Talent Outside the Pocket: An NCAA 10 QB Story

[shinderhizzle84]

hello everyone. I usually hang out over at the hockey forums, but just picked up a copy of NCAA Football 10 today, and am loving it. Keep in mind that I haven't played the series since NCAA Football 2004, though, so I could just be slightly misguided. Anyways, BAP's, RTTS's, superstars....there all "My thing", so I figured I'd try and make one over here, on the football forums.

Please bare with me, though. My football knowledge is seriously lacking in some parts, and I haven't followed college football since Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart got drafted. In case you haven't noticed from that sentence, I was a borderline USC fan...meaning that I followed them every now and then. But I love the atmosphere for collegiate football ten times more than the NFL, and with all of those whiney *** NFL superstars asking for more money, passes, media attention, or cocaine (whatever), college football really shines out and makes us all remember that it's just a game--and we're supposed to have FUN with it.

Also, I'll be going to university next year, which I'm very nervous about, so I figured it's only fitting for me to write this :P

I'll whisk out the first post as quickly as possible. This will be heavily written-based, so I've got to write up the first story chapter, and then things will get going.

I hope you all enjoy my player's wild ride through whichever university he chooses (or whichever university chooses him, haha).

[sikolec]

Re: Talent Outside the Pocket: An NCAA 10 QB Story

Sounds good. Where ya off to? Congrats on getting into a univ!

[kobe360x]

Re: Talent Outside the Pocket: An NCAA 10 QB Story

i'll be following just to let you know

[bluejacketsfan]

Re: Talent Outside the Pocket: An NCAA 10 QB Story

Great just great, werever i go Shnder follows. GOD

jk ill be following this givin your incredible stories.

[shinderhizzle84]

Re: Talent Outside the Pocket: An NCAA 10 QB Story

Irvington, NY. Home of roughly 6,000 people. 88.66% of this population is Caucasion, while 1.45% is African American, and 6.95% Asian.

Nestled between the hills overlooking the scenic, and murky Hudson River, it's small town feel emanates gallantly from the lights hanging over the old and rickety Tappan Zee Bridge.

Roughly a 30 minute drive to the one and only New York City, and a good 5 minute drive to the somewhat well-known Sleepy Hollow, home to the fearsome, blood-curdling tale that is the Legend of the Sleepy Hollow Headless Horseman.

Home to some of the best pizza that can be found in silent Westchester County, as well as one of the most intellectual, highly regarded and acclaimed high schools in the state, as well as the nation.

And a boy. Standing miles away from his home is Gary Pickarts. And he stands, utterly alone, in the cold, howling wind, merely lying on the sacred ground beneath him, through biting winter frost and deathly winter chill.

Gary, a mere 17, is the protagonist of our story. The "hero", if you will.

And his life is about to change forever.

He is merely days away from his final days at Irvington High School.

The boy, at a good 6-feet, 180 lbs, stands up, suddenly, walking over the 10 yard line marker, which is hidden, and barely visible through the thick foam of snow dusting the football field on which he lay.

Thoughts were racing through his mind. Would this be his last time putting a football helmet?

He smirked slightly, as he raised the green and white Revolution mask to his face, staring it right in the eye-hole.

And as if he was looking into the eye of time, he remembered the time he had placed on the helmet for the first time.

There stood little Gary Pickarts, a mere kindergartner, eyeing the playing field nervously.

"Go on, son" his father had said gingerly, giving Gary a small shove, and a slight wave of dismissal.

Gary had had little practice throwing a football, yet here his coach--his father--had all but demanded the youngster take his place in the pocket.

"Just do it like we said," his father said warmly.

Little Gary gave a stiff, terse nod before placing the helmet on.

And all of a sudden, the presence of his current life whooshed back to him so quickly that teenage Gary was almost taken aback, being knocked down on all fours.

But maybe that had just been the wind.

What ended up happening that game, anyways? Gary wondered to himself as he made his way off the field, towards his old, beat up used chevrolet.

A catch, a scramble, and a championship.

Oh yeah, He thought, slamming the door shut on his car.

He had thrown the winning touchdown, and forevermore, Gary Pickarts was not known as "little gary", but as the talent who made his name outside the pocket.

And this is his story.

[bluejacketsfan]

Re: Talent Outside the Pocket: An NCAA 10 QB Story

great update. looking forward to this

[shinderhizzle84]

Re: Talent Outside the Pocket: An NCAA 10 QB Story

Sounds good. Where ya off to? Congrats on getting into a univ!

thanks man. I'll be off to NYU towards the end of August. Believe it or not, I'll be going there majoring in "Dramatic writing", which is just a specific form of creative writing that is heavily focused on either drama or comedy.

I'm hoping to impress the teachers there with my incredible wits, smarts, and uncanny knack for making creative, fluent jokes. Although with the way I've been writing BAPs so far on OS, you wouldn't be able to tell that

I hope you, and everyone else, enjoys following this man's career.

[shinderhizzle84]

Re: Talent Outside the Pocket: An NCAA 10 QB Story

also, just out of curiosity, i'm in the Create a player menu right now, and I'm trying to figure out which "tendency" to put down. I want him to be a speedy guy...kind of like a less whiney vince young or michael vick.

Should I put "option", or what? I don't see the choice of "scrambler", unfortunately...

[shinderhizzle84]

Re: Talent Outside the Pocket: An NCAA 10 QB Story

Gary Pickarts stood at the front of the train, waiting to lead his team out onto the field. Tonight was the night where it would all begin for Gary, or all end. His schoolwork had meant nothing to him. Tonight was the first round of the New York State high school football playoffs. And in attendance were 6 scouts from NCAA Division 1 College Football teams.

He had gotten a chance to have a quick word with the biggest scout of them all, a guy from Cal University.

"Gary," the man had exclaimed, waddling off of the cold, hard metal bleachers to shake the young man's hand. The scout was anything but "fit", and seemed to make the sturdy metal bleachers underneath him sag with a large creak whenever he sat down, making nearby onlookers and fans quite nervous.

"Nice to meet you, sir," was all the nervous high school Senior could manage.

"I've heard a lot of good things about you, kid," the scout said, waggling a finger after shoving half of a sauerkraut and mustard topped hot dog into his large, protruding mouth. Chewing with his mouth wide open, he flashed a yellow and red stained grin at Gary, who was forced to make as best eye contact as he could.

"Well sir," Gary had finally said once the large man had finished engulfing his meal. "I hope I don't disappoint you. But right now, I've got a game to win, whether I do well or not; my team's counting on me."

The scout laughed as Gary turned, waggling another thick, meaty finger at the boy, saying, "that's the way to be, sonny," as Gary turned, or fled, back to his locker room, and towards the center of the circle that was awaiting him to fill in.

As the team captain, it was his duty--and honor--to give the team a heartfelt speech before each game. Just because there were 5 or 6 scouts in the audience looking at him, and only him, didn't mean that anything was going to change.

"Alright boys," He said tentatively, quietly. "Tonight's a big night."

"We've been here before," he continued, nodding solemnly at the player's he had taken the ride with. The Irvington Bulldogs had gotten blown out in the first round last season, after Gary had blown his hamstring out and was unable to play for the rest of the game.

"This time, though, it's going to be different. It HAS to be different. Do you understand? We're not facing the best team in the league, thankfully. In fact, I've seen these guys play. They're nothing to write home about. In fact, we shouldn't have a problem steamrolling all over these guys."

He heard a few snickers from the back of the circle in reference to the other team. Just what he had wanted.

He snapped his fingers angrily, and said, "Hey! That doesn't mean we're going to get cocky. If we have that kind of attitude, we all know what's going to happen."

He paused for a moment, letting the dangerous thoughts sink in before voicing it aloud for all of them to confirm it.

"We're going to lose."

More silence. He had already become a practiced orator in so very little time.

"Now," He said, voice getting louder with each and every coming word. "Let me ask you something. Are you ready to put your hearts, your minds, your bodies, and your game, on the line for a victory tonight?"

All of a sudden, he was surrounded by a large circle of his peers, all screaming affirmatives, jumping up and down.

"Are you ready to lay personal glory aside, for the sake of the team?"

More "YEAH"s.

"Are you ready to lead yourselves onto victory? In the name of the Bulldog?"

Again, more "YEAH"s.

"THEN LET'S GO AND KICK SOME SPRING VALLEY ***!"

They clasped hands in the center of the circle, and chanted their victory cry.

"GO BULLDOGS!"

And with that, Gary Pickarts was leading his high school football team out onto the field, for what may be the last time.

Don't think that... Gary thought nervously. Glancing around the stands while he ran out jubilantly onto the field, he saw the large man, wearing a Cal University polo, talking to another man, who has more slender and tell, with large, square glasses.

Gary glanced hard at the logo on the polo shirt, and found it to be labeled with a large logo.

It said "TULSA."

He was snapped out of his reverree by the referee, who patted him on the back and said, "Good luck, tonight kid. Just remember that the scouts are looking for someone who can get them wins, and not somebody who only cares about the heismans."

"Er...thanks," Gary managed to force out.

"Don't mention it," the referee said, turning around to leave. As he ran away in the opposite direction, he turned his head over his shoulder and said, "Hey! Coin toss is in 2 minutes!"

Gary sighed, kicked some of the grass below him, and tucked at his jersey.

The demons inside of his stomach were brewing something awful, and Gary was almost sure he could already taste the Chicken & pasta meal his mother had made him for dinner coming back up through his esophagus.

[shinderhizzle84]

Re: Talent Outside the Pocket: An NCAA 10 QB Story

HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFF GAME #1:


*note* I was experimenting with difficulties and sliders, so please excuse the incredibly lopsided score :P

IRVINGTON HIGH SCHOOL @ SPRING VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL:


1st Quarter:

3:38: SVHS TD 2 YD RUSH BY QB (7-0 SVHS)

0:11: IHS TD 10 YD PASS BY G PICKARTS TO TE (7-7 TIED)

2nd Quarter:

4:26: IHS TD 3 YD RUSH BY FB (14-7 IHS)

3:10: SVHS TD 14 YD BY QB TO WR (14-14 TIED)

2:26: IHS TD 70 YD RUSH BY FB (21-14 IHS)

0:30: IHS TD 6 YD PASS BY G PICKARTS TO TE (28-14 IHS)

3rd Quarter:

3:03: IHS TD 13 YD PASS BY G PICKARTS TO TE (35-14 IHS)

0:29: IHS TD 20 YD PASS BY G PICKARTS TO WR (42-14 IHS)

4th Quarter:

3:47: SVHS TD 11 YD PASS BY QB TO TE (42-21 IHS)

FINAL SCORE: IHS 42 SVHS 21

Scouts in attendance:

#15 Cal
Colorado State
Tempia
Tulsa
Northern Illinois
Vanderbilt

GARY'S FINAL GAME STATISTICS: 12/16 ATT 154 PASS YDS, 4 PASS TD'S, 60 RUSH YDS, 0 RUSH TD'S.

[kobe360x]

Re: Talent Outside the Pocket: An NCAA 10 QB Story

hey man i'm loving this and i'm wondering if you dont mind signing up for my NHL 04 CAP Dynasty in the Hockey forums

[shinderhizzle84]

Re: Talent Outside the Pocket: An NCAA 10 QB Story

HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFF GAME #2:

MEDFORD HIGH SCHOOL @ IRVINGTON HIGH SCHOOL

1st Quarter:

4:08: IHS TD: 78 YD OPTION RUSH BY WR. 7-0 IHS.

2:11: MHS TD: 3 YD RUSH BY FB. 7-7 TIED.

0:33: IHS TD: 15 YD OPTION RUSH BY HB. 14-7 IHS.

2nd Quarter:

3:01: IHS TD: 7 YD OPTION RUSH BY FB. 20-7 IHS (MISSED XP)

0:12: MHS TD: 37 YD PASS FROM QB TO WR. 20-14 IHS.

3rd Quarter:

3:41: IHS TD: 62 YD PASS FROM G. PICKARTS TO WR. 27-14 IHS

4th Quarter:

4:17: MHS TD: 3 YD RUSH BY HB. 27-21 IHS.

1:53: IHS TD: 56 YD RUSH BY G. PICKARTS. 35-21 IHS (2 PT CONVERSION IS GOOD).

1:01: MHS TD: 12 YD PASS BY QB TO TE. 35-28 IHS.

FINAL GAME SCORE: IHS 35 MHS 28

GARY'S FINAL STATISTICS: 9/16 ATT, 229 PASS YDS, 1 PASS TD, 96 RUSH YDS, 1 RUSH TD.

Scouts in Attendance:

#13 Georgia
#11 Ole Miss
NC State
Buffalo
Indiana
Utah State.

[shinderhizzle84]

Re: Talent Outside the Pocket: An NCAA 10 QB Story

hey man i'm loving this and i'm wondering if you dont mind signing up for my NHL 04 CAP Dynasty in the Hockey forums

yeah sure thing, brohman. I definitely will, but am going to wait until tomorrow. I'm starting to get a little bit tired, and can only really focus on one thing, that being this.

But thanks for the invite!

[shinderhizzle84]

Re: Talent Outside the Pocket: An NCAA 10 QB Story

HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFF GAME #4: CENTEREACH HIGH SCHOOL @ IRVINGTON HIGH SCHOOL:

1st Quarter:

3:19: CHS TD: 3 YD RUSH BY FB. 7-0 CHS

2nd Quarter:

3:50: IHS FG: 22 YD FG BY IHS K. 7-3 CHS.

2:53: IHS TD: 61 YD PASS FROM G. PICKARTS TO WR. 10-3 IHS.

1:24: IHS FG: 26 YD FG BY IHS K. 13-3 IHS.

0:17: IHS TD: 24 YD PASS FROM G. PICKARTS TO TE. 20-3 IHS.

3rd Quarter:

3:37: IHS TD: 2 YD RUSH BY G. PICKARTS. 27-3 IHS.

***NOTE***: I accidentally missed a CHS TD while browsing through the game summary. My apologies.

3:09: IHS TD: 15 YD RUSH BY G. PICKARTS. 34-7.

4th Quarter:

4:30: IHS FG: 19 YD FG K IHS K. 37-7.

2:51: CHS TD: 1 YD RUSH BY FB. 37-14 IHS.

1:49: 21 YD RUSH BY G. PICKARTS. 44-14 IHS.

Final Game Score: IHS 44 CHS 14

GARY PICKART'S STATISTICS: 16/23 ATT, 316 PASS YDS, 2 PASS TD'S, 70 RUSH YDS, 3 RUSH TD'S.

Scouts in Attendance:

#3 Texas
#11 Ole Miss
#21 Nebraska
#25 Kansas
Memphis
Michigan State

[shinderhizzle84]

Re: Talent Outside the Pocket: An NCAA 10 QB Story

Gary Pickarts stood, knelt down by his gym locker, thinking, merely brewing thoughts.


This would be the last time he would wear his school's white and green. This would be the last time he would don his school's Bulldog-laced helmet, the last time he would play with the boys and men he knew and loved so well and dearly.


He took a nervous gulp, and began cleaning out his locker, so he could leave the field early after the game, one way or another.


Old, sweaty gym socks. Pictures of him raising trophies, in-game photos, photos of him and Kelly, his girlfriend. He smiled at her bright, shining face. He had always remarked that she was that type of blonde that simply looked like she belonged coasting along the California Beaches.


Not with him, that was for sure.


Unless, that is, he got into USC, or UCLA.


Or Stanford he thought with a slight wave of nausea.


Where would he be going after tonight? Malicious thoughts raced through his mind, thoughts of elderly teachers waggling their dissaproving fingers at him, as if they knew what lay in store for his future.


“Football will only take you so far, boy,” they had all said menacingly.


“But that's all I want to do!” Gary would proclaim, throwing his hands up in the air.


“Well, you'd better start to think of something! There's a whole wide world out there for successful people, and washed up brats who think they're special because they played football in high school don't belong in it!”


He hung his head, lost in this reverie of nervousness. He hung his head like he had all those years ago when he had heard those sentences for the first time.


“Gary,” A booming voice called him from down at the end of the locker rooms. It was then that he had finally looked up and realized he was alone.


“Yeah?” He called back. He had known right away from the amount of shout the voice had had that it was his football team's coach, Coach “P”, as everyone called him lovingly.


“Pre-game's in five minutes. Don't be late, the team's counting on you this matchup.”


“Al—alright Coach P,” Gary managed to squeak out.


The Coach, however, didn't leave, but simply slowly walked forward, edging towards where Gary was so the boy was in eyesight.


The older man simply gave a knowing, and—loving? Smile towards his star quarterback, his protege.


He approached the kneeling boy, and put both massive, meaty hands on his shoulders before lifting him up by his shirt, until he was upright, and staring eye to eye with his Coach.


The only problem was that a tear had come to settle in Gary's left eye, and he was now absolutely unable to glare into the direction of his Coach. However, it seemed as if Coach P knew exactly what was going on, for he took his quarterback and gave him and embraced him largely, and now the tears were flowing steadily, yet silently, for the young quarterback.


“Ah, I've known you for so long,” the Coach said soothingly, as he squeezed his quarterback tighter.


“Jesus, Coach, I'm sorry, it's—it's just...well..” The words came as a difficulty for Gary, and he had trouble keeping himself steady enough to utter them.


“..It's just that—ever since my D—my Dah—”


“Don't worry about him, kiddo,” The coach said, cutting the boy off, to either save him or help him, from thinking about the boy's role model who had left him for the deadly disease that was Cancer at the same time the kid had begun high school.


“Well, I—I just wanted to say that...well, you've been like a father to me, and—I'm going to miss you, Coach. I'm going to miss you, a lot.”


The coach laughed, hugging the boy even tighter.


But Gary simply cried even harder.


Was this what it felt like? To be consoled by your father? It wasn't like his father had died when he was so young he couldn't remember him. But it was just that when his father died, he was still so little. He hadn't been able to look his father in the eye like he was his coach.


“Listen, Gary,” The coach said soothingly. “You're going to go out there, and play for all the people you love, and all the people you've loved. And can I tell you something?” He poked him in the chest, and said, “You're going to do great. Whether you win, or lose, I know that you'll put everything you've got out there on the line tonight. Because that's what you are, Gary. You're not a businessman. You're not a carpanter, you're not a doctor, or an architect, and only God know's you're not a teacher.”


Gary smirked slightly at the mention of him being involved with academics in his future, and wiped one last tear from his eye.


“That's right, Gary. You're nothing else. You are, and always will be, a football player. A great, great, great, and respectable football player. And tonight, out there on the field, I want you to do nothing more than solidify your spot in that profession. There are countless people out there in the stands tonight, waiting for someone to catch their eye. That someone is you. And I know you can do it. I've always had faith in you. So when you look downfield tonight, and try and find an open receiver, don't think of those scouts. Don't think of your future. And most certainly don't think of Mrs. Peluzzi, your 10^th grade English teacher. I want you to think of your father, and how proud he would be of you. Let that pride fill your entire body, your entire spirit up, and let it glow and emanate from beyond your skin. And, if everything works out according to plan, and you go to college, just know that the door to my house will always be open for you. And if you'd ever like to drop by, and maybe talk football, or have a decent home-cooked meal for once in your college career, you're always welcome to drop by.”


“Thanks, coach,” was all that Gary managed to come up with. He was at a loss for words, and was still nervous about the upcoming football game.


The game that would decide his future, his fate, his destiny.

His life.


"Now come on," his Coach--no--his "father", said to him, clasping him on the back once more. "We've got a pre-game to run. And then, a football game, a championship, and a top-college roster seed to win."


And with that, the two of them left the gym locker room, and went out towards the field's sidelines, where the entire Irvington High School football team had gathered, awaiting their quarterback, their captain.


"Let's get 'em tonight, Gary," said one of his Tight end's, patting him on the helmet.


"Tonight's the big night, eh man?" said one of his wide receivers, once again patting him on the helmet.


"Will I ever be as good as you?" Said a wide-eyed, awe-stricken freshman named Cody Smithson, who was the Freshman football team's starting quarterback.


"Good luck tonight, dude," said his half back, patting him on the helmet.


He joined the circle, and began his final pre-game speech to the team he knew, and loved, so dearly.