Senior Year Box Set

I wasn’t sure that teaching this bunch of dumbasses how to make each other’s arms go numb was a good idea. Cassidy seemed pleased when everyone was shaking their arm at the end of practice. I couldn’t wait to try it in a game.

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We planned to have the Kentucky in-home visit at Our House, my restaurant. The idea was to let everyone feel that they were a part of the process, and the Kentucky coaching staff were being good sports about it. Yes, the entire staff had made the trip. When Coach Styles heard what I planned, he thought it was a great idea.

“Unca David, Unca David,” Kyle, Mac, and Nate called as they pushed through the crowd to get to me.

I squatted down and took them all into a group hug. Angie and Greg were hurrying to make sure the three of them didn’t decide to go in three different directions. Nate wasn’t quite the problem yet because he was just figuring out the walking thing and was still a little cautious. Then the trio saw their cousins and ran off to talk to Peggy.

“I hear Mom walked in on you,” Greg said with a big grin.

“We need to put a cat bell on her so you hear her coming,” I complained.

“You just need to set boundaries,” Angie offered.

Both Greg and I about fell down laughing. I could just imagine how that conversation would go. I envisioned being fifty and her taking my debit card and car keys away.

Rather than discuss it, I would let Greg set his wife straight. Caryn had caught my eye to tell me that we needed to get started. Jeff Delahey saw me head towards the stage, and his cameraman caught up to me.

“I’d like to wire you for sound, so I don’t have to be in your face the whole time.”

I would have to remember I had this on, or I might end up saying something that I didn’t want to be recorded. Grabbing a house microphone, I turned it on and stepped up on stage.

“If you could start to find your seats, we’ll get this started.”

We’d set up three big round tables that each held twelve for Tim, Wolf, and me, and all our guests. Then there were smaller tables set up towards the back for everyone else. At my table were my mom and dad, Uncle John, Grandma Dawson, Coaches Hope and Mason, Brook, and Tracy. There were two that I was surprised were invited to sit at my table: Duane Morris, my sports attorney from Woodford & Morris, and Jeff, the reporter shooting the documentary.

The staff from Kentucky included Coach Styles; Don Berta, their recruiting coordinator; Coach Braun, their offensive coordinator and quarterback coach; and Coach Erickson, their defensive coordinator. Coach Styles and Don Berta joined us at my table. Coach Braun was seated at Wolf’s table, and Tim had Coach Erickson at his.

I’d invited Ty, but he wanted to go his own way for recruiting. He did plan to join us on our trip to Michigan. They were one of his five official visits. He also planned to go to Wisconsin, Iowa, Louisville, and Western Michigan.

We’d set it up so we would have a buffet. Mary Dole had put it together, and everything looked great. Once everyone had food, they played a video about the University of Kentucky and their football program.

When the video ended, Don Berta stepped up onto the stage.

“When I first met David during his freshman year, I knew he was someone I wanted to come to the University of Kentucky. Even then, you could tell he was a leader. We offered him based on that and crossed our fingers that he would turn out to be able to play,” he said, and everyone laughed.

“I wasn’t surprised when his in-home visit wasn’t typical. I got a chance to talk to his uncle, and he shared with me the concept of ‘circles of trust’ and that it was something David was working on. David wants to let you all know that he respects you and wants your input on this decision.

“I look out across the room at the diverse group he has put together, and all I know is I want that at the University of Kentucky. Of course, we want David, Tim, and Wolf to play football for us, but I can see they bring more than that; they bring a sense of family.

“We at the University of Kentucky take family seriously. We understand that you’re trusting us to help guide and shape your young men. Coach Styles stresses that our number-one job is to turn young men into adults. That means getting them a good education and helping them learn what it takes to be a man so they can make their way in the world after football ends.

“I asked Coach Styles for the opportunity to address you all. I want to show you that it’s not only the head coach who believes in our responsibility. It’s the whole coaching and support staff, and the University of Kentucky,” Don said, and then paused.

He got a weak smile on his face.