Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. “Fuck,” hoarse, “Shit,” scarred, “Damn it.” Weak. Diego fought until the very last instant—and Ace battled right back with him. When the work was done, he grasped his bloodied eye and rose up from the limp body of his latest ...

“We friggin’ had ‘em man. I screwed it up Pops, I let ‘em off the hook…” “I know Papo, I know.” “On the goddamn goal line…what kinda shit is that…?” “It happens Ace, it never comes down to one play or one player.” “We lost 24-28...if I hadn’t fumbled that last play, if I had just ran outta bounds a...

I just dunno what to do. And you think that when the chips are down, it's gonna like, bring out the best version of you...? Like, that's what all the stories say, right? Ordinary people doin' the extraordinary. Doin' the unimaginable in face of the unthinkable. Startin' to think I'm not built like ...

The thrill of victory was an intoxicating and powerful vintage. For the fraction of a memory of a moment Ace felt as if he was a conqueror. Drunk off of victory and violence and dazed due to blood loss, Beats struggled through shock as he made his way towards his handiwork. His heart was colder than...

I’m gonna disappoint you, y’know? Above him was death. Above death was inspiration. Necessity was the mother of innovation and Ace had a front row seat to the birth. The LMG was too heavy and his body was too weak. The spirit was willing but the flesh was bloodied and bruised. The LMG wasn’t Ace’s ...

It was over. Not just this one thing. Not just this fight or this game or this trauma. It was over. Not his football career, not his innocence, not his personhood. It was over. Not just this one thing—but everything. Everything he had ever wanted or ever dreamed or ever fought for. Dreams were what ...

“Ace, there’s plenty kids who end up paralyzed or never playing again. It’s a dangerous game and college ball is just going to be crazier.” “Ma, I’ve never been hurt.” “You’ve been lucky. ” “I’ve been good! ” His shots and screams were aimless and directed at whatever opponent happened to be in his...

It wasn’t over. "I'm hurt, dawg; don't ask me if I'm all right! Hell, naw! Joaquin said, 'Dominate,' and we're not doing it! I'm putting my heart in this shit! Let's go, man! The gun shots provoked a fear in his heart and fear was fire and fire was fuel. Beats wasn’t scared of getting burned. A...

This is my moment, my destiny. I’m not gonna fuck this up. I promise . I can’t fuck this up. I can’t. I can’t . I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. I’m gonna do what I gotta do—whatever I gotta do is what I’m doin’. I ain’t playin’—but I ain’t the one to play with. I’m a man now momma. I g...

The GOAT! Stupid sexy Claude and sad Diego! How’re you so good and yet somehow keep improving? Very very impressive as always.

You scored three touchdowns, three separate ways kid--one receiving, one rushing and one special teams Ace. Who the fuck does that? That’s NFL Papo--you’re special . You’re going to do special things, I knew the moment I looked at you...you took to football like a fish to water. You were born to do...

I've been real all my life, they confuse it with conceit Since I will not lose, they try to help him cheat But I will not lose, for even in defeat There's a valuable lesson learned, so it evens up for me Rap lyric for everything [/u][/I]. That was just an accepted rule of 'The Universe According to...

“Man, I was born at night not last night,” Ace spat, “This shit ain’t a team sport bro! I don’t get nuthin’ by takin’ your gun? I don’t get nuthin’ by gunnin’ you down?” Marco was probably right, Marco was probably reasonable—but Beats was neither and neither would serve him. Ace felt his aim steady...

In football if you were thinking you were losing and Ace was done losing. That was very different from winning. When Marco had said he had an accomplice behind him—Ace had believed him. This dude didn’t look like much…but his calmness was palpable and it caused Ace’s blood to run cold. There was a f...

“That’s what they call me, yeah.” Ace couldn’t place a name but he was able to discern a few things—this dude wasn’t much. A smurf. At least a foot shorter than Beats…but he looked stout. A small dude but not a dainty one. Justin hadn’t been much either and he had managed to whoop Ace’s ass pretty h...