As fans poured onto the 1st Mariner Arena floor Friday, Baltimore Blackbirds general manager John Wolfe began to reflect.
“Going back to the start of the season, there were folks that didn?t think we?d make it,” said Wolfe, after watching the Blackbirds drop a 19-17 loss to the Johnstown Riverhawks. “But we?re definitely here to stay.”
The Blackbirds (1-12), the American Indoor Football Association?s expansion franchise, have been mired in a season-long slump. Only a 44-10 trouncing of the Gulf Coast Raiders stood between Baltimore and a winless first year.
Still, after launching the franchise in December ? four months prior to the Blackbirds? first game ? owner Alexander Austin finds plenty of positives in a season that begs for the negative.
Austin says the organization is on the constant upswing. He?s planning on expanding the front-office and coaching staff, which currently includes Chris Simpson doubling as the head coach and the director of player personnel and assistant general manager Dan Culliver handling the assistant coaching duties.
“It was definitely a rough one,” Austin said. “Overall, the organization is steadily increasing. It?s very stable. Of course, everyone has their challenges. For us, we learned a lot.”
Simpson believes the root of the Blackbirds? problems lie in their personnel. The depth of the team worries Simpson, as he insists there are eight core players Baltimore can build around. But with injuries a problem, like the strained ligaments in quarterback Robbie Jenkins? foot, eight isn?t enough.
“We?ve got some holes to fill,” said Simpson, who will start recruiting in the upcoming weeks. “We?ve got some talented guys out there. But, bottom line, when we have guys that go down to injury, our backups just aren?t as good. That?s a struggle.”
According to Austin, Baltimore averaged 2,200 fans at each home game, which isn?t what the front office envisioned. However, Wolfe said, with the addition of late-season sponsors and ticket and merchandise sales, the Blackbirds say they made enough money to field the team in 2008.
“The Baltimore fans have been very, very good to us,” Austin said. “We want to bring back a stronger organization year by year and make sure we?ve got a good product on the field.”
Few things, aside from adding to the loss column, were consistent for the Blackbirds. The team suffered through a string of seemingly never-ending routs.
A season filled with on-field disappointment and roster changes, from quarterbacks Kenneth Irby to Joe Urso to Robbie and Mike Jenkins, ended in fitting fashion – with the Blackbirds falling just short.
“This group that showed up tonight kept fighting all year, right down to the last wire,” Baltimore receiver Kevin Dixon said. “We had a chance, but we didn?t quite get there. That was the story of the season. We?ve got a lot to be proud of this season, and we?ve got a lot to take out of this season just in a learning experience. And we?re only going to get better.”
