My first year at Front Range Community College in the '96-'97 school year did not go very well. Although I was able to handle the classes just fine, I was bored and had no friends to share the college experience with. When complaining about this situation to my parents they had suggested that I go out of state to Oklahoma Christian University because many of the new college kids at their church went there and enjoyed it. I wasn't extremely excited about going to a Christian school, but the appeal of leaving the state and having a better college experience influenced me to do it.
Not wanting to go alone I had talked to one of my best friends, Corey Biesiada, and he decided to also go there even though he didn't like the fact it was a Christian college either. In August of 1997 we packed up my '81 Toyota Corolla station wagon, aka the 'Hoopty", and drove down to Edmond Oklahoma. Edmond is right outside Oklahoma City and a 12 hour drive from Denver. We decided to drive over night because driving during the day in August in a car with no AC or power anything was not very appealing.
We arrived at OCU and moved into our dorm, I was surprised how fast we made friends with people in the dorm. Within a couple of weeks we had a good size group of friends going on, between 8 and 10. In September the school started an intramural sport of flag football. The rules were simple, flag football with 5 players: QB, rusher/blocker, and 3 receivers. Being the biggest guy, 6'2" and weighing 450 lbs at the time, I of course was the rusher/blocker. Our team sucked, not just a little either, we were horrible and should have been banned from the games. Our second game was against a team of seniors that took pity on us and offered to give us some tips and training. We all jumped at the opportunity and the following Saturday we meet them on the field of battle. They wanted us to start out in defense and we would play a game, as we played if they saw something we were doing wrong they would point it out and then we would all practice it.
Everyone was setting up for the first play and I was standing behind the football ready to rush whoever they got to block me. While I was standing there I was watching the Seniors in their huddle and was wondering what kind of play takes this long to go over. Later I was told that they were not setting up a play, instead they were arguing over who was going to block the gargantuan freshman that was offered to them as a rusher. This is how I remember I was told the conversation went,
"Jason, you block him."
"I don't wanna block him! He'll kill me! Make Shane do it."
"Shane has to run for the ball."
"I've got a bad knee, I can't block him."
"That's why you have to block. You can't run for the ball."
"You all suck!"
Standing there watching this happen, I had no idea they were arguing about who my blocker was going to be. When they broke up the guy walking towards me that was chosen to be the blocker was half my size. Not short or small by any means, about 5'9", 200 lbs, and strong. But, compared to my fat ass, he was small. As he was walking to me with a look of uneasiness on his face, all I could think was, 'I'm gonna kill this guy!'
I thought it would not be a nice thing to kill or injure one of the guys that was helping us out. But, being the nice guy I am, I could not give up the opportunity to fuck with him a little bit. Everyone got into their respective positions, Jason knelt down to the ball to hike it when he hears the signal, and I got down into my lineman stance with one hand on the ground and started growling like a rabid dog with the best angry face I could muster at the time. Jason had an apprehensive look and I thought he was probably guessing that he was much faster then me and how to avoid me at all costs when I rushed him. I was imagining him thinking, 'Fuck the quarterback, he's on his own!'
"Hut, Hut, Hike!"
Jason hiked the ball, cringed slightly, and I just stood up and we both stood there staring at each other for a second. Then I smiled, held out my hand, and said, "Hi, I'm Matt."
Jason shook my hand and replied with relief, "Hi, I'm Jason. Thanks for not killing me."
We both stood there talking as everyone else was playing the game around us. If first impressions are important in remembering a person, then I guaranteed that Jason would not forget me. Needless to say, after that day we became best friends, which he told me later that he made himself a promise to not make friends with freshman that year, but I destroyed that promise. I'm glad he broke the promise to himself because we have been the best of friends for the past 13 years and counting with no end in site. Right now Jason lives in Ohio, to far away for me but he likes it there, and we talk via phone and Facebook. When we get together though the town better watch out, the crazy bro's have hit the street and all hell will break loose. ;p
Love ya bro! Thanks for all the years of friendship and get your ass to Denver so we can hang out hehehe.
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