01-10-2023, 10:43 AM
(This post was last modified: 01-10-2023, 04:38 PM by Caleb_H. Edited 1 time in total.)
(Yeah I know this is not the offseason anymore and we are currently in week 9 in the sim, however this is a quick article I wanted to get out because it popped into my head. So I hope you all enjoy!)
"...And your Yellowknife Wraiths will move on to 8-0 after quite the strong performance in the second half versus the Austin Copperheads, and they look like complete world beaters right now" One of the Wraiths radio commentors says as the Wraiths walk off the field in high spirts after a victory vs the 6-1 now 6-2, Copperheads.
"another strong performance from the defense and quite the statement made for the Wraiths" The other commentor says "This defense has been playing like they have had a point to prove all season, and the only team to have come close to truly breaking this defense has been the arguably best offense in the league in the Sarasota Sailfish. I wonder what made this defense so incredibly motivated besides the desire to get a title?"
Some months earlier, during the offseason:
"yeah I am almost there, getting pretty close to Fairdale now" Jack McPherson says as he is on the phone with his mom and is also on the road back home to the small town of Fairdale Kentucky, although Fairdale is technically a part of Louisville. It was the offseason for the Yellowknife Wraiths, and Jack had promised his folks that he would head down to his hometown to visit his family soon after the offseason starts. Unfortunately for the Wraiths, that came sooner then they would have wanted as they were eliminated in heartbreaking fashion versus the Berlin Fire Salamanders. This had weighed heavily on Jack's mind as he drove, but he tried his best to get it out of there as he approached his hometown. "I hope that you will have some snacks for me there?"
"Oh you know it dear" His mom says as she serves some chicken wings to her most recent customers. The McPherson family have owned a successful chicken wing joint in Fairdale for a couple of generations, and if Jack had not gotten into professional football he would probably be next up to run the restaurant. "Hey when you get here could you help me with some orders? You have been getting us so much free publicity that it is a bit overwhelming sometimes."
"oh sure Ma!" Jack says as he pulls into the town "You did take my advice and hire some more wait staff, right?"
"Oh yeah we did! they have been a pretty big help dear"
"Oh that is nice. Unfortunately me and April broke up so she will not be coming here with me"
"Aww I thought she was nice, what happened with you and her?"
"Well she was too much of a city girl and I eventually figured out that she was only with me for the money" Jack sighed "Another instance of me being unlucky in love I guess. However I have been talking with this nice girl named Jane who's family owns a farm, but we are not close enough for her to visit here."
"Ahh I see. I hope you will have better luck with the new girl. I see your truck though, so I will get off the phone" They both hang up as Jack pulls into the family part of the driveway that is for the restaurant that doubles as a house for the family. Jack greets his many family members as he goes to grab the chips and dip that his mom had left for him. As he ate and turned on the sports news channel, his dad sits near him
"Hey son, how are you today?" His dad asks as grabs a few chips from the bowl
"I am feeling alright I guess, just wish the season did not end the way it did." Jack sighs and shrugs
"Yeah it was a hard way to end it, however I believe that you can bounce back from this. You always do"
"Yeah Dad, I know" As they watch, one of the sports talking heads goes into a discussion about the Wraiths and the playoff game that they were just in
"...and look as much as we talk about how good this defense is, it will never be good enough to carry them to a title" One of the talking heads starts to say "we can talk about how they are a masterpiece of defense all we want, but as long as the offense cannot score they will never win a title"
"Man they sure love to talk don't they son?" Jack's dad says before he looks at his son looking very angry "Hey son you don't have to listen to what they say, but if you do, at the very least use if for extra motivation. Hell if I was you, I would write that down on a piece of paper and have it copied and pasted all over the locker room. Like in every locker. When I was playing basketball back in the day, that is what we did when the opposing team talked a lot of crap about us"
"Did it work, Dad?" Jack asks as he looks at his father
"Well not always, but it did work a lot more then you would think"
"Thanks Dad. That does see like a good idea. Hold on, I have to make a call to my GM real quick..."
Sure enough, this quote would be copied and pasted in each locker in the Wraiths locker room:
"We can talk about how they are a masterpiece of defense all we want, but as long as the offense can't score they will never win a title."
Rarely can you get better motivation then that.
"...And your Yellowknife Wraiths will move on to 8-0 after quite the strong performance in the second half versus the Austin Copperheads, and they look like complete world beaters right now" One of the Wraiths radio commentors says as the Wraiths walk off the field in high spirts after a victory vs the 6-1 now 6-2, Copperheads.
"another strong performance from the defense and quite the statement made for the Wraiths" The other commentor says "This defense has been playing like they have had a point to prove all season, and the only team to have come close to truly breaking this defense has been the arguably best offense in the league in the Sarasota Sailfish. I wonder what made this defense so incredibly motivated besides the desire to get a title?"
Some months earlier, during the offseason:
"yeah I am almost there, getting pretty close to Fairdale now" Jack McPherson says as he is on the phone with his mom and is also on the road back home to the small town of Fairdale Kentucky, although Fairdale is technically a part of Louisville. It was the offseason for the Yellowknife Wraiths, and Jack had promised his folks that he would head down to his hometown to visit his family soon after the offseason starts. Unfortunately for the Wraiths, that came sooner then they would have wanted as they were eliminated in heartbreaking fashion versus the Berlin Fire Salamanders. This had weighed heavily on Jack's mind as he drove, but he tried his best to get it out of there as he approached his hometown. "I hope that you will have some snacks for me there?"
"Oh you know it dear" His mom says as she serves some chicken wings to her most recent customers. The McPherson family have owned a successful chicken wing joint in Fairdale for a couple of generations, and if Jack had not gotten into professional football he would probably be next up to run the restaurant. "Hey when you get here could you help me with some orders? You have been getting us so much free publicity that it is a bit overwhelming sometimes."
"oh sure Ma!" Jack says as he pulls into the town "You did take my advice and hire some more wait staff, right?"
"Oh yeah we did! they have been a pretty big help dear"
"Oh that is nice. Unfortunately me and April broke up so she will not be coming here with me"
"Aww I thought she was nice, what happened with you and her?"
"Well she was too much of a city girl and I eventually figured out that she was only with me for the money" Jack sighed "Another instance of me being unlucky in love I guess. However I have been talking with this nice girl named Jane who's family owns a farm, but we are not close enough for her to visit here."
"Ahh I see. I hope you will have better luck with the new girl. I see your truck though, so I will get off the phone" They both hang up as Jack pulls into the family part of the driveway that is for the restaurant that doubles as a house for the family. Jack greets his many family members as he goes to grab the chips and dip that his mom had left for him. As he ate and turned on the sports news channel, his dad sits near him
"Hey son, how are you today?" His dad asks as grabs a few chips from the bowl
"I am feeling alright I guess, just wish the season did not end the way it did." Jack sighs and shrugs
"Yeah it was a hard way to end it, however I believe that you can bounce back from this. You always do"
"Yeah Dad, I know" As they watch, one of the sports talking heads goes into a discussion about the Wraiths and the playoff game that they were just in
"...and look as much as we talk about how good this defense is, it will never be good enough to carry them to a title" One of the talking heads starts to say "we can talk about how they are a masterpiece of defense all we want, but as long as the offense cannot score they will never win a title"
"Man they sure love to talk don't they son?" Jack's dad says before he looks at his son looking very angry "Hey son you don't have to listen to what they say, but if you do, at the very least use if for extra motivation. Hell if I was you, I would write that down on a piece of paper and have it copied and pasted all over the locker room. Like in every locker. When I was playing basketball back in the day, that is what we did when the opposing team talked a lot of crap about us"
"Did it work, Dad?" Jack asks as he looks at his father
"Well not always, but it did work a lot more then you would think"
"Thanks Dad. That does see like a good idea. Hold on, I have to make a call to my GM real quick..."
Sure enough, this quote would be copied and pasted in each locker in the Wraiths locker room:
"We can talk about how they are a masterpiece of defense all we want, but as long as the offense can't score they will never win a title."
Rarely can you get better motivation then that.