Free Out of the Pocket by Bill Konigsberg Page B

chilly night air, wondering if maybe my lie to Coach wasn’t a lie, after all.
    Maybe they’re having trouble? My dad always seemed so cold and distant these days, and I searched my memory for any evidence of problems.
    I couldn’t think of anything, but somehow, standing in the dark night in front of my house with my mom trying to soothe my dad inside, that didn’t make me feel a lot better.
    71
    Game nights were all special, but nothing was quite like the first home game of the season. The stands got packed early, and you could feel the air. It was charged. As we ran out onto the field for warm-ups, the crowd gave us a massive ovation that shook the ground.
    The La Habra Matadors, in their green uniforms and gold helmets, swarmed the field shortly after we did, and before I could catch my breath, the game was on. The Matadors scored quickly on a long touchdown run, and then stuffed us on our first drive. After a quick field goal to start the second quarter, the Matadors were up 10–0, and it was beginning to feel a lot like it had felt last year, when we lost 19–3. Their line was huge, but more than huge, they were fast; if any of them broke free, I had about three seconds maximum before I got smashed to the turf.
    I got sacked three times in the first two drives, and each attack felt worse than the previous one.
    72
    We started our third drive off at our own twenty-five-yard line, and the first play Coach called was a screen pass to Mendez on the left side.
    I liked the call. Their defense was beginning to overpursue, and if I could get them to bite on a play fake long enough to set up the screen, we could get a big gain out of it.
    We broke out of the huddle and I felt a confidence I hadn’t felt all game, the kind I felt when good things were about to happen.
    Bolleran hiked the ball back to me. I dropped back in the pocket and looked right, as if I was heading downfield with a pass. It worked.
    I sensed the defense adjusting, the linebackers headed to that side of the field. Meanwhile, our fullback and tight end snuck out to the left, in front of Mendez. I swung left and lofted a simple screen pass to him, right on the money, and I could hear the crowd sense the big play before it happened.
    Mendez caught the pass and did a stutter step, allowing his two blockers a chance to get set ahead of him. I raced out forward and to the left, hoping I could block someone and help spring him farther.
    I watched as Mendez raced around the left side, his blockers clearing the path, and I heard the crowd noise swell. Then I saw an arm swing out in front of my face, at neck level.
    I felt the hit on my Adam’s apple. It was as if someone had shut off my wind supply and snapped my head backward.
    I hit the turf, hard.
    I lay fl at on my back, straining for oxygen. After several seconds I caught my breath and sat up, looking downfield, and saw the action was a good thirty yards away. I pumped my fist and pushed myself to my feet. Breathing was still tough, but I dusted myself off and trotted downfi eld.
    Then I saw the yellow fl ag.
    It was thrown much closer to the play than to me, but I clapped 73
    my hands, knowing that we’d be tacking on extra yardage. You couldn’t get away with cheap hits on the quarterback in this league.
    I hustled to where the ref was making the call. He signaled face mask, and I was confused, because the defender hadn’t hit my face mask.
    Then he signaled with his arm the direction of the penalty, and I was truly shocked when it was against us.
    The referee called it on number 81, Rahim, a flagrant foul. Already smarting from the hit to the Adam’s apple, I felt my face heat up. Rahim was not capable of a flagrant foul; he was strong and powerful and talented, but a gentle giant.
    No damn way.
    I started to run at the referee when for the second time in less than two minutes my progress was stopped by a stiff right arm. This time it was Rahim himself.
    “Leave it alone, Bobby.”
    “No way!