The Toughest Play

5. Rogan

CHAPTER 5

ROGAN

“ D o you think size really matters?” Cooper jumps onto the treadmill next to mine.

“I suppose it would depend on the size of whatever the fuck you’re talking about.” I was really looking forward to a quiet workout.

Cooper turns the treadmill on and begins a light jog, warming up right next to me. “Oh no, no, it’s not what you’re thinking.”

“It isn’t?” I’m not sure I believe him. He’s young and mischievous, and always up to something.

“Naw, man. I’m talking about titties.” He smiles.

“Okay. That’s not exactly what I was thinking.”

“Are you guys talking about titties?” Starting defensive lineman Nathan Simmons walks over from the deadlift platform.

“Who’s talking about titties?” Thor Sorenson, the starting center, shouts at us from the bench press.

“We are over here,” Nathan shouts back, then turns to face us, smiling. “Thor loves to talk about titties.”

“But we weren’t really…” I start to explain.

“So whose titties are we talking about?” Thor immediately takes over the conversation. “Or are we just talking about preferences?”

No one answers. No one says anything. Not a peep.

Eventually, they all just look at me, as if this was all my idea.

“We were definitely not talking about anyone in particular.” I try to steer the conversation away from someone specific.

Everyone falls silent once more, save for the droning sound of our twin side by side treadmills cutting through the awkward moment.

“Well, I like them big,” Cooper announces, breaking the silence.

“That’s cuz you’re young and don’t know shit about titties,” Nathan chastises.

“I’m old enough to know I like them big,” Cooper insists with a smile.

“How big are we talking?” Thor jumps back into the conversation.

“Don’t encourage this.” I once again try to steer the conversation away from tits. But it’s too late.

“So big I don’t know what to do with them,” Cooper persists, with an even bigger, almost goofy smile.

“Shit, rookie, you wouldn’t know what to do with a thimble full of titty, so that ain’t saying much.” Nathan waves him off. “I’m going back to my workout.” He shakes his head and mumbles to Thor, who then leaves with him. “Did you hear the rookie? He said, ‘So big I don’t know what to do with them.’”

“Fuck them. I know what I like.” Cooper sounds annoyed by their comments.

“Try not to let them get to you.” I encourage him to ignore it. “If they didn’t like you, they wouldn’t waste any time talking to you.”

“I know. I hear you.”

“Seriously, they don’t even know any of the other rookies’ names. You might be their favorite.”

“It’s not them. It’s me.”

“I’m listening…”

“No, it’s not exactly something I’m comfortable talking about.”

“Well, now I’ve gotta know. “

“No way.”

“You can’t just hang that out there and not expect some curiosity.”

“I don’t know.”

“C’mon, who else are you gonna trust but your quarterback?”

“I don’t have much experience.”

“With women? How much is not much?”

“Yes. And let’s just say I’m playing in a scoreless game.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Scoreless?”

“Zero-zero.”

I’m silent at first, unsure of what to say. Most of the players I know, especially the rookies, are complete hounds with plenty of experience.

“I know it’s not the norm.”

“How does that happen? Your college is one of the best-known party schools.”

“I didn’t really plan it this way. I guess it just kinda happened. Football has always been the most important thing in my life. All I’ve ever wanted for as long as I can remember, is to be here in the league. In the end, I always chose training over everything else.”

“You know what, Cooper? I understand. In fact, I know exactly how you feel. Football has always been the top priority in my life too. For as long as I can remember, all I’ve ever wanted was to be the starting quarterback for a professional football team.”

“This team?”

“What’s that?”

“You said starting quarterback. ”

“I did.”

“So you’re gunning for Brett’s job?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Yes you did. You said all you’ve ever dreamed of was to be a starting quarterback. Unless you meant to say backup, but that would kinda be a sad dream. So I’ll ask again, are you gunning for Brett’s job?”

I refuse to say anything that will divide the team.

“The only thing I’m gunning for is opportunity.”

“Well, that’s vague. Who are you the Riddler?”

Thor overhears part of our conversation and immediately rejoins us. “Are you guys talking about Batman?”

“No, not exactly,” I reply.

“Are you guys talking about superheroes?” Nathan shouts over from the deadlift platform.

“Come here.” Thor waves him over. “Nathan loves to talk about superheroes.”

“Let me guess, y’all are talking about Batman?” Nathan doesn’t waste any time jumping into the conversation.

“We weren’t talking about superheroes. Cooper just called me?—”

“How’d you know?” Cooper excitedly cuts me off before I can finish.

“Everybody always talks about Batman,” Nathan tells us with a tone of disgust in his voice. “It’s bullshit.”

“And that’s a bad thing, why?” Cooper looks fascinated by what Nathan has to say.

“Because Batman is too easy. It’s just lazy.”

“Fucking lazy bastards,” Thor mumbles, shaking his head.

“Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely respect Batman. He gets the job done no matter what it takes. He trains hard and always sticks to a strong moral code too, which is very important.” Nathan is on a roll, so we all just let him keep pontificating on what’s wrong with Batman.

“And he’s got all that cool tech and gadgets,” Cooper interjects.

“That’s the problem for me.” Nathan leans in to make his point. “Batman is a billionaire. He’s got resources that give him an unfair advantage.”

“How can he have an advantage? Don’t all the others have super powers?” I can’t help myself.

“And that’s another problem I have with Batman.” Nathan immediately bites. “Almost every other superhero has super powers and would literally fuck him up head to head.”

“But aren’t they all on the same side?” I ask.

“Exactly,” Nathan shouts. “Fuck Batman.” And then he stomps off without another word.

“Nathan doesn’t like Batman.” Thor states the obvious before he goes back to his workout.

Cooper turns back to me after watching them go. “I think you’re right.”

“About what?”

He smiles. “I think they like me.”

“Definitely.”

“We should go out and get something to eat.”

“Are you asking me out on a date?” I tease.

“No. You’re not my type.”

“I get it. I’m too good looking for you.”

“I was thinking more like we could discuss our plans,” Cooper suggests with a smirk.

“And what plans do we have?”

“Ah hello, your plan to take…” He checks over his shoulder, then winks and lowers his voice. “Brett’s starting job.”

“How about we grab some food in the cafeteria and then get some short pass route reps in over on the practice field?”

He nods. “I guess that sounds like fun.”

I grab my water bottle and shut down the treadmill. “Try to keep your chin up, rookie. You never know, you could meet the girl of your dreams out there right now.”

“I don’t know, meeting a girl out on the practice field after a long day of training sounds like your dream, not mine.”