If It Was Easy....Anybody Could Do It!

In 7th grade, I was the back up quarterback.  By back up, I mean really back up...I wore the number 48!  That tells you how close I was to getting the keys to the Rogers 7th grade machine (8-0!).  Nonetheless, it did provide me with a great deal of perspective on the position.  Typically, our games consisted of the first team running up the score the first three quarters, and then we second teamers would come in for what I liked to call the "save" situation.  During the first three quarters, I would often pass the time by taking snaps from the back up center.  Although I am not sure why, we probably took 50 snaps a game prior to coming into the game.  However, when the fourth quarter would roll around and we would hit the field, we could never execute a successful snap.  While the question of who was at fault for this failure to execute the snap might never be answered (see Michael Morris #51), it illustrates an important point....everything looks easy until you have to do it.

Last week, the Rogers Eagles kicked off their 2010 playoff run (on schoolboysports.com) without the services of their quarterback, safety, punter, and kicker.....Ryan Fares.  Unfortunately for the Eagles, the Rogers signal caller suffered a broken ankle on the last play of the season finale against Lexington.  This created numerous job vacancies for the Eagles.  While Cody Richmond filled in admirably at the quarterback position with two touchdowns and only a couple of missed snaps/fumbles (they are trickier than they look!), the highlight of the night was Dylan Mendoza's performance filling in as the placekicker.  While I am partial to placekickers anyway (my only career score was a PAT on homecoming night 1988), there is something great about seeing a big guy wearing number 60 trotting on for the PAT that makes me smile.  Although Mendoza was able to hit his first two PATs, it was his third one that was the play of the night.  On the attempt, Mendoza fielded a bad snap that had sailed over the holder's head.  Rather than panicing, the sophomore took a step to the right and then headed to the left corner of the end zone for the 2pt conversion that ended up being the difference in the game.  For you old timers, it looked like John Riggans running the counter tray behind the Hogs for the 1980's Redskins!

Make no mistake, the Eagles really miss Ryan Fares and we would all love for him to be playing.  But his absence opened up an opportunity and Dylan Mendoza stepped in and stepped up.....Maybe it was just me and it is as easy as it looks!