My journey in the NFL began with a phone call late Sunday afternoon on April 30, 2006 simultaneous with a two-time Kobe Bryant buzzer beater. I remember watching the draft come and go without my name being called and waited anxiously in the following hours for the phone to ring...presenting me with that unique opportunity that thousands of kids across America dream of their whole life...to play in the NFL. The minutes seemed like hours, hours like days. My mind began to wander into negativity and pessimism. Had the past three months of training and sacrifice been a total waste? What do I do if I don't get the call? Should I go to Europe? Should I get a job? It was agonizing. To take my mind off things, I watched the Lakers in their playoff battle against the Phoenix Suns. The game was back and forth the entire way and I remember having to take a friend to the airport at the beginning of the fourth quarter. I waited it out to the last possible minute, almost causing my friend to miss the flight. On the way home from the airport, I listened to the game on the radio. After a last second buzzer beater by Kobe in the 4th, the game was now in overtime. There was suspense in the commentator's voice with every dribble and every shot...as the seconds ticked away and the sun faded into the San Francisco skyline...so did my hopes to play in the NFL...still no call and the last day of the draft almost over...By now I had almost completely forgotten and given up hope on what I had so eagerly been anticipating the last few days, weeks, months, shit...YEARS!...THE CALL...then just as Kobe hit a runner to send the game to overtime, the phone rang...it was my agent...HOPE, "Mando, we just spoke to the Cincinnati Bengals and they said they may want to sign you, they should be calling you soon." Could this be it? Is this my chance I thought. No less than 5 minutes had passed when the phone rang with an unknown number...there was less than a minute to go in the game...I was forced to turn the radio down to a dull murmer...
"Chris?" questioned the voice on the phone
"Yes, this is Chris," I answered as I half listened to the voice on the line and half to the commentator of the game.
"This is Jim Anderson with the Cincinnati Bengals," the voice said..."this is it, the last possession," said the commentator in the background..."how would you like to be a Cincinnati Bengal," the voice continued.
"I'D LOVE TO!" I exclaimed.
"OK, well our player personnel guy will be calling you with the details and arrange a flight for you to get out here. Look forward to meeting you..." the rest of the conversation blurred together with the commentator's voice. I expressed my eagerness and excitement and just as I was hanging up the phone, the Lakers were inbounding the ball...I turned the volume up and the excitement returned to the commentator's voice...and Kobe has it!...he dribbles to the top of the key...3,2,1...its good! Lakers win! Lakers win!
The pandemonium that ensued as I drove my 94' beat up black Explorer down the Oakland freeway was enough to cause a 10 car pile up. I was ecstatic! The door of opportunity in the NFL opening for me came simultaneous to Kobe closing the door on the Suns. It was a moment of pure happiness, joy, and accomplishment...little did I know at the time what a roller coaster ride of emotional ups and downs life in the NFL would bring...but at least for this brief moment I was up! WAAAAAAAYYYYYY UP!
