The Team Concept According to Michael Baker
Mark Hodges
Friday August 17, 2001
That is, may play.
Although his teammates will perform in the AFL’s biggest game of the season, Baker will more than likely sit out due to a tendon injury in his ankle. Baker has a 65% chance that he will not play in quite arguably the biggest game of his career. Most professional athletes would see that as a crushing defeat, a bad break during a great time.
But not Baker. “Our team has a ‘big team, little me’ philosophy,” said Baker matter of factly. “When one of us goes down, another one of us steps up. We definitely have a team concept here in Grand Rapids.”
“We are very much a blue collar kind of team,” said Baker. “We carry our lunch boxes to work every day, so to speak. We are also very much a family.”
Baker cited an example of how most of the Rampage players went to see American Pie II together this week after a day of practice and preparation for ArenaBowl XV. A togetherness is the main element here.
You have to admit, to have to potentially sit out the biggest game of a football career has to be disheartening for any athlete. Baker, however, downplays that. “This is a team,” he said, “and I wouldn’t want to be out there and hurt the team. I know my teammates can get the job done.”
It is this unselfish attitude from the heartbeat of the Grand Rapids Rampage that makes the concept of the team so pure. It is also probably the main reason that the Rampage is playing this Sunday in the Big Dance.
Mark Hodges was a writer for ArenaFan Online from 2001 to 2002.
