The Life Of Selvin Young

[wiskyfootball]

"No one would give me a chance. I wasn't worth getting picked in the NFL Draft," I remembered thinking. "I am just a washed up runningback with no future in the NFL. Why should someone give me a chance?"

*ring**ring*

"Damn it who would that be?"

*Answers Phone*

"Hello, is this Selvin?"

"Yeah who is this?"

"Mike Shanahan of the Denver Broncos, have you been working out lately? We are in need of a runningback at the moment, get your ass to Denver as fast as you can."

"Wow, I was just contemplating leaving the NFL, not that I was ever there, but throwing it completely out of my life. I'll be in Denver ASAP thanks a ton coach."

"Selvin you have deserved this, get here as soon as you can pre-season is about all the time you got before we start week 1."

"Coach you are a life saver, thanks for this opportunity I won't let you down."

[wiskyfootball]

I am not sure what Coach saw in me during the pre-season. I split time with Travis Henry their off-season pick-up and we had very similar stats. I ran for 171 yards and two scores and Travis ran for 202 yards and two scores. I wasn't spectacular but I won't say I was horrible. I made the most of my carries finished off two drives and got a lot of work in. Coach invited me into his office today after our final workouts before the season starts, I was nervous as crap goin in there I had not idea what he needed me for.

"How ya doin Selvin, I got some good and bad news. I'll start off by giving you the bad news, Travis went down today after you left practice. He knew you were competing for the starting spot so he stayed for a few extra reps after practice."

These words for hard for me to swallow. It was my fault this was happening to Travis, the best guy I had ever met. Coach continued.

"I watched it happen, he, two linemen and Al Wilson were running through some simple sweep plays when Al fell on Travis' ankle wrong. He fell to the ground and had to be taken to the hospital, broken ankle. We probably won't be getting him back this season, the load in on your shoulders. That is the good news."

Those words hit me like a brick wall. Sure I wanted to start and be the featured back, but Travis was my best friend on the team. When I came here for the first time he came over to me and helped me learn the ropes. To hear that he wasn't going to be playing at all this season really hit me hard. I stayed in coaches office for a while and we discussed it, I think he could tell it was really bothering me, but I wouldn't come out and say it to him.

Next weekend is opening day, I never saw myself being in this position. Hell I figured I was going to have to fall back on my law degree. This has truly been a dream come true for me, but I feel guilty, it is my fault that Travis got hurt. Nothing like that should happen to a guy like that.

[wiskyfootball]

Week 1 @ Buffalo (0-0)

Buffalo, NY - We did it, it wasn't pretty but we got the job done. We put up 31 points and our defense was able to bail us out. That sounds kinda weird when your defense has to bail you out when you score those kinda points. My first game as an NFL player is complete, hell of a lot harder then pre-season thats for sure.

Coach showed why he wanted me at tailback giving me the ball 22 times throughout the course of the game. My first carry, a two yard gain, was my last so I thought. Coach pulled me after that carry and gave me his evil stare, not sure what it meant, I'll probably find out later. Mike Bell carried the load the rest of the drive. Coach gave me the green light on my second series and I didn't disappoint.

I gained 23 yards on my first two carries of the drive the following play I got to do something I had never done before. Keith Ellison, LB for the Bills, was chasing down our fullback when I lit him up, or should I say he got JACKED UP! It was the single greatest feeling in the world. I helped Keith up only because I was the new guy on the field, he gave me a pat on the helmet and went back to the huddle, I knew then I belonged.

I finished that drive off with a tough 12 yard TD run, I broke a tackle, got to to two and then ran over the safety. Once I got there I wasn't sure what to do, most of the time Vince Young capped off our drives at Texas I wasn't to sure what to do in the NFL, so I just tossed the ball to the ref and joined my teammates on the sidelines.

Our defense did most of the work from thereon out, Al Wilson took a pick to the house late in the second quarter which capped our scoring. The Bills made a frantic attempt to comeback but the lead was just to big and we were able to sit on the ball and get out of Buffalo with a win. After the game when we got back to Denver I had a special note in my locker...

[ryandman89]

good job so far...but he's a longhorn...he needs to be arrested sometime.