Finding a Home in the City of Neighborhoods
The Baltimore Hawks Story
"With the fifth pick in the inaugural NSFL draft, the Baltimore Hawks select Damian West..."
They say every city has a sound, a soul. In the coming weeks, Mr. West and the twenty-two young men drafted after him would be baptized into the cacophony that is Charm City. That night the Hawks declared that they would attempt to ascend into the sports pantheon of a city whose state has produced some of the most dominant athletes in history. From Michael Phelps to Ray Lewis, Kevin Durant to Cal Ripken Jr., Maryland’s Hall-of-Fame masquerades as a national one. Kurt Hendrix and Co. would have awfully big shoes to fill.
And for a fleeting four weeks in June, it looked like maybe, just maybe, they’d succeed. The budding Hawks rattled off an unbeaten pre-season slate, beating what was retrospectively a murder’s row of opponents by an average of nearly two touchdowns a game. Baltimoreans have a tolerance for bullshit like few others, they thought their new team had it too. Alas, the gods of the game care little for city pride. The undefeated preseason team of June started their inaugural regular season with a record of 2-4, albeit in a stretch of close games.
On the seventh week of the season, the Hawks rewrote their story. Or rather, they had their story rewritten for them. The Hawks were playing the Colorado Yeti at home, running back the matchup from a week ago when they were defeated 27-21.
Determined to avenge last week’s home loss, the Birds came out with a fury. On the backs of Cavalier Christmas and Damian West, the Hawks struck first with a two-yard touchdown run.
They did not strike again.
From the time Levon Novel crossed the end-zone to the time the clock hit triple-zeroes, the Yeti had rattled off thirty-one unanswered points. The efficiency of Colorado’s rushing juggernaut was matched only by the Hawks ineptitude. Scrub Kyubee lived up to his moniker, matching every Yeti touchdown with an interception of his own en route to a Bercovici-esque 43.5 QBR. And the team on the whole finished with more penalty yards than rushing yards. It wasn’t enough that they got blown out, it’s that they did so in Baltimore.
Since the battle at Baltimore Harbor that produced the poem Defence of Fort M'Henry, more commonly known as the Star Spangled Banner, the city has flashed a protectionist streak a mile wide. Even now, with the modern Under Armour mantra of Protect this House, she hasn't lost that mentality. A crappy football team? Less than ideal but manageable. A team that gets embarrassed at home? Well … they don’t call it Mobtown for nothing*. Baltimoreans aren’t shy about voicing their displeasure and, that night they, let the team have it. That morning’s sports page in the Baltimore Sun trumpeted “The Hawks Should Make Like the Colts and Scram,” invoking the midnight escape of the Baltimore Colts to Indianapolis.
The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Baltimore Hawks that year, following the thumping at the hands of the Yeti, the Hawks squirmed to a 4-10 record that was capped off by a 31-3 defeat at the hands of the ostensibly “equally” bad San Jose Sabercats.
But Baltimore stories don’t end that way, and if they have nothing else, the Hawks have a Baltimore story.
As soon as the clock struck midnight, new GM Gordon Gekko embarked on the herculean task of reshaping his team in the image of the city that housed it. Baltimore will knock you out, pick you back up and then put your ass right back on the floor, so to would the Hawks. Gone were yesteryear’s stars Levon Novel and Damian West. In their place? Darlane Farlane, and around 1700 pounds of offensive linemen. The Hawks had three consecutive picks in the fourth round, all three were offensive linemen, complementing Brokk Lee, selected in the 2nd, and Pat Pancake, taken in the 9th. The changes weren’t just external. S1 tackle-leader Kurt Hendrix shifted from linebacker to defensive end along with pass-rushing stud Bert Metas. Erasmo Broadway made the opposite transition, going from hands-in-the-dirt to a two-point stance. Players like Cooper Christmas continued to work and improve.
To the rest of the league, these changes didn’t matter. With their eyes on the wheeling and dealing in Vegas and the perennially brash Outlaws, the NSFL intelligentsia once again pegged the Hawks for mediocrity, as the team was universally projected to be on the outside looking in once they playoffs rolled around. The funny thing is though, projections can’t run, pass or tackle, only players can do that. Following a heart-breaking overtime loss to the Legion, the Hawks have recorded a 3-1 record over their next 4, with the only other loss coming during a nail-biter in San Jose. They sport the league’s best rushing offense and have a star-laden defense to boot. Broadway, an afterthought in the minds of many, is in the midst of a historic defensive season, ranking either first or second among linebackers in just about every stat that matters. And Kurt Hendrix is thriving at his new position, tying for second in sacks. Most importantly, the Hawks have yet to lose a home game.
The city has taken notice. Forget about an arena, after the Yeti game in Season 1, the Hawks would have struggled to fill a taco truck. With the Sabercats game now in the books, Baltimore is riding a streak of three consecutive sell-outs, a streak that shows no sign of letting up. The Hawks are rising, how high they soar is an open question. Those intent on doubling-down on their preseason takes insist that the Hawks will cool off and come back to earth. Gekko expressed a different vision, while he recognized that “The Yeti and Wraiths have proven to be great teams,” he was quick to point out that “anything could happen in a one game series.” Baltimore has a puncher’s chance against anybody, in that way the team mirrors the city. For now, the Hawks simply have to force their way into the ring.
Whether or not the Hawks hoist the Ultimus this year is a question that can only be answered by the tossing a few bucks in the direction of the fortune tellers on Pratt Street. But no fortune-teller is necessary to know that the offseason gives the Hawks another opportunity to make the leap. At the very least, the team will have $12.5 million in cap space to play with this summer, more than enough for an impact player or two. That said, Gekko said he doesn’t “expect a lot of action with signing players.” The draft? Well that’s a different story. Without naming names, the Hawks GM referenced a couple of “interesting linemen that will be available.”
Both in style and substance, the team reflects its city. After a season in the darkness, the Hawks have found a home in the city of neighborhoods.
Baltimore Up.
Players mentioned:
@HENDRIX
@andybj
@GoodLeftUndone
@Gwdaja
@Ghostspeed
@evryday
@DollarAndADream
The Baltimore Hawks Story
"With the fifth pick in the inaugural NSFL draft, the Baltimore Hawks select Damian West..."
They say every city has a sound, a soul. In the coming weeks, Mr. West and the twenty-two young men drafted after him would be baptized into the cacophony that is Charm City. That night the Hawks declared that they would attempt to ascend into the sports pantheon of a city whose state has produced some of the most dominant athletes in history. From Michael Phelps to Ray Lewis, Kevin Durant to Cal Ripken Jr., Maryland’s Hall-of-Fame masquerades as a national one. Kurt Hendrix and Co. would have awfully big shoes to fill.
And for a fleeting four weeks in June, it looked like maybe, just maybe, they’d succeed. The budding Hawks rattled off an unbeaten pre-season slate, beating what was retrospectively a murder’s row of opponents by an average of nearly two touchdowns a game. Baltimoreans have a tolerance for bullshit like few others, they thought their new team had it too. Alas, the gods of the game care little for city pride. The undefeated preseason team of June started their inaugural regular season with a record of 2-4, albeit in a stretch of close games.
On the seventh week of the season, the Hawks rewrote their story. Or rather, they had their story rewritten for them. The Hawks were playing the Colorado Yeti at home, running back the matchup from a week ago when they were defeated 27-21.
Determined to avenge last week’s home loss, the Birds came out with a fury. On the backs of Cavalier Christmas and Damian West, the Hawks struck first with a two-yard touchdown run.
They did not strike again.
From the time Levon Novel crossed the end-zone to the time the clock hit triple-zeroes, the Yeti had rattled off thirty-one unanswered points. The efficiency of Colorado’s rushing juggernaut was matched only by the Hawks ineptitude. Scrub Kyubee lived up to his moniker, matching every Yeti touchdown with an interception of his own en route to a Bercovici-esque 43.5 QBR. And the team on the whole finished with more penalty yards than rushing yards. It wasn’t enough that they got blown out, it’s that they did so in Baltimore.
Since the battle at Baltimore Harbor that produced the poem Defence of Fort M'Henry, more commonly known as the Star Spangled Banner, the city has flashed a protectionist streak a mile wide. Even now, with the modern Under Armour mantra of Protect this House, she hasn't lost that mentality. A crappy football team? Less than ideal but manageable. A team that gets embarrassed at home? Well … they don’t call it Mobtown for nothing*. Baltimoreans aren’t shy about voicing their displeasure and, that night they, let the team have it. That morning’s sports page in the Baltimore Sun trumpeted “The Hawks Should Make Like the Colts and Scram,” invoking the midnight escape of the Baltimore Colts to Indianapolis.
The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Baltimore Hawks that year, following the thumping at the hands of the Yeti, the Hawks squirmed to a 4-10 record that was capped off by a 31-3 defeat at the hands of the ostensibly “equally” bad San Jose Sabercats.
But Baltimore stories don’t end that way, and if they have nothing else, the Hawks have a Baltimore story.
As soon as the clock struck midnight, new GM Gordon Gekko embarked on the herculean task of reshaping his team in the image of the city that housed it. Baltimore will knock you out, pick you back up and then put your ass right back on the floor, so to would the Hawks. Gone were yesteryear’s stars Levon Novel and Damian West. In their place? Darlane Farlane, and around 1700 pounds of offensive linemen. The Hawks had three consecutive picks in the fourth round, all three were offensive linemen, complementing Brokk Lee, selected in the 2nd, and Pat Pancake, taken in the 9th. The changes weren’t just external. S1 tackle-leader Kurt Hendrix shifted from linebacker to defensive end along with pass-rushing stud Bert Metas. Erasmo Broadway made the opposite transition, going from hands-in-the-dirt to a two-point stance. Players like Cooper Christmas continued to work and improve.
To the rest of the league, these changes didn’t matter. With their eyes on the wheeling and dealing in Vegas and the perennially brash Outlaws, the NSFL intelligentsia once again pegged the Hawks for mediocrity, as the team was universally projected to be on the outside looking in once they playoffs rolled around. The funny thing is though, projections can’t run, pass or tackle, only players can do that. Following a heart-breaking overtime loss to the Legion, the Hawks have recorded a 3-1 record over their next 4, with the only other loss coming during a nail-biter in San Jose. They sport the league’s best rushing offense and have a star-laden defense to boot. Broadway, an afterthought in the minds of many, is in the midst of a historic defensive season, ranking either first or second among linebackers in just about every stat that matters. And Kurt Hendrix is thriving at his new position, tying for second in sacks. Most importantly, the Hawks have yet to lose a home game.
The city has taken notice. Forget about an arena, after the Yeti game in Season 1, the Hawks would have struggled to fill a taco truck. With the Sabercats game now in the books, Baltimore is riding a streak of three consecutive sell-outs, a streak that shows no sign of letting up. The Hawks are rising, how high they soar is an open question. Those intent on doubling-down on their preseason takes insist that the Hawks will cool off and come back to earth. Gekko expressed a different vision, while he recognized that “The Yeti and Wraiths have proven to be great teams,” he was quick to point out that “anything could happen in a one game series.” Baltimore has a puncher’s chance against anybody, in that way the team mirrors the city. For now, the Hawks simply have to force their way into the ring.
Whether or not the Hawks hoist the Ultimus this year is a question that can only be answered by the tossing a few bucks in the direction of the fortune tellers on Pratt Street. But no fortune-teller is necessary to know that the offseason gives the Hawks another opportunity to make the leap. At the very least, the team will have $12.5 million in cap space to play with this summer, more than enough for an impact player or two. That said, Gekko said he doesn’t “expect a lot of action with signing players.” The draft? Well that’s a different story. Without naming names, the Hawks GM referenced a couple of “interesting linemen that will be available.”
Both in style and substance, the team reflects its city. After a season in the darkness, the Hawks have found a home in the city of neighborhoods.
Baltimore Up.
Code:
*The name Mobtown comes from the citizens' tendency to voice their displeasure through rioting i.e. angry mobs.
Word count: 1175
Players mentioned:
@HENDRIX
@andybj
@GoodLeftUndone
@Gwdaja
@Ghostspeed
@evryday
@DollarAndADream
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