All-State 04 - Twenty Years Later
They told us this was a kid's game
And it was
You count five steamboats before you go after the quarterback
Mom says little brother want to play
Make this game two hand touch
Before our father's voice got in our heads
Before 7am button hook drills in the backyard and slant pattern drills after dinner
This was supposed to be kid's game
Before we weaponized our bodies against each other and ourselves
Before smear the queer
Before we were taught the weakest amongst us simply
Will not
Make
The
Cut
This was supposed to be a kid's game
Before the two-a-days
The knock two tenths of a second off your 40
If you want to start
If you want the scouts to show up
If you want any chance at a scholarship
This was supposed to be kids games
But they told us to hit
Like men
or
They will hit us
Like
Men
After all, the weakest amongst us simply
Will
Not
Make
The cut
This was supposed to be a kid's game
Before you blew out your knee
Before the cortisone shots
The percs
The oxys
If you play through the pain kid
You'll prove that you're a man
You'll prove that you're a fucking hero
Because once you score
You can spike
You'll make the headlines
Everybody knows your name
There's no pressure when the pain goes away
Mind feels clear
Dad's voice gone from the back of your head
Knee healed
Prescription still left
Still have two refills
Mind still clear
Pressure still gone
And the scouts say good job kid
Keep those grades up and we have a place for you
Homework becomes chemistry
These chemicals make you feel good
And it's economics
How much can you spend before they notice
Before the cost outweighs the gains
Truth be told you were never much for academics
Couldn't remember much
Outside of button hooks
Outside of slant patterns
Outside of
First you score
Then you spike
That offseason you screwed up the chemistry
Screwed up the math
Didn't pass the tests
This was supposed to be a kid's game
But, the weakest amongst up simply
Will not make the cut
Will not make much of anything
Except stories about how you were almost offered a scholarship
How you lost it all when you blew your knee out
But you will never forget how you learned to score
Never forget that after you score
You have to spike
Everybody knows your name
Doesn't want to know you
Your name is in all the headlines
And they told you this was supposed to be a kid's game