READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL
The old sergeant was sitting at his desk when the corporal burst into the room.
“Son, your Chu better be on fire.”
“Pappy! You ain’t gonna believe it! The USO is here and they brought the Oakland Raiders AND the Raiderettes! Girls Pappy!
“Yeah well I guess we better take a peek.”
Sure enough a convoy had brought the whole team and their cheerleaders and a crowd had already gathered. The old sergeant even noticed the General had come along for the ride.
“Pappy!” The General hollered as he spotted the old sergeant in the crowd.
“Pappy old friend. I want you to meet JaMarcus Russel and this is Darren McFadden.”
Pappy shook hands with two of the biggest men he had ever seen.
“Nice of you boys to come see us in the sand box,” Pappy said.
“Nothing to it sergeant. Hey for what you do for us it’s the least we can do. Besides we need a workout and we figured you guys might be up for a game of touch football.”
“A game?” Pappy said. “With YOU guys? You’re the meanest team in football.”
“Aww come on sergeant. You guys ain’t afraid are ya?”
Pappy smiled.
“Well I’ve always been partial to the Chiefs being a Missouri boy. But I think we can round up a team that can make ya break a sweat.”
“Outstanding!”
As they marked off the field, the army photographers were burning up their cameras taking pictures. The cheer leaders were lining up practicing and the spectators were gathering around the field.
“Ok ladies. This is an honor for us to be playing a team like the Raiders. Anyone have any football experience?”
A few hands rose. One of the goon squad had played quarter back. In high school.
“Sigh, ok. We will do this by squads. Third squad get your eyes off the cheer leaders and get out there and give it your best.”
At the end of the first half the Raiders were ahead 21 to 0.
The second, third and heavy weapons squads were a bloody mess and the Raiders hadn’t worked up a sweat even in the temperature.
“Pappy, that’s the roughest game of “touch” football I’ve ever seen! Their killing us!
Pappy’s eyes turned steely grey.
“Yeah I noticed. They ain’t exactly playing by the rules but hey we should know that. Well. First squad you’re up. And here’s what we’re gonna do.”
At the start of the third quarter the goon squad looked on in amazement as the old sergeant ran out onto the field.
“Ok. Remember what I said. Don’t hurt anyone but use your training. Take them down like they were the enemy. ARE YOU READY?”
The third quarter went very differently.
As the goon squad moved the ball Pappy saw out of the corner of his eye one of them busting a Raider square in the mouth.
Raiders were leaving the field bloody and sweating.
And the goon squad actually scored.
The fourth quarter was nothing but blood and guts as the Raiders picked it up a notch.
The end was a forgone conclusion but as Pappy and the platoon meet the Raiders at the center of the field they held their heads high.
“Well, we said we wanted a work out and you guys sure gave it to us. WELL DONE.”
With this, the entire Raider team took off their jerseys and handed them over to the platoon.
Back slaps and hugs all around.
The General patted Pappy on the back.
“Outstanding job Pappy. Just outstanding.”
“Thanks General,” Pappy said as he walked off with a limp.
“Now if you will excuse me I need an aspirin and a whole bottle of Jack.”
© 2008
Steven J. Newton
stevenewton69@hotmail.com
The Oakland Raiders have always supported our Wounded Heroes
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