Only Paul Neuman knows about the cartoon bags of money embossed on his son Owen’s football cleats.

From the stands they just look gold, but Owen wanted to wear them because he hopes to one day be an investment banker.

“I told him you couldn’t see that from the stands,” Paul said during Fayetteville-Manlius’ matchup with Utica Proctor on Friday.

While Owen and the Hornets (3-0) outlasted the Raiders (2-1), 31-28, on Friday night at Fayetteville-Manlius High School, Paul raptly followed. Owen is starting this year, his senior year, and it’s the last time he’ll play competitive football, so Paul is keen to take in his only child’s last ride on the gridiron.

Early on in Friday’s game, though, Paul was tense. F-M runs the Wing-T offense, relying heavily on its running backs, so passes are sporadically sprinkled in. On Owen’s first pass attempt of the game, he took a sack to make it fourth and goal.

“Dangit!” Paul said through his teeth, clapping his hands together. This is his usual routine when a play goes south for the Hornets. A clap or slap on the knee, often accompanied by a terse exclamation.

F-M took a 3-0 lead after the sack, then got the ball back with the same score. Owen took another sack, and Paul was subdued. The next play, Owen dropped back and fired a wobbly throw over the middle of the field. The tumbling pass found an open receiver for a chunk first down, making it first and goal.

A handful of plays later, Owen snuck the ball in for his first rushing touchdown of the year. In celebration, he sprinted to the sideline, skirted around his teammates and coaches, grabbed a football from a ball bag and handed it to someone in the student section.

Paul had never seen that celebration before.

“He must think he’s Cam Newton,” he quipped.

Paul didn’t wear any F-M gear to Friday’s game. Graduating from a small high school with roughly 20 people in his class, Paul said, football wasn’t even an option at his school. But now with Owen running the offense, he’s become absorbed into the game.

In the middle of the bleachers, he sat statue-like with other fathers, balls of their feet resting lightly on the bench in front of them, deftly debating how to slow down UP’s Jabril Jarrett. They all yelled “Pass!” when the Raiders threw deep with 6:28 to play in the second quarter.

Eventually halftime came, and F-M lead, 17-6. Owen’s had an up and down game so far, but the Hornets are winning, and that’s all Owen cared about, Paul said. As Fayetteville-Manlius walked to the locker room, Paul sat upright with his arms crossed.

He’s been quiet for most of the game, laid back like his son, who teammates have nicknamed “Surfer.”

Owen Neuman quarterbacked F-M to a win to get to 3-0 to begin his senior season. Andrew Graham | Senior Staff Writer

During halftime, Paul talked about Owen’s role in the offense. So far, F-M has predominantly run the ball, and that’s just what the Hornets do. It’s frustrating, and he knows Owen’s passing abilities are good enough, “but it’s coaching,” he said.

Owen wants to throw more, too.

“Hopefully we can get ahead 14-0 so I can starting throwing,” Owen told Paul before leaving the house for the game on Friday.

F-M retakes the field and Paul leans forward, trying to glimpse his son and inevitably, “surfer” is at the very back of the pack.

During a close third quarter, Paul is particularly stoic. The game is tight and F-M is struggling to stop the Raiders offense. In need of a play, Owen provided, dropping in a touchdown over the middle to stretch the lead to 24-14. This time, Owen grabs a marker and signs the ball he gave away earlier. Paul doesn’t notice because he’s too busy celebrating with the parents surrounding him.

The conversation moves to next year. Owen, who hopes to be a banker, wants to go south to the warmth for college. He’s hoping to attend Clemson or maybe Florida State, Paul said.

Paul and Owen’s mother, Laurine, are divorced. Owen is Paul’s only kid.

“It’s going to be tough,” Paul said of Owen going off to college, a tinge of sadness creeping in. Then he cleared his throat, sat up and started talking about football again.

The game wound down and F-M needed to ice the game away. With less than a minute left, the Hornets faced third and four. Utica Proctor was out of timeouts. Four yards and it was over. A three-yard gain set up Owen’s game-sealing first-down sneak.

The loudest claps from the stands came from Paul.

“It means so much to know (he) cares about what I’m doing,” Owen said after the win.

Then he walked over to Paul. Father and son had a brief conversation before Paul gave Owen a hug and let him go on his way to the locker room.

Published on September 15, 2018 at 9:09 am

Contact Andrew: aegraham@syr.edu | @A_E_Graham