Below is an article posted in the latest edition of The Advocate, a popular New Orleans newspaper. The Advocate polled questions from its local readers and asked Kennedy questions based on their inquiries. Upon returning home to New Orleans for the off-season, he sat down with The Advocate to share his experiences from his first season in the NSFL.
ADVOCATE: After qualifying for the play-offs, the Wraiths suffered a 2-point loss to the Baltimore Hawks. How did you handle this loss and how did it affect team morale?
KENNEDY: It’s a tough question to open on, but admittedly, I know it’s the first one on my mind. To be blunt, the loss sucks. Personally, I was devastated just as anyone would be. We have a competitive locker room and we all poured our heart and soul into the team… but at the same time, here’s the thing. Sure, we had a good season. We went 8-6. And so did four other teams. One of them didn’t even make the play-offs. It’s not enough to just be good. As a team, we have to rise above the competition and compete at a higher level if we expect to bring home championships. And that means that a good record just isn’t enough. Bringing home the championship requires near perfection on the field and, as good as our team is, we have to continue to challenge ourselves to aim even higher. And that’s the conversation that's going on in our locker room right now. Yes, we’re still dealing with a tough loss, but we’re also looking toward the future and we know what steps we need to take to make that leap forward. So, we’re going to process this loss during the off-season and come back to training camp ready to put it behind us. The guys in this locker room are like brothers to me and I’m excited to retake the field with them next season.
ADVOCATE: Upon joining the Wraiths, you found yourself being moved from Halfback to Fullback. Do you wish that you had ended on a team as a starting RB?
KENNEDY: Perspective is a funny thing. At the start of the season, absolutely. I knew I was coming into the draft with a bad rap. I made some mistakes as a prospect and I was lucky to end up even getting drafted, but there was still a part of me clinging to my college days. I miss that star spotlight and I wanted it back. I said the right things in the press because I didn’t want to cause more trouble for myself and I played the part because I was fortunate enough to get a second chance. I knew that I could turn that chance into something bigger down the road and I think that’s still true, but the real truth is that I was playing for myself. Even in college, I enjoyed the wins, but most of them came easy. I wanted to be the one driving the ball into the end zone because I wanted my name to be in the paper the next day. The spotlight is addicting and I don’t think you ever get used to being out of it once you’ve had a taste.
The funny thing is that I came into this team ready to put on a smile and play nice, but my goal was always to sneak myself into a better spot. Maybe the right person ahead of me got hurt or had a rough season and then I could swoop and take their spot, but it was never about what was best for the team. It was about getting back in the spotlight. However, a funny thing happened over those first few weeks. So many guys from that locker room took the time to make me feel like part of the team, even more so than the guys back home did. I loved playing for LSU, but at the college level, we were all playing with the goal of going pro. The guys that put the team first were mediocre players that were lucky to make the squad. They knew that those games were the best it was going to get for them and they were just happy to wear that jersey. So, coming into the pros, that “team first” mentality seemed like a joke to me. Maybe that makes me sound like a bad guy, but I can openly admit that because it was one more lesson I had to learn.
In the pros, “team first” isn’t a slogan for the guys that feel lucky to be wearing a jersey. Here in the NSFL, there are a lot of guys who think the way that I did. They’re addicted to the spotlight and they’re looking at each down as a chance to get their name in the paper the next day, but they’re on the field with a bunch of guys who think the exact same way. At the pro level, the guys that put their teams first are the ones bringing home the wins… because they realize it’s not their name on the scoreboard. I found myself lining up next to guys that are a lot better than I was at the start of the season and, even though they were killing it on the field, they took the time to make sure that they were doing everything they could to stay in alignment with the guys around them and function as a unit. When I was running the ball down the field in an LSU jersey, I never stopped to consider the effort other guys took to get me down that field… the offensive linemen running into 300-pounders., so I could slip past them instead of getting crushed… the Quarterback who took the time to perfect the hand-off and risk getting creamed because that defensive end didn’t see him hand me the ball… or the wide receiver that always made the effort to block for me when you know that he wished the coach had decided to throw the ball to him instead. And now maybe I’m the guy making that block, so that someone else can drive the ball into the end zone, but it feels different now. Just consider this for a second. Bubba Nuck was the MVP first season. And I came in thinking I was going to take his spot away in my first season. In my mind, as crazy it sounds, I was here to take his spot, but he still took the time to work with me on my drives, far more time than I ever expected. And he didn’t have to do that, but he wanted me to get better because he wanted his team to get better. And I’ve never had a team treat me that way, whether it was high school, college, or anything else.
If anything, I walk away from this season humbled. I don’t know if I would have gotten that type of experience in any other locker room. A lot of guys move from college to the pros and they miss being a big fish in a small pond. And part of me does, I won't lie, but the passion that I’ve seen in these players is unbelievable. They believe in the Wraiths… and, after playing alongside them, so do I. Maybe I'll find my way back to the spotlight... Maybe I won’t... But regardless, I believe I’m part of something bigger than myself now and that experience isn’t something I would trade for anything.
ADVOCATE: How do you feel you’ve improved this season? And what lessons did you learn?
KENNEDY: Like I said, the Wraiths’ players are committed to the guys around them. I was initially impressed by the coaches, but the players are just as engaged. And it’s been a team effort across the board. I think I’ve seen improvement in just about every area, but my speed is probably the asset I’ve seen the most improvement in. Here at Yellowknife, the cold is punishing. You can’t just go out on the field and try to cheat it. I’ve had to push my body to limits I wasn’t aware of and it’s been tough, but the drills they’ve had me run quickly started to pay off. There’s so much focus on constantly moving and staying mobile because of the cold. Admittedly, my endurance isn’t where I want it to be and I think that’s probably one of the bigger things holding me back, but I’ve gotten so much more explosive in making plays. I think with another season or two under my belt here, as hard as the weather up north can be to play in, it’s just going to do incredible things for my conditioning and overall mobility.
As far as lessons go, I’ve been adapting to a whole new role, so that’s a big one. Any success I’ve had, which I guess you can argue, has been hard-earned, but I’m also very proud of it. I worked closely with the offensive line and our other running backs just to make sure I'm in sync with everyone. Recently, we tried out a new kid that’s going to be in the next draft and I got to watch Bubba walk him through all the drills that he walked me through at the start of the season, but seeing it from another angle just gave me a whole new insight into everything that we do. I think, more than anything, my coordination and timing is improving, which is a much bigger deal at the Fullback position that I thought it would be going in.
ADVOCATE: What are your goals for the next season?
KENNEDY: As a team, obviously, we all want to make it to the big championship game. There’s a few things each of us can do on an individual level, but it’s going to take a strong effort on each of our parts. I know management is also heavily involved in scouting out the talent for the next draft and trying to give us more weapons as a team. We had several free agents this season that I’m hoping to see return, but outside of saying that, I’m leaving it up to the people that know what they’re doing to put together the best draft picks possible.
On an individual level, though, I’ve spent a good part of this season looking at ways that I can help compliment the rest of the offense. Obviously, I need to continue to evolve as a blocker and I think I’ve made great progress there. I feel like I’m close to getting the fundamentals down right. I’ve always been a strong guy, especially for my size, but little mistakes can cost you a lot of ground when you’re going up against an experienced player. On top of that, while I had a few good runs this season, a large portion of my yards came from receptions. Our wide receivers are great at stretching out defenses and I think having another guy that can help contribute to the mid-range passing game will make a big difference in the overall course of things. So, I’m really focused on learning more routes and becoming a more complete player. Right now, I think that evolving from a pure runner into a more well-rounded back is the best way for me to benefit the team. That said, a lot can change in the off-season, so I’m ready to shift my focus to wherever the team needs me to.
ADVOCATE: What advice do you have for the new rookies heading into the season three draft?
KENNEDY: Keep an open mind and don’t be afraid to challenge yourself. I’m a bit of a cautionary tale, but I found my niche and I’m much further ahead of where a lot of analysts thought I would be at this point. Whatever your position is, the league has a lot of good players, but those players aren’t necessarily good at every part of the game. Learn the needs of your team and challenge yourself to grow and improve in a way that makes the most impact. You’re probably not going to walk into the next season as the fastest or strongest guy on your team, but if you can help round-out your team, you’re going to see more time on the field and that’s going to lead to more opportunities to prove yourself.
That said, don’t forget what brought you to the dance and don’t be shy about your talents. If you’re fast, keep trying to get faster. If you’re strong, look for ways to get stronger. But you can be good at something without becoming a one-dimensional player. Just as important, listen to your coaches and teammates. Believe it or not, they just want you to be the best player that you can be and, more often than not, when you hit an obstacle in your training, they’ve been there, so they’re in the best spot to help you overcome.
ADVOCATE: Thanks for joining us today. On a last note, what can you tell us about your experience living up north compared to here in New Orleans?
KENNEDY: Well, Yellowknife is more than just a little up north, but I guess anything is north compared to Louisiana. I’m glad to be out of the cold for a bit. I also miss the food. NOLA is also so alive. With all the traveling that I’ve done with the team, I’ve had a chance to experience a lot of different cities, but to me, none as alive as our city. The culture and people are just incredible. But as funny as it sounds, I like Yellowknife. You come to appreciate it. The people are very easy to get along with and they definitely enjoy rooting for us, which means the world to me. And I’m grateful to all of my fans, whether they’re up in Yellowknife or back home in Louisiana. Just keep believing in me and I’ll keep pushing myself to be the best I can be every season. Here’s hoping that, when I come back home next year, I’ll be coming home with a championship ring.
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