Rookie boasts, "Records are gonna fall!"
By "Joey Scarfone"

Pre-Season 2079 (Lehigh) - As the Philadelphia Eagles boarded the team buses back to South Philadelphia, after three weeks of two-a-days under the hot sun, everyone was talking about the rookie wideout from West Virginia, Jerry Clem. Head Coach Art Tang published his starting lineups for the season-opener at Cleveland and Clem was listed as the starter at wide reciever.

Clem's production during the daily scrimmages took a back seat to the young athlete's boastful attitude during the impromtu press gaggles while players retreated to the locker room. Clem has declared that Lazar Walker's 43 year-old record for most yards gained in a season by a rookie will be shattered (1,298yds, 2036). Clem has also set his sights on Bob Phifer's 58 year-old records of most pass receptions by a rookie (96, 2021).

'While I don't condone such brashness among my players, I am encouraged at number seventeen's attitude,' said Coach Tang in his usual manner of not mentioning a rookie by name, but by his number. Tang has long employed a standard that respect comes by action, not by impressions.

Clem is the first rookie to start at wide reciever for the Eagles since Greg Snow in 2066. Snow played nine seasons in the USAFL, seven in Philly and two in Dallas, with a career total of 704 catches for 8,234 yards and 47 touchdowns. While Snow's rookie campaign was impressive, 71 catched for 937 yards and 3 touchdowns, the Eagles lost interest in his future and traded him to Dallas for a 4th round selection and a journeyman defensive back, Todd Clay.