The Franchise
by Peter Gent
A corrupt football team fights to become the sport’s dominant
franchiseThe Texas Pistols never should have been. The league had no
business awarding a team to dying Park City, but it only took a little
pressure—financial and otherwise—to bring the expansion franchise to
town. At first, they’re worthless, playing in an empty stadium for
slack-jawed fans, but the owners have a plan. Five years to financial
security. Five years to complete domination of the sport. Five years to
the Super Bowl. And it starts with Taylor Rusk. But Rusk, the finest
college quarterback of his generation, is no fool, and he realizes
quickly that all is not honest in Park City. He doesn’t want to stop the
corruption; he wants a piece of it, and for a price he will lead his
new team to glory. In Texas, football is life. But in Park City, it can
mean death, too.
franchiseThe Texas Pistols never should have been. The league had no
business awarding a team to dying Park City, but it only took a little
pressure—financial and otherwise—to bring the expansion franchise to
town. At first, they’re worthless, playing in an empty stadium for
slack-jawed fans, but the owners have a plan. Five years to financial
security. Five years to complete domination of the sport. Five years to
the Super Bowl. And it starts with Taylor Rusk. But Rusk, the finest
college quarterback of his generation, is no fool, and he realizes
quickly that all is not honest in Park City. He doesn’t want to stop the
corruption; he wants a piece of it, and for a price he will lead his
new team to glory. In Texas, football is life. But in Park City, it can
mean death, too.