Every child who has ever played sports with their friends in their backyard has dreamed up the same scenarios.
Whether it was stepping up to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, heaving a three-pointer from half court as time expired, or dropping back and throwing a Hail Mary touchdown pass to win the game; it was those dreams that led many professional athletes to become what they are today.
For Philadelphia Soul linebacker Rod Davis, not only does he get to live that dream; he gets to do it in his own backyard.
With Virgin Mobile ArenaBowl XXII taking place in New Orleans on July 27, Davis gets to compete for his first ArenaBowl championship just an hour down the road on Interstate 10 from his hometown of Gulfport, Mississippi.
"When I first signed with Philadelphia, I looked and saw that the ArenaBowl was going to be played in New Orleans and I said ‘Man, that would be so lovely. I have to get down there," said Davis.
"My family loves that ArenaBowl is in New Orleans," said the Gulfport native. "They get a chance to see me play in-person in the Arena Football League for the first time and they get to enjoy all the festivities before and after the game."
Davis said he expects anywhere between 20-30 friends and family members to be cheering on "number 23" in the New Orleans Arena.
They should have plenty of chances to cheer for him.
Davis, a fifth round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2004, has made an impact in his rookie season in the AFL. Though he played in only 11 of the Soul's 16 regular-season games due to injury, he still managed to post the fourth-most interceptions among rookies (3).
Davis cites instinct and desire as not only the keys to success at the position, but to youngsters who strive to be the best.
"Instincts have a lot to do with it but it's also about that ‘want to.' You've got to want to play linebacker," stated Davis.
"You've got to want to hit somebody and you've got to want to tackle. If you bring that to the game, you'll be a step above a lot of people. You have to want to play linebacker because I think not everyone is built to play linebacker."
Perhaps even more than wanting to be an elite player at his position, the Gulf Coast product hopes to capture an ArenaBowl championship in front of his friends and family.
"A Soul victory would mean so much. I'm just so happy to be playing in ArenaBowl in front of my family."
According to Davis, only one scenario matters when it comes to fulfilling his backyard dream.
"Soul win! Soul win! Soul win!"
For Rod Davis and for anyone who ever provided their own commentary to their own backyard moments of glory; here's hoping that dreams do come true.
Rod Davis and the Philadelphia Soul (13-3; 2-0) can be seen live on ESPN on ABC HD on Sunday, July 27 at 3 P.M. ET when they take on the San Jose SaberCats (11-5; 2-0) in Virgin Mobile ArenaBowl XXII.