Derby may look too undersized to play in the Dog Football League, but the scouts are already impressed with her speed and “telepathic” ball catching abilities.
When we first met Derby back in the early Fall, we had heard about her athletic abilities but she was mostly reluctant to show off what she could do. Maybe it was nerves, maybe it was my throwing style, either way, Derby only showed flashes of brilliance.
One minute, she was leaping five feet into the air to snatch a ball, the next minute she was distracted by some big loudmouth dog barking from the upper-deck of the house next door.
Whatever the distraction was a few months ago, or maybe she just matured, Derby has easily become our top prospect in the Dog Football League, which is still in the imaginary stage. She can catch anything like slow-poke Seattle Sea-Hawk, Steve Largent, but run incredibly fast, like brick-handed Oakland Raider, Willie Gault.
Sure-handed and fast, Derby might replace former “top-pick” Jinx.
Muscled Boxer Jinx certainly has the physical stature to line up in the tight-end possession, rarely drops the ball, and is incredibly agile after the catch. However, as anyone who has ever played ball with Jinx knows, he does not give the ball back, ever.
Whereas Jinx never seems to comprehend that the game will continue if he just drops the ball so I can throw it again “dammit”; Derby innately intuits that I can’t throw the ball if she still has it in her mouth.
On our imaginary Dog Football Team, we can see Derby playing wide receiver both in third and long situations, given her speed, and down near the goal-line, given her leaping abilities.
Jinx will remain a top pick to play tight-end on passing downs and we will cycle in Mookie as a blocking tight-end on running downs to give Jinx a breather.
(Mookie, the extra-strong Bernese Mountain dog is good for a catch or two a game, but he doesn’t always know which way to run after the catch and he expects a trophy or a treat even he just happens to be in the general vicinity of the ball. Our interview with Mookie here.)
Derby in Action
