[revrew]

Coder: Thanks! And, as you requested...


A strange turn of events kept my job. For, you see, the man who was hit with the playbook and needed stitches...was me. I blacked out from the blow and was taken away by ambulance. Davis might have said, "You're fired!" but I didn't hear it.

The next time I saw Davis (back in Birmingham, for he never came to see me in the hospital), I came with a black eye and stitches across my forehead. I also came under the full advice of my attorney.

I knew Davis didn't want to admit me to his office, so I met with Graves first. I laid it on the line. Very simply, the common man image might take a blow if the public knew the full extent of Davis' little tantrum. The image might take a hit if Davis was in jail for assault, too.

Graves came around to my way of thinking soon enough. We met with Davis.

The negotiations were tense: I wanted to remain GM with a guaranteed 10-year contract and a share of the Rebel's earnings. Very simply, when the Rebels made a profit, I wanted 80 percent. And I wanted the silly roster limitation rules lifted.

Davis squirmed and ranted every way possible, including a not-so-subtle threat of violence against my loved ones. To be honest, I hadn't known him to be involved in the organized crime scene, but with Graves' record in the Clinton administration, I figured procuring a hit man might not be difficult for the Davis team.

I admit, I was shaken. Yet I stuck to my guns. I had Graves nervous, and I knew Graves had Jeffrey's ear.

In the end, a compromise: I remained GM for a guaranteed 10 years, even if we lost to New England and Washington. I remained a silent partner that absorbed no losses, but 50% of the profits. And the silly roster limitation rules...remained.

Davis would not budge on his obsession with a gridiron graycoat army. He had even taken to referring to players from "The Southern Nation" vs. players "of foreign descent." There was no way to move him.

Perhaps I wasn't going to win the Superbowl in Birmingham. But I could cost Davis a few million and make a few for myself in the meantime. That, for now, would be enough.

Our second year ended with a dismal 2-14 record, the second worst in the league. The team still made $14 mil that year, however, which netted me seven. Davis had other costs and had to pay out to the other investors...so he only made a fraction of what I raked in. The time for paybacks came one step closer.