Two Minute Drill (Bases Loaded Jam Series #2)

Ch. 37: The Man (Gordon)

What a day it was. I went from finding out a rumor that I was to be traded to all of a sudden realizing some crook within our organization tried to one up Brett and he paid the price as a result. Even though I was relieved to know I hadn't been traded like I thought I was going to be, it still didn't make my situation a whole lot easier. Despite having been the man that had brought the Texans to within a finger tip of winning and going to the Super Bowl, I was still relegated to my favorite spot in the whole world: the bench.

As I figured, much to my disappointment, despite a great training camp and preseason I had, Todd was still going to be named the starter. Much of it had to do with that Todd was the one that got us to the championship game and I was only brought in because he struggled. Yet, this choice didn't sit well with me and I figured maybe I should've been traded.

I wasn't alone in this assessment as some of my teammates felt I deserved a chance to be the guy. There had been some tension with Todd and my teammates because of the poor demonstration Todd displayed in the AFC Championship game that broke trust with everyone.

"Damn it Gordo," Troy Paulson said to me one day in camp. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say Coach had it out for you. If I was the coach, you would be the guy and you know it too."

"Well," I answered. "I'm sure Coach Robinson has his reasons. Just wish he would be more upfront with me about them. Maybe I should be traded."

"Ah hell no. Don't even go there."

"Did I hear Gordon wants to be traded?" said Quincy Spiers who came by to see what we were discussing. "If that's the case, I want off too. Coach Robinson really wants to make a statement and I think he's got it out for you."

Although I wasn't sure if Coach Robinson had it out for me, I had to wonder why he was keeping Todd as the starter. As I've said, Todd was a good quarterback, but the offseason for him had been marred by his behavior that never seemed to quell entering the season. It made some teammates concerned as well as the fans and media, who were already starting to question if what we achieved last season was just a one time fluke.

To make matters more intense, we opened the season in Kansas City of all places and that night was the night they would unveil their AFC Championship banner. It wasn't the Super Bowl, but their fans were excited because in their mind, they would win it all this season. Of course, their fans were in some ways relieved to know I wouldn't be starting this game.

Coach Robinson did have to answer questions as to why I wasn't starting over Todd. He did say it came down to experience and a gut feeling, but that I was capable of doing the job if my number was called. To him, it was a standard answer that coaches give to the media to avoid being criticized privately. To me, it was his way of saying don't get your hopes up because you might not suit up ever again.

Well, we won the toss and elected to receive. Todd started the game and his very first pass was a pick-six that he didn't see from the safety coming to shield Jermaine. Fifteen seconds in. Texans - 0, Chiefs - 7. How do you like that?

Our defense kept Kansas City out of the endzone for all of the first half. But, that didn't necessarily mean we didn't give up points. Two field goals by their kicker made the score 13-3. Our only response was a field goal by Diego Carmen to trail 13-3 at the break.

At the start of the third quarter, Troy sacked Patrick Mahomes and forced a fumble, which Lucky Dupree was able to pick up and go to the endzone. After forcing Kansas City to a three-and-out, we returned a punt deep into the Chiefs' redzone and I was sure we would score a touchdown. But Todd decided to get greedy as he misfired on three straight passes leading to incompletions. With no other option, Diego tied the game entering the fourth quarter. That's when things got interesting.