Extra Post (For Credit or Otherwise) 2: Explanation of the NLPF (Restore the Order)

When I was first contemplating this story, I wanted to use real, current (and speculated future) NFL teams in the story. It was summer when I was forming the idea and I came up to the MUC nearly every day to study and keep connected with the world. One night out of the blue I just created a whole new league: the National League of Professional Football. I couldn’t think of how to make the real league to totally fit with the storyline I had in mind.

Rules and regulations are basically the same between the real and fake league except those regarding ownership that I have brought up in my short story. Conferences are organized in the same manner. Team names in the NLPF are based off their real NFL counterparts, except the New York (Buffalo) Knights, which are a movie tie-in that will be explained in my final revisions. I’ve been trying to figure out an appropriate name for Detroit so that is why a question mark currently follows the city. To keep some consistency, I’ve decided that the league will have a history that parallels the NFL. The following is a list of the teams:

National Conference

East

New York Dragons-NYK

Philadelphia War Hawks-PHI

Washington Braves-WAS

Dallas Roughriders-DAL

North

Twin-City Norsemen-TCN

Green Bay Greens-GB

Chicago Bruins-CHI

Detroit ?

South

Carolina Wildcats-CAR

New Orleans Cajuns-NO

Tampa Bay Pirates-TB

Atlanta Silver Hawks-ATL

West

St. Louis Big Horns-STL

Phoenix Red Birds-PHX

Bay Area Miners-BAM

Seattle Ospreys-SEA

American Conference

 

East

New York (Buffalo) Knights-BUF

Boston Minutemen-BOS

Miami Sharks-MIA

New York Rockets-NYR

North

Baltimore Crows-BAL

Pittsburgh Steel Workers-PIT

Cincinnati Tigers-CIN

Cleveland Bulldogs-CLE

South

Indiana Chargers-IND

Houston Longhorns-HOU

Nashville Oilmen-NAS

Jacksonville Leopards-JAX

West

Kansas City Indians-KC

Los Angeles Barbarians-LA

Denver Raptors-DEN

San Diego Thunder-SD

Week of Dec. 7 – 13: Free Post 2: Jacob Robnie Character Sketch

*Name: Jacob Joseph Robnie

*D.O.B.: November 1, 1985

*Place of Birth: Omaha, NE

*Height: 6’5”

*Weight: 185 lbs.

*Hair: Brown

*Eyes: Green

*Distinctive Physical gestures, habits, tics: Easily excited during football games.

*Preferred clothing: Work (News)-Business casual. Work (football) team wear Daily- Shorts/jeans, t-shirts, concert tees

*Has friends? Who: Many friends include news staff, players and staff on sports teams in the Denver area

*English use: Yes.

*View of Money: Wants to have enough to support himself and his son. Doesn’t particularly care if he ends up rich or not.

*Sense of Future: Tries not to predict it.

*Leisure time: Spends it with his son when he can. Goes out with friends from time to time. Takes son to team owner’s Rocky Mountain cabin.

*Attitude Toward Sex: Hasn’t had much interest since wife died.

*Attitude Toward Religion: Agnostic. Feels that organized religion has become too embroiled in money and hatred.

*Alcohol Consumption: Occasional beers with friends. Somewhat light on alcohol.

*Employment/Feelings About: (Aug. 1998-Jul. 2014) Denver Post-Photographer, loved the job, quit upon acquiring Denver Raptors (Jul. 2014-???) CEO/Owner/GM of Denver Raptors football team, reluctant to take job but devotes all time toward it to keep team in town.

*Class Consciousness: Starts upper-middle class, pay raise bumps him to upper-class.

*Ethnic Background, How Relates To: Mix of German, Scandinavian, Welsh family. Doesn’t factor into story much.

*What Are/Were Parents Like: Mother and father were both respected journalists.

*Fears: That he’s going to let his son down being a single father. That he’ll let his team and city down.

*What They Want From Life: He’d like to be a good father to his son. Wants to keep the Raptors in Denver.

*Other Notes: Was once married to Sandra Hunt, daughter of former Raptors owner George S. Hunt, until she was killed in a car accident a year ago. Ever since he’s become closer to his seven-year old son Kyle, spending more time with him. Journalism major graduating from U. of South Dakota.

Week of Dec. 7 – 13: Process Post

So the semester is finally over. Time for me to go through with finals, hope that my studying will be enough and look forward to the extended break. It’s also a time to look back over the last few months of my academic life.

I will admit I could have done better, especially in this class. The stress of juggling homework, newspaper and, early on, a job got to me too many times. Completing the job with all my effort is something I’d like accomplish do come next semester. 

The part of this class I enjoyed most probably would be the short story. Afterall, this is a story I’d had in my mind for so long. Even to put a small portion of it on paper made me happy. Of course it is nowhere near complete. The 750 words for each chapter, while enough to complete the assignment, could have been 1000 words per assignment and I’m still not sure I would’ve been able to fully develop it. In any case, I still enjoyed the opportunity.

I really can’t think of anything I’d change about this class other than maybe have a longer short story section. While poetry was interesting, it’s never been anything that caught my interest. As the old song lyric goes; “I’m nobody’s poet.”

Anyway, I’d like to say thanks for the opportunity to help me expand on my creativity. I said earlier in the year that I hope to go further with writing. I really think this class will be a huge boost to get me to that point, and for that I thank you.

Week of Dec. 7 – 13: Free Write 1: How the Mighty Have Fallen

“How the Mighty Have Fallen”

“How the mighty have fallen. The weapons of war have perished!”

2 Samuel 1:19-27

It isn’t like me to quote the Bible often, but with the last passing weeks it has become relevant in the town they call Foxborough.  

Here resides the one they call “Wonderboy,” a name stolen from another mighty weapon of war.

Here resides the man with a plan, the one with a brain; A truly mad genius and his plethora of photography equipment.

Here resides a mascot named Pat whose indulgence in the world’s oldest profession has brought great shame upon his employer’s name.

At a time neither ice, nor snow, nor wind, nor sleet could stop them.

Oh how the times have changed for an unlucky few.

At a time they were automatically put in the greatest game of all.

Oh how the times have changed for an unlucky few.

At a time their mad genius looked as if he knew The Gambler’s philosophy: “Know when to hold ‘em, fold ‘em, walk away and run.”

Oh how the times have changed for an unlucky few.

They used to hoist trophies over their heads.

Now they hold questions above them.

They are the New England patriots.

They were once the mighty.

They are now the tumbling.

They were once the Champions.

They are now the cheaters.

The torch is now to be passed elsewhere, the song it is finished.

For this philosophy has now come true:

“How the mighty have fallen. The weapons of war have perished!”