“Lucky man, having your very own personal PR department and cheerleader all in one.”
“Don’t I know it. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me.” He turned his head, “You know, right up there with you being my quarterback and everything.”
I laughed. “Dude, no need to butter me up, I know we got a good thing going, and I won’t get jealous when you go home with Lily every night. We do good on the field, you and I, we good off the field.”
“Always the football robot, Parker. That’s the first thing I noticed about you.”
I nodded, taking it as a compliment.
Drake came back in, just as the door opened and Coach Armstrong came out. “Parker, you’re up next.”
“Sure, Coach, on my way.” I nodded to Drake.
“That’s the thing, though, Parker,” Drake said as I pulled away to head inside. The cameras were already flashing, evidently one of the photographers could see me in the hallway.
“Yeah?”
“Being a football robot is cool and all, but once in a while it’s good to be a human being, you know?”
“Solid wisdom right there from a rookie,” I said. “If Hud was here he’d already be punching you.”
Drake held his hands up. “I know, I know, just food for thought. You helped me out more than you can know during training camp, I just wanna return the favor if I can.”
“No worries man, you know what you gotta do.”
“I do, I do. Now get in there before Coach Armstrong puts me on report for holding up the line.” His voice went up an octave. “Oh Lance, Lance Parker, you’re such a star!” he cooed, clearly mocking me, “Will you sign my boobs, Lance Parker?!”
“Ugh, too much, man,” I laughed, as Drake pulled down his shirt collar and exposed his chest to me.
“You love it. Have a good show.”
“Thanks.”
As soon as I stepped into the room I saw flashes all over the place as the photographers got their first official glimpse of me of the season. Of course I didn’t have my uniform or helmet on, but they’d get enough shots of me in the game or on the sidelines soon enough.
“Hey guys, welcome to my house,” I started my press conference off with. That got a laugh. “I see most of you have been here before, let me know if I can answer any of your questions.”
Some players like to have statements at the beginning, but I preferred not to speak when not answering a specific question - easier to keep from saying things I didn’t want getting out.
Hands went up all over the room. I looked out at the reporters, recognizing most of them, before finding the one I wanted. “Yeah, Lily, first question.”
Lily Pearson blushed, happy that I called on her first. It was the least I could do for her and Drake. I had had dinner with them a few nights ago and Lily had told me about some of the obstacles she’d already had to overcome while trying to make it as a female reporter in sports, especially covering football.
“Thanks, Lance. Is it true that during the season you live here in the facility?”
I laughed. I had known this was gonna get out, and it had come up during that dinner. Drake and Lily were incredulous, and Lily warned me that she was going to ask me that at the next media availability. I just didn’t realize it would be her first question.
“Yeah, Lily, that is true. I’m not really the most glamorous of guys, my main focus during the season is on the team and I just want to do everything I can to help out my teammates and win a championship for New England.”
“And having a life outside of football doesn’t enter into that equation?”
Wow, she wasn’t gonna let me go on this one. I could see what Drake saw in her. “That’s correct, at least for now. I’m blessed to be able to play football for a living, and during the relatively short amount of time I can do that, I want to make sure I give it everything I’ve got. There’s 6-7 months a year that we don’t play, I can have a life then. Next question.”
“A followup, please, Lance.”
“Yes, Lily, sure, go ahead.”
“People are calling this season a make or break year for you. That the team can get out from under your contract after this season if things don’t go as well as they hope. How would you characterize the importance this season will have for your career and the Patriots?”
“Wow, that’s a heavy question, I could probably just answer that for the rest of this press conference. But let me at least get started. I have no idea what other people are saying about me - I try not to pay attention to any of that stuff. About my contract, all that is true.”