Delmont Academy Spartans. He watched the team practice, and they reminded him the most of home. They were gritty, down to do the dirty work. They weren’t the most organized squad, but their hearts rivaled the Cobras. They had a longstanding tradition in sports, and even had stories of teachers passing football team members without much effort.
The next school was one he hadn’t heard much about. New Connaught High. They boasted the best defense in the league, run by their Middle Linebacker, Maxwell Cane. Espy even got the opportunity to run some drills with them. At the moment, this school seemed like the best fit.
The last school on the list was a place called the Westbrook Academy. They were going into their first year as a football team, and they didn’t have much tradition in any sports at all. To be honest, Espy had no intention to even think about going there.
For some reason though, his parents insisted. They wanted him to focus more on his education then his sports, they wanted to show him that there was more to life than just football.
More to life than just football?
Espy had pretty much written the school off until he went back home to Miami to think it over.
“Espy man, think about it.” said Hoover Cunningham. He was the QB, and although he was dyslexic, he was one of the smartest kids Espy had known.
“You came to this school when we –sucked-. You pretty much carried us all the way to where we are now. If you do the same thing in a city full of super-powered teenagers, THE city of super-powered teenagers? For a team that hasn’t even started yet, you’ll become a legend, man.” He gunned the ball towards Espy, who caught it easily with one hand, tossing it back.
“I don’t know, CC. Maybe you’re right. What if this blows up in my face, though?”
“You know, there’s more to life than just –“
“Don’t even say it.” Espy laughed as he tossed the ball quietly back and forth. He thought about the situation over and over in his head. His parents wanted it. His best friends thought it was a good idea. Hell, he’s taken worse risks than this before.
“I’ll think about it.”
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Guillermo Espinosa
- Former Member
- Posts:84
- Joined:Tue Aug 16, 2011 7:46 pm
Re: Once a Cobra, Always a Cobra
It was his final dinner in Miami. He had his New Student Orientation the next day, and he was already fully packed and ready to go. He couldn’t help but wonder if he had made the right choice going to Westbrook Academy, but it made his parents happy, and for now, that was good enough.
His mother had cooked his favorite meal. He looked at his plate smiling at a nice heaping portion of pulled pork, some rice and beans, and enough avocados to power the entire football squad. He was going to miss his mother’s cooking.
“You know, mi hijo, from the day we named you it’s like you were born to play football,” said Arturo Espinosa, Guillermo’s father.
“Dad come on, I’ve heard this story like a million times!” said Guillermo, stuffing some avocado in his mouth. He knew this wouldn’t stop his dad from telling it. The rest of the family chuckled as Rosalinda Espinosa fed her one-year-old boy some baby food.
“It’s the last time I’ll get to tell it for a while, so listen up.” Arturo smiled as he scanned his family. His baseball career didn’t pan out as well as he wanted it to, but he never regretted the decisions he made, and although he always said he never picked favorites, Guillermo was his first son. Su hijo. And the rest of the family not only knew that, they embraced it.
“Guillermo. William. Wilhelm. The name of warriors, of fighters. You know what it means, don’t you?” asked Arturo. Of course Guillermo knew what it meant, but he wasn’t going to take his last story-telling experience away from his father.
“Will. That’s easy. You’ve got the willpower to overcome anything and everything that comes your way.”
Guillermo smiled as he father spoke. He couldn’t help but agree. When he first got into football, many people said he was too scrawny to play. Sure, he’d always been fast, but it doesn’t mean he could take a hit. But, he never stopped wanting to play, and eventually he proved people wrong.
Not to mention, the growth spurt may have helped a tiny bit.
“Helm. Protection. You’ve always been protective of the people you care about. Your family, your friends, your team. You’ve got all the qualities to become a good leader. And me and your mom, we knew that the day you were born.”
Guillermo chuckled at that last part. “Not to mention you wear helmets in football.”
His little sister, Alegria, giggled. Alegria had always been his favorite sibling. They were only three years apart, and she had planned on joining Canola High’s cheering squad to cheer for her big brother, but now she would never get the chance.
“Mom, dad, if I get powers too can I go to Paragon City and join the Westbrook Academy next year like Espy? They have a cheerleading squad, right?”
They all laughed. “What?! I’m serious!”
They continued to laugh, stuffing their faces happily. Guillermo looked around to his family. His mom, his dad, his sisters, and his baby brother, this was the last family dinner he was going to have for a long time.
He didn’t sleep the entire night, he wanted to remember as much of this house as he could, because tomorrow, his new life was going to start.
His mother had cooked his favorite meal. He looked at his plate smiling at a nice heaping portion of pulled pork, some rice and beans, and enough avocados to power the entire football squad. He was going to miss his mother’s cooking.
“You know, mi hijo, from the day we named you it’s like you were born to play football,” said Arturo Espinosa, Guillermo’s father.
“Dad come on, I’ve heard this story like a million times!” said Guillermo, stuffing some avocado in his mouth. He knew this wouldn’t stop his dad from telling it. The rest of the family chuckled as Rosalinda Espinosa fed her one-year-old boy some baby food.
“It’s the last time I’ll get to tell it for a while, so listen up.” Arturo smiled as he scanned his family. His baseball career didn’t pan out as well as he wanted it to, but he never regretted the decisions he made, and although he always said he never picked favorites, Guillermo was his first son. Su hijo. And the rest of the family not only knew that, they embraced it.
“Guillermo. William. Wilhelm. The name of warriors, of fighters. You know what it means, don’t you?” asked Arturo. Of course Guillermo knew what it meant, but he wasn’t going to take his last story-telling experience away from his father.
“Will. That’s easy. You’ve got the willpower to overcome anything and everything that comes your way.”
Guillermo smiled as he father spoke. He couldn’t help but agree. When he first got into football, many people said he was too scrawny to play. Sure, he’d always been fast, but it doesn’t mean he could take a hit. But, he never stopped wanting to play, and eventually he proved people wrong.
Not to mention, the growth spurt may have helped a tiny bit.
“Helm. Protection. You’ve always been protective of the people you care about. Your family, your friends, your team. You’ve got all the qualities to become a good leader. And me and your mom, we knew that the day you were born.”
Guillermo chuckled at that last part. “Not to mention you wear helmets in football.”
His little sister, Alegria, giggled. Alegria had always been his favorite sibling. They were only three years apart, and she had planned on joining Canola High’s cheering squad to cheer for her big brother, but now she would never get the chance.
“Mom, dad, if I get powers too can I go to Paragon City and join the Westbrook Academy next year like Espy? They have a cheerleading squad, right?”
They all laughed. “What?! I’m serious!”
They continued to laugh, stuffing their faces happily. Guillermo looked around to his family. His mom, his dad, his sisters, and his baby brother, this was the last family dinner he was going to have for a long time.
He didn’t sleep the entire night, he wanted to remember as much of this house as he could, because tomorrow, his new life was going to start.
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Guillermo Espinosa
- Former Member
- Posts:84
- Joined:Tue Aug 16, 2011 7:46 pm
Re: Once a Cobra, Always a Cobra
((some cursing)) 10/31/2010; 6:00AM - Miami, FL
"I want out."
Jaleel ran a quick curl route, running five paces forward and turning directly back to face a bullet pass from Canola High's starting QB, Hoover Cunningham. Stunned by his words, Espy failed to make the play.
"Out? Like, out, out?" Espy stood there, unwilling to take another defensive play.
Jaleel made his way back to the line of scrimmage before Hoover, also intrigued by his comments, decided to stop the play. It was a player's only practice, the only real purpose was to refine technique and build chemistry, so there was no Coach Ruffin there to yell at him for slacking off.
"Outta da 98 you know. Off da street and onta' da field. I'm good at this Espy, I ain't tryna die before I go pro, you know?"
Espy silently threw the ball back and forth with Hoover Cunningham before looking over to Jaleel Jackson. He knew when getting "out" meant. And it was Halloween, there wasn't a better opportunity to get out or in the 98 Street Posse than now. But there was no way Jaleel could do it alone.
"Jaleel, you know we gotta game next Friday, right." Espy looked over to Jaleel. He could see that he grasped the seriousness of the situation. The rest of the players made there way onto the field to listen to the discussion. Jaleel and Espy were best friends, they made their way onto the team together, and they took the offense by storm in their sophomore year. But that year could be cut short if they didn't do things the right way.
Jaleel nodded. He wanted more than anything to be out.
"Then I'm going with you." Everyone laughed. Espy had never been considered a tough guy. Sure, he was huge, and he was football tough, but in comparison to the rest of the guys on his team? His life was a piece of cake. Hoover Cunningham snickered.
"What are you gonna do, bring your dad's bat and swat everyone away?" Everyone snickered except for Espy and Jaleel.
"You know I can't let you do that. This is my mistake, they'll kill you, you neva been family, you know."
Jaleel looked at Espy with a fierce determination, he wasn't going to let his best friend get hurt, especially because of some gang that he had entered in when he was stupid and young.
"I'm going. Nada mas."
The whole team looked around at each other. Whenever Espy started speaking Spanish, it meant he was serious. Isaac Stone, a senior and linebacker on the squad spoke up.
"I'm going to." Soon, voices from around the field began to pipe up. One by one, everyone except Hoover Cunningham said they were down to go. Soon, they all looked at him too.
"...Fine! God, if I die I swear to god I'm haunting each and every fuckin' one of you." Hoover was not happy, but he couldn't be the odd man out on the team.
----10:00 PM
The whole team made their way out to 98th street. Thugs and gang members with masks littered the streets, until one of them, seemingly their leader, made his way over to Jaleel. "What the fuck are you doin' here with all these fuckin' highschoolas"
He looked around, seeing the kids with masks approaching a little more. Espy walked over to the leader. He was in imposing figure.
"We're here to take Jaleels beat down with him. And then he's out."
"I want out."
Jaleel ran a quick curl route, running five paces forward and turning directly back to face a bullet pass from Canola High's starting QB, Hoover Cunningham. Stunned by his words, Espy failed to make the play.
"Out? Like, out, out?" Espy stood there, unwilling to take another defensive play.
Jaleel made his way back to the line of scrimmage before Hoover, also intrigued by his comments, decided to stop the play. It was a player's only practice, the only real purpose was to refine technique and build chemistry, so there was no Coach Ruffin there to yell at him for slacking off.
"Outta da 98 you know. Off da street and onta' da field. I'm good at this Espy, I ain't tryna die before I go pro, you know?"
Espy silently threw the ball back and forth with Hoover Cunningham before looking over to Jaleel Jackson. He knew when getting "out" meant. And it was Halloween, there wasn't a better opportunity to get out or in the 98 Street Posse than now. But there was no way Jaleel could do it alone.
"Jaleel, you know we gotta game next Friday, right." Espy looked over to Jaleel. He could see that he grasped the seriousness of the situation. The rest of the players made there way onto the field to listen to the discussion. Jaleel and Espy were best friends, they made their way onto the team together, and they took the offense by storm in their sophomore year. But that year could be cut short if they didn't do things the right way.
Jaleel nodded. He wanted more than anything to be out.
"Then I'm going with you." Everyone laughed. Espy had never been considered a tough guy. Sure, he was huge, and he was football tough, but in comparison to the rest of the guys on his team? His life was a piece of cake. Hoover Cunningham snickered.
"What are you gonna do, bring your dad's bat and swat everyone away?" Everyone snickered except for Espy and Jaleel.
"You know I can't let you do that. This is my mistake, they'll kill you, you neva been family, you know."
Jaleel looked at Espy with a fierce determination, he wasn't going to let his best friend get hurt, especially because of some gang that he had entered in when he was stupid and young.
"I'm going. Nada mas."
The whole team looked around at each other. Whenever Espy started speaking Spanish, it meant he was serious. Isaac Stone, a senior and linebacker on the squad spoke up.
"I'm going to." Soon, voices from around the field began to pipe up. One by one, everyone except Hoover Cunningham said they were down to go. Soon, they all looked at him too.
"...Fine! God, if I die I swear to god I'm haunting each and every fuckin' one of you." Hoover was not happy, but he couldn't be the odd man out on the team.
----10:00 PM
The whole team made their way out to 98th street. Thugs and gang members with masks littered the streets, until one of them, seemingly their leader, made his way over to Jaleel. "What the fuck are you doin' here with all these fuckin' highschoolas"
He looked around, seeing the kids with masks approaching a little more. Espy walked over to the leader. He was in imposing figure.
"We're here to take Jaleels beat down with him. And then he's out."
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