When Alaskan multi-billionaire industrialist Trevor Worthington IV brought an NFL expansion team to the City of Anchorage, Alaska, America and the world held their breath. Football simply isn't big in Alaska due to the damned weather. Worthington theorized that if the Canadian Football League can thrive in cold places like the City of Calgary, Alberta, and the City of Montreal, Quebec, then American football can at least survive in the City of Anchorage, Alaska. It took ten years and billions of dollars, but at last, the NFL has gained a foothold in Alaska.
The newly formed NFL expansion team known as the Anchorage Coyotes followed the same game plan as the Ottawa Redblacks, the newest team in the Canadian Football League. The Anchorage Coyotes recruited heavily among American college football standouts and their Canadian counterparts. This was the less costly option by a long shot. That's how Jayson Etienne, formerly of the Ottawa University Gee-Gees varsity football team ended up in the City of Anchorage, Alaska. The Coyotes found current NFL players too expensive, so they hired rookies from all over the place.
"Jayson, you're a handsome, talented young black man, I wish you a warm welcome to the NFL but watch out for people trying to exploit you, especially those crazy female fans," said Wilson Harrington III, Head Coach of the Anchorage Coyotes. Jayson Etienne looked at his coach, and nodded. The stocky, silver-haired and blue-eyed man patted Jayson in the back and mumbled a few more words of wisdom. Jayson stood there, wondering what prompted his new coach to deliver this round of unsolicited advice.
"Thank you sir," Jayson said to Coach Harrington, and the old man nodded, then walked away. Jayson sighed, for the NFL was a whole new ball game. At six-foot-one and only two hundred and twenty pounds, Jayson barely looked like an NFL player. He'd cut his teeth playing Canadian university football, taking on big football schools like Carleton University, McMaster University, the University of Toronto and the like. Jayson dreamed of playing in the Canadian Football League and would have joined them if he hadn't gotten the call from the Recruiter.
"Good morning, Mr. Etienne, I am Jake Floyd from the NFL Scouts," said the white male voice on the other line. Jayson remembered screaming to his parents, Marguerite and Jean-Pierre Etienne, that he was on the phone with the NFL. From that day forward, Jayson's life would never be the same. Worthington Enterprises flew Jayson and his parents to the City of Anchorage, Alaska, and put them in a four-star hotel. They were wined and dined for three days before getting down to business. The NFL's newest team needed a quarterback.
"Jayson, you scored the winning touchdown in the decisive game between the University of Ottawa and the University of Toronto, we know you got a cannon for an arm, and we want you to quarterback our team," said Jake Floyd. Jayson and his parents sat in the Recruiter's office, which was bigger than most people's apartments. Mr. Floyd, a tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed businessman with a winning smile, carefully explained everything to the Etienne family.
"That's all good and fine, sir, but when do we talk money?" asked Jayson's father Jean-Pierre Etienne, a tall and slender, dark-skinned and taciturn man. Mr. Floyd smiled as Jayson and his mother Marguerite shot the family patriarch a look. The agent had anticipated just such a question. Mr. Floyd represented a lot of athletes, from the NFL to the NBA, from the WNBA and MLB to the PGA Tour. A lot of men and women play for love of the game but eventually, it all comes down to money.
"I am authorized by the Worthington Organization to offer you a million-dollar salary plus a three hundred thousand dollar signing bonus," said Mr. Floyd, flashing his perfect teeth. Jayson and his parents exchanged looks of pure astonishment. As a manager with the Canada Revenue Agency in downtown Ottawa, Jayson's father Jean-Pierre made good money, and his mother Marguerite worked as a nurse at the Civic Hospital. The family owned a lovely townhouse in the moneyed Barrhaven sector of Ottawa, but they didn't have NFL money. This was huge...
"Thank you, Mr. Floyd, we need to talk about this as a family," said Marguerite, and the short, curvy, short-haired and dark-skinned Haitian lady nodded at the agent before smiling at her family. Jayson and Jean-Pierre nodded slowly. Mr. Floyd looked at the Haitian Canadian family and nodded sagely. He'd negotiated bigger deals than this and found the Etienne clan friendly and wholesome, even though the patriarch seemed like the wannabe tough guy type.
"Take your time, folks," Mr. Floyd said, and he gave the Etienne clan copies of the contract. It would all be contingent on Jayson delivering for the fledgling Anchorage Coyotes, of course. The newest football team in the NFL had a long way to go. Jayson thanked Mr. Floyd, shook his hand and then left the office with his parents in tow. Twenty four hours later, the contract was signed, and Jayson Etienne officially began his career as an NFL player. The tall, handsome young Haitian Canadian had finally reached the good life, or so he thought...
"Jayson, I want you to be careful out there," said his father Jean-Pierre, as Jayson escorted his parents to the airport. Jayson smiled at his mother and father, hugging them as they reached the airport. Marguerite Etienne, like the traditional Haitian mom that she is, made her son a special Haitian soup as a housewarming gift. Jayson thanked his mother profusely and watched her board the plane with his father. The trip back to the U.S. mainland would precede their return to the City of Ottawa, Ontario. Jayson was all smiles as he went back to his new, two-bedroom apartment.
