Two Minute Drill (Bases Loaded Jam Series #2)

Ch. 46: Wild Card Round (Gordon)

So much happened in the locker room following the loss. Guys were bitter and angry over the fact that they were still hurting and couldn't rest up because we had to play our first round playoff game the next week. Players were criticizing each other for mistakes and missed assignments on the game.

I wasn't immune from the criticisms although my play wasn't called into action. It was due to my date with Brett, which I tried to explain was never a date with Brett. Was it a distraction to the team? I think in hindsight it might've been. However, I still believed I was helping a friend in need. All the same, despite the bad outcome from the game, we were still going to the playoffs and we would be hosting our first playoff game.

The whole drama of me and Brett and the loss to Tennessee really could've had major damage for the playoffs. For the 24 hours after the loss, it could've had that feeling as everywhere you watched, no one seemed to be giving us a chance to do much aside from winning one game.

The reasons for a potential early exit from the playoff varied from me not having playoff experience to our defense starting to lose focus. Plus, even if we were to get out of the AFC alive, our reward would be a potential matchup with the hated Dallas Cowboys in the Super Bowl.

It was no secret that they were the media darlings. After winning it all the previous year, Dallas finished with the best record in all of football going 16-1. The one loss was in Week 4 to the Philadelphia Eagles. From that point on, they went on a roll winning 13 in a row to get a bye in the wild card round. All bets were off on who would win the Super Bowl while no bets were made on us getting there due to the distractions.

Fortunately for us, Coach Robinson came to our rescue and brought us back to what the focus needed to be at. He did something pretty unique during the week of the wild card game.

After giving us the Monday off, he told us to arrive to the stadium early the next day and to pack up for a few days. None of us knew what was going on, but we didn't ask. We figured Coach Robinson would have a message for us.

When we arrived to the stadium the next day, there were two buses ready to depart.

"What's going on?" Asked defensive end Clay Rosenthal.

"Are we going on a trip?" Otis asked.

"If yes, then where too?" Diego said.

None of the coaches told us when we asked other than to get on a bus. I took the first bus because Coach Robinson was on that one. I wanted to listen to see if he would say something to the other coaches about the plan for the week. But to my disappointment, none of the coaches said anything as we departed.

Three hours later, we finally arrived to our destination.

"We're in my hometown," I heard Troy shout.

It was true. We were in San Antonio. But no one knew why. Once we stopped, we got off the buses, checked into a hotel, got back on the buses and departed to a local high school football field. It was pretty weird having to practice on a high school field. Instead of practicing at the Alamodome, we were the main attraction of some local students who walked by and watched us. That seemed to be the highlight of their day and we even got to autograph some items for them. Still, we couldn't decipher the reason for us being here.

We found out the answer the next day when coach had it in the team itinerary to depart for a tour of a famous site. Immediately, I knew where we were going. It was to the Alamo, the site of perhaps the most famous battle in the Texas Revolution. This was the site where 180 members of the Texan army fought and tried to defend the mission against over 7,000 troops of the Mexican army for 13 days. Though the 180 men, led by William Travis, Jim Bowie, and Davy Crockett were ultimately defeated, the battle served as the turning point for the revolution as general Sam Houston would lead a militia to overtake the Mexicans and gain independence for Texas.