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236.Former football glory
第236课 橄榄赛场的昔日荣耀
For one season in the national football league, I was in the zone.
全国橄榄球联盟有一个赛季，我打联防区域。
It's not one of those things that you can explain.
事情说来奇怪。
That one year as a running back with the Miami dolphins,
那一年，作为迈阿密海豚队的持球跑动进攻手，
I was zig zagging past defenders almost effortlessly.
我可以几乎不费气力地蜿蜒绕过防守人员。
I had zest and pizzazz. I had a right sense of humour, that the press just loved.
我充满热情和活力。我具备新闻界所喜欢的冷嘲式幽默感。
Then after that season, it was like I couldn't play anymore.
那个赛季之后，似乎我再也不会打了，
I don't know what happened. I knew I wasn't my usual zealous self.
我不清楚怎么回事。我知道自己不是以往生龙活虎的自己了。
The zeal I had previously possessed for football was gone. I didn't hate it.
我以往对橄榄球所具有的热情一去不复返。我并不讨厌橄榄球，
I just wasn't in love with the game anymore.
只是不再喜爱。
The zenith of my career came and went like a lightning bolt.
我事业顶峰来去迅如闪电。
At one time just the mention of football produced a smile on my face, later the best I could do was yawn.
曾经，一提起橄榄球，我脸上就会浮现笑容。后来，我至多打个呵欠。
After two more years in the NFL, in which I yielded no memorable performances at all.
在全国橄榄球联盟又呆了两年之后，我没有做出突出表现，
I quit and went back home. I suppose I could have rung my hands and cried,
于是退出，回到家中。我觉得自己本来可以扼腕大哭一场，
letting out a big yelp of depression, but that wouldn't have helped anything.
发出沮丧的高叫，但这样做于事无补。
I was lucky and that I had made some good money during the three years that I had spent as a professional athlete.
幸运的是，我在三年的职业运动员期间，赚了为数可观的一笔钱。
I wasn't stupid like some guys. They spent all the money even before it arrives.
我不像有些人那样愚蠢，甚至钱还没来，他们就先花个一千二净。
I wasn't going to do that. I had my mother to take care of.
我不会那样做。我要照顾母亲。
She took care of me when I was young by stringing together bits of yarn to make mittens for children.
小的时候母亲用纱线一点点地编织孩子用的连指手套，悉心照料我。
She looked after me dearly and always encouraged my football career.
她对我关怀备至，总是鼓励我的橄榄球事业。
She was the yolk at the centre of our family's egg.
她是整个家庭的核心。
It was now time for me to take care of her and her old age.
现在她年老了，是我照顾她的时候了。
I bought her a nice house in a rural area, by some beautiful mountains. She loves it and so do I.
我为她在乡下依山傍水的地方买下一处漂亮的房子。她很喜欢，我也一样。
We live a simple life. It's a long way from the fame of glory from the NFL. But I will take it.
我们过着平常的生活，远离全国橄榄球联盟的名声和荣耀，但我可以接受。
Sure, sometimes I yearn for my glory days on the grid iron. But I know that will never be again.
当然，有时我也怀念球场的辉煌。但我知道一切已成过去。
I can be happy that I at least made a wrinkle, however small in the world of professional sports.
我感到庆幸的是，在职业运动领域我多少有所创新。
I will always be mentioned in the history books and that's good enough for me.
我将被永远载入史册，这就让我知足了。
