Eddie Rake And The Other Coaches example essay topic

Sitting in the "Bleachers" When a kid is 18 and knows how to throw a football better than anyone in the state, or can run faster than other athletes his age, or can swing a bat with more power and grace than anyone has seen in years, he is not in high school. He is in his own school. If he is from a small town where everyone knows his name and the entire community comes to watch his games, he is a hero and a legend for ages to come. He is not a boy, he is a man and he makes his decisions with an image of himself as an indestructible superstar that has no limits. Life has limits though and many must turn back and find where the decisions went wrong. They must face the past of who they were supposed to be and explain the truth of what they really are.

This is the story of Neely Crenshaw, the All-American quarterback of Messina High School in John Grisham's newest addition, the "Bleachers". The small town of Messina cares about one thing and one thing only: Football. When the high school put Eddie Rake in charge as head coach, they did not know what a turnaround he would bring. The school did not have that great of a program, but when Rake came in as an eager 28-year old, he quickly turned the team around and led them to undefeated season in 1960-61. From 1964 to 1970, Messina High School had "The Streak". They never lost a game during that era.

They had more state championships in 1975, 1975 and 1979, but a drought came from 1980-1987. They would go undefeated during the regular season and win conference, but would lose each year in the state title game. Discontent filled the town. 1987 was Neely Crenshaw's senior year and he would finally lead them back to victory. Coach Eddie Rake had become one of the most well-known figures in the community and even the state, but was fired in 1992 from the head coaching job of the Messina Spartans.

A statue had been erected of the great leader that would stand outside Rake Field forever, but the unbeatable coach was having a losing battle with cancer. This is what brought Crenshaw and all the former players back to Messina. Crenshaw had been the greatest quarterback the high school had ever seen. He was an All-American, on his way to getting a full ride to play at Tech and he had the choice of going out with whatever girl he wanted. He stopped dating a girl named Cameron in favor of taking advantage of his star status with a ditzy blonde known as "Screamer". Now upon his return to Messina for the first time in over 15 years, Crenshaw must face head-on his career-ending injury at Tech, his failed relationships, his divorce and his inability to make wise choices while a young boy living in a man's shoes.

Posters of himself as a young, long-haired, naive star cover the walls of coffee shops and stores that he slowly walks in to, trying to hide his limp, left over from his knee shattering experience of college football. He is not the only former Spartan in town though. Silo Mooney, Neely's good friend Paul, and many others provide the reader with a wide variety of character types and some very interesting and entertaining conversations about the glory of the past and the contrasting present. The tale is about Eddie Rake, through the eyes of Neely Crenshaw. This was interesting because not once does the reader see or hear Rake in person, and the person delivering the story has not seen or heard Rake in over a decade.

The emotion that presents itself is strong at times though and the entire story seems to act as a eulogy to a great man, that the players hated and loved at the same time. Rake is never in a scene, but his spirit floats throughout and the reader is left feeling like he has met the man already. Coach Rake was fired in 1992 after an incident with a player that turned fatal during practice. At the end of the story, two regrets are revealed by the great coach, one was the unfortunate death of Scotty Reardon in 1992 and the other was an altercation with Neely Crenshaw at halftime during the title game of 1987. During the final week of Rake's life, the football field's lights remain on to act as a vigil to the legendary man. The former players sit in the bleachers and reminisce on the old games and tell stories that each of them have heard a thousand times but still speak of as if they happened the day before.

Probably the most memorable scene of the novel comes when one of the players brings a recording of the play-by-play for the 1987 title game that Crenshaw starred in. The Spartans were down 31-0 at halftime and when the team took the field for the third quarter, Eddie Rake and the other coaches were nowhere to be seen. The mixture of the play-calling on the radio and the stories told by the players is great and the explanation of what happened at halftime finally reveals itself. The stakes were high, the boys were young and the game may have been taken too seriously, but for those who have played high school sports of any kind, nothing is more important in a player's life than winning and seeking approval from coaches and parents. Crenshaw never knew for sure if he liked Coach Rake or not, and his trip back will serve as the answer to that burning question. He must finally see if he can forgive his coach and mentor for what happened in the locker room.

Rake was their Coach. He was their Father. On the football field, Rake was God. They hated him during practice and during the games, but they still sought his approval later in life.

His impact on his players' lives was immense and the "Bleachers" acts as a representation of a tribute to any person who has had great influence on someone's life to the point of having a fear of disappointing them if by failure to succeed. After 15 novels about law and crime, Grisham gave a try at a sports tale from the perspective of those who played years ago. He perfectly displays the way men hang on to every play and moment years after the clock runs out, and how serious of a role sports play in young boys' lives. The mood is somber, the tone is low and the emotion is high.

There is no regret after this read though. Grisham has created yet another winner..