ATLANTA UNDERGROUND [GM BENNETT]

[GM Bennett]

Alright Coach, I believe you answered just about all the questions I needed. I still have one more Coach to speak to before I make a final decision on who I am going to hire but I can definitely say you have surprised and impressed me more than I already was before we sat down to talk. I appreciate your time and getting to know you.

---

Xena, let's get our last candidate here please.

These coaches aren't making it easy on me. I'm sure the next one won't either.

[Talon]

KEITH KNOTTS INFORMS YOU HE IS SIGNING ELSEWHERE, YOU MAY TARGET ANOTHER COACH FOR A DAY 3 INTERVIEW, IF YOU WISH

[GM Bennett]

Ain't that a bitch....

Alright, I don't wish to interview anyone else.

Xena, can you give Coach Freese a call please?

[Talon]

 

Yes?

[GM Bennett]

Coach Freese, I'd like to formally offer you to be the next Head Coach of the Atlanta Underground.

The contract length will be 3 Years mostly because that's how long my own contract has the possibility to be. If I am to possibly be out of a job by next season it'll give the whoever takes over a chance to have a HC for at least 1 more season or let's say I lose this job year 3, it'll give you the freedom to go elsewhere if you don't wish return without me being here. I don't mean to say that as I assume that's something that you'd do but I think a clean slate for the new GM and you most importantly with me being gone...I'd also like to spare you from someone who might come in and fuck something up that we may end up building together here...

Anyways, I said too much there. I apologize. But with a 3 Year Contract worth $14MMM.

Anyways I think with you being comfortable with the current state and the path we are set on here in Atlanta as a team who is in the middle of a bit of a rebuild but also wants to be competitive, I believe that a Coach who is comfortable with both veteran and young talent is key for a team such as this. You fit that description, Coach. During our interview I was worried about assumed weakness of you coaching young talent maybe but you certainly cleared up that worry immediately during our conversation. Also with you being one of the top tier coaches in the league it insures that we will have a great chance to achieve our goals of building a championship caliber team, nurturing young talent and having a team that can challenge for the championship.

I know, I didn't have to say all this for a simple contract offer but this is who I am Coach, I say what I feel and what's on my mind. I just want you to know just how honest of a man I am.

So...What do you think?

[Talon]

 

As another Archie famously said... 







"We Ready"

[GM Bennett]

Welcome to the Underground, Coach.

I'll do my best to secure your funds for you to fill out the coaching staff this season as best I can while still having enough to try to fill out the roster as well.

In the meantime I'll let you get moved down here in Atlanta and settled into the new role. Look forward to working with you.

[Talon]

WITH YOUR STAFF FULLY HIRED, YOU ARE INVITED TO THE SCOUTING COMBINE.  YOU MAY SUBMIT YOUR SPENDING VIA THE LEAGUE OFFICE.

[Talon]

 

Hey, After signing our draft picks we have 13 open roster positions to fill with $46.1MM in salary cap and $3.25MM in bonus available to do so. We need to add a Punter and the remaining roster spots are all flexible.  We also have $1MM in off-season bonus money remaining as well.

The experts over Pro Football Focus gave us a draft score of 82.7 which was 14th in the league.

If you have any questions, let me know asap.

[GM Bennett]

Oh my God....It's finally over...We did it Xeina! WE DID IT!!!

WE HAVE A FULL ROSTER!!!!

[GM Bennett]

Xeina I have our sheet ready for training camp but...Let's confirm our salary and bonus numbers match up before I submit it.

[Talon]

 

 

Its a $100K fee to the league office to get those numbers checked. Just let me know when you send it in.

[GM Bennett]

Well in that case...

[Talon]

 

 

Hello GM Bennett, attached is our team report from training camp.

[GM Bennett]

Hello and welcome to yet another wild and strange season of HIFL. I'm not feeling all that well so I don't wanna talk a whole lot. We're in a bit of a rebuild and it's gonna take some time to get to where we wanna be. All in all I think we had a fantastic draft and we were able to bring in some key players to help us get to where we wanna be.

As for Nia Uso, I'll have a talk with her one on one before making a final decision on what her punishment may end up being. Other than that I don't have much to say. You guys have any questions?

[Talon]

 

Obviously Nia tossing girls around like a T-Rex hurling raptors off its back isn't great press, but outside of that any questions for me?

[GM Bennett]

Hey Coach, good to see you my man. Uh yeah, Nia's bit ain't looking all that great. I just wanna hear her side of things and move on.

After looking around the league I know it's gonna be a interesting season us. I don't really know what all to expect.

[Talon]

 

 

  One thing is always certain when you're dealing with my defense, you'll get elite development at linebacker.

[GM Bennett]

Shiiiiiiiiiittttt, AND WE GOT US SOME DDDDAAAWWWWGGGGSSS!!!!! I can hear them boys barking now, Coach!

WEEEE RREEEAAADDDDDYYYYY

WEEEE REEEAADDDDYYYYYYYY

WEEEEEE REEEEAAAADDDDDYYYYYYY

FOOOOOORRRR YAAAAAALLLLLL

Ahem

Wes takes a sip of his water

Sorry bout that, Coach. Got a little hype there.

Anyways, for the Pre-Season we gonna be mixing it up pretty good to see what we got and if there's any moves in the depth chart we gonna need to make.

[Talon]

 

 

  No doubt, Pre-season is about getting everyone on the field and seeing how they perform.   


...as for that song, I was always partial to Archie, for obvious reasons.

[GM Bennett]

My man!

I don't wanna take up anymore of your time. There's really not much else for me to really say in regards to the team. We'll see how the pre-season goes and we'll have more of a idea of how this is gonna be for us this season.

If you wanna stay here for my talk with Nia that's cool but if not can you do me a favor and have here come up here?

[Talon]

 
 

 

  Sure thing, I'll send her up.





 

Hey, I know what this is about, but those bitches came at me and I defended myself.  That ass whooping they took was all their fault.

[GM Bennett]

Alright, alright! Hey chill. Sit down and relax.

I believe you, I just wanna hear from you what happened. Don't leave anything out.

[Talon]

 

Well, I was born in a middle class family.   I had to fight for everything I ever had. I was a big girl too so do you think I had a lot of friends?  I am used to these skinny little bitches making fun of me and calling me names; so if you think I would let that bother me when I'm a grown as woman making bank in a pro football league, you'd have to be crazy.   

I was in the bathroom at the club and this little bitch pack came into the bathroom behind me and made their jokes:  "Oh Honey, the men's room is over there."    "Sweety, the stall isn't wide enough for you, you should go outside with the rest of the cows"   "I didn't know sea world was on tour, girls!"   

they had their laughs and when I didn't cry or react of course the drunk little hoes had to keep pushing to try and get a reaction.

There is a certain duality in life though.  I want to be the bigger person but I also have to stand up for myself.   If you let people bother you then you'll open yourself up to more abuse but if you let them push you around then you give them permission to over step their boundaries; well when the lead-bish stepped to me and threw her drink in my face, it was on.

I grabbed her by her stupid blue hair and made sure she regretted messing with this boss bitch.

Her friends jumped in, it was a lot on one, and I was still the one who walked out while they all needed help getting up off that nasty piss-soaked floor.

So I think it's very important, as you have heard from so many sources I'm sure, for us at every moment in time and certainly this one, to see the moment in time in which we exist and are present, and to be able to contextualize it, to understand where we exist in the history and in the moment as it relates not only to the past but the future.

[GM Bennett]

Hmmm...Alright. So I'm gonna label this as self defense. You did nothing wrong, Nia. You were assaulted and you defended yourself.

That being said I can't just let it go unpunished due to the bad press we got. I'll defend you on this in the press next time I'm out there no doubt about it. But in terms of your punishment...You'll be on paid suspension for one game. One pre-season game that is.

I'm glad that you have a good head on your shoulders and the pride that you have in yourself. Growing up in the life you have has made you tough and you don't let petty shit get to you. I like that. I like that sort of mental toughness. Thank you for giving me the facts of what happened. I know it's not the best sort of press you'd want for yourself or this ball club but it is what it is. We know what truly happened and if anybody faults you for defending yourself they're as much as pieces of shit as those girls who tried you were.

Anyways, go ahead and get back to practice and let's put this foolishness behind us.

[Talon]

 

 

Thank you for seeing it for what it was.  Self defense is such a duality. On the one hand, incredible strength when it is used properly. What it does for its people, to protect and defend themselves. Incredibly strong. 

...but on the other hand, if its abused it proves how incredible fragile it can be.  Its only as strong of a defense as our willingness to prove ourselves right that we were fighting for what is right and that is what this entire situation has been about.

[GM Bennett]

For sure, Nia. For sure. Like I said I'm gonna make it known and defend you to the press once I get a chance to do so.

I'll let you get back to practice, I heard you had a great training camp. Let's build off that and don't let this shit get in the way of your growth as player or person.

Proud of you in both fronts, Nia.

[Talon]

 

 

Thanks for having my back, I'll do my best to make you happy you did.

[GM Bennett]

Xeina, is there any other pressing business that needs to be taken care of before we lock in for the pre-season?