The team was on their way to Dallas, Texas to play the biggest game of their lives. They were ready for this. Coach Taylor was ready for this. The town of Dillon, especially the East Side, was ready for this. No one could take this away from them; it was in their grasps. These boys knew they would have to fight hard, dig deep, play like they've never played before and leave it all on the field. This was do or die and the State title was theirs to take, but only if they played the best football of their lives. Their record in the regular season, a whopping 9-1 was self-deserved. Those boys played every game like it was their last and fought hard to earn that record. They fought all season to gain respect and they were finally at the top. Coach Taylor could not have been more proud of the team he was bringing to the Cotton Bowl.
Coach Taylor looked out the window as the bus lumbered down the road, approaching Dallas. He couldn't stop smiling. He knew that this was the last game any of them would play as a Lion and he knew he made the right decision leaving Dillon. He was like his senior players, Luke Cafferty for example, who would play his last highschool game. He felt like he was a senior, ready to move on and experience new challenges in a whole new world. Eric didn't know what to expect in Philly, but he didn't want to worry about that right now. Right now, all the attention would be towards his boys. Right now, all his attention was towards coaching these boys to win the State title. They deserved this and he knew they would fight hard and give everything they've got. He adjusted his cap, just as they were rolling into the stadium, stood up, faced his players and said:
"Y'all ready to play some football?" he exclaimed.
As the bus came to a stop, the players stood up and started applauding. State Championships. They could not believe their eyes. Tomorrow, they would play where the Dallas Cowboys play. Tomorrow, was do or die. Tomorrow, they were going to play football, a game each and every single one of them fell in love with. Tomorrow, they would play their last game as the Lions. Tomorrow, they would play their hearts out for the best coach they've ever have. Tomorrow was State. And boy were they looking forward to it.
"Alright, listen up. We have worked long and hard for this game tomorrow. I expect you to play football. I expect you to fall in love with the game all over again. I expect you to build a bond with your teammates that will never be broken. I expect you to make me and the other coaches proud. I also expect you to have fun. This doesn't happen often boys, y'all deserve it and I am proud to be your coach. Damn proud. Now, gather your stuff, and let's head into the stadium yeah?"
Coach Taylor turned around and stepped off the bus. He stood in front of the Cotton Bowl, his third time in five years. He was so self-absorbed with everything that was going on in his life, he forgot how overwhelming the experience was. Here he was, a coach who built a team from the ground up, at the Cotton Bowl to coach the State Championships. He couldn't believe how blessed he's been to have such a great group of boys who looked up to him and respected him.
If someone asked him what he was going to miss most about the town of Dillon, it would be the their love for football. Sure he hated how they nagged him and thought he wasn't doing his job properly, calling them dumb plays. Hell, they thought they could coach better than he could. But, the town's love for football was phenomenal. You wouldn't see anything like it anywhere else. In Dillon, everyone knew him as the Coach of the football team. From the old ladies to the young boys. He was like a local celebrity and yeah he was going to miss everyone giving a helping hand if he ever needed it. He was going to miss the cash register workers at the supermarket making conversation with him and asking about his family. He was going to miss the boys he saw grow into men. Football was all this town had and it really sparked him how football was the thing that connected everyone together. Everyone in town showed up to the games, even the away ones. The radio always talked about football. He was going to miss that.
In Philadelphia, as much as he didn't want to admit it, he knew it was going to be hard. He knew it would take him a long time to get used to and he'd still think of Dillon as home. He knew, over there, he'd be known as the Dean's husband. Tami would no longer be known as the Coach's wife. Football was big in Texas, so it was easier for him to get a job anywhere he applied, but Philly? Did they have football there? He figured they must have since they have a NFL team and a Division 1 university, but was high school football big there? He knew that he was going to have to teach a subject and coach over there, and he couldn't half-ass the teaching. Over at Dillon, they let it slide and let him work on his football team while his PE class just played games all the time and he gave them all A's. He didn't realize how tough it was and again started having second thoughts. He shook them off because he already told Tami he would move to Philly with her. It was time for a fresh start. He could always just stay home with Gracie until she went to first grade, if it came down to that.
He couldn't believe how much his life was changing. It felt like life was just throwing things at him and he just had to roll with the punches. His team was a day away from the State Championships at the Cotton Bowl. His daughter, Julie, was getting engaged to the quaterback who quaterbacked his team a State title. He realized he had been a little harsh on Matt when Matt came to his office and asked for his blessing for Julie's hand in marriage. Truth is, he was scared. Julie is only 18 and Matt's 19. He didn't even know that they got back together because last he heard of Matt Saracen from Julie, it was that he left for Chicago. After nine months, how in the hell did he expect Eric to say yes to getting engaged to Julie when he didn't even know they were together? He knew that Julie loved Matt and Matt loved Julie and he was secretly glad that it was Matt who would marry his daughter. His daughter made plenty of bad choices in her teenage years and dating Matt Saracen was probably one of her best; if anyone asked him that, he would deny of course. He had to accept the fact and be there for them. As much as he wanted them to think about it more since they were still young, he was happy for them.
That evening at the restaurant when he told them marriage was all about compromise and being there for each other, he realized he was being a hypocrite. How could he say all that when he couldn't even compromise for Tami's job? He remembered going outside and finding his beloved wife in tears. He hadn't meant to hurt her and he wanted to wrap her up in his arms and tell her yes to Philly right then and there. But he couldn't find the words to tell her what she wanted to hear that night.
If someone asked him when was the exact moment when he decided to go to Philly, and turn down the contract, it would be when Jess Merriweather went into his office.
Being a part of the Lions has been the greatest experience of my life.
He realized that being a part of the Superteam and coaching the Panthers wouldn't give him the satisfaction that coaching the Lions had given him. It was time to leave and start a whole new legacy.
He walked into the stadium with his players behind him. He forgot how big it was and how amazing it was to just stand in the stadium. He looked around and smiled. He looked back and saw his players filled with awe. He saw some of them throwing the ball around and others just taking the feeling of the stadium in. He looked at his coaches who had huge smiles on their faces. He went up and gave them each a huge hug. He walked a couple yards toward the centre, looked back and said:
"Gentlemen. Does it get any better than this?" He cracked into a huge grin, walked toward his players and started clapping. His players joined in and they all formed a huddle. Eric put his hand up and so did everyone else.
"Clear eyes, full hearts"
"CAN"T LOSE"
"What do we play with?!"
"HEART"
"What do we play for?!"
"PRIDE"
"Who do we play for?!"
Eric asked, thinking they would reply with Lions, as all the other times. What they actually said, surprised him and he couldn't help but drop a few tears.
"COACH TAYLOR"
Eric started laughing, "Damn right you play for me boys. You even got me crying, aw hell. Let's have a good game tomorrow alright? Let's go check in and get things in order. We deserve this. We are the friggin Lions! We're unstoppable!"
His players and coaches cheered as they walked off the stadium to check into the hotel. Eric stayed behind a bit. He walked over to the bleachers, took a seat and cried. He was really going to miss this team, this town and this state. This town shaped him into the person he is now. He wiped his eyes, feeling a bit embarrassed that he was crying. His phone rang and it was the exact person he wanted to talk to.
"Hey babe." he sniffed and said.
"Hon, are you crying?" his wife, who's stood by his side all these years, answered from the other side.
"Just a bit babe. I'm just really going to miss this team and this State and the love for football around here."
Tami didn't say anything in response. Was he starting to regret saying yes to Philadelphia? She knew it was going to be hard for him, but she didn't know he was going to cry over it. Eric Taylor rarely ever cried. He cried at his mom's funeral, when Julie had to go through surgery, when Tami broke up with him the summer so long ago, but crying over football? She was starting to feel guilty and he sensed that over her silence.
"Hon, I'm not regretting saying yes to Philadelphia, I know that's what you're probably thinking. I'm looking forward to the new experience. It's just going to take some time for me to get used to. I know this is what's best for our family and I will support you every step of the way. I am in love with you completely and you are my everything. You have picked me up countless times and supported me; now it is my turn to do the same for you in the East Coast. Just promise me one thing?"
"Yeah babe, of course. What is it?" Tami didn't know what she was promising, so she was half scared on what he was going to say.
"Promise me we'll come back to Texas. When we're old or I don't know, just promise me we'll settle down fully in Texas. When Gracie Belle graduates and moves into the real world, where she won't need us as much, kinda like Julie's age right now. Please. Let's settle down in Texas, that's all I want."
Tami smiled and knew that was what he truly wanted. To be quite honest, that was her plan too. She knew they would never be able to get away completely from Texas. That Texas would always be their first home. It was the State where they fell in love, where Gracie Belle was born, where Julie grew up and got engaged, where Eric won State titles and Tami won Blue Ribbon Awards for her school. She knew they'd return later, that Texas would truly always be their real home where all their friends and family were.
"Eric, I love you"
"I love you too babe. More than you know, I'm sorry I wasn't more open to Philly. That was pretty selfish of me. I will compromise for you. It's time for me to be there for you as you have been there for me. So promise? Please? This town is doing some messed up things to me, I mean c'mon I'm crying over football hon." He chuckled and wiped the tears out of his eyes. He looked down and said softly "Promise?"
Tami laughed from the other side before answering, wanting to lighten up her husband's mood.
"Texas forever babe. Texas forever" and with that, Tami hung up the phone.
Eric sat there smiling at the wise words of #33, former Panther, Tim Riggins. He got up, wiped his eyes, kissed the grass and looked back at the stadium one more time.
"Texas Forever"
Author's Note: Next chapter will be the State game, hopefully. Right now I'm just going with the flow and writing what I feel is right. This chapter was supposed to be the State game, but I decided to put this in. I'm writing the State game right now and I'm going to be honest, it's not the best. I'm really trying to write a really good football game, but I'm not the biggest football fan out there. I know teams, rules and such, but I'm not a superfan so it's challenging. I'm also not the greatest writer so I apologize if it doesn't meet expectations, but I'm really trying as this is my first story. I hope you're enjoying the fanfiction so far. I'm not sure how many chapters are left in this story, still debating on how far I want to take this story, so all in due time. Thanks for reading so far, I appreciate all the reviews and advice. Sorry for the long author's note.