Songs for Daddy- Chapter 47: Play the Game Tonight (Part 2 [the rumors])
Part 1
Rice Bowl, one hour before, the American Announcer Booth
“Hello sports fans! This is Bob Hendrickson here live from the Tokyo Dome! It’s a nice day for football folks the sun’s shining and its 20 degrees cee- wait what does that mean?” Bob Hendrickson was a middle age man with a handsome face and a fashionable, but professional hair cut. He was pretty nondescript for a sports announcer, physically anyways, Lewis knew otherwise. The man could read and follow a game just as well as he could. His announcing, for the football related parts, was very detailed and succinct. But everything else, well….
There was a reason he wasn’t a quarterback after all.
“That’s 68 degrees Fahrenheit.” Lewis prompted. “A bit chilly for the day to day, but just about right if you’re running around in a uniform.”
“Ah, thanks.” Hendrickson smiled. “Ah, now here with me today is Clifford D. Lewis of the New England Patriots, here for ‘undisclosed reasons’. Say Clifford, would you mind disclosing a few of those reasons?”
“Well Bob,” Lewis began, looking a little thoughtful, “I can disclose one.”
Hendrickson sat up and leaned forward, suddenly very attentive.
“I came here to see Youichi Hiruma’s revival.” Lewis admitted. He knew that the press had been all over his relationship with Hiruma. It had offended several people that Lewis’ only acknowledged rival was some ‘hick out in Japan’. Their words, not his. Lewis never did explain his reasons for having Hiruma be his only rival publically, but privately everyone knew the answer. Hiruma was the only quarterback in the world to ever over take Lewis’ lead in a game and bring it into overtime. If Lewis was leading going into the fourth quarter, he always won the game and never had overtime. Hiruma is the only one to have challenged him to that point.
Needless to say after that game between Team USA and Team Japan, Lewis learned that he wasn’t the best at playing quarterback in the world. Hiruma had the right to that title. He took an inferior team, bound it together and forced a tie with the strongest team in the world with some serious setbacks.
“You’re sure he’s going to play?” Hendrickson asked. “I mean, there’s been the whole debate about whether or not he’ll make an appearance. Or if he’s even back from his disappearance.”
Indeed it had been a rather amazing debate. Hiruma was on the official team roster, but out on ‘personal reasons’ of some sort. It had been left vague. There had been images of him at practice that the paparazzi had revealed, so everyone assumed there’d been a horrible family loss keeping him at home on the weekends instead of at games. Certainly the distracted looks at practice had been enough to help with that. But the leave he had been recently specified as ‘medical’ which confused many. Would he really be returning? Was his name and presence there to be a scare tactic? No one knew.
“He’s back.” Lewis said solemnly.
“Well even if Hiruma is back he hasn’t been seen on the bench at any of the prior matches-” Hendrickson went on with his anti-Hiruma’s return argument. They decided Hendrickson would support the Saikyodai Wizards while Lewis would support the Takekura Babies.
“I checked the X-league rules, a player is allowed to be exempt from sitting on the game and still be eligible to play in further games under certain medical condition clauses.” Lewis showed the particular ‘sheet’ to Hendrickson. They’d discussed this part of the discussion of the live broadcast in advance, so the prop was prepared.
“Oh, I see, if the guy’s sick he’s allowed to play in future games and ordered off the bench.” Hendrickson nodded.
“I would presume Youichi’s case is something of that sort.” Lewis remarked.
“Then there’s also been that talk about his mysterious ‘personal reasons’ that prevent him from playing.” Hendrickson pointed out. “The rumor is someone in his family’s got terminal cancer.”
“Knowing Youichi, that’s probably one of seven reasons.” Lewis then proceeded to be slightly offended by the dubious look Hendrickson was giving him. “Youichi sincerely loves playing football and he’s a man that’s not easily bested by things. If he’s got ‘personal reasons’ keeping him from the field there’d have to be a lot of major things going on in his life for it to make enough of a difference.”
“…So you think he’s back.” Hendrickson observed.
“Not think, know.” Lewis clarified. “He was in the locker room earlier.”
“Ah, so he really is here?” Hendrickson waited for the nod. “Well now we go back to the debate about him playing. Even though there is a clause in the rules that allows him to play, there’s still the official ruling to contend with and the fact he hasn’t played all season. The Babies’ roster has changed a great deal from when he was last on the field, I’m not sure the coach would let him.
“Not to mention that Saikyodai has been officially dubbed the roughest team in Japanese football. These kids are strong, tough, and they play hard. There’s a great deal of concern that the Babies will suffer some serious injuries during this game play. And of course, even if they do manage to withstand the physical on sought, they have to contend with Takeru Yamoto’s expert strategy and one hundred percent prediction. Even if the Babies have Youichi on board, will it be enough?” Hendrickson asked Lewis.
“It’ll have to be if the Babies want the championship.” Lewis answered. Hendrickson gave him a baffled look.
“By this point in the game all the hands are dealt, it’s just a matter of playing them to the best of your ability.” Lewis explained. “Besides, the Babies have Youichi and no one can beat him at football strategy.”
“That’s assuming Youichi actually plays….” Hendrickson pointed out. Lewis gave him a look that clearly said he was tired of disagreeing with that statement.
“You know, Clifford, you’re the Invincible Gambler, what’s the chances Youichi’s gonna play?” Hendrickson asked. This was the point in which the rehearsal stopped and the improve began.
“The chance is one hundred percent.” Clifford announced with absolute confidence.
“What do you mean, one hundred percent-!?” Hendrickson protested.
“-She’s in the stands today. The chance is one hundred percent, the safest bet.” Lewis told Hendrickson firmly.
“Who is this ‘she’?” Hendrickson asked only to get small, smug smirk in response.
“Youichi’s daughter.”
Part 3
Rice Bowl, one hour before, the American Announcer Booth
“Hello sports fans! This is Bob Hendrickson here live from the Tokyo Dome! It’s a nice day for football folks the sun’s shining and its 20 degrees cee- wait what does that mean?” Bob Hendrickson was a middle age man with a handsome face and a fashionable, but professional hair cut. He was pretty nondescript for a sports announcer, physically anyways, Lewis knew otherwise. The man could read and follow a game just as well as he could. His announcing, for the football related parts, was very detailed and succinct. But everything else, well….
There was a reason he wasn’t a quarterback after all.
“That’s 68 degrees Fahrenheit.” Lewis prompted. “A bit chilly for the day to day, but just about right if you’re running around in a uniform.”
“Ah, thanks.” Hendrickson smiled. “Ah, now here with me today is Clifford D. Lewis of the New England Patriots, here for ‘undisclosed reasons’. Say Clifford, would you mind disclosing a few of those reasons?”
“Well Bob,” Lewis began, looking a little thoughtful, “I can disclose one.”
Hendrickson sat up and leaned forward, suddenly very attentive.
“I came here to see Youichi Hiruma’s revival.” Lewis admitted. He knew that the press had been all over his relationship with Hiruma. It had offended several people that Lewis’ only acknowledged rival was some ‘hick out in Japan’. Their words, not his. Lewis never did explain his reasons for having Hiruma be his only rival publically, but privately everyone knew the answer. Hiruma was the only quarterback in the world to ever over take Lewis’ lead in a game and bring it into overtime. If Lewis was leading going into the fourth quarter, he always won the game and never had overtime. Hiruma is the only one to have challenged him to that point.
Needless to say after that game between Team USA and Team Japan, Lewis learned that he wasn’t the best at playing quarterback in the world. Hiruma had the right to that title. He took an inferior team, bound it together and forced a tie with the strongest team in the world with some serious setbacks.
“You’re sure he’s going to play?” Hendrickson asked. “I mean, there’s been the whole debate about whether or not he’ll make an appearance. Or if he’s even back from his disappearance.”
Indeed it had been a rather amazing debate. Hiruma was on the official team roster, but out on ‘personal reasons’ of some sort. It had been left vague. There had been images of him at practice that the paparazzi had revealed, so everyone assumed there’d been a horrible family loss keeping him at home on the weekends instead of at games. Certainly the distracted looks at practice had been enough to help with that. But the leave he had been recently specified as ‘medical’ which confused many. Would he really be returning? Was his name and presence there to be a scare tactic? No one knew.
“He’s back.” Lewis said solemnly.
“Well even if Hiruma is back he hasn’t been seen on the bench at any of the prior matches-” Hendrickson went on with his anti-Hiruma’s return argument. They decided Hendrickson would support the Saikyodai Wizards while Lewis would support the Takekura Babies.
“I checked the X-league rules, a player is allowed to be exempt from sitting on the game and still be eligible to play in further games under certain medical condition clauses.” Lewis showed the particular ‘sheet’ to Hendrickson. They’d discussed this part of the discussion of the live broadcast in advance, so the prop was prepared.
“Oh, I see, if the guy’s sick he’s allowed to play in future games and ordered off the bench.” Hendrickson nodded.
“I would presume Youichi’s case is something of that sort.” Lewis remarked.
“Then there’s also been that talk about his mysterious ‘personal reasons’ that prevent him from playing.” Hendrickson pointed out. “The rumor is someone in his family’s got terminal cancer.”
“Knowing Youichi, that’s probably one of seven reasons.” Lewis then proceeded to be slightly offended by the dubious look Hendrickson was giving him. “Youichi sincerely loves playing football and he’s a man that’s not easily bested by things. If he’s got ‘personal reasons’ keeping him from the field there’d have to be a lot of major things going on in his life for it to make enough of a difference.”
“…So you think he’s back.” Hendrickson observed.
“Not think, know.” Lewis clarified. “He was in the locker room earlier.”
“Ah, so he really is here?” Hendrickson waited for the nod. “Well now we go back to the debate about him playing. Even though there is a clause in the rules that allows him to play, there’s still the official ruling to contend with and the fact he hasn’t played all season. The Babies’ roster has changed a great deal from when he was last on the field, I’m not sure the coach would let him.
“Not to mention that Saikyodai has been officially dubbed the roughest team in Japanese football. These kids are strong, tough, and they play hard. There’s a great deal of concern that the Babies will suffer some serious injuries during this game play. And of course, even if they do manage to withstand the physical on sought, they have to contend with Takeru Yamoto’s expert strategy and one hundred percent prediction. Even if the Babies have Youichi on board, will it be enough?” Hendrickson asked Lewis.
“It’ll have to be if the Babies want the championship.” Lewis answered. Hendrickson gave him a baffled look.
“By this point in the game all the hands are dealt, it’s just a matter of playing them to the best of your ability.” Lewis explained. “Besides, the Babies have Youichi and no one can beat him at football strategy.”
“That’s assuming Youichi actually plays….” Hendrickson pointed out. Lewis gave him a look that clearly said he was tired of disagreeing with that statement.
“You know, Clifford, you’re the Invincible Gambler, what’s the chances Youichi’s gonna play?” Hendrickson asked. This was the point in which the rehearsal stopped and the improve began.
“The chance is one hundred percent.” Clifford announced with absolute confidence.
“What do you mean, one hundred percent-!?” Hendrickson protested.
“-She’s in the stands today. The chance is one hundred percent, the safest bet.” Lewis told Hendrickson firmly.
“Who is this ‘she’?” Hendrickson asked only to get small, smug smirk in response.
“Youichi’s daughter.”
Part 3