Varsity Players Ch 03
A Bowl Game, Miami and a Surprise Announcement
This is an entirely fictional story. It is set at UPitt, but it could be anywhere. Some of the other places are made-up. Many comments asked for a follow up, so here it is -2 of 4 additional chapters. This story involves Pitt at the Orange Bowl and the Rose Bowl. UPitt, although a perennial bowl pick has not played at the Rose Bowl for decades and has never had an Orange Bowl invitation. However, I wanted to move the action to Miami and to California where Billy's parents live, so please forgive the author's license. All characters engaged in sexual activity are over 18. © 2024, All rights reserved. Brunosden
On December 26 in the morning, they were driving back to Pittsburgh to prepare for the game of the year. One more practice--indoors as the weather in Pittsburgh had turned foul and cold-wet.
All were looking forward to Miami as they boarded the non-stop flight the next day. The team was seated together, near the back, and the other passengers, realizing who they were, began to applaud as the giant guys trailed by, bending heads and walking sideways to fit in the narrow aisle. The seating was incredibly tight, but you know the airlines.... Later several flight attendants, one a young man, began to flirt with everyone, offering free drinks they knew couldn't be accepted. So each received a few little bottles "for later after you win the Bowl."
The Panthers checked into a non-descript travelers' hotel in Miami Gardens, not far from the field, but the team manager assured that the Pitt Alumni Athletic Advisory Council ("P, Triple A, C") was moving everyone the day after the game to a beachfront hotel just north of South Beach. No one wanted the SoBe distractions before the game. Rooms were assigned alphabetically, two to a room, but several exchanges were quickly made. There was a practice that afternoon--just to become familiar with the field conditions and an early training dinner that night. However, all were encouraged to attend the All-Fans Pep Rally on Lincoln Road that evening. (The famous Orange Bowl Parade no longer featured the college teams playing, but was devoted to "junior" football promotions and marching bands--mostly local high schools.) Lights out would be 11. No exceptions. And there would be a bed check. (Some couldn't wait for that ritual and kidded Billy and Tad that there were two beds in their room for a reason!)
The game started late afternoon, but the pundits and book-makers already had the Seminoles up by 14--they were, after all, one of the college teams that were paying semi-pro stipends to athletes, while "primitive" Pitt only provided scholarships, special dorms, tutoring and jock cafeteria privileges. Pitt had had a terrific year, but Florida was perennially rated near the top in NCAA statistics.
The day was of course sunny and warm. The crowd was loud, very large and very team-spirited. Surprisingly thousands of the fans were from Western Pennsylvania. One entire section behind the benches was dressed in Panther Royal Blue and Gold. Many faces had been painted in the two colors and hundreds of female fans were carrying stuffed blue and gold panther mascots. It seemed that a good part of Pittsburgh had left for the warmer weather of South Florida to watch "their boys".
Everyone was revved. And excited. And optimistic. Pitt was going to pull off the upset of the year. Billy was especially pumped. He had even refused to let Tad relieve his morning erection. "I'm gonna need all my testosterone for the game." His basket was going to be unusually big and full by mid-afternoon. He was going to be a beast on the field. And Tad was already anticipating a very exciting night after.
Pitt won the toss and elected to kick. And the Seminoles scored in a dozen downs on their first possession. Thanks to some spectacular running by Billy (and Scotty Peterson, an African American and another really good player), Pitt also scored on its first possession. The entire first half was a game of offense and by the end of the second quarter, the score was tied 21-21. Seminole defense had pretty much shut Tad's passing game me down, although he had passed short for one of the TDs.
The announcers were going wild with enthusiasm. It was going to be an exciting, high scoring game--not a Seminole blowout as many had expected.
Defense woke up by the third quarter, and at the end of the quarter it was Seminoles 34 (a TD and two field goals), Pitt 35. Tad had completed two crucial passes--including one 50 yard pass/run--both resulting in TDs. That of course, opened up the Seminole defense--they couldn't afford to have no players at safety positions again.
Maybe it was the heat. Maybe it was the exhaustion that often follows hyper-active play. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Panthers were falling apart. Florida scored twice more, once with an unsuccessful two point conversion attempt and Pitt managed only two field goals. So with two minutes remaining, it was 47 to 41. Pitt took the kickoff and, even with a runback to their 40, were facing a very long march to the end zone. And of course Florida had the league-leading defensive squad. They knew Pitt needed to pass--so the winning strategy of threatening with Billy's runs and Tad's arm was not a realistic threat. Tad threw twice toward the sidelines. Both connected, and with a minute ten left Pitt was on Florida's 40.