Geno Atkins has known many names, nicknames, labels in his day. He had some crazy nicknames growing up on the streets of Pembroke Pines, Florida. Since he got his name and genes from father Gene Atkins, former NFL safety...he often was called Junior.
Once he starting balling on the fields things changed. His handle was big man on campus. Top Dog. Bruiser. All-Star.
Then there was the day he became Bengal...and millionaire...and soon thereafter he was Bengal all-time record holder. League All-Pro.
Geno Atkins is a man who has seen the staircase from one perspective only...as that of a climber. His reputation has been like the universe: always expanding. His legend growing.
But on Monday morning October 10, 2016 Geno looked at the stairway and it seemed to spin. He reached for the bannister...and took at tight grip. All of those labels and accolades felt a bit distant somehow.
The day before, you understand, he'd battled in the trenches with a quiet player known as Zack Martin. It was just 60 minutes of football but the notions with which Geno had regarded himself had been knocked loose.
Play after play he'd slammed himself with his usual craft and violence into the mountain. But this time the mountain did not yield. Geno would spin, but the mountain conceded no leverage. Instead the mountain rose up and pushed back. The mountain pushed back and pushed down. It was hard to breathe.
As never before Geno the player had been muted. His impact on the game stripped to nothing. He'd reached into his rich history for something else to try...something that might yield results. He found nothing.
Geno was always sore on Monday but this time the sensation was unnerving. "Gawd I feel old today. "
Geno Atkins considered his plan for the day off. "I'll check in with Reggie... or...maybe...maybe I should stop by that shop on J street. Look at golf clubs."