Life as a Rookie (Week 10) Part 13 of 23

Week 10 Labour Day Rematch. So happy that my incident last week did not cost us a win. I really went back to the drawing board. Unpleased with myself, I spent the weekend at home again, reflecting. This was the first time I have ever injured one of my teammates in practice. It would be the first and last! Finding the tempo of practice was the goal. I made a decision to only emit 22% effort for the majority of practice. It was clear I was going way too hard at times, and before I kicked it back up I had to be right. The only 2 sections of practice where I went hard was 1 on 1's and scout team. Playing safety on scout team was very important. With the responsibility of giving Rick the read he was going to get in the game, I had to be sure I gave him a clean look. It was a short week, we had just played Monday and the following game was Friday. I did not have much time to visualize things more clearly that week but the process had begun.

Game Day the 2nd and last game we wore those beautiful green helmets. I only had the chance to wear them in practice. Still unsure of my home position, I made a decision on my own. Safety. It made sense! I've been on the scout team strictly as the safety, consistently trying to get better without hurting anyone. I created a system. I'd watch the safety position of both teams in the first qrt. Wanting not only to roam, but having the ability to cover. I watch the cornerback and halfbacks in the second qrt. Also, having the ability to step into the box, I watched linebackers in the third qrt. To be sure I was seeing right when it mattered most, I watched the offensive linemen in the fourth qrt. (Linemen never lie where the play is going) This was the routine for the rest of the season on game day.

The game was another close one back and forth. Every game came down to the last 6:00. It was not surprising anymore and I was getting used to the style of play. Though I wasn't physically on the field, I was there mentally. I made myself feel like I was out there with my teammates. Down two scores in the final 2min, we were able to pull one back and make it a one score game. With no timeouts left it came down to an onside kick. If you were to look at both benches it seemed clear who got the tip. Unfortunately it was ruled as Calgary ball. All was not lost, we could make a stop and have a little time left on the clock. On 2nd and long Calgary got a favourable spot and got the first down. It felt like our team was short changed.

Not really thinking I blurted out "How much they paying you ref?" I was in fan mode! At the time I forgot how close I was to the game, upset that we were about to lose. The ref threw the flag and looked at me and said "I wont have anyone question my judgement". 15 yards was tacked on to the play. Coach came over upset and screaming asking who got the penalty? Speechless I couldn’t say anything. I thought of a Southwest commercial “Wanna get away!"

The following day we had a team meeting and coach wasn’t happy! He spoke on his feelings about the game, and how being undisciplined cost us in the long run. I thought I was in the clear, but just then he said there was one penalty that made him really mad. Right then I dropped my head seeking cover. With no cover in sight, I had guilty written all over my face. He said I don't know who it was but I’m going to find out. Some players had already known that it was me and it was just a matter of time before he found out. Following the meeting A.J asked " Dawg how you going to get a penalty on your day off?" I had no answer for him, and questioned myself of how I managed to put myself in another situation in back to back weeks was. He asked me what I was going to do and I replied "I think I’m going to come clean!" He told me that it wasn’t a good idea given what happened the week before. "They would have you on the next thing smoking Sammy." I asked another fellow player D-Dogg he said the same thing. How did I ever get myself into this situation? You did it again Okpro! I had to ponder all weekend what I was going to do come Monday.