My parents came into town for the game and had a grand old time in the shady section, with me stuck up in section 331. Afterward, we go out to eat at delicious McCallister's and my mother is dying to tell me about the game. I'm a junior so I'm a bit surprised how excited she is to tell me something
because she's seen the Ags beat the hell out of schools before. She waits until we're all sitting and listening. She then tells me one of the best stories I'd ever heard.
Now my parents aren't old Ags, but they've come to love the university they've sent their son to. One of the things I've taught them is that Jaxson Appel is one of my favorite players, and honestly, lots of people's favorite. So there they are in the stadium and they are chatting with the people behind them and can't help but notice their "Jaxson's Mom" and "#19 Appel" t-shirts. They ask and they don't just wear the shirts, but are in fact his family. They chat a little bit and eventually tell my parents this story.
Now as we all know, in highschool Appel was a defender like none other... but what I didn't know is that he was also a featured running back. Before each game, his mom would tell Jaxson to "score one for me." When he invariably would, he tapped his helmet for her so she knew that he was thinking of her.
Then on September 17, 1998, her father passed away the day before his birthday.
Although she was practically inconsolable, Jaxson still tried to lift his mother's spirit. That night she told him that there was something he could do. During the game Friday, don't score one for her. She told him to "score one for Poppa".
The opening kickoff, Jaxson returned it 102 yards for the score. He got down on one knee, pointed to the sky and said, "Happy Birthday Poppa, this one is for you. I know it isn’t much of a gift but it is all I have to give." The entire team did as well, and knelt in the end zone.
Now as my parents are listening to this story, they're getting slightly teary eyed, as was Mrs. Appel on telling it, and even me on retelling this.
She continued. Less than an hour before kickoff and the team is preparing for the game in the locker room. Mrs. Appel gets a call from her mother, telling her that today is Poppa's birthday... could Jaxson score one for him? Coming out of the locker room before the game, Mrs. Appel ran along side the team. "Today is Poppa's birthday! Mimi asked to score one for Poppa. A la junior year!" Jaxson gave a thumbs up and yelled "I love you Mom."
Mrs. Appel, quite teary at this point, had finished her part of the story.
Jaxson told the rest. SMU, deep in their own territory, was ready to punt. They got a clean snap and a good catch... but Amos Ghunblee blocked it and the ball bounced right into the hands of #19 for a Fightin' Texas Aggie touchdown. The sluggish start to the game had finally been broken and the good guys had put points on the board. Kyle Field erupts.
But Jaxson took a knee, and pointed to Poppa. That one was for him.
edit
n page 3, Jaxson's uncle and mother replied! I updated some parts to be factually correct, I got some details wrong. Go read their posts, mine's only a third-hand retelling.
[This message has been edited by Decay (edited 9/20/2005 9:51a).]
because she's seen the Ags beat the hell out of schools before. She waits until we're all sitting and listening. She then tells me one of the best stories I'd ever heard.
Now my parents aren't old Ags, but they've come to love the university they've sent their son to. One of the things I've taught them is that Jaxson Appel is one of my favorite players, and honestly, lots of people's favorite. So there they are in the stadium and they are chatting with the people behind them and can't help but notice their "Jaxson's Mom" and "#19 Appel" t-shirts. They ask and they don't just wear the shirts, but are in fact his family. They chat a little bit and eventually tell my parents this story.
Now as we all know, in highschool Appel was a defender like none other... but what I didn't know is that he was also a featured running back. Before each game, his mom would tell Jaxson to "score one for me." When he invariably would, he tapped his helmet for her so she knew that he was thinking of her.
Then on September 17, 1998, her father passed away the day before his birthday.
Although she was practically inconsolable, Jaxson still tried to lift his mother's spirit. That night she told him that there was something he could do. During the game Friday, don't score one for her. She told him to "score one for Poppa".
The opening kickoff, Jaxson returned it 102 yards for the score. He got down on one knee, pointed to the sky and said, "Happy Birthday Poppa, this one is for you. I know it isn’t much of a gift but it is all I have to give." The entire team did as well, and knelt in the end zone.
Now as my parents are listening to this story, they're getting slightly teary eyed, as was Mrs. Appel on telling it, and even me on retelling this.
She continued. Less than an hour before kickoff and the team is preparing for the game in the locker room. Mrs. Appel gets a call from her mother, telling her that today is Poppa's birthday... could Jaxson score one for him? Coming out of the locker room before the game, Mrs. Appel ran along side the team. "Today is Poppa's birthday! Mimi asked to score one for Poppa. A la junior year!" Jaxson gave a thumbs up and yelled "I love you Mom."
Mrs. Appel, quite teary at this point, had finished her part of the story.
Jaxson told the rest. SMU, deep in their own territory, was ready to punt. They got a clean snap and a good catch... but Amos Ghunblee blocked it and the ball bounced right into the hands of #19 for a Fightin' Texas Aggie touchdown. The sluggish start to the game had finally been broken and the good guys had put points on the board. Kyle Field erupts.
But Jaxson took a knee, and pointed to Poppa. That one was for him.
edit
n page 3, Jaxson's uncle and mother replied! I updated some parts to be factually correct, I got some details wrong. Go read their posts, mine's only a third-hand retelling.[This message has been edited by Decay (edited 9/20/2005 9:51a).]
