Sunday, May 11, 2008

Football



Larisa let me join the a semi-pro football team again this year. Two years ago I played for the Bay Tickets 49ers. Now I joined the California Warriors. I like this team a lot better and have made a lot of friends on the team. But it still had its rough periods. I joined the team late in the season, after the games had already started, because I wasn't willing to commit as much time to it as I did before. I play in the Golden Coast Football League, and our team is doing quite well.

Today I played almost the entire game (on offense), but I've had many games where I haven't played much at all. I was riding on a record of never having dropped a pass in my semi-pro carrier (totaling seven receptions). :) Then about a month ago I got my first touchdown, even though I got hit hard while catching it in the end-zone. But the following week I played terribly and dropped two passes among other things.

I tend to get down on myself for the mistakes I make. It's both good and bad for me.

Today I had another touchdown, only to have it taken from me because of a holding penalty. It was a replay of the John Beck pass to Johnny Harline at the end of the 2006 BYU-Utah game. We were on 4th and goal (7 year-line), with 2 minutes left in the game, and down by 8. I ran a post from the right side of the field, and our quarterback held onto it for a long time as he rolled right. At the last possible moment he chucked it across his body to me, waiting open on the left-hand side. His pass was short and almost knocked away by a defender, but I dove for it and came up with it. I would have been a hero if it weren't for the penalty. We ended up losing the game.

The most important thing to report is that I don't have anything to report in the way of injuries. That's what I get most worried about as I live out this fantasy. Although I did get hit pretty hard today by a teammate as I tackled someone on the kickoff.

2 Comments:

Blogger Brett Gilbert said...

So it's me, Brett Gilbert (a.k.a. that one goofy kid from the MTC). I was just thinking about you today, for whatever reason, and so I googled you up. I don't think I have talked to you since shortly after the mission. It's certainly been a while.

I would ask what's up, but it was your resume that showed up first on Google. It says it all. It sounds like you are having fun and doing well.

To anyone reading this blog, I have a story to tell about Paul that is perhaps relevant to this football post. Way back in the day, I once saw Paul wrestle a kid (Danny MacArthur (whose dad is now the JMTC President, by the way)) to the ground and pin him . . . all with his hands behind his back and without standing up! I would tell the story about how he once did that to me, but that would be much too embarrassing.

So Paul, check out our blog if you want to:
gilbertfamily-brettandnecia.blogspot.com
It will give you the low-down on what's happening with me/us. You might have to dig in there a bit, but I am in Japan now, alone for the summer (*sniff*), working as a summer associate at White & Case, an international law firm. I have one year left of law school at the University of Minnesota. After graduation, we will probably be in New York City.

Feel free to send me an email anytime:
BrettRyanGilbert@gmail.com
[Shame on anyone reading this who sells my email address!]

Take care!

12:06 AM

 
Blogger Justin said...

Paul, you never cease to amaze. How about some football pictures???

10:16 PM

 

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