Chapter 17

Jared couldn't wait to get home and shower after his little workout with Marv Hudson. It was invigorating to get out and run a bit, catch a ball and fill his lungs with the rich country air. He would work himself into better shape as practice began in earnest but he anticipated being a bit sore the following day. While in the shower he heard the phone ring and cursed the probability. Once out and dried off he went to the blinking machine and pressed the play button.

"Good afternoon Coach, I hadn't expected you to be so hard to ff... , so hard to FIND this afternoon." JoAnne Zyrypski said as she stumbled over an intentional faux pas. "I have something for you that I know you want, that I would love to provide, but I can't seem to hook up with you. Your tickets, pre boarding passes, and itinerary are all here for you at your office. Right after you left I checked my Inbox and the messenger must have left them off while we met this morning. Nice to have someone putting something in your box to fulfill your needs." She continued until there was a long pause leaving Jared to think her message was over, but the light was still blinking. "Jared, I won't stalk you or anything stupid like that, it's just I'm not used to being turned down. If your girl has a man that's true ... I'm jealous of her, there's not many of you around, but I would be glad to lead you down that path. I wouldn't steal you, only borrow and possibly teach you a few things she would be happy to have you know."

He decided to try and nip this problem in the bud right away as he scanned last calls and dialed her number.

"Hello Coach, I thought you might call." She said obviously using her caller ID.

"JoAnne, I find you very alluring and very tempting. You are certainly a very beautiful woman whom, I'm sure, can get most men she desires. It would just be a bad move for me right now. I've made a commitment of the heart to properly pursue this new relationship and even a meaningless fling would weigh heavy on my conscience. I'm flattered you find me desirable, but please, for the sake of the school, our jobs and our futures, please don't pursue this any further. I want to be able to work with you without any further distractions." Jared said to her, getting right to the point.

"Coach, I told you I wouldn't stalk you, and I meant it. I just wanted to make sure you knew what I had in mind. I've been the victim of a cheating boyfriend more than once and hate the feeling of deception perpetrated on me. I applaud you for being so true and I can say your girl is lucky. No harm, no foul?" She said, almost as if rehearsed, already knowing what his response would be.

"I'll take you at your word, ... no harm, no foul. I'll pick up my tickets and stuff when I get back to my office in the morning." Jared told her before abruptly hanging up.

Jared had to admit that she was quite a temptation, but Meaghan was more than he could handle and screwing around was just not his thing. His previous dalliance with Ann Comeche may have exhibited a bit a poor judgment, but it was nothing that would hurt any feelings at the time and though they were co-workers, she was not exactly a subordinate of Jared. Besides all that, Ann was very discreet and career minded. JoAnne, on the other hand had nothing to lose.

Jared Winslow had sold his program of winning to many locker rooms of young impressionable players. Most were players he already knew or recruited and he let that program sell itself up the line to the coaches, fans and school administration to the point where he had a free reign and constant benefit of doubt on decisions he made. With this jump to Division One in a fledgling conference with a team with established coaches, a large group of returning players he had never worked with, and a supportive, yet skeptical, administration, he had his hands full. During the next 3 weeks he had to sell his program, his football doctrine and formula to the heart of the team that would make or break his career at NEAT. He had already talked extensively with his coaches about how things would run, but now he would be one on one with them to really sell the package and then use them as the "salesmen" to bring it to the team. He understood that some players would be skeptics themselves, especially those who came in thinking they would play 4 years for Sherm Woodard, an NFL coaching veteran with contacts and influence in the professional league. What Jared had going for him was the hype that the sports networks placed on his hiring. Although he had not proved himself on the big stage, his credential was impressive enough to merit the publicity.

With few exceptions, every stop along the way included meeting the family of the player, usually having a meal where free and open talk let everyone know where Winning Winslow was coming from, and where their sibling, son or daughter was headed. Both the player and his family knew that Jared's door was always open to frank and private discussion of problems concerning the player, the team or one of his coaches. The only caveat in the policy was when a player didn't like the way he was being utilized he had to come with his coach and be straightforward and forthright over his issues. There was no going over anyone's head in Jared Winslow's football world. "Man Up, or Man OUT" would be on the door to his field office and on his desk. It dove-tailed with his work credo; Know. Know your job, ask questions until you do. Trust. Trust in yourself, trust in your skills, trust in your teammates and their skills. If unsure of anything, ASK QUESTIONS.

To have a doubt in your abilities, or a doubt as to where you stood, you shouldn't be on the field until those doubts are allayed. Every player on the field always knew what was expected of him or her.

One project Jared wanted to work on was Scott Claxton. He was the previous years kicker who was going to find himself out of a job. He wasn't a very good kicker, but he was all the team had before the arrival of Oksana Cushman. Now Winslow had a sizable lad in Claxton who was in magnificent shape and well attuned to the rigors of practice and team discipline. However, he was afraid of contact. Taking hits in practice from teammates was one thing, but full pad, game opponent contact left him with a fear of being hurt.

During the time he and Defensive Coach Frank Ruffen spent with Claxton and his family on a Sunday afternoon in late July, Jared was able to get alone with Scott, walking away while Coach Ruffen dazzled his parents and brother with football stories.

"You know you're not going to kick, right?" Jared opened with as they walked away from the porch they had been talking on...

"I kind of figured that, and was surprised you even wanted to talk to me." He answered.

"I wanted to talk to you because you're a member of my team. A young man your size who wants to play football shouldn't be relegated to the kicking taxi. Have you ever thought about playing in the defensive backfield where YOU can inflict a little pain, steal some balls and help leave your offense in good position." Jared asked.

"Umm, ... I ... I wouldn't fit ... I don't like..." He began to stammer as they reached the end of his yard and stepped onto on Nature Path used for biking and walking...

"I know, your special teams coach said you didn't like contact. I'll tell you the truth; the first thing I said was that I didn't want any Nancy-boys on my team. I hadn't expected to see such an imposing figure when I finally met you today. Out of your pads you're still a big boy and I know from the coaches, you have good speed. Taking hits is a part of the game you should just learn to deal with. No one LIKES getting hurt, but it is part of the game. If it's pain you're worried about, you ought to realize how the adrenaline in your body will prepare you and relieve you when you get the rush of contact. If you were to work on defense, you could utilize your speed and size. I really want you to come to camp with an open mind with no thought about kicking. I have two girls who can boot the ball for us and both need to be afraid of the contact they could see, but they aren't afraid." The Coach went on as they walked away further.

"I'm embarrassed." Claxton said stopping, a lump forming in his throat.

"DON'T be embarrassed!! But this was why I wanted to get you away from everyone. You have something you have to face up to and you just need a push. Yes, you'll take a hit or two on defense and you'll learn to deal with it. After a few of those I promise you that you'll see everything I'm talking about. Let all your fears out and show them you can conquer this and I'll bet you'll be begging for the ball by next season. Maybe you can play both ways. Where ever your fear came from, I can help you beat it. By my own rules you should not be allowed to even show up for practice this year since you avoided both mini-camps with lame excuses. I'm willing to go out for you if you're willing to try for me. You've seen all the hype my hiring got for the school, if you do well it won't go unnoticed. You're a big strong savvy kid. Each coach, to a man, dissed you for being timid, but not one could say anything else about your character as a teammate. I believe you have the ability to make the team at another position and I'm offering you this opportunity. Work for me and I'll work for you, but under the circumstances I'll tell you, you better show your intestinal fortitude to me early. I have no time to baby anyone. I have roughly 3 weeks to create a team that will compete at a higher level than last year. Think about my challenge and be at practice when it opens. If you're not there the first day, I'll consider this trip a waste of time." The Coach told him firmly with a finger snapping toward him to make each point as he preached and challenged.

"So what do I do?" Scott asked, excited, but wary.

"On the first day of practice when I call for my defenders to go with Coach Ruffen after my indoctrination speech, get up with a hoot and howl like they all do and go with him. Listen, work hard, and do your best. You know your teammates are going to be surprised and those who think they can beat you out for a position will test you. Either meet their challenge or turn tail and go to class. Just show us you're willing to let yourself excel. YOU KNOW you have it in you, I KNOW you have it in you. You just have to show yourself you have the balls to overcome all of this. Now. Let's get back to the rest of them so they know we didn't get lost, heh, heh." Jared said with a hearty pat on the back to young Claxton.

"You really think I'm big enough to play defense?" Scott asked with doubts.

"You're on my roster as 6 foot 3 inches and 230 pounds. Your uniform pants are size 36. Don't you realize that you probably bigger than most guys on the team? You're not soft and you must work out." Jared said amazed he was selling himself so short.

"I lift and run a lot. Heart disease runs in my family so I work at it. My grandfather died at 45 and my Dad has had a heart attack already." He answered.

"You'll have to have a physical to get into football practice and as long as you pass that, don't worry. I'll have a specialist do a work-up on you. Maybe I can have that done after the first practice." Winslow said as he jotted down a note into his spiral pad.

"If that's where your fears come from, we'll take care of it right away. He'll call you to get a medical history from your doctor, just be sure you give him permission. Fair enough?"

"Yes, sure, fair enough, but ... uhh ... just don't mention any of this to my parents. My Dad doesn't want me to worry, he feels like it's all his fault, passing along this bad heart." Scott said in a low voice.

"Scott, you don't know you HAVE a bad heart. You may have a lot of your Mom's dominant genes as well." Jared replied quietly as they got back with the rest of the family.

As they blended back into the conversation before the Coach and his assistant left Scott Claxton felt somewhat of a rush at the challenge put before him ... His Dad always asked him what he would do if there was ever a draft and he had to go into service. Scott's Dad fought in the first Gulf War and knew what it was like to be home one day and then asked to be a killing machine the next. He also knew the stories his own Dad told him about Vietnam. He was well aware that his son was ill-prepared for that kind of situation, and it worried him that he wasn't tough enough...

Jared wasn't really sure what was in Scott Claxton's heart and character, but the fact he was built so solid told him something. He played a hunch and apparently struck a nerve. He wasn't convinced he could make a solid defender out of Scott, but he was pretty sure he could be an impact somewhere on the team until he learned a position. Ideally, he could take the defensive backfield spot of Marv Hudson. Fast feet and good instincts were needed for that spot, however Claxton's upper body strength should make him a sure tackler. He hoped he had opened the eye of the tiger in him.

The rest of the three weeks were spent getting to know each of his assistants and having some sort of personal rapport with each player. Committed new recruits were the easiest to get aboard a gung-ho program, while some of the others needed the familiarity of the assistant to open a few doors. Perhaps the most tested he felt was with the parents and family of the girls he invited to camp who, with little effort, were going to make the team unless they were seriously challenged. Julie Murcer's father made him feel a little like he was asking for her hand rather than play football. He demanded and got great assurances to his daughters safety in the locker room. Julie herself was greatly embarrassed by her fathers worry but understood the situation. The family of Oksana Cushman was quite different in the fact they wanted her talent to be the story, not her gender. They correctly assumed that the team would make a special place for their daughter to change and suit up and that standards of decorum would exist. Her father insisted that her presence should not change the overall "locker room" atmosphere. Both girls were from "Friday Night Lights" type programs and didn't want doilies for their daughters.

Coach Winslow asked each family to refuse to take part in any feature stories on the girls from media outlets until at least after the season started. "There is no sense in putting pressure on either girl like that or in bringing attention to the mixed locker room where outsiders might try to defend something that doesn't need defending. If the girls have a problem they can come to me, not the ACLU or NOW. Your daughter should be a part of the team, not a sideshow."

During the whirlwind tour Jared was able to be with Meaghan 3 different nights as they spun through Chicago or the area each week. The Windy City served as a hub on each tour almost as if it were planned. Jared felt uncomfortable leaving his assistant alone on those evenings but he did explain his relationship with his "lady friend" and they understood. Only one of the visits to Meg were conjugal, Declan was there for the first and last week, but on the middle one, Meg was home alone waiting for her lover to call.

At the time Jared was not aware that Declan was spending the week with his father so when he went to the door he was surprised to not see the tyke waiting for him, the door was instead closed. He knocked and it quickly opened with the smiling Meaghan waiting for him. She was wearing a N.E.A.T. t-shirt Jared had left behind that went down long enough to just cover her bottom. Her dirty blond hair was longer than it had been since he first saw her on the "Meet Boge Hollins" trip. It was in a sort of shag reminding him of Meg Ryan in one of her movies. She was cuter than the pixie-like movie star and certainly had a better body with rounder, more prominent features.

She jumped into his arms and they had a long kiss as he bent to her tiptoeing form. She pulled back to tell him a doe-eyed "I've missed you soooooooo much" before planting her mouth to his again. She broke the kiss never losing eye contact and said in a smoky voice, "I really hope you can spend the night with me. I want to wake up with you."

"I don't know Meg, I have a 7:45 charter to Madison and it's a wild day with trips to Lansing and Indianapolis." Jared said cautiously, although there was nothing more he wanted.

"We can go to bed early and set the alarm for 5:30 and get you back to the hotel by 6:30."

"I HAVE my bag in the rental and don't need to go to the hotel, let me call Jordy, he's the assistant traveling with me, and see if he's OK with meeting me at the airport." Jared said whipping out his cell phone.

As he talked with Jordy Alford, his Offensive Coordinator, he watched Meaghan go into the kitchen and pour some wine, setting the glasses on the coffee table as she puttered around waiting for him to finish. As she moved about he became aware that the t-shirt was ALL she was wearing. He knew from her fresh smell she had just got out of the shower or bath.

Jordy understood the situation and was quite familiar with traveling through O'Hare and agreed to meet at the Executive Air kiosk. They would fly to Madison, Wisconsin for a mid-morning meeting with one of his few seniors, an offensive lineman, Greg Alusik and his family. Then they were on to Lansing, Michigan for a late lunch with Kemmer Brooks. When firming up their meeting Kemmer's heavily accented German mother insisted on making their lunch, serving her German specialties. Kemmer had actually been a highlight of the NEAT team finishing in the top 25 in the nation in offensive yards. He could run from the halfback position as well as be a sure handed receiver out of the backfield or wide slot. Not especially large or fast, his greatest gift was his sure hands and ability to stutter step and change directions quickly.

Hoping to not have eaten too much, the Executive Air charter was on to Indianapolis where it was originating a charter to Las Vegas. Jordy and Jared would miss that gambling junket to have a 7 o'clock dinner with Jack "Whiskey" Daniels, a senior Center, and his parents. Daniels hoped to complete his 4 years of Division 1, hopefully still not missing one offensive minute with injury, would get him a shot in the NFL draft. They would fly commercial the following morning to Albany, New York where the rest of their trip was via a rented SUV.

But now was time to put the grueling meeting schedule on the back burner and give some time to what he was beginning to think was the love of his life. She looked as delicious as ever and was obviously ready and waiting for him. Jared hung up his phone and returned it to his pocket before taking off his coat.

"You smell so good and I have a days worth of travel on me. Let me get my bag and take a shower." He whined to her.

"No, no, no! Just freshen up a little and come here. You can shower in a little while. I want to hold you NOW!" She whined right back.

Jared went to the kitchen and ran the cold water and splashed his face a few times before wiping it with a paper towel. Then he ran the hot water and took a drop of dish liquid in his hands and washed them soaping up half way to his elbows after rolling up his sleeves.

He dried his hands and went to the sofa as she handed him his wine and knelt beside him pushing her glass to his lips as he took the hint and offered his to her.

"You must have watched a corny movie this weekend." He chuckled nodding to the TV that played a light jazz music channel he could barely hear.

"No silly, YOU did that to me with champagne and Dixie cups on prom night. Remember, right after the first time you made love to me?" She reminded him.

"Oh man, I can't believe I was that corny!" He giggled as he sipped from the glass she offered.

"That was NOT corny. It was so sweet. I had held you in my hands a few times and never thought you would ever try to put it inside of me. When I showed you the rubber in your coat pocket I thought you would shit." She said giggling and trying to sip from the glass he offered. "A friend of mine said you would cum before you got the condom on, but you lasted a long time and I think I actually came 3 times before you did. That was when I thought you had done it before. I read in a sex book I snuck from my Mom had that said women never orgasmed their first time and that a man could never do as well as your own fingers, but you were awesome."