Mick narrates this section once again. This is a very stressful time for Mick and he talks as if he is constantly baffled by the decisions he must make. However it seems like he constantly ends up making the wrong decisions anyway. With his spot no longer guaranteed on the starting line, due to David Kane who is a rookie who shows a lot of potential , Mick must find a way to prove his skill and show the coach that he is the best man for the position. But will he achieve his goal? and will he use steroids? This new crazy side of Mick we are seeing may be headed in the worst possible direction.
Themes
Obsession- Mick is addicted and obsessed with the steroids. It is beginning to seem like he thinks he can't play without them.
Determination- Mick and the entire team are all determined and eager to win and get a spot in the playoffs.
Anger- Even without the side effects of the steroids, it seems like Mick is angry with himself, the world, and football. After his rage accident on the field he is suspended and this does not help his anger.
Desire- While Mick is suspended, sitting on the sidelines/crowd reveals his passion and desire for the game. He needs football and he can't live without it, it is a part of him.
Disappointment- Mick is disappointed with his performances without the steroids. Feels like he isn't good enough without them and he needs them to succeed. He is ashamed at himself even though in all truth he has nothing to be ashamed about.
Important Quotations
- "It wasn't until I got home that I even thought about the steroids. I'd stopped using them, but weren't they still in my blood and in my muscles? How much of what I'd done was me and how much them? I'd never know for sure." (pg. 212)
This is an important quote because after Mick's record setting game and all the newspaper headlines praising him for his performance, he started wondering if it was all him or if it was the steroids.
- "I Promise you. I will be there" (Pg. 215)
This quote is important because even though Mick promised to be there for kaylee's game since she is always at his, somehow it seemed like he wouldn't end up going. The steroids would be the deciding factor.
- "I know you want to stay clean. But there's some new stuff I got a hold of. Its called XTR" (pg. 217)
This quote is important because it seems like the personal trainer is determined to get Mick to continue with the steroids. He should lose his job for what he is doing and Mick's life would have een a lot better without him.
- "Mick are you on steroids?" (pg. 230)
This was when Mr. Stimes, who is the trainer for the team, noticed that Mick's stats had drastic improvements that seemed unnatural so therefore he approached Mick. This is important because it might be foreshadowing that Mick ends up getting caught with the steroids. This quote left both Mick and the reader in shock.
- "You better not Mick. It would be worse for you than for me". (Pg 233)
After Mick told the personal trainer about the teams trainer getting suspicious, Mick's personal trainer had this and much more to say. His tone and apparent body language shows that he was threatening Mick and that shows that he is not a good influence and he should not be trusted.
- "That new stuff, do you still have some?". (Pg. 247)
- "All the things I warned you about-the roid rage, the depression-they come big with this. But the benefits are big time too" (Pg. 248)
These quotes marked the point in which it was clear that there was no turning back for Mick. It seemed like he had stopped using steroids for good but of course he made the wrong decision once again. The "new stuff" would have even worse side effects and be more addicting so this was clearly a problem. He might never stop and eventually get caught.
- "Everybody started hollering and ten seconds later I was caught up with my teammates, charging through the tunnel and onto the field, screaming my lungs out, my duffel and the XTR back in the locker room". (Pg. 250)
- "I didn't need the XTR to outplay him; just a routine performance would have put him on the bench for the seconds half. But I didn't want to put him on the bench for the second half. But I didn't want to put him on the bench for the second half-I wanted him on the bench for the rest of the year, for the next two years". (Pg. 251)
He tried his best not to take the drugs and at the last second when he decided to do them, the team was headed onto the field. Maybe that was a sign that he shouldn't do it but he wanted to outplay Kane so bad that his final decision was to do it just to ensure his spot.
- "The rage had come so fast and with such fury that I'd been powerless". (Pg.267)
This is important because after Mick brutally charged another player when the play was over, it proved how bad the side effects of the new drug were. He was not able to control himself and this put him in a horrible position.
- "It would be to unfair to get caught now, when I wasn't even going to use the stuff" (Pg. 280)
- "It wasn't my brain that decided; it was was my body. I picked up my duffel and headed toward the bathroom". (Pg. 281)
These are important because Mick kept trying to get rid of the drugs but he would be interrupted every time. This caused him to keep them and while he had them on him, he was tempted to use them. Even though h was getting closer and closer to getting caught, he made up his mind and used the XTR drug once again.
- "Look at yourself. Look what the stuff has done to you". (Pg. 297)
- "The anger went away. The fear went away. I put the revolver to my temple, felt the coldness of the muzzle there, took a deep breath, took another one, and pulled the trigger". (Pg. 297)
This was from the climax of the section, when Drew found out Mick was using drugs and they had a confrontation. Drew tried to help Mick and show him what the drugs were doing to him. Drew's final decision was to tell the coach because it meant they had all won on a lie and they cheated. With the gun in Mick's hand it was clear something bad was coming.
Personal
This was definitely the most exciting part of the book. There was lots of football action and the steroid drama was out of control this time around. I disliked the part when the personal trainer threatened Mick because that was a clear sign that he is someone who you shouldn't trust. I feel like Mick is hard headed and doesn't think about the repercussions of his actions. I really want his dad and Drew to find out about the steroids because they are the only ones who could probably talk some sense into him. I enjoyed this section more than any other part in the book. I really enjoyed the intense games that were played when Mick was the light of the team but in all truth I wanted someone to find out about the steroids, and I knew that it would be Drew. When Drew was injured in the game and taken to the locker room, I knew he would look through Mick's bag and find them. Their confrontation was the climax and it was a surprise that Mick brought the gun with him. I never even thought Mick would put the gun to use, and especially not to threaten his best friend with it. I respect Drew for being smart and knowing that Mick would not shoot someone over that. However if I were in Drew's position I would not try and go to the coach, if anything I would go to Mick's parents and seek help. When Mick put the gun to his own head, I immediately thought of the worse possible outcome. Then when he pulled the trigger I thought it was all over and this was the end to his tragic story.
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