Chucky3456 Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 A Football Carol by Christopher Burns Based on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Boo's are heard, echoing. Faintly: FIRE DICK! Narrator: Its been a long year football fans. Bumbling and fumbling has become the norm in Buffalo. There has been a constant call for change, but none has been made. Over there, around the corner, is the one man who could change the way fans view the game. There, by his lonesome, is the teams penny-pinching owner. A man, as you will come to know, who has lost his football spirit. He has lost his care whether games are won or lost, all that he cares about is cost. Mr. Ralph is his name, and he sits silently counting his money. Approaching the door is a lifelong fan, born and raised to love his team through wins and loses. *KNOCK KNOCK* Ralph: Hmm.. Go away. *KNOCK KNOCK* Ralph: Go away I said! (outside) Fan: Mr. Ralph, please hear me out. Your team used to make me shout, but no more. Your coach needs replacing and the front office needs to go. Please bring this team out of its drought. Ralph: Bah, Humbug! My team is fine. Good day sir, now go! Narrator: And so the fan left, ice cold in the snow. His team would never improve, for this he did know. Ralph starts counting his money again, and spots a picture of his old friend Marv. You see Marv was his best coach by far, leading his team through its glory days. Ralph: Ah, Marv, why did you leave? Ah, one, two, three, four Narrator: Ralph, upon finishing his count, nodded off in a chance to catch some zee's. *KNOCK KNOCK* Narrator: Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. *KNOCK KNOCK* Ralph: Go away and let an old man sleep! Marv: Raaaalph Ralph: Marv, Marv is that you? Marv: Raaaalph, look at what you have become. Ralph: What do you mean? All the games are sold out, merchandise is selling, what could I be doing wrong? Marv: YOU Ralph, look at what YOU have become. You are a shell of your old self, letting your team rot away. Ralph: Oh, that. It doesn't matter, we're still selling out. Marv: YOU Ralph. Tonight I will let you learn a lesson. You will be visited by three spirits. Ralph: Spirits? What do you mean? Marv: At the stroke of twelve the first spirit will arrive. I beg you Ralph, head the spirits warning. Ralph: Bah, humbug everything is fine! Narrator: And with that, Marv disappeared. Ralph nodded back to sleep, it was all a dream. *Bell tolls 12* Narrator: And then midnight struck. Past: Raaaalph… Ralph: Marv, leave me alone! Past: Raaalph. The clock has struck twelve. Ralph: Bah, humbug. Past: I am the ghost of seasons past. Ralph: Listen, leave me alone. Past: I will show you the past, so that you may change the future. Ralph: If you must, be quick about it. Past: The year is 1960 - you have been given a franchise and have chosen Buffalo as the city. Look at the fifty year younger Ralph, enthused with the team. Now it is 1964, and your team wins its first championship. 1965, and you win again. You help the team and league with the big merger. Jump ahead to the the late 1980's. You fire the coach mid-season, and hire Marv. Bright young players are brought to the team. 1990 - the first of your championship games in the NFL. You return three more times, the first time any team has played in four straight. You fall shy of victory all four years. These were the good years. Ralph: I know all this, I was there. I remember. Past: But do you Ralph? You see, the team has been left to rot since the early 90's. Your once proud team has crumbled from mismanagement, bad coaching, and ruining of promising players. Ralph: I was inducted into the Hall, do you not think I know what I'm doing? Past: Ralph, you must look at your past in order to improve your future. *Bell tolls* Past: My time is up, I return you to the present now. Look at your past Ralph. Look at your past- Ralph: Look to my past. Humbug. The team is fine. *Bell tolls* Present: Raaalph. Ralph: Another one of you? Won't you leave an old man alone? Present: I am the ghost of season present. Ralph: Thats ain't good grammar. Present: Ralph, come with me, and see the sorry state of your team. You team is an embarrassment compared to the glory years of your past. Seven and Nine is your norm. Your team has not been in a playoff game in a decade. There, your current coach, stands silent, corpse-like on the sideline. You're greed has hurt your team, but that is not all. There, in the stands, that small child. This is his first game. Ralph: He should be happy just to have the opportunity to see a game. Why is that child not smiling? Hasn't he been raised to support my team? Present: No Ralph. Your team has been a disgrace, a joke, for longer than he has been alive. His die hard father, whom you met earlier this evening, has let his own hope fade. There, the sign he is holding. Even he wants change. Ralph: How did he get that past security? How dare a child not support my decisions… Ghost, where have I gone wrong? Present: Your coach is a start. But that is not all the change that should happen. You must also replace *bell tolls* My time is up. Ralph: But, spirit, who else must I replace? Spirit? *bell tolls* Narrator: Darkness fell upon Ralph. A mighty wind blew past him. Ralph: What, where am I? I anyone there? Future: Raaalph. Ralph: Spirit? Are you here to guide me? Future: Raaalph. Ralph: Please, cast a light, let me see your face. Narrator: A bright light is cast. There is Ralph, staring into a mist. Ralph: Spirit, reveal yourself! Why am I in my stadium? Where are the fans? Future: Raaalph. I am the ghost of seasons future. Ralph: Then where are my fans? I sell this stadium out every game, regardless of how the team performs. Future: You're fans are gone. Ralph: Gone? What do you mean? Future: Year after year of bad performance caused fans to lose hope. Children were not raised to love the team, and when their parents lost all hope, fans abandoned the team. Without fans, you lost merchandise and advertising. Ralph: Lost? As in… NO! I can't lose money. Thats impossible. What of the young boy? He was at the game. Future: He lost faith, here is the boy now. Ralph: HOCKEY! He became a HOCKEY fan? Spirit, I beg you, tell me how to prevent this future. I beg you. Future: I cannot tell you Ralph. Look to your past to prevent this future. *bell tolls* Future: My time is up. I will return you to the present. *bell tolls* Ralph: Huh? I'm back, and its only morning. Narrator: Ralph ran out of his office, into the streets greeting all he could find. Ralph: The team will be better, I swear. My eyes have been opened, and I care oh I care. The coach will be changed and so will the GM. I swear to all of you we will be winners again. I will start today, and with all luck the team and fans are here to stay. You, young boy, yes you! Here are tickets to the next game, and the one after. You will learn to love the team like your parents before. Boy: Why thank you Mr. Ralph! I will learn to love them I'm sure! Ralph: Bless us, Buffalo fans, Bless us Every one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 I thought this was a Carroll Rosenbloom thread. Silly me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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