Playing to Win

broke into wild cheers. And the crowd went crazy. Cole just soaked up the adrenaline rush.
    By the end of the first half they were up ten to nothing. Cole had been given several plays, and was two for three. Coach gave them the requisite pep talk in the locker room, but the team was doing a good job. Defense was kicking ass; they just needed to put more points up on the board.
    Fortunately, they received the kickoff to start the second half. They got the ball on the thirty-yard line after a great return by special teams. Cole went out for the first play, but only as a decoy. He blocked for the running back, who took it twelve yards for a first down. He stayed in for the next play and took a pass sixteen yards for another first down. The offensive line was opening up holes like crazy. When he ran a post, he blew through an opening and saw nothing but the end zone ahead of him, two defenders hard on his heels. He dug in and ran for all he had and hit the end zone for a touchdown.
    His teammates caught up and mobbed him. He couldn’t remember ever being this happy, or more a part of a team.
    Coach pulled him out for the next offensive series, and Davis and Fields took some passes for yardage. By the fourth quarter theywere up by twenty-four points and the offensive coordinator signaled for Kenny Lawton to go in on the next offensive series.
    “You’re going to do great,” Cole told him. “We’ve got this game in the bag, so no pressure. Just read the signals of the defense. And don’t forget to catch the damn ball.”
    Lawton nodded and ran out when the offense took the field. He lined up, ran his route at the snap, and dropped the pass.
    Damn.
    Lawton was left in for another shot at it, and this time he caught the ball on a play-action pass for an eight-yard gain.
    Hell yeah. Kenny grinned so wide you’d have thought he’d just caught a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl.
    Cole remembered what it was like to catch your first pass in a regular season game. It was monumental and something you never forgot. When Kenny came back to the sidelines, he, Davis, and Fields all slapped him on the back.
    “Good job, kid,” Cole said.
    “Thanks. I mucked up the first one, though.”
    He looked pained about it, too.
    “Don’t worry about it,” Jamarcus said. “It sure as hell won’t be the last pass you drop. We all do it.”
    “More than we want to,” Lon admitted.
    Cole liked these guys. He liked playing for this team. And when the whistle sounded to end the game and they’d won, the team gathered around to celebrate, hooting and hollering and slapping one another, celebrating with the fans as their way of thanking them for their support. Cole was dragged around the stadium and shoved around in the locker room.
    For the first time since he’d started playing professional football, he actually felt like he was part of a team.
    Things were changing. He’d done a lot of the changing, and he had Savannah to thank for that.
    When the media came in to interview him, he answered their questions—even the tough ones—honestly.
    “I have a lot to prove this season. I’m with a great team, and I’m lucky to be here. I’ve been given another chance, and I’m going to work my butt off to prove to the team and to the fans that I deserve to be here.”
    He left it at that, and the media seemed satisfied. Maybe because it was the truth, and he’d finally left his attitude behind.
    Now it was time to look forward.
    SAVANNAH COULDN’T BE MORE PLEASED FOR COLE. IT had been such a great game. His performance on the field had been nearly perfect. And off the field? She couldn’t have asked for more. She’d listened to his after-game interview, and he’d done everything right, had answered the media’s questions honestly, and had even added touches of humor. He’d had a complete turnaround, and she wouldn’t be surprised if he continued playing well. The media hounded him for interviews now, but more for the positive than the negative.
    She hoped his family celebrated his success today.
    She went home and waited for him to pick her up, knowing he had those interviews and a team meeting. It took him an hour and a half, and she nearly ran to the door when he rang the doorbell. She opened it and threw her arms around him.
    “Congratulations,” she said when he scooped her into his arms. “I’m so proud of you.”
    He brushed his lips across hers, then grinned. “Thanks. But it’s only the first game. I don’t