"Roll Tide, Roll!"
"Roll Tide, Roll!"
A new week brought a new game. The Crimson Tide were hosting Mississippi State University at Bryant-Denny Stadium. After three consecutive hard-fought games, Alabama finally had a breather. Their opponent this week was unranked and considered a weaker team.
But no one was underestimating their opponent. Louisville's shocking upset loss the previous week served as a valuable lesson. Without needing Nick Saban's reminder, the Crimson Tide captains were already cautioning the team, making sure no one got overconfident or took the opposition lightly.
Bryant-Denny Stadium was packed to the brim, a sea of red surging with excitement.
The noise was deafening.
With the stadium announcer hyping up the crowd, the atmosphere built to a fever pitch, setting the stage for Lance and his teammates to make their entrance.
At the players' tunnel, a large inflatable arch stood at the entrance. Cheerleaders lined both sides, and the team mascot was leading the cheers as Allen and the Crimson Tide prepared to storm the field.
This was one of the perks of playing at home—a ritual for every home game that made each one feel like a festival.
"Lance!"
Clark called out, but when Lance looked back with a questioning gaze, Clark suddenly seemed nervous. Lance, confused, shot him a curious look, which made Clark even more anxious, his words stumbling out.
Seeing this, Jacobs couldn't help but step in, "They're calling for you upfront."
Jacobs nodded toward the front, where Humphrey was waving his arms, yelling, "Hey, rookie! Come on over!"
Even though the season was nearly over, Lance's nickname on the team was still "rookie," a reminder that he had joined the Crimson Tide mid-career.
Lance nodded to Humphrey and gave Clark a puzzled look. "You alright, buddy?"
Clark nodded repeatedly, unable to speak.
Jacobs rolled his eyes, "He's got a stitch."
Clark nodded harder.
Lance tilted his head, "You're acting a bit weird, but okay." Shrugging it off, Lance walked toward Humphrey, who quickly slung an arm around him.
Watching Lance leave, Clark finally exhaled in relief. "Thanks. You saved me from totally blowing it."
Jacobs gave him a skeptical look. "Did I, though?"
Meanwhile, Lance followed Humphrey, thinking there was something important. But it turned out Humphrey was just relaying a message—Allen had asked to see him.
Lance walked to the front of the group and found Allen warming up in place. "Ah, Lance, good timing. I almost forgot to tell you..."
The noise in the stadium was too overwhelming, especially near the tunnel's exit. Even though Allen was shouting, Lance could barely catch bits and pieces of what he was saying.
Allen gave up, gesturing toward the field and mouthing: Let's head out first.
Lance was about to nod in response when, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted someone seated nearby, sitting calmly in the crowd of red. In the midst of the roaring tide of fans, the figure wasn't immediately noticeable, but they were looking directly at him with a small wave and a smile.
It was Donald Yee.
Even though he was wearing a Crimson Tide jersey, Lance could see the shirt underneath. Donald's small figure seemed like it could be swallowed up by the crowd at any moment, yet he appeared entirely at ease. He raised his beer and gave Lance a friendly salute.
Lance, not one to shy away, casually waved back at Donald.
Just then, Allen patted Lance's shoulder.
It was time to take the field!
Lance jogged alongside Allen, following the team's usual entrance routine. But after a few steps, he realized something was off.
Where was everyone?
Wait. Where was everyone?!
Lance stopped and turned around, only to find that, led by Allen, the team had slowed their pace, some even stopping altogether, leaving Lance charging forward all by himself.
A prank?
A lightbulb went off in Lance's head as he recalled Clark's odd behavior. He'd been distracted by Donald's presence and hadn't noticed the setup.
But why?
Before Lance could puzzle it out, the roaring noise in Bryant-Denny Stadium began to quiet. The shift from frenzy to calm was so stark that Lance's ears tingled with the sudden silence. Instinctively, he looked up.
Then the sound came rushing back, louder than ever.
"He's here, he's there, he's everywhere—it's the edge runner, Lance, Lance, Lance!"
Again and again.
"He's here, he's there, he's everywhere—it's the edge runner, Lance, Lance, Lance!"
The entire stadium erupted in unison, hands clapping in rhythm. When they shouted Lance's name, they jumped and stomped three times, sending a wave of energy through the stadium. The combined force of 100,000 people felt like a storm shaking the very foundation of Bryant-Denny.
A ripple of red spread across the stadium, like wind rustling through a field of wheat. Among the sea of Crimson Tide jerseys, a wave of white emerged, spelling out a message that circled the entire stadium:
"Lance. Happy. Birthday."
Lance was stunned. Completely caught off guard, his eyes grew warm as he struggled to hold back the tears welling up. He quickly looked up at the sky, trying to keep his emotions in check, but the cheers continued to roar in his ears.
Today, November 12th, just happened to be the day after Lance's birthday.
Normally, fans would remember their favorite players' birthdays and celebrate them like family. In this small town, Crimson Tide players were like the town's children, beloved by everyone.
But this level of celebration? That required something special.
First, the Crimson Tide had won a tough game last week, and Lance had played a crucial role once again.
Second, today's game was at home, the perfect setting.
And third, it was Lance's 21st birthday. In America, while some people celebrate turning 18 or 20, turning 21 is much more significant. It symbolizes full adulthood—at 21, you can legally drink.
All of these factors had come together to create this moment.
Lance was completely caught off guard.
He hadn't expected this. His parents, who followed the Chinese lunar calendar, had already celebrated his birthday two weeks ago over the phone.
Naturally, Lance hadn't thought much about his Western birthday, so he was totally in the dark about the surprise. It was clear now that his teammates had been in on it, helping the town's residents pull off this special gift.
Before the season started, there had been concerns about how the Crimson Tide would fare without Derrick Henry. People worried that defending the title would be an uphill battle. But now, they had their answer. Despite Henry's absence, a new rising star named Lance had emerged to lead the charge.
The Crimson Tide was still as fearsome and dominant as ever!
The stadium roared with a thunderous wave of sound, crashing down on Lance from every side.
Standing alone on the field, Lance seemed so small and insignificant. Yet, with the entire stadium chanting his name, that small figure grew in stature until it felt like he could hold up the sky itself.
Today was something special.
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Powerstones?
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