A Viking Funeral

A Viking Funeral

There’s a fine art in snatching defeat from the jaws of victory and I’ve seen it accomplished as a player, a coach, a fan, and a parent, but please don’t try this at home, it will take a huge piece of your ego and leave you scratching your head like you have lice.

As I visited this past weekend with my kids, my son Brian and I got a surprise phone call from his good buddy Dustin, who now resides in South Carolina. The three of us chatted about life, family, and the current state of affairs before we delved into important business, high school football. Dustin and Brian played together for four years and came out of that time a bit scared, with a dismal record of five wins and twenty-five losses.

Yet we always return to one game, one Dustin hopes to forget but never will, I’m sure it’s not on his resume’ but it would be a great ice breaker. If ever a guy wished he was an inch taller, had a long fingernail, or a free safety who gave a shit, Dustin is that guy.

The boys senior year was way beyond horrific, no wins, ten losses, and a total of forty-seven, yes you’re reading that right, points scored all season. Try as they might, they couldn’t catch a break, but the Newport Harbor game, the one that got away, will live with these guys in infamy.

Playing in front of the home crowd, the Marina Vikings had a lead and the ball with about two minutes left, but quickly turned the ball over on downs and turned to their defense to win it. This team was undermanned, underdogs and under coached and that fateful night it all came to a head.

With less than ten seconds left on the clock, the Viking right defensive end crashed down and left the flank exposed. Newport had a right-handed QB rolling left that got around the edge and the Viking outside linebacker came tracking him quickly. As the QB approached the sideline and a sure collision with the linebacker, he let loose a weak throw. Dustin was the defensive back on that side and as he jumped the ball traveled over his outstretched arms narrowing missing his middle finger. It was the ball that had a tracking system attached as it took an uptick at Dustin’s hand.

He came within a whisper, a raindrop or even a scant scent of knocking down that ball, but alas, fate would have its day. The safety was over on the other side of the field signing autographs or trying to get cheerleader phone numbers and left Dustin out to dry. The Newport receiver caught the ill thrown ball and fell into the end zone giving Newport a 17-14 win, and Dustin will never hear the end of it. Was it really his fault? Makes no difference at this point, it travels with him like a freckle.

There has never been or will be a time his friends don’t point that out, and although he doesn’t deserve it, he laughs on the outside. He and Brian cried on my shoulders that night, I’ll never forget it, the poor guys fought their asses off to come up a breath short, but that’s football and that’s life.

After the heartbreaking loss to Newport Harbor I followed the team bus back to campus, even I was a bit tore up to see the suffering in these young men’s eyes. We’ve all been close to success, only to see it slip through our fingers and I knew this one would hurt for a while.

I ran into a few dads in the parking lot, that I knew felt the same as I, a dark cloud hovered over this team. I got word the backup QB, who should have been the starter, was having a little shindig and Brian told me he would meet me there. When I arrived it was a bit more than a small shindig, it was a raging party. I set in the car trying to decide if I should go forward, and seeing a few other football dads enter I gave it a ‘what the fuck’ shrug and went through the side gate.

I grabbed a cold one from the keg and looked around, I couldn’t see a football dad's insight. I fixed my inner navigation to find people close to my age, but that damn thing has been broken since childhood. I searched the backyard, living room and all stops in between, but teenagers were all I saw. I was walking past a room and heard the gaggle of young ladies and recognized some faces, so I stopped to say hi.

They invited me into their den of iniquity, so I set and enjoyed gossip hour, the only one I really knew was Chelsea, who one day in the future would end up dating Brian. Apparently, this was the ‘hot’ girl's clique and as I was in there, Brian and Dustin walked by and saw me through the window, Dustin must have had a step ladder, just saying. Needless to say, they remember it to this day, and I’ll pretend I don’t.

The boys weren’t there twenty minutes when the cops showed up, so being me, I borrowed a Letterman Jacket from Andrew Moore, pulled my hoodie down, and headed out toot sweet. I certainly didn’t need to get caught up in that mess. I never did see any of the dads, but I have to say it was a good time. Chelsea and I got to be close when she and Brian dated and all of her friends came by as well.

Dustin and Brian are still jealous but now in their thirties, I think they’re over it. The loss will always haunt all of us involved, but we did pull a silver lining out of that dark cloud.

Hope all is well, I’m tired of wearing a fucking mask and until next time, stay well.

Crack Egg Out