All American: The Vortex Is Normal But Not Normal
When thinking of All American and their Vortex, many thoughts come to mind. But think about how weird the Vortex is and then you’ll realize just how normal it is to them. Standing on the outside looking in, people wonder how this dynamic works. It’s complicated but really not that complicated at the same time.
Let’s break down a few pieces of the Vortex and see where it all stands.
How many social circles do you know have 3 College Football players playing at a high level? Spencer is one of the best in the country. Jordan is playing well as a starting QB, and JJ had a great freshmen season as a LB. On the other side of the coin, Olivia made waves as a social justice fighter and is set to blow the college sports world off the hinges with her new story that will put her in the spotlight, once again.
Asher is making waves as a scout in his new job and there is definitely a future in coaching for him. Patience is a buzzing singer with her own following and is a hit away from taking the music scene by storm. Layla owns a Record Label and has produced songs for some top artists. Coop left the streetlife, beat a murder case, and now has plans of becoming a lawyer. And let’s not forget the one missing, Simone who is a budding tennis star in college herself.
Look around that Vortex and they are stars in their own right. However, within their circle, that’s never mentioned. To them, they’re just normal kids doing what they love to do. But from the outside looking in, there is nothing normal about their achievements.
These are kids with great futures ahead of them and most of them are sitting in stardom now. But what the writers have decided to do was great in terms of letting these young characters find themselves off the field, stage, and office. That’s what makes All American so good. It takes me back to the days of One Tree Hill. Although it was centered around basketball, the essence of the show was the relationships of the main cast. All American is on that same path.
What does make the Vortex a bit strange is the relationships aspect of it all. Who has dated within their circle. Spencer has dated Layla and Olivia. Patience and Coop have dated. Asher has dated Liv and Layla. Jordan was married to Simone and now he’s dating Layla. That’s a lot of emotions circling that circle of friends, and yet, they find a way to make it work.
Friends come and go. But this Vortex is more like a dysfunctional family who can’t escape one another. Hell, even with Simone in Georgia, she still has ties to the Vortex whether she likes it or not. The All American Vortex is weird, but what makes it normal is that it’s like a family.
Mark has been covering Sports and Entertainment for the past six years. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report, ESPN, Fox Sports, Teen Vogue, and many other websites.
