The Diary of Fritz Brady REDUX (NCAA 08)

[WVUFan]

Re: Entry: Two-A-Days

Fritz doesn't come crashing down, loses current girl, and realizes he should've been with Kristy all along?

Just playing with you man, keep up the good work.

No, you have some good points. I appeciate the feedback. It's certainly something to consider.

[WVUFan]

Re: The Diary of Fritz Brady REDUX (NCAA 08)

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--- The Diary of Fritz Brady -- April 10, 2007
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Ok, I know there's nothing wrong at home because Mom called back. She's mad at me for some reason, and I figure it's because she walked in on me and Vicky. She won't talk to me, and I don't know why. She knew we were an item, so it's shouldn't be a big shock to realize we're involved in that way. My roommate says she's jealous, but if that was the case, she would have made a bigger deal in the dozen or so times I've talked to her about Vicky. So, that can't be it.

I have no clue what's going on.

This stupid situation made me all unfocused at practice, and I heard about it plenty from the quarterback's coach. This week's the worst time for this to happen, since this is the first week we're in pads. This is the "go time" in the words of Coach Beamer.

I know this has been said before, but the speed of the game is so much higher in this stage than anything I've ever experienced. Secondaries are smarter, and they're so good at "reading eyes", so not only do I have to be aware of the pocket, and the pressure, but also that my eyes don't lock on any one receiver for any period of time. I have a feeling in the pocket of impending doom more than I have ever felt before.

I now know why they made me work so much of speed and footwork, because you need it in this level.

A friend of mine asked me one time how hard the quarterback position is. He says quarterbacks are always elevated above and beyond what the other positions are, and it seems to him to be not as hard. I tried to explain to him what it means to be a quarterback, but you really can't explain it.

Firstly, the ball is always in your hands. Every play begins with the center getting the ball to you, and you have the control and more importantly the responsibility to run the play in the fashion it was intended. If you fumble, it's your fault. If your running back fumbles, it's your fault. If your wide receiver catches and fumbles or tips and it's picked off, it's all your fault. The game rests entirely on your shoulders, regardless of who else is on the team.

In passing plays, it's much, much more than simply a toss and catch. You have to be completely cognisant of everything around you. You have to read the defense pre-snap, adjusting to what they're showing you and what you know they do post-snap. After the snap, You have to keep your eyes downfield, all the while know what's happening with your protection, and adjusting to it as your line adjusts to where you are. You have to read the secondary, and know where your players are, oftentimes WITHOUT looking at them, because when you do, the secondary will adjust to what you are looking at. You have to often times look at a receiver to pull the secondary over there, then pass to another wideout. You have to read 2, 3 sometimes more wideouts before making a decision to throw. YOu have to throw not to where the wideout is, but where he WILL be, and ensure that no defensive back will be there. You have to throw it in such a way as to ensure that ONLY your back or receiver will catch it. You have to do this knowing that as soon as you do, you will probably be hit, very hard by a 300+ pound lineman or a 250 pound linebacker who wants nothing more than to hit you so hard that you will not get back up. You will get him with your arm outstretched, but you can't pull back and brace for the hit because that will affect your release.

And you have 3 to 5 seconds to do all of that. Then pick yourself back up, and do it again. And you have to love doing this EVERY SINGLE GAME because if you don't, you will never succeed. You have to know that when your team wins, you have to give the credit to everyone else on the team but yourself, and if you lose, you have to accept all the blame.

And I have to do it all without my best friend.

[WVUFan]

The Diary of Fritz Brady REDUX (NCAA 08)

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--- The Diary of Fritz Brady --- September 2, 2007 ---
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It's been a few months since I've even touched this thing, and aside from the fact that I just watched my very first Hokie football game from the sidelines, not a whole lot has changed. We played East Carolina, here at home, and won pretty easily, 42-10. Our big back Brandon Ore (who hasn't spoken three words to me in the many months I've been here) rushed for 183 yards and 3 touchdowns before sitting down in the third quarter. If I hadn't gotten redshirted, maybe I might have had a shot in playing in this game.

In any case, we're 1-0, and ranked #9 in both polls. We get to go to LSU and play the #3 Tigers next week -- well, most of us do. Redshirts do not travel with the team. We win this game, we're in the national title hunt. Lose this one, and best we can hope for is an ACC title. What am I saying -- I don't have anything to do with it. I'm sitting in a shirt and blue jeans on the sideline.

So, in any case, Kristy and I haven't spoken in a good while. I understand she's running with a different crowd, the small "sports ruin the school and players get special treatment" group that hangs around talking trash about the teams. To answer their question -- YES, we get special treatment, but then again, since we generate MILLIONS for the school, and get nothing out out it but a education (which alot of they get, without generating any funds for the school), we deserve it. We EARN the scholarships we get, unlike them.

Back to Kristy. She now has this whole "football players are scum" thing going, and I guess I'm the cause of it. I have no idea what her problem is. My roommate says it's because she had the hots for me, and her heart got broken when she saw me. My response to that is simple: She had 4 years of high school and a half a year at college to tell me how she felt. I suck at reading women and what they're thinking -- I'm not a mind-reader. I can't be expected to know what she was thinking.

It's too late anyway.

Things between me and Vicky cooled down quite a bit after the whole Kristy thing, to the point where she's evidently moved on to Randall Vickers, a redshirt freshmen linebacker who came in the same time I did. More power to him, she's a handfull. He came up to me before they got together and wanted to be sure that I would be ok, and I appreciate the fact that he came to me. It never was a serious thing, so it's fine with me.

Now, I'm just trying to get my head around the massive playbook, and get ready for next year, when I take the field for real. I want to be ready and able to compete for a starting job. Sean Glennon's doesn't deserve to start for this team. I'm gonna prove that.

Mom says Dad is warming up to the idea of me playing football in Blacksburg, to the point where she caught him looking at Hokie jerseys at the mall the other day, something he wouldn't have even taken a second glance at before. Doesn't matter. I still feel wierd being here sometimes because of him, like I didn't earn this. I have nothing to say to the man.

I keep hearing rumors that Duke is leaving the basketball portion of the ACC, following in the footsteps of what Notre Dame does in football -- belonging to a conference in one sport, and being independant in another. From what I've been told, they think they could make more money doing individual television contracts and not having to share with the ACC, given their history in basketball. Whatever happens, it won't affect us any, since from everything I've been told they're staying in the ACC in football. They suck in football, anyway.

I just realized that if Vicky and Randall ever get hitched, she would be Vicky Vickers. Heh.

[Blaxican8504]

Re: The Diary of Fritz Brady REDUX (NCAA 08)

Vicky Vickers. :y4:

[SoundTheAlarm]

Re: The Diary of Fritz Brady REDUX (NCAA 08)

Just Giving A Little Bump...can't lose this great thread.

[chestnutz6]

Re: The Diary of Fritz Brady REDUX (NCAA 08)

This is fantastic man, probably the best dynasty-type thing I've read. Great storylines and everything. Keep up the good work. You're actually getting me kinda wanting to buy NCAA, although I've been hooked on All Pro Football the day it came out.

[WVUFan]

Entry: Second Game

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--- The Diary of Fritz Brady --- September 10, 2007
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VIRGINIA TECH 35, LSU 21

Lemme repeat that.

VIRGINIA TECH 35, LSU 21

We just beat the #3 team in the nation, effectively putting us in the national championship spotlight, and taking them out of it.

I watched the game from the athletic facility with the rest of the reshirters, and we were jumping around, celebrating. I don't remember much about it, any specific plays, that's something we'll go over in meetings and game footage for our next game against Ohio, but ... wow.

The pools shot us up to #6, right behind new #5 West Virginia.

One of the wide receivers, Charlie Fields, was player of the game with 5 catches, 138 yards and a touchdown.

I watched in the athletic facility as they dissected the game on ESPN a day or so later, talking about the Tech defense and how it shored up near the end, and how effective the offense was, led by Brandon. As I'm watching a play where Glennon throws the ball to Fields, I hear Sean Glennon say over my shoulder, "take a good look, because this is as close as you'll get to the field. Meat.". I cannot tell you how much I hate him. I don't know if it's jealousy, or just him being himself, but there's no reason why he would treat me this way. I'm redshirted -- I can't even take the field in uniform. I'm no threat to him this year.

Next year, that'll be a different story.

My roommate has left the team and the school. He missed his family and girlfriend, and is transferring to Appalachian State, which is closer to home. I don't know if he will play for them or not. We didn't really have a whole lot of time to bond. He was pretty constantly on the phone dealing with one thing or another at home.

So, now I'm the only freshmen with a room to themselves.

[WVUFan]

Re: The Diary of Fritz Brady REDUX (NCAA 08)

This is fantastic man, probably the best dynasty-type thing I've read. Great storylines and everything. Keep up the good work. You're actually getting me kinda wanting to buy NCAA, although I've been hooked on All Pro Football the day it came out.

Thanks, man. I appreciate the kind words.

I have both All-Pro and NCAA. They're both great games, and for different reasons.

[WVUFan]

Entry: Acceptance?

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--- The Diary of Fritz Brady --- September 17, 2007
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VIRGINIA TECH 42, OHIO 39.

We sucked, especially our defense.

Jackass Glennon was player of the game; he was 22 for 29, 293 yards and 5 touchdowns. We're still #6, and 3-0

I saw Kristy kissing some other guy today. I know there was nothing between us, never has been, but I got full-on pissed off when I saw it. It felt like someone ripped my chest out, and I wanted to kill this shrimp that she was with. Almost did, then I figured I'd get in trouble if I did something like that. Doesn't matter anyway, she hates me.

She still hasn't spoken to me. It's been months now, and I'm beginning to realize just how much I cared about her. You know what they say about hindsight.

After practice today, where I was playing the part of William and Mary's quarterback, I hit a couple really good, sharp passes right in the middle and split the starting secondary. The defensive coach lit into them, and I saw Brandon Ore watching from the sidelines. After practice, he comes up to me and says "Good job, Fritz. Sean better watch out next year". First time any upperclassmen has referred to me as anything other than "meat", and it seemed to open up the flood gates. Other players started talking to me like I was human, and a few starting linemen even invited me out with them to a restaurant. I was hesitant at first, figuring I'd be the one footing the bill, but one of them even offered to pay. I did notice there wasn't a senior in the group. So I went.

They talked with me a good bit about next year and figured I would be fighting with Glennon and Robinson(he's the backup) for some playing time, and they figured that we could start sometime later in the year working with them after practice on some reps. They wanted to get used to my signal patterns and the way I held a huddle. For one of the first times since I got here, I felt at home.

In other big news, Duke University has made it official ... they are withdrawing from the Atlantic Coach Conference in basketball, and going "independant", making it the only independant, non-affiliated Division I basketball team in the nation. They will remain in the ACC in football. They do this to allow themselves the freedom to sign television contacts individually with networks, and not have to profit share with a conference. Needless to say, this is getting big time converage and the ACC isn't happy. Oh, well. Doesn't affect me.

We play William and Mary this week. Cake game, but it'll give time for some of the backups to get some playing time. I hate being redshirted. This year cannot end fast enough.

[Blaxican8504]

Re: Entry: Acceptance?

Fritz for Heisman!

[gta95]

Re: Entry: Acceptance?

Let's get some bumpage in here. I'm liking this story.

[WVUFan]

Re: The Diary of Fritz Brady REDUX (NCAA 08)

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--- The Diary of Fritz Brady --- September 20, 2007
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I'm sitting in the weight room, talking to a few of the back-up lineman, when I see Sean Glennon walk through the room in the direction of Coach Beemer's office. He looked PISSED, which automatically made me a happier person. A few minutes later I get told Glennon violated some sort of team rule and has been benched, not only for the William and Mary game, but for the foreseeable future.

Fan-FREAKING-TASTIC!!

Mark Robinson is starting, and he's a quiet one, doesn't really talk alot and hasn't been an *** to me, so I'm a fan. I think William and Mary is a great team for him to get his feet wet before we get really into the meat of the ACC schedule.

I'm still alone in my room, but I haven't been in the mood for company. I went out last night, and I'm sure I could have taken someone home, but I didn't. I just can't bring myself to do it. It's strange -- I never paid Kristy any attention when I could have had her, I talked about my conquests with blinders on to what I had in front of me, and now that she's gone, NOW I'm faithful to her -- I can't seem to look at any other woman. I find myself hanging out where I think she might be, and just waiting there in the hopes I could see her. I know she hates me, but I can't stop.

So, I call up Roddy over in Morgantown, but he's not home. His roommates says he'll be back tomorrow, so I hope I can talk to him about this. Out of everyone I know, he's the one who'll give me the most honest answer, and the last thing I need is someone pandering to me.

We're still #6. West Virginia is still #5. We're both undefeated. Wouldn't it be something if we both ran the tables and met in the title game.

[erich20012001]

Re: The Diary of Fritz Brady REDUX (NCAA 08)

THREE WORDS!!!! BEST FRANCHISE EVER!!!

[gta95]

Re: The Diary of Fritz Brady REDUX (NCAA 08)

Bump. This still going? Great story

[Brandon 2006]

Re: The Diary of Fritz Brady REDUX (NCAA 08)

Bump. This still going? Great story

I think he just stopped it, no notification though, so it is possible he could come back. Hopefully he will return though, cause this is such a great reading experience.