by Wil Mara
Jon, standing next to Quincy, said, “He’s going to have one hell of a career.”
Jon nodded. This was a Monday night game late in the season, and the Ravens were leading the league with their 11–2 record. Defensive coaches wanted to confuse, or at the very least rattle, Raymond into making typical rookie mistakes. But it appeared he had indeed inherited his father’s legendary calm, transposing himself from an emotional young kid into a cold-blooded, steely-eyed warrior the moment he got on the field. His memory was also outstanding, to the point where Blanchard felt comfortable creating new plays just for him. Soon the media was raving over him. When word hit that he was the son of Quincy Pressner, and that Cary Blanchard had also been blown away by Quincy’s natural leadership talents and hired him as Baltimore’s assistant quarterbacks coach, there was a frenzy. The cameras couldn’t keep away from the former legend and mystery man. Patti Sheridan had written the “welcome to the world” piece as a freelancer for Sports Illustrated and was promised the book deal, if it came to that.
The Broncos, with their depleted defense and their tepid 7–6 record, fumed but remained stoic. They knew they’d been had. The press wouldn’t let that go, either. They constantly goaded Jon in the hopes of starting World War III, but he wouldn’t cooperate. He knew the Broncos would get even with him eventually. That’s how this part of the game was played. But by the time they exacted their revenge and McKinley was up to speed, it wouldn’t matter as much. All he cared about was the current campaign—a third Super Bowl and on to history. And he knew they were on their way to both.
Baltimore got the ball back with less than a minute remaining. Raymond took it in hand and dropped to one knee, and Quincy went out to his son. Jon Sabino savored the moment because he knew it wouldn’t last. Tomorrow he’d be expected to conjure a more miracles and record other victories. Such was the nature of his job, to which he knew he was hopelessly addicted.
As the team jogged off the field, their general manager went with them.
ALSO BY WIL MARA
Wave
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
THOMAS DUNNE BOOKS.
An imprint of St. Martin’s Press.
THE DRAFT. Copyright © 2006 by Wil Mara. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Mara, Wil.
The draft / Wil Mara.—1st ed.
p. cm.
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-35929-4
ISBN-10: 0-312-35929-2
1. Football stories. I. Title.
PS3613.A725D73 2006
813'.54—dc22 2006045767
First Edition: October 2006
eISBN 9781466859166
First eBook edition: October 2013