[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Just a Kid from Somewhere: Erasmo Broadway [/div]
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]![[Image: We%2527re%2BAll%2BJust%2BA%2BKid.png]](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rvBU69TqouI/VuiG7gisrmI/AAAAAAABWDE/2LA3DW63AYQim7GDG3ua3xiKJdzxtXEWg/s1600/We%2527re%2BAll%2BJust%2BA%2BKid.png)
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Going into their Week 8 matchup against the defending champion Arizona Outlaws, the Baltimore Hawks were the NSFLs feel-good story. After an inaugural season marred by futility, the Hawks had already matched their win total from a season ago with a grit and grind play-style that everyone could root for. But as much sports fans like to elevate heroes, they love to tear them down even more. We grin and say teams have moxie, that they’re blue-collar and play the right way, all the while not affording an ounce of genuine respect. Week 8 was when those upstart Hawks would be cut down to size.
On the Outlaws’ opening drive, the Baltimore defense managed to force a three-and-out. The naysayers were unconcerned, “let’s see if they can do it for four quarters,” they whispered to themselves. On the ensuing possession, after a two-yard rush by back Darlane Farlane, quarterback Scrub Kyubee stepped up in the pocket and let loose a bullet in the direction of star receiver Cooper Christmas.
The ball never got there. Outlaws safety Ryan Flock, like he’d done so many times before, jumped the route and picked the ball off. Despite not having done a damn thing, you could have cut the naysayers’ smugness with a knife. It mattered little that the game was only in its opening minutes, they’d already written the Hawks off.
“It was bound to happen”
“They have spunk, but they just don’t have the talent”
“Better luck next time.”
In their world, blue-blood beats blue-collar every day and twice on Simday.
Erasmo Broadway isn’t living in their world. With the Outlaws in enemy territory and looking to score, the game’s pendulum hung in the balance. At least for a few minutes anyway.
Reg Mackworthy turns the corner, tackled by Erasmo Broadway
Pass complete to Mayran Jackson, brought down by Broadway
Complete to Tkachuk, tackled by Broadway
Reg Markworthy up the middle, stuffed by Broadway for a short gain.
In a display that makes the stuff of linebacking legend, Erasmo Broadway racked up four tackles in six plays, forcing a Cristiano Ronaldo punt and snatching momentum back from the Outlaws.
The Hawks would go on to win 16 to 13 and, while ostensibly decided by a field goal, the game was really won on Baltimore’s 34-yard line, when the least heralded linebacker in a star-studded affair decided his team would not lose. On one cool night in Baltimore, our hero put the league on notice. But the city seven-hundred miles west, well they’ve been on notice for decades.
Erasmo Broadway was born on February 22nd, 1995 to a shell-shocked Chicago. Two years prior, the city’s golden boy, His Airness, had abandoned the hardwood to chase his father’s ghost on the baseball diamond. The silver lining? Without that momentary respite from basketball-mania, the league’s breakout star might never have picked up a football. While MJ returned to the game less than a month later, Broadway’s father had learned the beautiful game’s capacity for heartbreak. In his house, there would be Bears, not Bulls, fans.
The second of seven children, if you didn’t know any better, you’d think that the senior Broadway was committed to filling Soldier Field entirely with his own progeny. A household of nine has the potential to be a bit chaotic, and Erasmo’s family was no exception. The house was whirlwind of papers and arguments and growing up too fast, but, as was his character, the future NSFL star was the eye of the storm. On any given night, Erasmo could be found in the corner of his family’s subdued Graystone, methodically assembling and disassembling the same Lego sets. To this day, in the back of a locker organized with military precision is a small set of 4x4 bricks, an homage to the pieces of plastic that were a pillar of his childhood.
Brick by brick. Piece by piece. Player by player. Erasmo’s childhood habits blossomed into the way he approached his chosen sport: football. While an imposing 6’2”, Broadway had the foresight to recognize that his bread wouldn’t be buttered by his athleticism or measurables. He’d have to find another way to stand out. Unlucky for the rest of the league, he found it.
In a cross-town rivalry game imbued with meaning beyond anything the boys knew, his Spartans had just kicked a field goal to grab hold of a two-point lead with 3 seconds left. All they had to do was bring down the returner and the game would be theirs. On any other night against any other team, they’d have been all but assured of a victory. But that night, the player they were kicking off to was less “returner” and more “offensive weapon.” All-State in the 100m, 200m and 400m, the Spartans had already ceded Brent Douglass one touchdown, they couldn’t afford to let him get another. As the ball sailed through the air and the coverage team sprinted downfield, only two people saw the hole opening up: Brent and Broadway. Erasmo grew up in a whirlwind. This? This was nothing. He dashed right while maintaining his stance, cut off the ball-carrier and, in an instant, damn near took Brent’s head off his shoulders. In that moment, Erasmo learned what it meant to have the game slow down, and it’s been slowed down ever since.
If it happened today, Broadway’s hit would be the stuff of Vine legend. But it still was enough to gain some notoriety, and with it, the attention of scouts. Although he wanted to follow in the footsteps of area legend Rosevelt Colvin, a full scholarship from Notre Dame was too much to turn down. In the blink of an eye, the big-city boy became a small-town man.
Despite his upbringing, Broadway was never much of a city slicker. And with his fondness for the slower-paced, methodical country life, the residents of South Bend, Indiana embraced him as one of their own. Erasmo was a good, not great, college edge rusher, certainly not of the caliber that would predict the level of success he’s now attained. If anything, his time with the Fighting Irish was more notable for the personal changes it begat. Gone were deep-dish pizza and mild sauce, in were corn nuts, corn flakes, corn liquor – you get the point. Despite being as far from Indiana as a person can be, corn nuts are still a staple snack for Broadway, with small packages off the stuff adorning the bottom of his locker.
With the blessings of those around him, including his high-school sweetheart who followed him down south, Erasmo declared for the inaugural NSFL draft, viewing it as the best opportunity to provide for his now growing family. Selected by the Baltimore Hawks, the Chicago native would have the chance to ply his wares in city starkly similar to his home.
Despite his intelligence, Broadway misjudged just how difficult of a task that would be. He struggled mightily his rookie season playing defensive end, but if he learned nothing else from both South Bend and Chi-Town, he learned the value of perseverance. Going into the offseason, he shifted positions and, as they say in theatre, it was a wrap. Erasmo put together a season for the ages in his second year, cementing himself as a leader at one of the league’s most competitive positions. The success hasn’t gone to his head however, when asked about his prospects for making the top-50 list or winning top linebacker, Broadway demurred, instead praising talents Harrif Ernston and Jonathon Saint.
Humility be damned, the hopeful Hawks-lifer will be suiting up tomorrow to play in the Ultimus Cup. Broadway knows what it’s like to be bet against, it didn’t faze him then and it won’t faze him now. Regardless of outcome, Erasmo has made a name for himself in this league.
Not bad for a kid from Chicago.
Wordcount: 1319 Words
A huge thanks to @evryday for letting me write this profile piece. I intend for this to be a series, if you'd like to be profiled, please shoot me a message
GRADED
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]
[/div]Going into their Week 8 matchup against the defending champion Arizona Outlaws, the Baltimore Hawks were the NSFLs feel-good story. After an inaugural season marred by futility, the Hawks had already matched their win total from a season ago with a grit and grind play-style that everyone could root for. But as much sports fans like to elevate heroes, they love to tear them down even more. We grin and say teams have moxie, that they’re blue-collar and play the right way, all the while not affording an ounce of genuine respect. Week 8 was when those upstart Hawks would be cut down to size.
On the Outlaws’ opening drive, the Baltimore defense managed to force a three-and-out. The naysayers were unconcerned, “let’s see if they can do it for four quarters,” they whispered to themselves. On the ensuing possession, after a two-yard rush by back Darlane Farlane, quarterback Scrub Kyubee stepped up in the pocket and let loose a bullet in the direction of star receiver Cooper Christmas.
The ball never got there. Outlaws safety Ryan Flock, like he’d done so many times before, jumped the route and picked the ball off. Despite not having done a damn thing, you could have cut the naysayers’ smugness with a knife. It mattered little that the game was only in its opening minutes, they’d already written the Hawks off.
“It was bound to happen”
“They have spunk, but they just don’t have the talent”
“Better luck next time.”
In their world, blue-blood beats blue-collar every day and twice on Simday.
Erasmo Broadway isn’t living in their world. With the Outlaws in enemy territory and looking to score, the game’s pendulum hung in the balance. At least for a few minutes anyway.
Reg Mackworthy turns the corner, tackled by Erasmo Broadway
Pass complete to Mayran Jackson, brought down by Broadway
Complete to Tkachuk, tackled by Broadway
Reg Markworthy up the middle, stuffed by Broadway for a short gain.
In a display that makes the stuff of linebacking legend, Erasmo Broadway racked up four tackles in six plays, forcing a Cristiano Ronaldo punt and snatching momentum back from the Outlaws.
The Hawks would go on to win 16 to 13 and, while ostensibly decided by a field goal, the game was really won on Baltimore’s 34-yard line, when the least heralded linebacker in a star-studded affair decided his team would not lose. On one cool night in Baltimore, our hero put the league on notice. But the city seven-hundred miles west, well they’ve been on notice for decades.
Erasmo Broadway was born on February 22nd, 1995 to a shell-shocked Chicago. Two years prior, the city’s golden boy, His Airness, had abandoned the hardwood to chase his father’s ghost on the baseball diamond. The silver lining? Without that momentary respite from basketball-mania, the league’s breakout star might never have picked up a football. While MJ returned to the game less than a month later, Broadway’s father had learned the beautiful game’s capacity for heartbreak. In his house, there would be Bears, not Bulls, fans.
The second of seven children, if you didn’t know any better, you’d think that the senior Broadway was committed to filling Soldier Field entirely with his own progeny. A household of nine has the potential to be a bit chaotic, and Erasmo’s family was no exception. The house was whirlwind of papers and arguments and growing up too fast, but, as was his character, the future NSFL star was the eye of the storm. On any given night, Erasmo could be found in the corner of his family’s subdued Graystone, methodically assembling and disassembling the same Lego sets. To this day, in the back of a locker organized with military precision is a small set of 4x4 bricks, an homage to the pieces of plastic that were a pillar of his childhood.
Brick by brick. Piece by piece. Player by player. Erasmo’s childhood habits blossomed into the way he approached his chosen sport: football. While an imposing 6’2”, Broadway had the foresight to recognize that his bread wouldn’t be buttered by his athleticism or measurables. He’d have to find another way to stand out. Unlucky for the rest of the league, he found it.
In a cross-town rivalry game imbued with meaning beyond anything the boys knew, his Spartans had just kicked a field goal to grab hold of a two-point lead with 3 seconds left. All they had to do was bring down the returner and the game would be theirs. On any other night against any other team, they’d have been all but assured of a victory. But that night, the player they were kicking off to was less “returner” and more “offensive weapon.” All-State in the 100m, 200m and 400m, the Spartans had already ceded Brent Douglass one touchdown, they couldn’t afford to let him get another. As the ball sailed through the air and the coverage team sprinted downfield, only two people saw the hole opening up: Brent and Broadway. Erasmo grew up in a whirlwind. This? This was nothing. He dashed right while maintaining his stance, cut off the ball-carrier and, in an instant, damn near took Brent’s head off his shoulders. In that moment, Erasmo learned what it meant to have the game slow down, and it’s been slowed down ever since.
If it happened today, Broadway’s hit would be the stuff of Vine legend. But it still was enough to gain some notoriety, and with it, the attention of scouts. Although he wanted to follow in the footsteps of area legend Rosevelt Colvin, a full scholarship from Notre Dame was too much to turn down. In the blink of an eye, the big-city boy became a small-town man.
Despite his upbringing, Broadway was never much of a city slicker. And with his fondness for the slower-paced, methodical country life, the residents of South Bend, Indiana embraced him as one of their own. Erasmo was a good, not great, college edge rusher, certainly not of the caliber that would predict the level of success he’s now attained. If anything, his time with the Fighting Irish was more notable for the personal changes it begat. Gone were deep-dish pizza and mild sauce, in were corn nuts, corn flakes, corn liquor – you get the point. Despite being as far from Indiana as a person can be, corn nuts are still a staple snack for Broadway, with small packages off the stuff adorning the bottom of his locker.
With the blessings of those around him, including his high-school sweetheart who followed him down south, Erasmo declared for the inaugural NSFL draft, viewing it as the best opportunity to provide for his now growing family. Selected by the Baltimore Hawks, the Chicago native would have the chance to ply his wares in city starkly similar to his home.
Despite his intelligence, Broadway misjudged just how difficult of a task that would be. He struggled mightily his rookie season playing defensive end, but if he learned nothing else from both South Bend and Chi-Town, he learned the value of perseverance. Going into the offseason, he shifted positions and, as they say in theatre, it was a wrap. Erasmo put together a season for the ages in his second year, cementing himself as a leader at one of the league’s most competitive positions. The success hasn’t gone to his head however, when asked about his prospects for making the top-50 list or winning top linebacker, Broadway demurred, instead praising talents Harrif Ernston and Jonathon Saint.
Humility be damned, the hopeful Hawks-lifer will be suiting up tomorrow to play in the Ultimus Cup. Broadway knows what it’s like to be bet against, it didn’t faze him then and it won’t faze him now. Regardless of outcome, Erasmo has made a name for himself in this league.
Not bad for a kid from Chicago.
Wordcount: 1319 Words
A huge thanks to @evryday for letting me write this profile piece. I intend for this to be a series, if you'd like to be profiled, please shoot me a message
GRADED
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