Title: Unnecessary Roughness (2/11)

Author: Romantique

Email:

Classification: Eric/Tami Pairing.

Rating: M for suggestive, non-explicit adult themes.

Summary: After accepting the District's offer of Head Coach of the East Dillon Lions, the new contract continues to test Coach Taylor's patience and his pride.

Disclaimer: Friday Night Lights fan fiction occurs at the end of Season 3 and is a Prequel to Season 4 which has yet to air.

Legal: These characters do not belong to me. I'm just a fan and have not made a dime. Please email me to obtain permission to post.

The Taylor Home

Monday, June 1st

6:30 p .m.

It was dinner time at the Taylor household. Eric, Tami, and Julie sat at the table together enjoying a meal that was Julie approved: vegetarian chili, a garden salad, and cornbread.

"Jules, I was reminded today what an absolute joy it was to teach you to drive," Eric said as he grabbed another piece of the cornbread. He quietly, yet rebelliously proceeded to butter it with real butter. If he had to be subjected to vegetarian chili, he decided at the very least, he would use real butter ... from a real cow.

"Why, thank you," Julie gave a smile at the surprise complement and bowed her head to her father in appreciation of the accolade.

Recalling it was definitely not a joyous experience to teach their daughter how to drive, Tami injected, "Tough day again, Hon?"

"It's tough when a student hasn't completed their drivin' assignment before coming to class," he explained. "You know how the Texas Department of Public Safety gives assignments to underage drivers of what is to be covered and practiced and signed off on by their parent? Some of these kids have never even been behind the wheel of a car before, ever. No parent has signed off on anything. I can't catch them up on a week's worth of practice in the 15 to 20 minutes I get to spend with them behind the wheel twice a week."

He then took a drink from his wine glass. "I need to cut some of them. Why would a student take Driver Ed when he or she doesn't have access to a car to practice drivin' or to test at the DPS?"

Tami answered, "Some parents and students still think of Driver's Education as a rite of passage." She then asked her daughter to pass her the salad bowl.

Eric expounded, "Maybe it used to be a rite of passage, but not anymore."

"Dad, not everyone has parents like you and Mom to teach their kids what we need to know or who have the money to send them to a private driving school," Julie added.

"That is very true." Tami then added, "Teaching Driver Ed isn't like teaching any other subject. If a kid isn't proficient in another subject, they're not going to go out on the road and possibly kill themselves or another person. It's a lot of responsibility."

Eric took a moment to take a few bites of the chili. He much preferred his own chili because it contained ... meat. He doctored it up with some more onions and hot sauce. "Yeah, it is; which is why I'm cuttin' these kids who don't have a means to practice. It's my way of keepin' them off the road, at least until next summer."

After dinner and as the night continued, Eric would come back to his thought of cutting some of these students who were wasting time he didn't have. He was onto something.

East Dillon High

Tuesday, June 2nd

7 a.m.

On his early morning drive to the high school, Eric reminded himself of his new resolve. He would spend the rest of this week of Driver Education weeding out the kids who were not going to make his cut. He could justify cutting a student from class if the student was not receiving parental verification of driving assignments. In turn, teaching fewer students would lessen his teaching workload, leaving him more time to devote to football.

He pulled the silver, 4-door Chevy Cobalt training car around to the front of the school to meet his 7 a.m., Tuesday/Thursday class and saw who he assumed to be two of his three students waiting at the curb. He got out of the car and stood nearby on the curb. The young man and girl walked towards him.

"Are you Mr. Taylor?" the young lady asked in a high, Southern lilt.

"Coach Taylor," he corrected her. He only wanted to be called Coach Taylor at East Dillon High. "What's your name?"

"I'm Zoey Jamieson," the slightly chubby girl with a nose piercing replied.

"And I'm Miguel Rodriquez," the other student, a solid built young man, introduced himself.

"You play football, Rodriquez?" Eric asked, sizing him up.

"No, sir," Miguel answered.

"Well, maybe you should," Eric suggested. "Now, where is our third mystery guest? I say we give him five more minutes."

The two students immediately got the message; this driving teacher was going to be no nonsense.

A couple of minutes later, a tall, lanky African American student approached the car. "Sorry I'm late, Coach," the young man said.

"You know who I am?" Eric asked.

"You're Coach Taylor," the young man nodded. "You're here to rebuild our football team."

"And you are?" Eric prodded.

"I'm Anton, Anton Washington," he said. "Remember that name. I'm one of your Receivers."

Eric smiled a little and extended his hand. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Washington. Are you comin' to practice this afternoon?"

"Yeah, I'm there," the Junior said with a smile.

"Good," Eric nodded. "But since you were late, you won't mind if you go last this mornin'." And he turned his attention to the young lady. "Zoey, you're up first," he said, and he tossed her the car keys. "You two gentlemen get the back seat."

East Dillon Football Field

Tuesday, June 2nd

2:30 p.m.

It was the first practice where Eric would be leading the team. He was surprised to see how few bothered to show up.

"Is this some kind of a joke?" he yelled at the group assembled before him in the unkempt field. "Where's the rest of the team?"

Eric looked into the eyes before him and received no answer to his question. He recognized Anton Washington's face from class that morning. He, too, remained silent.

"I want to make one thing very clear. I won't coach a joke. Word needs to get out at warp speed to those who did not bother to show up today: If you don't attend practice, then, you're not on this team. It's as simple as that."

"Some players can't attend practice in the afternoons, especially in the summer. They're working," volunteered a sandy haired young man.

"What's your name and position, son?" Eric asked. He thought he recognized the young man from photos and films, but wasn't sure.

"Quentin Rogers, Quarterback," the young man responded. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Coach Taylor."

"Nice to meet you, too," he said. "It will be my pleasure to meet all of you in the days to come. But I can't be any more serious. If you can't attend practice, there's no way you can be on this team."

"Then, you're not going to have much of a team," a shorter, Hispanic young man said under his breath.

"And you are?" Eric asked with a stern look on his face.

"Jesus Coronado, Kicker," the young man spoke up.

"If what you say is true, Coronado, then, there won't be a football team at East Dillon," Eric answered back. "It's not up to me; it's up to you. I meant what I said. I won't coach a joke."

He proceeded into giving a little talk he thought appropriate for his first day of practice with this team:

Gentlemen, if East Dillon High is going to have a football team this season, we have our work cut out for us. At minimum, we need the commitment of every member of this team. And that commitment starts by attendin' all practices. Then, after attendin' all practices, you are gonna to have to make the commitment to work harder than you've ever worked before. That is your challenge.

If you choose to accept the challenge and make these commitments to yourself and to the other members of this team, only then can we begin to build an organization worthy of recapturin' the State Championship this school held many years ago.

I want you to get the word out to all those who did not bother to show up today: No practice, no spot on this team. For those who made the effort and are here, when we meet again tomorrow afternoon, you will look your teammates in the eye and make the commitments I've talked about today. 1) I will attend all practices, and 2) I will give 200 percent at each and every practice. If you can't do that, then this team has no place for you. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," the group recoiled.

"What was that?" Eric put his hand up to his ear.

"Yes sir!" the group shouted.

"That's more like it," Eric was more satisfied with the energetic second response. When he ended the practice and sent the team to the locker room, Miguel Rodriquez, one of the morning's Driver's Education students approached.

"Mr. Rodriguez, can I help you with somethin'?" Eric asked, recognizing the young man.

"Maybe," Miguel answered. "Coach, I was thinking about what you said this morning. About maybe I should be playing football."

"Have you ever played football?" Eric asked looking up from scribbling some notes on his clipboard.

"Not much," Miguel recanted. "I have the most experience playing soccer."

"What soccer position did you play?" Eric continued with the interview.

"I played Goalie," Miguel answered. He was beginning to get nervous.

"Goalie, huh?" Eric noted. "How's your runnin', catchin'?"

"Not bad," Miguel responded. "I've never been timed."

Eric didn't know if this kid's soccer skills would transfer to football or not. But with the high percentage of 'no shows' he saw at practice today, he wasn't about to let an interested, potential player walk away. "Bryant White works with me on the coachin' staff," Eric began. "If you show up here tomorrow at 2:30, I'll ask Bryant to work you out, and we'll see what you can do. How does that sound?"

"That sounds good, Coach," Miguel responded. "I'll see you at practice tomorrow and at Driver's class on Thursday."