we'll start here...we will be leading up to the Cowboys at Dragons..Opening game of the season..and..Dragons' home opener.

 Sept 10 1st week, 1st season, Vs  Cowboys....

 Players walked into the locker room, one  at a time, some times in pairs, and a few in groups. Some  where chatting, Music was playing at some  Lockers...others  were quiet and intense.

  After getting taped up, Adam with his  White football pants  with the Green and Black , thick strip down the legs, and a Dragon Teeshirt, Grabed a Ball from the Bin and went out  to the filed for warmups.


  As the Players  came out to strech and run. The would see , over  half the Stands were filled already! 2 Hours  before the game.  Sawyer from ESPN  walked about the filed  with her  camara crew, and the Folks  from  FOX were  taking shots with thier  Camaras  as they made sure they worked.

 As SAwyer  Appraoched  Adam who was  streching  witht eh Football by his  feet, a Voice  caled out from  the bother side of the 50.

 HEY , BRONK...YOU READY FOR THIS! Noss shouted from where he  streched.

  Bronk looked up at Noss  as he picked up the football,...I;M ALWAYS READY NOSS!

 YEA?....WELL...YOU AIN'T PLAYED AGAINST SOMEONE LIKE ME!

  Adam waited for SAwyer to getv closer, he saw the Light on the Camara Come on and He laughed as he Shouted,..YOU"ER RIGHT!...I'LL NEVER HAD A GAME THIS EASY!

  Noss  started to Run towards the Dragon's half of the Field But the   MLB, Croff grbbed him and  shook his head as he pushed him  towards  thier  endzone..

 Adam  Just Laughed   louder and winked at SAwyer  who Grinned  and began talking into the Camara for the her  Pre game report.

Ben was around early as usual, taped up carefully then went out to run a few laps to warm up. Like Adam, he took a football and once he had stretched he ran with it tucked under his arm.

Lucas had taken his early morning run and swam laps.  He had showered and was in the locker room already taping up dressed when most everyone had arrived.  He did a few stretches before he headed out to the field and found Adam joking around with the media and the opposition.

Adam throw to me, he yelled as he ran a few yards out from him.

Ricky had feel asleep on the couch in his room. He was not much for beds, so he had a really long couch instead.  His laptop had slowly slipped to the floor the night before and he woke up with his arm and leg tangled up in cords.  He heard his roommate shuffling about and his alarm going off in nine minute intervals.  It must've been time to wake up and head to the stadium to get prepped for the day.

At the stadium, he was sized and suited up with help from the trainers.  He took a seat with his music player and sat quietly as he zoned out.

  A local Highschool that won the contest for  raising the  most money over the  summer for the Children's hospital, Was Playing   as they stood in  open end of the stadium, where the LArge  scoreboard with teh  Dragons  stood...smoke was drifting out  of the  Dragon's  Nostrils as thier  eyes   moved  everyonce in a while to make it  Look as if they were  watching the field.

  On the scoreboard itself, Highlights of Dragon's preseason games were shown as well as the results of  Thursday's  Kickoff Game that had the Steelers beating the Dolphins  28 - 17.

  The Commissioner had arrived  and  was talking to a network  reporter  on the field, before he  and his people headed up to the Dragon's Owner's dox.

.................................................................

 Adam tossed the  Ball to Lucus  and  anyone  else who wanted to catch, Duke was   just getting his  am loose, before they came out with thier pads on.

....it  wasn't long  before the coaches  called thier  team  to the Locker to get PAdded up...the Highschool band  moved out onto the  field to play...

Ben joined in tossing balls around, then trotted in when the players were called back to the locker room to finish dressing for the game.

He was wondering if his Dad had made it to the game.

  The Music   was now  muffled...some players  had  head sets on, other  PLayers  sitting in theb lockers  with a Towel over the ehads rocking back and forth as they Visualized the plays to come...Duke was Looking of the MAster sheet with Sims  and Nevers.

  Adam was  lying on the  floor, in full PAds   as he tossed the BAll into the  air  and CAught  it..each time , pulling it into his  arm, then doing it  again, His  eyes  seemed to focus on the Tip of the ball..almost as if he was counting the pebbles on the leather.

  Steele was Holding a clip board, Dressed in shorts  and  a Dragon windbreaker  with a Dragon Baseball cap on backwards. He  listen to Duke  and  Sims , but he didn't look too happy.

 Givens sat back in his locker, arms  crossed and  headset on , as he jammed out to some rap music...he  appeared to be sleeping.....

  Miles was walkign through the   room, stopping  and   checking on everyone..he stopped By Adam, looking at the ball rising and falling, then looked  at  Lucas  and Ben,...you boys  ready..this is  for real now.....  his voice  had  an edge on it....

 ...been ready since  i got the plane ticket in May, Miles....

Otto Ultracurvaceous..the Strenght and Conditioning Coach for the drago9ns  waited outside the  Dragonettes  Dressing  Room.  Ulto...as he was know to the  players..would be one of the spotters in the  booth, and awaited  the Dragonettes  comign  out before he went up.

In reply to pregame (msg # 9):

Eve revelled in the pre–game instructions, warm-ups, preparations and pep talk, from Celeste and Lu-Ti, which helped her to overcome a bout of stomach flutters, which had started earlier. Eve fell in behind the Dragonettes as they filed out of the locker-room. Emerging she was surprised to see her father waiting in the hall. Dad she beamed slipping alongside him, giving him a hug and peck on the cheek What brings you here...
This message was last edited by the player at 21:39, Mon 21 Jan 2013.

Ben, now fully dressed apart from his helmet, grinned widely.

"Always," he replied. "Ready, that is!

  Ulto smiled  and put  an arm around her  as they walked,...just wanted to wish you good luck....this is it..First day of a new Team, this is a National game, so all those folks who are getting a douyble header today? Get to see the Dragons' first game!...You can b et those  camara guys  are going to be focused on you ladies too!

  Sims  , Followed  by Lewis  and  Nevers, as well as Fry, the other cpoaches  were going up to the Booth, came in. Miles  shouted  for  all the   Muisc to stop, EVeryone  Looked up, either  standing or  sitting ( Adam stood up). Sloan Kicked  Given's  chair out from underhim to wake him up..there was a short burst of nervous laughter as the  Tall WR  scrambled to get up, Blinking his  eyes. Tali slipped in to be  with the team for the  pregane talk....

  Looking over the team,Sims began. though he  appeared calm, there was alos  a grim look on his  face. the hard edge of barely contained Violence, that those who same him play, knew well.

 ...This is It. I congradulate   all of you who are on the team. We sent  many folks  away since MAy...there is a good chance , not all of you will be hear at the end of the season. This..the begining of  the Dragon Story...the begining of  some of your careers...perhaps..the end of others....If you all...give your all...we might still be doing this in In the Rosebowl, in Febuary...  he lrt the thought of the Superbowl site  settle in for a moment.

 ...but...this is  just the first step. Out there....  he points to the  doorway that leads to the tunnel, that leads to the field,...are fans who  have cheered thier hearts out for us, even though, it was just preseason....there are stree stadiums full off people...two of those stadiums, people are sitting in seats, just to watch us on the  Giant Vid  Screens...there will be at least that many people in the parking lot, tailgating and watching on TVs the hooked up...we have  a Team on Fine LAdies who will be cheering...helping to get the fans behind us...and thier  Job is frustrating....They can only  watch...only shout...and hope they can help....Me? And  the other Coaches...we get to call plays, pick people...so we have a small hand in this....BUt all of...YOU!  the last word was a shout, that echoed off the walls,He shouted it again,..YOU!....Are on the Field...YOU...make the plays, make the tackles...make the differance in this  game......

 His voice lowered  a bit as he said,..think not, about yourselves...but of those people who will be watching...Reward those who cheer for us...punish those who cheer against us, you can do both, by playing at your best...your hardest.... Now?  The TV guys want our  Offesne to be introduced first...the Cowboys  Defesne is being  introduced as we speak....Duke will be last, Adam, Ben, right before them...Miles? You and the O-line  will be first....now....lower your heads...thsoe who believe....a prayer for safety..a prayer to give yourselfs and your teamamtes heart...for those who don't believe..thing about your teammates, and the fans.......

  The room was deadly quiet...the  occasional sounf of pads creaking as a player shifted,,,Sims Looked up...the look on his face, down right evil as he said..his voice rising as the knock on the door came for the team to come out,NOW.....GOP SHOW THEM...GO SHOW THE  WORLD....HERE THERE BE DRAGONS!

 the Door was hit  By Miles, and the TV guy with a headset on  jumped back as the  Dragons ran out the door towards the opening of the Tunnel, another man with a headset, and a second one with a clip board stopped them from coming out on the filed...just yet...from the mouth of the tunnel, they could see the Dragonettes  Lined up...a HUge Inflated Dragon head was set at the Mouth...smoke  coming from the sides of its  Jaws...the stadium above the shook, as the FAns were doing the Dragon Stomp...the  Dragonettes  Stomped 'in place'..as the  looked eagerly towards the tunnel for the Dragons to be announced...the people the dragons could see, made the stadium look like a sea of Green Black and white as the   MOved in the  stands..stomping for thier  team....A Blimp with Snoopy on, was visible as it circled the   Stadium...Helcopters  and a few  Cessna's towing  signs in the air....The Sun was bright, not a cloud int he sky, and the Temp was some 89 degrees ( 99+ on the field)...

  The TV guy with Bright Red gloves  Signaled the  guys at the Tunnel, and the  Intros  were about to begin.....

Ben took a deep breath.

"HERE WE BE DRAGONS - HEAR US ROAR!!!" he echoed Sims's final shout.

He got into line ready to take the field, just behind Adam.

"You throw 'em, I'll catch 'em," he muttered to his friend.

Lucas had roared along with Sims and Ben after the team prayer ended.  He stomped out onto the field and before Duke, Adam, and Ben were announced and came out, he took a knee raised both his arms to the skies praising the Lord above and then stood to let the boys come out.

Just as Adam and Ben came out, he turned and gave them a thumbs up.

Dressed, ready, and standing information as the Dragon players filed out, she was at the end of the line and leaned over to look at the tunnel entry when Adam and a couple of others came out.  She paused and smiled when they gave name announcements of the three.  SHe looked to Lu-Ti and smiled.

Our boys must be special today, she said with a wink.

Though not dressed, Celeste had coaxed Eve out into the line with them to cheer the players onto the field. She didn't want any team player to be forgotten.

Lu-Ti smiled back an waved at Ben when he came onto the field.

The girls began a somber quiet chant that lead to a louder yell of each players name shaking their poms in front of them, as they were announced.

Ben came out onto the field, his grin so wide it almost escaped from his face cage!

He returned Lucas's thumbs up, then blew a kiss to Lu-Ti, then turned his attention to the field.

In some ways it was overwhelming, in others he could see every detail - every blade of grass or spectator in the stands. The noise was tremendous, yet he knew it was nothing on what would happen once play began.

He drank in the moment as he took his place...

  The intros  continued... Finally Adam came  Running  out on the field..the Scoreboard  made a whistling  Sound  with the  words..Adam..... and  a big Explosion that had the word "Bomb"...  He  spun around  Pointing  at the Crowd  and  brining his hands  up for the FAns to cheer...it seemed impossible...but the Crowd  Noise when up even higher... Adam treached the  end of the  Line as he Grinned at all the Dragonettes, slappign hands  with the other Offensive folks  that where introduced...and  then Raided his hands  again as the announcer  Holared over the PA,"...AND THE REST...Of..YOOOOOUUUUPRRRR...JACKSONVILLE DRAGONS! "

  the Crowd  was beyond  Jacked up.. if one would have been outside the  Satdium, they would hear the copllective Roars from all three sites..a special Day for JAcksonville.....but..how  would it end...


   The Color Guard  marched onto the Filed  as the PA announcer  got the Crowd to settle down abit... A Local Country Singer and her band sang the National Anthem, the Camaras showing the players  as she sang....Adam sood there..his eyes staring at something no one else could see....if he heard the words of the  songs, none could tell...

  Duke, Worth and Miles  went out for the  Coin Toss , to meet Noss,, Hargrave ( the QB) and  Fodder ( the kicker)  for the  coin Flip....The Dragons won...and took the BAll...as it was announced, that the Dragons had won the toss...the  Fans  went  wild  again....
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:56, Wed 27 Feb 2013.

Ricky jogged out with the defensive group of guys and waived to just a handful of fans that new him from his previous team.  He watched as the crowd's cheers grew louder and louder.