3) For any team, certain players and users have gone above and beyond, shaping the legacy of the franchise. Choose any ISFL or DSFL team - with the exception of the Sarasota Sailfish and Honolulu Hahalua - and create a Mount Rushmore for that team. Who in your mind are the four most noteworthy figures of the team’s history? Why does each one of your included figures deserve that recognition, and how did each of them make their mark?
When you head North across the Great Slave Lake into the bay, where you find the town of Yellowknife deep in the frigid Northwest Territories of Canada, there is a unique sight that is a must see for any football fan. Sail North out of Yellowknife itself staying near the Western coast and you will see along a cliff an ice sculpture like no other, carved from a frozen waterfall, the visages of 4 of Yellowknife's favourite sons glint in the sunlight.
On the left of the quartet is one of the greatest defensive backs in league history, a player who came from the unlikely origins of the West of Ireland, Dermot Lavelle. A hall of famer in his own right, he was a defensive player of the year and defensive back of the year as well as making the pro bowl in every one of this 13 NSFL seasons. He was instrumental in bringing the Wraiths their only title in Season 8, a year that the people of Yellowknife treasure all the more knowing how hard it is to replicate that success.
Next along the line is perhaps the most loved man in Yellowknife, the big dog, Cooter Bigsby.
While Bigsby has never brought home a title to Yellowknife, he has reigned over an incredible period of success. During his tenure as quarterback, the Wraiths have dominated their conference and gone to 5 of the last 6 Ultimus games. This season's ultimus title win against the Copperheads is the perfect and deserving crowning achievement to finish a legendary career. It seems no accident that the artist chose to put Bigsby a little higher than the other figures on the cliffside. His name and reputation reign higher than any other in this part of the world.
Close to Bigsby on the cliffside is a man who played alongside Bigsby during his time in Yellowknife, securing the defensive side of the ball: The man, the myth, the legend, the tackling maching, Danny Grithead. A man whose awards cabinet boasts: a most valuable player award; a defensive player of the year award; two defensive back of the year awards; no less than ten pro bowl appearances; and of course the two ultimus bowl championships he won with Orange County before coming to Yellownife and embracing as well as defining the winning Wraith culture. While his titles came elsewhere, the peak of his career certainly came during his time in Yellowknife where he won his MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards. He is of course also the all time NSFL tackle leader, and incredible achievement for an incredible player.
Finally on the right is a face some might say doesn't deserve to be here. A man whose story is still unfinished, perhaps that's why he's depicted gazing off into the distance, looking to the future at the great things yet to come in his career - yet he has already achieved so much in his career to date, it's hard to see what he could do to lose such a position amongst the greats of the Wraiths. The face is that of the lethal weapon Mathias Hanyadi. In his 3 seasons he has claimed 2 running back of the year awards and 2 offensive player of the year awards, and this year he adds a MVP and an Ultimus championship on top.
All four faces gaze southward in the direction of the American rivals. Or perhaps not, south of the city of Yellowknife also is the new stadium, The Frostlands, a theatre of dreams for the people of Yellowknife as much as the players. And if the old stadium, the Burial Grounds gathered a reputation of being cursed after three consecutive losses in Ultimus Bowls XVIII, XIX, and XX, the new stadium is a symbol of hope and success with a win in the first and only Ultimus Bowl held there.
The sculpture is an incredible feat of art and engineering, a testament to dedication, and a love letter from the fans to the team and the four greats who have contributed most to making it what it is today, one of the truly great franchises in all sim sports. It seems poignant that the scultpure itself is made of ice and come the Summer and next seasons kickoff it will have gone, melted into the bay and merged with the Great Slave Lake. Almost as if to remind us that all success in sport is fleeting and come the new season everyone starts a new with zero wins and zero losses. Witnessing this piece of art is something I would encourage any football fan to do. Yellowknife isn't on the way to anywhere, and it's out of the way of just about everywhere too. Because this city isn't a stopover, it's a destination.
When you head North across the Great Slave Lake into the bay, where you find the town of Yellowknife deep in the frigid Northwest Territories of Canada, there is a unique sight that is a must see for any football fan. Sail North out of Yellowknife itself staying near the Western coast and you will see along a cliff an ice sculpture like no other, carved from a frozen waterfall, the visages of 4 of Yellowknife's favourite sons glint in the sunlight.
On the left of the quartet is one of the greatest defensive backs in league history, a player who came from the unlikely origins of the West of Ireland, Dermot Lavelle. A hall of famer in his own right, he was a defensive player of the year and defensive back of the year as well as making the pro bowl in every one of this 13 NSFL seasons. He was instrumental in bringing the Wraiths their only title in Season 8, a year that the people of Yellowknife treasure all the more knowing how hard it is to replicate that success.
Next along the line is perhaps the most loved man in Yellowknife, the big dog, Cooter Bigsby.
While Bigsby has never brought home a title to Yellowknife, he has reigned over an incredible period of success. During his tenure as quarterback, the Wraiths have dominated their conference and gone to 5 of the last 6 Ultimus games. This season's ultimus title win against the Copperheads is the perfect and deserving crowning achievement to finish a legendary career. It seems no accident that the artist chose to put Bigsby a little higher than the other figures on the cliffside. His name and reputation reign higher than any other in this part of the world.
Close to Bigsby on the cliffside is a man who played alongside Bigsby during his time in Yellowknife, securing the defensive side of the ball: The man, the myth, the legend, the tackling maching, Danny Grithead. A man whose awards cabinet boasts: a most valuable player award; a defensive player of the year award; two defensive back of the year awards; no less than ten pro bowl appearances; and of course the two ultimus bowl championships he won with Orange County before coming to Yellownife and embracing as well as defining the winning Wraith culture. While his titles came elsewhere, the peak of his career certainly came during his time in Yellowknife where he won his MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards. He is of course also the all time NSFL tackle leader, and incredible achievement for an incredible player.
Finally on the right is a face some might say doesn't deserve to be here. A man whose story is still unfinished, perhaps that's why he's depicted gazing off into the distance, looking to the future at the great things yet to come in his career - yet he has already achieved so much in his career to date, it's hard to see what he could do to lose such a position amongst the greats of the Wraiths. The face is that of the lethal weapon Mathias Hanyadi. In his 3 seasons he has claimed 2 running back of the year awards and 2 offensive player of the year awards, and this year he adds a MVP and an Ultimus championship on top.
All four faces gaze southward in the direction of the American rivals. Or perhaps not, south of the city of Yellowknife also is the new stadium, The Frostlands, a theatre of dreams for the people of Yellowknife as much as the players. And if the old stadium, the Burial Grounds gathered a reputation of being cursed after three consecutive losses in Ultimus Bowls XVIII, XIX, and XX, the new stadium is a symbol of hope and success with a win in the first and only Ultimus Bowl held there.
The sculpture is an incredible feat of art and engineering, a testament to dedication, and a love letter from the fans to the team and the four greats who have contributed most to making it what it is today, one of the truly great franchises in all sim sports. It seems poignant that the scultpure itself is made of ice and come the Summer and next seasons kickoff it will have gone, melted into the bay and merged with the Great Slave Lake. Almost as if to remind us that all success in sport is fleeting and come the new season everyone starts a new with zero wins and zero losses. Witnessing this piece of art is something I would encourage any football fan to do. Yellowknife isn't on the way to anywhere, and it's out of the way of just about everywhere too. Because this city isn't a stopover, it's a destination.