“That was something else I was going to ask you. They do have a slot reserved for you. The question they have is who do you want to coach you. I can send you over a list, or make a recommendation.”
“Is Bud Mason coaching again?” I asked.
“Yes, and he requested you as someone he wants to coach. You want me to set it up?”
“I liked Bud and learned a lot from him. Do you think it’s a good idea to use him? Or try someone different?”
“Good question. Normally I’d look for someone who teaches your style of ball. Coach Mason, though, has years of pro experience. I think we can agree he made you better. There’s no one I’d say is better or you could learn more from. I say go for it,” Bo suggested.
“Yeah, set it up.”
“I have a favor to ask of you, and I’ll understand if you say no. Alabama wants you to come to their camp this year. They said they also needed a quarterback coach. Nothing improper was said or offered, but I want to be that coach.”
“Hmmm, let me think about it for a moment. We’re talking about one of my top five programs I want to go to. It would give me several days to explore their campus. I think I could be talked into it.”
“I hate to ask, but what are your top five right now?”
“Alabama, Ohio State, Florida State, Notre Dame and USC,” I shared.
Of course, the list was dependent on me checking out the campus and football program. I also wanted a chance to play sooner rather than later. If they all picked up stud quarterbacks between now and when I went, it might change my mind. I wasn’t afraid of competition, but I wanted to know they were confident in my abilities.
“Not a bad list. You want me to put the word out you’re interested in them?”
“I was hoping you’d help me with recruiting like you did last year.”
“I’d be willing to help out. Anyone else you’d be interested in me jump-starting your recruitment with?” Bo asked.
“I think I’m good with Kentucky. Florida has a new coaching staff; I think I want to see what happens there. I like Texas A&M; Missouri has some potential; Cal and Stanford out west. I also like the idea of staying closer to home, so in the Big 10 Michigan State and Wisconsin stand out. The one program I might be talked into is Michigan with their new coach.”
“What about Oregon? Your skills would fit with their offense,” Bo suggested.
“Sure. They always have a good team. My concern is will their style of offense make me ready for the pros?”
“Maybe not, but winning cures a lot of doubts. Let me get working on this and I’ll send you over a contract. If you want, we can lock in the next two years and I’ll throw in specialty training as part of the package.”
“Like what?” I asked.
“I’d send you to a training facility where you would improve your speed, flexibility, strength and agility. I send my college guys who want to improve their draft status there so they do better at the combine.”
“Send it all over to Kendal. She handles all my contracts. Talking to you makes me want to go out and hit somebody.”
“I always tried to avoid getting hit,” Bo said.
KENT SET UP ANOTHER group outing that Kendal and I went to. Tonight was a different pub that allowed me in to eat. The legal drinking age in the Northwest Territories was 19. I think Halle and I were the only ones not old enough. My plan for the evening was to have a nice steak and then go to bed. I had another long day in front of me.
I was talking to Halle and Kendal when we heard voices raised in anger. I was surprised when it was Ben and a couple of locals. Kent and Craig jumped up to try and calm things down.
“Do you think they need help?” I asked.
“Just stay out of it. Ben’s been chasing this girl all week and I think he just met her boyfriend,” Halle informed us.
“You need to tell Ben your rules,” Kendal suggested.
“What rules are those?” Halle asked me.
At that moment, Ben punched one of the locals. His buddies looked like they didn’t want to get involved, and the boyfriend looked like the fight was out of him.
“My brother taught me these rules,” I said, turning back to Halle. “One of them is to never date a girl who’s in a relationship with another guy.”
“Or girl,” Kendal offered helpfully.
“Oh, yeah. That must be why I can’t hook up with Adrienne,” I said and smacked my forehead.
“It’s also why you can’t take Hannah Minacci to Prom,” Kendal supplied.
Halle watched us try to figure out if we were pulling her leg or not. It never hurts your reputation to be able to name-drop a couple of supermodels as potential dates. It all goes back to what Greg had told me about women wanting a guy other girls want. Kendal was being a great wingman. The only problem was I had a girlfriend.
“You never told me you were interested in Adrienne,” Halle accused.
“Oh, he has video and naked pictures,” Kendal said, not helping this time.
“Come on, Gizmo Boy, I know you have it on your phone,” Halle demanded.
“First of all, there are alleged nude fashion photos,” I said in my haughtiest voice. “Said photos were taken without permission, and if I allegedly had any, one very pissed-off fashion model would have me by my balls.”
I pulled up the video of when I first met Adrienne and kissed her. I heard things heating up with Ben and his new friends. I was impressed; Ben could take a punch.
“That looked like it hurt. Do I you think they need help?” I asked.
“You stay right here. I’ll tell you if you need to help them,” Kendal told me.
Halle had just gotten to the part where I kissed Adrienne.
“Oh, my!” she said, as she put her hand over her mouth.
Kendal rolled her eyes at me as I broke out into a big grin. It never got old seeing a girl’s expression when they saw our video. When it ended, she handed me back my phone.
“Show me the nude photos,” Halle ordered.
“Alleged nude photos,” I corrected her.
I looked around to make sure no one was looking and brought the photo up from the Miami shoot. A model had taken pictures of Adrienne and me as we were getting our spray tans. I hung onto the phone to show her. There was no way I was going to let this photo get out.
“Oh, my!” Halle said again.
Adrienne was spectacular in clothes. Out of them, you got an idea of how truly remarkable she really was. There was a reason she was at the top of her game even at the age of 27. She could continue making money in our business for the rest of her life. She was just one of those rare talents.
I noticed several of the locals and now most of our production crew were squared off. Kent pulled a guy off Craig and got punched for his troubles. I’d only seen something like this in a movie or on a TV show. They had a real brawl going. I looked at Kendal and Halle and they both shook their heads.
Things changed suddenly. Some idiot tossed a beer and it landed on both Halle and Kendal. The poor guy had no idea what hit him as both girls jumped up and started swinging. I figured I better pull them off before one of them broke a nail. I had one under each arm when Mr. Brave took a swing at me. I was able to duck and weave out of the way. I sat the girls down behind me.
“Can I punch him?” I asked.
“Take him down, but don’t hurt him too much,” Kendal said.
The dumbass decided he could take me. He had to be only five-nine and a buck fifty. I didn’t want it to get out of hand, so I used one of Cassidy’s moves and took him down. I put him in an arm bar I’d learned at the dojo and he was suddenly very cooperative. Meanwhile Ben was in the process of getting the shit kicked out of him.
“Hold him like this,” I told Halle, and she took over subduing our beer-tosser.
I ran over to Ben’s guy and tossed him. This was one of the things I had learned for the movie. I was checking Ben out when the guy tried to tackle me. Some assholes just didn’t learn. Jeff and Alan had accused me of being the Hulk because I was stronger than I looked. I picked the guy up and sent him straight down on the floor. Ben winced as all the air was expelled from the guy’s lungs.