“Shhhh.” I waved them off and sat at the edge of the couch, watching the newscaster’s lips so I didn’t miss a single word.
The woman turned to a man wearing a matching polo. “Tom, what can you tell us about this unexpected development?”
“Well, Sarah, it’s safe to say this announcement has sent shockwaves through the football world. Blue Bishop, the star quarterback who led the University of Knoxville to a National Championship victory earlier this year, was projected to be a top-5 pick in this year's draft. But in a statement released just minutes ago, Bishop revealed he’s not only pulling out of the draft but also transferring schools.”
“What?” I shot out of my seat, sure I’d heard them wrong. My heart was in my throat. Was he transferring farther away?
Ashton swore. “No. He wouldn’t.”
“That’s right, Tom. Bishop announced he'll be leaving Knoxville and transferring to Virginia Tech, where he plans to finish his undergrad. Redshirting as a freshman does allow him two more years of eligibility.”
I gasped and my hand went to my heart, which was trying to stop beating. Every eye in the room had left the TV and was now on me. Was this for real?
“Go HO-KIES,” Ashton hooted in a deep, guttural voice.
“Ooooooof,” everyone else said, as if they’d just witnessed something painful.
“But the surprises don’t end there, do they?” Sportscaster Sarah said.
"No, they certainly don’t, Sarah. In what might be the most unconventional career move we’ve seen in recent history, Bishop stated that after his two years at Virginia Tech, he intends to take a two-year break from football altogether before attempting to go pro.”
My hand went to my forehead as I thought about what this meant.
“Terrible career move,” Jonah said.
“Stupid on so many levels.” Nevin agreed.
“This decision will undoubtedly impact his draft stock when he does decide to go pro.” Jonah shook his head.
“I like it.” Ashton’s head bobbed with satisfaction. Of course he would. It was his alma mater.
Cooper threw his arms out. “Are you serious? That’s career suicide.” He swirled his fingers in a whirlpool motion. “He needs to get it while he’s hot.”
My hand went over my mouth. Cooper wasn’t wrong. This was chancy on so many levels.
“Eh.” Tyree shrugged. “Kurt Warner did something similar. Sort of. Not intentionally, but it worked out for him. He ended up being the Super Bowl MVP.”
Sarah started back up. “It’s an unprecedented decision, especially for a player of Bishop’s caliber. What do you think is behind this move, Tom?"
“It's hard to say for sure. Bishop cited personal growth and a desire to be more prepared for the NFL as his reasons. But you have to wonder if there are other factors at play. Especially since the other half of Team Blupree will be in Blacksburg this fall.”
“How do they know where I’ll be?” I huffed.
Brooklyn winked. “The press knows all.” But there was a mischievous smile tugging at her lips.
“Brooklyn. What do you know?”
She smirked and turned the volume up.
TV Sarah sat back in her chair. “It’ll be interesting to see how NFL teams view this decision in a few years. For now, though, this leaves a significant hole in the draft prospects for teams looking for a franchise quarterback.”
Tom nodded. “That’s right. Teams like the Chiefs and the Ravens, who were rumored to be eyeing Bishop, will now have to quickly pivot their draft strategies.”
Sarah nodded. “We’ll certainly be following this story as it develops. Coming up after the break, we’ll hear from our panel of experts on how this could impact both college football and the NFL Draft landscape. Stay tuned for more after this word from our sponsors.”
I fumbled for my phone to send Blue a text. But then Madden walked in front of me, heading for Tally. Tally hadn’t said anything about him coming to visit. It was Thursday evening. I knew for a fact he had a Friday morning class.
“Madden?” Tally squealed and launched herself at him. Okay. This was a surprise to her too. He caught her and planted a juicy kiss on her lips.
