After underachieving in a mediocre 7-7 season, as other teams prepare for the play-offs, the Yellowknife Wraiths are struggling to quiet concerns after team Fullback Eric Kennedy publicly criticized his usage on his personal blog. After claiming to answer fan questions and briefly discussing his season performance, Kennedy used the opportunity to launch into GM Spike Crown’s decision-making, claiming sub-par 2.1 yards per carry this season (a drop-off from his rookie season) were the result of an inability to build momentum.
"I’m a power runner in a limited role", Kennedy wrote. "I’m known for my power, not my speed. I’ve tried to make improvements, but I’ve got to pack on a lot of muscle for blocking." Some have speculated that the Fullback role was given to Kennedy after the team drafted him in the 12th round of the Season 2 Draft with minimal expectations. The Running Back has since become a motivated member of the team’s offense, but despite increased targets this season, he remains an inconsistent part of the backfield.
"I’m still getting goal line carries and short-yardage opportunities. However, even with that, I’m only averaging 4-5 carries per game. The power running style isn’t going to shine under those circumstances." This is the first time Kennedy has publicly voiced frustration on this level and management certainly can’t be pleased with an outburst of this type, especially on the back of the Wraiths falling out of play-off contention for the first time. However, while players venting frustration over their usage is nothing new for the NSFL, Kennedy quickly turned those feelings of frustration into threats as a contract year approaches just around the corner. "And, if they can’t commit to a higher level of carries, then maybe what I bring to the table as a runner isn’t as helpful as it may have been elsewhere", Kennedy writes with a carefully barbed tone. “I don’t have to like being in second place."
Quietly, Kennedy has put in a lot of work off-the-field, even more so than in Season 2 after exceeding the minimal expectations placed on him after his last-place pick in the S2 draft. From his own words, he seems to feel he’s capable of more than the Wraiths have offered him. “I am a starting running back and I think I deserve to be paid according to my talent, not my role."
Some may find his cockiness off-putting, but there is some merit to his argument. Internally, the NSFL uses a system known as TPE to rank player potential based on intelligence, physical attributes, and fundamental skillsets. At the end of his first season, Kennedy ranked just under 150 TPE, but he has doubled that score over the course of Season 2 as the pre-play-off update TPE projection places him at a score of 306. By comparison, the current starting Running Back for the Wraiths and former league MVP, Bubba Nuck, is expected to score around 400. That means that, if Kennedy can maintain the level of drive and motivation that he showcased in Season 3, he has the potential walk out of his next season projected even higher than Nuck is ranked right now. Few are expecting Kennedy to directly surpass Nuck, but the comparison is worth noting. There are definitely a few teams out there that would be willing to pay good money for a player of Nuck’s level and we suspect that will still be true at the end of next season. If we’re going off talent and potential alone, Kennedy may just get his chance to cash in on a big-time contract.
Unfortunately for the bold Running Back, physical ability alone is not the only metric that factors into the way that teams view players. While Kennedy’s words may have put him on the radar, it could easily backfire as owners tend to be cautious about touching a player with a history of being outspoken, especially against his current team leadership. While this latest outburst is the first in a while, Kennedy did draw a lot of negative attention during his days as a prospect. His late pick in the S2 draft was rumored to be the result of a bad attitude rather than a lack of talent. After making a name for himself as a star Running Back during his college days at LSU, Kennedy came into the NSFL with big expectations, but owners worried that he wasn’t willing to work to improve and that he was looking to rest on his laurels. Referring to the rest of his S2 draft class, “they’ve gotten opportunities to showcase their skills in a brighter spotlight. If Yellowknife doesn’t pay me according to my talent, I owe it to myself to look at all offers on the table." That resentment hasn’t been lost on him and he still seems to feel that the Wraiths are holding a grudge. If true, it would seem the grudge goes both ways.
In his first interview after being drafted, Kennedy seemed apologetic and was looking for redemption, but the quick change in perspective seemed less than authentic. Several suspected such a change to be the result of tight oversight from Wraiths management and much less a desire to change. Kennedy has managed to remained positive in his comments on the team since being drafted as a Wraiths, developing a clean-cut southerner image clearly designed by their PR team to improve his image, but reports from Yellowknife locals indicate that the former LSU spends many of his nights in bars and has yet to leave his party school days behind. Based on this latest stunt, the Wraiths may have fully lost control of the former troublemaker and more antics may be on the rise. Rumors of gag order have been in place for a long time and the timing of this outburst is lost on no one. It’s possible that Kennedy’s “demands” are less about money and more of a way to retaliate against Yellowknife management for keeping a tight leash on him. Regardless, the Wraiths PR team is going to have to keep an even closer eye on him going forward.
Kennedy claims that nothing’s for sure, but unless Wraiths management can quickly dust this latest cry for attention under the rug, we’re expecting the off-season to be exciting up in Yellowknife this year.
1,054 Words
Ready for Grading
GRADED
"I’m a power runner in a limited role", Kennedy wrote. "I’m known for my power, not my speed. I’ve tried to make improvements, but I’ve got to pack on a lot of muscle for blocking." Some have speculated that the Fullback role was given to Kennedy after the team drafted him in the 12th round of the Season 2 Draft with minimal expectations. The Running Back has since become a motivated member of the team’s offense, but despite increased targets this season, he remains an inconsistent part of the backfield.
"I’m still getting goal line carries and short-yardage opportunities. However, even with that, I’m only averaging 4-5 carries per game. The power running style isn’t going to shine under those circumstances." This is the first time Kennedy has publicly voiced frustration on this level and management certainly can’t be pleased with an outburst of this type, especially on the back of the Wraiths falling out of play-off contention for the first time. However, while players venting frustration over their usage is nothing new for the NSFL, Kennedy quickly turned those feelings of frustration into threats as a contract year approaches just around the corner. "And, if they can’t commit to a higher level of carries, then maybe what I bring to the table as a runner isn’t as helpful as it may have been elsewhere", Kennedy writes with a carefully barbed tone. “I don’t have to like being in second place."
Quietly, Kennedy has put in a lot of work off-the-field, even more so than in Season 2 after exceeding the minimal expectations placed on him after his last-place pick in the S2 draft. From his own words, he seems to feel he’s capable of more than the Wraiths have offered him. “I am a starting running back and I think I deserve to be paid according to my talent, not my role."
Some may find his cockiness off-putting, but there is some merit to his argument. Internally, the NSFL uses a system known as TPE to rank player potential based on intelligence, physical attributes, and fundamental skillsets. At the end of his first season, Kennedy ranked just under 150 TPE, but he has doubled that score over the course of Season 2 as the pre-play-off update TPE projection places him at a score of 306. By comparison, the current starting Running Back for the Wraiths and former league MVP, Bubba Nuck, is expected to score around 400. That means that, if Kennedy can maintain the level of drive and motivation that he showcased in Season 3, he has the potential walk out of his next season projected even higher than Nuck is ranked right now. Few are expecting Kennedy to directly surpass Nuck, but the comparison is worth noting. There are definitely a few teams out there that would be willing to pay good money for a player of Nuck’s level and we suspect that will still be true at the end of next season. If we’re going off talent and potential alone, Kennedy may just get his chance to cash in on a big-time contract.
Unfortunately for the bold Running Back, physical ability alone is not the only metric that factors into the way that teams view players. While Kennedy’s words may have put him on the radar, it could easily backfire as owners tend to be cautious about touching a player with a history of being outspoken, especially against his current team leadership. While this latest outburst is the first in a while, Kennedy did draw a lot of negative attention during his days as a prospect. His late pick in the S2 draft was rumored to be the result of a bad attitude rather than a lack of talent. After making a name for himself as a star Running Back during his college days at LSU, Kennedy came into the NSFL with big expectations, but owners worried that he wasn’t willing to work to improve and that he was looking to rest on his laurels. Referring to the rest of his S2 draft class, “they’ve gotten opportunities to showcase their skills in a brighter spotlight. If Yellowknife doesn’t pay me according to my talent, I owe it to myself to look at all offers on the table." That resentment hasn’t been lost on him and he still seems to feel that the Wraiths are holding a grudge. If true, it would seem the grudge goes both ways.
In his first interview after being drafted, Kennedy seemed apologetic and was looking for redemption, but the quick change in perspective seemed less than authentic. Several suspected such a change to be the result of tight oversight from Wraiths management and much less a desire to change. Kennedy has managed to remained positive in his comments on the team since being drafted as a Wraiths, developing a clean-cut southerner image clearly designed by their PR team to improve his image, but reports from Yellowknife locals indicate that the former LSU spends many of his nights in bars and has yet to leave his party school days behind. Based on this latest stunt, the Wraiths may have fully lost control of the former troublemaker and more antics may be on the rise. Rumors of gag order have been in place for a long time and the timing of this outburst is lost on no one. It’s possible that Kennedy’s “demands” are less about money and more of a way to retaliate against Yellowknife management for keeping a tight leash on him. Regardless, the Wraiths PR team is going to have to keep an even closer eye on him going forward.
Kennedy claims that nothing’s for sure, but unless Wraiths management can quickly dust this latest cry for attention under the rug, we’re expecting the off-season to be exciting up in Yellowknife this year.
1,054 Words
Ready for Grading
GRADED
![[Image: welcomeBraxtonEast.png?ex=677e7b1f&is=67...y=lossless]](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/357281973594619905/1319836335887880192/welcomeBraxtonEast.png?ex=677e7b1f&is=677d299f&hm=c03a86226787bfca2f2d024eb23c800c6f1ecd647532e0419a9d0218636d40e4&=&format=webp&quality=lossless)
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Thanks to Jangorhino for the sig.
