Fantasy League - Charlie "brains" Gaines

Theme:

Fantasy League by Mike Lupica is all about overcoming obstacles like an illness or growing up without a dad. It's about having good friends like Anna Warren, and having confidence in yourself to always do what you love to do.

Plot:

After the Rams left for Saint Louis in 1994, Los Angeles was without a professional football team until Joe Warren brought in an expansion team called the L.A. Bulldogs. The only problem was, it is now four years later and the L.A. "Dogs" are the worst team in the NFL. "They just kept losing." "They either drafted the wrong players or traded for the wrong players or signed the wrong fee agents." Even when they seemed to get it right and drafted a solid player, they always got hurt. Enter, Charlie "Brains" Gaines, a Fantasy Football genius at the age of twelve. Charlie "just doesn't watch football games as much as he studies them; searching for clues." Through his podcast, Charlie catches the attention of Joe Warren and convinces him to "take a chance on an aging quarterback" and the Bulldogs start to win! Joe actually hires Charlie to be the head coach because he realizes that Charlie doesn't just know football, he lives it.

Charlie "Brains" Gaines

• He is a Fantasy Football genius at the age of twelve (direct).
• Watching & studying football games is an escape for him (indirect). When he is playing Fantasy Football and his team is winning; "he isn't the boy without a dad or the boy who isn't good enough to be a star playing football"
• He is very loyal (indirect). No matter how pathetic the L.A. Bulldogs were, "Charlie still loved them because they were his first team."
• He isn't a quitter (indirect). He maybe a "bench warmer" for his middle school team, but not when he is with Anna, Mr. Warren and the Bulldogs.

Charlie "Brains" Gaines

• He is a Fantasy Football genius at the age of twelve (direct).
• Watching & studying football games is an escape for him (indirect). When he is playing Fantasy Football and his team is winning; "he isn't the boy without a dad or the boy who isn't good enough to be a star playing football."
• He is very loyal (indirect). No matter how pathetic the L.A. Bulldogs were, "Charlie still loved them because they were his first team."
• He isn't a quitter (indirect). He maybe a "bench warmer" for his middle school team, but not when he is with Anna, Mr. Warren and the Bulldogs.

Charlie is A static Character

• He is static because his love for football never changes in the story.
• His friendship with Anna Warren never changes in the story.
• His closeness with his football team never changes.
• His bond with Mr. Warren never changes.

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