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| Village Green coach Stuart Smalley inspired quarterback Cam Newton and the rest of the team with his stirring halftime speech. |
Associated Web Press
When The Village Green's quarterback Cam Newton went to the locker room with an injury just before halftime of Sunday's NFFA semifinal game against the rival Corsairs, Coach Stuart Smalley's face hardly changed expression. “Gosh darn it,” several players overheard him say. “I know we can still find a way.”
The injury appeared to be a watershed. Newton had been racking up points during an excellent first half, and was leading what appeared to be a surge that would carry the Green past their biggest division rivals and into their first NFFA championship game. But the Green were still narrowly trailing the Corsairs when Newton went down, and when he was taken by team physicians to the locker room, it appeared that his team’s chances might be ruined.
In his halftime locker room speech, Smalley — named yesterday as AWP’s NFFA Coach of the Year — kept his signature smile as he challenged the Green to “win one for the Goody.” In particular, he challenged his young quarterback. “You’re strong and you’re good, and gosh darn it, I know you can get back out there and lead us to victory,” he told Newton.
Then, getting close to the quarterback’s face, he smiled and said: “You’re good, I’m good, and Goodrow’s good. But the Corsairs are a bunch of punkass bitches, and today they are OUR bitches. I know you’re not going to let us lose to that washed-up bitch, Ray-Gay Lewis. Is that what you know, Cam?”
“That’s what I know, Coach!” Newton replied, as the rest of the team broke into cheers.“
“Are you gonna get all up in that Corsair ass?” Smalley continued.
“I’m all up in it!” Newton shouted.
“Are you going to drive us down the field like you’re driving a shiv into Ray-Ray’s neck?” Smalley persisted, making a throat-slash gesture without changing inflection.
“I’m putting the blade in him, Coach!” Newton exclaimed.
The halftime talk produced the desired result, as Newton finished with 34 points in a 146-133 victory over the defending league champions.
“They’re in there talking about the ‘curse of the champion,’” said Newton afterward, motioning to the media room where Lewis was addressing reporters. “I’ll tell you what: the curse for them was having to go up against the best coach in the universe.”
Green players said there was nothing unusual or unexpected in Smalley’s halftime motivational talk. “That’s just how the man rolls,” said injured QB Aaron Rodgers, who had just spent much of the previous weekend with Smalley and Goodrow at the annual Bacchanalia to the Future.
“Stuey isn’t afraid to emphasize the love part of tough love, and we love him in return. People think he’s weak because he has a feel-good approach, but what people don’t understand is that feeling good is all about making the losers on the other side feel bad. He has the voice of an angel but the heart of Jack the Ripper.”
The injury appeared to be a watershed. Newton had been racking up points during an excellent first half, and was leading what appeared to be a surge that would carry the Green past their biggest division rivals and into their first NFFA championship game. But the Green were still narrowly trailing the Corsairs when Newton went down, and when he was taken by team physicians to the locker room, it appeared that his team’s chances might be ruined.
In his halftime locker room speech, Smalley — named yesterday as AWP’s NFFA Coach of the Year — kept his signature smile as he challenged the Green to “win one for the Goody.” In particular, he challenged his young quarterback. “You’re strong and you’re good, and gosh darn it, I know you can get back out there and lead us to victory,” he told Newton.
Then, getting close to the quarterback’s face, he smiled and said: “You’re good, I’m good, and Goodrow’s good. But the Corsairs are a bunch of punkass bitches, and today they are OUR bitches. I know you’re not going to let us lose to that washed-up bitch, Ray-Gay Lewis. Is that what you know, Cam?”
“That’s what I know, Coach!” Newton replied, as the rest of the team broke into cheers.“
“Are you gonna get all up in that Corsair ass?” Smalley continued.
“I’m all up in it!” Newton shouted.
“Are you going to drive us down the field like you’re driving a shiv into Ray-Ray’s neck?” Smalley persisted, making a throat-slash gesture without changing inflection.
“I’m putting the blade in him, Coach!” Newton exclaimed.
The halftime talk produced the desired result, as Newton finished with 34 points in a 146-133 victory over the defending league champions.
“They’re in there talking about the ‘curse of the champion,’” said Newton afterward, motioning to the media room where Lewis was addressing reporters. “I’ll tell you what: the curse for them was having to go up against the best coach in the universe.”
Green players said there was nothing unusual or unexpected in Smalley’s halftime motivational talk. “That’s just how the man rolls,” said injured QB Aaron Rodgers, who had just spent much of the previous weekend with Smalley and Goodrow at the annual Bacchanalia to the Future.
“Stuey isn’t afraid to emphasize the love part of tough love, and we love him in return. People think he’s weak because he has a feel-good approach, but what people don’t understand is that feeling good is all about making the losers on the other side feel bad. He has the voice of an angel but the heart of Jack the Ripper.”
"The man's a monster," the medical staffer said. "You could see the fear in Cam's eyes."
