CHAPTER 1: A Better Life

There is only one sport in the world that generates a massive surge of adrenaline unlike no other. That surge is not only felt by its participants, but it can also be felt by the millions of spectators who watch from afar. Only one sport thrives on a savage brutality where grown men hurl their bodies into one another without any regard for their own safety. It is a game that has grown to epitomize the culture of American sports. It is also a game that has become a way of life for more than just its players. It is a game that interrupts the monotonous routines of people who do not make their living wearing a football helmet. And for a short time each week, people can take a break from their ordinary lives and lose themselves in the luster, exhilaration and intrigue that is the National Football League.

Throughout the entire football season, millions of people remain glued to their televisions watching human specimens perform at the most optimum levels. Prior to those games, those same people anxiously count down the seconds until kickoff. And when the football season is over, those people long for the return of that barbaric yet elegant game. However, for those extraordinary young men looking to make a career for themselves in the NFL, the most important season of their lives takes place while no other games are scheduled. Once those players have played the final down of their college careers, they immediately move on to the draft season.

Thirty-three year old Bobby Deren is a senior writer for Rivals.com, part of the Yahoo Sports Network. In addition to writing daily features, Bobby also makes frequent radio and television appearances offering his expertise on the world of college football. A graduate of Delaware Valley College, Bobby has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and is also a former college athlete.