| Appearences by: | AJ Frost |
| Season: | Two |
| Episode #: | One |
| Date: | April 2, 2007 |
| Total Deaths: | 0 |
As a newspaper blows through the streets of Marshall University, The wind whips the page across the ground passing beer cans, confetti, and other various litters of celebration. The paper finds a tree branch catching its momentum causing it to stop. The page covered with dirt grim and various foot prints stretches out across those budding limbs and it reads “What’s next for Frost?” a picture of Aj is across the front page holding the college championship cup high into the air. As the wind blows the sounds of the page blowing in the wind upon the tree is dominate, however, from the practice field just west of those trees the sound of a snap count is becoming clearer.
Standing on the fifty yard line of this well kept practice field we find Aj and Eric dressed in cut off Marshall Shirts and shorts. The green and white of the Marshall logos are present on all their clothing minus their shoes, which are made by Nike. Aj is working with Eric, his center, on some variation of the snap count he was thinking about using next season to help his field control
Aj: holding a football in his right hand his hands wave in the air as he expresses, “I was thinking about using a new snap count style for next season to keep our opponents off balance what do you think?”
Eric: leaning over to the right side of his body stretching his back and leg, “What were you thinking about changing with the snap count? Well I mean you’re the boss Frost if you want to count to 50 then you can count to 50. It does not make a difference to me at all.”
Aj: letting out a small laugh at Eric’s simplistic view of the game, Aj nods in agreement with the acknowledgement of him being the boss.
“Well I was thinking about using some kind of touch signal to you to let you know that the next snap count will be your queue to hike the ball to me. That way we force our guys to watch the ball and decrease the chance they jump off sides. Our opponents also will not be trying to anticipate my count and get an early push on our O line. How does that sound?”
Unknown voice: “Hey, you must be Aj right?”
Aj and Eric snap their heads to the right and see a very athletic built guy standing there and a gray Marshall Tee shirt and similar shorts to their own. His hair is brown and kept short in a fade. His eyes, a shade of grayish blue transfixed upon the football in Aj’s hand danced from the ball being tossed from one hand to another by frost.
Aj: “Well there is only one star quarterback at this school and you’re looking at him, how can I help you?”
Aj found himself sizing up this guy for no other reason than the fact that he was tall like a quarterback and his arms were strong like one as well.
Not taking his eyes from the ball as it shifted from hand to hand the guy opened his mouth and started to speak with a strange confidence rooted deep in his voice.
“My name is Travis; I have just been recruited to play here at Marshall as YOUR wide receiver next year.”
As Travis emphasized the “your” Aj felt his judgmental nature subside as he was not a treat to his position as the leader of HIS team.
Aj shifted his look down to Eric and he shot him a fast smirk. Having worked with new talent before, Aj knew that this guy was in for a challenge wanting to play for Marshall. As Aj stood flexing his grip on the football in his hands he looked back to Travis.
Aj:” hop on the line Travis and let’s see what you can do. Run me a post to the stands. You know what that is right?”
Travis nodded with confidence at Frost. Aj flipped the ball from his hands to the ground and Eric snatched in up with care placing the laces of the ball to the right as to speed up the passing motion for Frost. Aj leaned down over Eric and placed his hands cupped ready to grab the ball as he counted “ready set… hut… hut” Aj reached down and patted Eric on the left thigh passing the signal to Eric for the impending snap.“ Hike!”
Without missing a beat Travis tore off the line with a burst of speed leaving chunks of grass flying in the air as his cleats dug into the moist spring ground. Travis’s body took to motion like he had been doing this his entire life. Aj took the ball like a pro and pounced back into his throwing stance. Aj’s head snapped to the left watching the wake of mud and grass being left behind the pounding legs of Travis. “He is fast I will give him that” Aj thought to himself watching Travis streak toward the end zone. Aj analyzing the speed at which Travis was running he calculated exactly where to place the ball to make his catch brainless. The ball was pulled back and fired out of Aj’s hand like a rocket ripping through the air in a tight perfect spiral toward the still running Travis. Turning his head back to the right Travis spotted the ball in its bullet spiral heading right for his path. Stepping in stride on his path the ball was placed with utter perfection as all Travis had to do was open his arms close to his chest and the ball laid itself in his hands.
Eric looked up at Aj and laughed a little.
“My grandma could catch that ball Aj if you keep throwing them right on the money how are you going to know what he is really worth.”
Aj slipped in a smirk as his ego was being feed by the flattering comments about his throwing ability from Eric.
As Travis was jogging back to the line Aj asked Eric “What do you want me to do put him through the ringer right of the bat? What kind of guy do you think I am?” as he finished talking to Eric he shot him a wink.
“Hell of a pass there Aj, with arm and accuracy like that you could make anyone a star.” Travis tossed the ball back to Aj with approval. “So what’s next you want me to run through all the routs to show you I know them?” Travis asked almost expecting Aj to acknowledge and show his dominance by making him run all the grunt routs.
“Nah you don’t need to do all that if I think you have a problem with the routs I am sure I will let you know.” Aj reached behind his back and pulled out a little booklet with the logo of the thundering herd on the cover. Here is our play book let’s try some two minute drills from here, sound good to you?”
Travis nodded and came in close to frost. Glancing at the play book he saw the primary rout cutting infield then ten yards up cutting hard to the side lines for the clock stopping catch. “That rout is called the flat line” if we are on the line and I call out Flat line you change your rout to this and head to the side lines. As Aj stood lined up behind Eric he got an idea in his head. “ hey how about you run this rout and instead of running out you do a sideline catch? You know dragging your feet and all, you good with those?” Aj smiled a little knowing that Travis was going to end up in the mud as he drug his feet to keep himself inbounds. Aj did not wait to see if he approved or not he lined up and bent down over Eric eager to send the fresh receiver to the mud.
“Down set… Hut … hut“ again Aj reached down and touched the back of Eric’s left thigh “Hike!” Aj commanded.
Travis again tore from the line but this time he cut hard infield exactly like the play had shown. After the ten yards had passed he turned almost on a dime and cut strait line to the side line. Aj gripped the ball with eagerness ready to fire this ball low and outside to make Travis eat the mud. Bouncing on his feet Aj reeled back and again, not unlike a cannon, shot this ball from his hands with force. Travis ripping toward the sidelines, again saw the ball flying toward his path but this time low and a bit far from him at his current speed. Speeding up Travis gained on the ball with ease. Reaching out with his right hand Travis palmed the rifled football with ease.
“Now to stay inbounds” Travis said to himself. Looking down he stepped with his left foot and drug his right foot in the grass flipping mud and grass all in the air. His momentum that was supposed to send him to the mud was quickly changed and he hopped after dragging his feet and remained upright and most importantly, clean.
Aj looked down at Eric with shock in his eyes. “No one makes that catch and stays upright. What the hell was that?” Eric in just as much shock replied, “No one but him I guess”
Looking down at his watch, Aj noticed it was getting late and he had places he needed to be.
“Let’s call it here guys I have some things I need to take care of and I still have to take a shower.”
Looking over at Travis
“Nice to meet you Travis, it will be a pleasure for you to work with me. You want us to show you to the athletic showers?”
Travis: “no thanks guys I have to do some cool down exercises or else I will cramp up really bad.”
Aj and Eric shrugged to one another then headed to the showers.
-In the shower room-
Aj and Eric finished their showers and started to dry off and get dressed. The door to the shower came open and in walked Travis covered in sweat.
Travis: “I hope there is some hot water left in there fells.”
Aj and Eric laughed to themselves and headed out of the shower toward the dorms.
Aj: “Oh shit I left my watch on the bench in the shower I will be right back wait up for me.”
Aj sprinted back to the shower as he approached the shower and the sounds of the water filled the hall. Aj pushed open the door and slipped into the steam filled room. Walking over to the bench where his watch was laying, he grabbed it and slipped it onto his wrist. Heading back toward the door Aj herd Travis singing from the shower, laughing to himself Aj walked to the opening of the shower to laugh at Travis and his singing ability.
Aj: “Hey don’t quit your da…. What the fuck is that on your hands?”
Aj was staring at this black coating that is on his hands.
Travis snapped around quickly and pulled his hands to his chest
Travis: “uh well… I… Shit! let me dry off and I will tell you about it.”
Aj slipped back to the bench and sat there forgetting that he told Eric to wait on him just outside the hall from the shower room. Travis finished his shower and dried himself off quickly.
Travis:”ok I will show you what this is.”
Travis reached up and grabbed the football from his locker and held it in his hand.
Travis:”Take it from me.”
AJ, smirking, reached out with his right hand to grab the football. He wrapped his hand around the ball and tried to pull it from Travis. It did not move.
Aj:”what the hell, you have to let it go if you tell me to take it from you.”
Travis:”That’s the thing you can’t take it from me. The black stuff is like a tar and it make my hands have super grip to them.”
Aj, smiling to himself, so you’re telling me that I can throw any pass to you and you WILL catch it.
Travis and Aj exchanged a small glance and a small smile.
Aj:” well then let me show you something to show you that I will keep your little secret.”
Aj tossed the watch into the air at Travis and just before Travis could reach out and grab it Aj stopped it with his own ability.
Travis:”really? What the hell is that? How are you doing that?”
Aj:”I have control over magnetism. Like you have …. Grip hands.”
The both exchange a nod in respect to each other’s secrets.
