Hawks-Liberty rivalry
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The Hawks-Liberty rivalry is an NSFL rivalry between the Baltimore Hawks and the Philadelphia Liberty. The two teams have played each other at least twice a year since the founding of the Liberty in 2017 (S2). It is said that it is the league's only "true" rivalry, and is commonly cited as the most intense.
The Hawks lead the overall series, 15-8. The two teams have met once in the postseason, to contest the 2018 NSFC Championship (S3), with the Hawks winning 34-3. Despite being founded a year later, the Liberty won an Ultimus first, however, defeating the Orange County Otters in Ultimus Bowl VII. Baltimore lead in NSFL Championships, having won two, to Philadelphia's one.
Locale | Baltimore, MD Philadelphia, PA |
---|---|
First meeting | Hawks 30, Liberty 14 Week 4, 2017 (S2) |
Latest meeting | Liberty 7, Hawks 51 Week 8, 2027 (S12) |
Next meeting | Undecided |
Statistics | |
Meetings total | 23 |
All-time series | Hawks, 15-8 |
Regular season series | Hawks, 14-8 |
Postseason results | Hawks, 1–0 |
Largest victory | Hawks, 68-7 Week 6, 2025 (S10) |
Contents
History
The rivalry is believed to have started in the wake of Carmel Gibson's substance abuse scandal.
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Game results
Baltimore victories | Philadelphia victories | Tie games |
No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | October 22, 2017 | Philadelphia, PA | Baltimore | 30–14 |
2 | December 17, 2017 | Baltimore, MD | Baltimore | 27−24 |
3 | October 21, 2018 | Baltimore, MD | Baltimore | 13−10 |
4 | December 30, 2018 | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia | 31−14 |
5 | January 13, 2019 | Baltimore, MD | Baltimore | 34–3 |
Crossing the divide
Despite their seemingly mutual hatred of each other, the Hawks and Liberty have a number of shared servants over the years. Some of whom moved directly between the two clubs. Notable players who have represented both clubs are listed below.
Hawks to Liberty
Name | Pos | Baltimore Hawks | Philadelphia Liberty | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|
Marquise Brown | RB | - | - | - |
Liberty to Hawks
Name | Pos | Philadelphia Liberty | Baltimore Hawks | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|
Carter Bush | WR | - | - | Bush joined the Hawks on a "rental" deal |
Marquise Brown | RB | - | - | - |
Others
The players listed above moved directly from one club to the other. There are others who represented both clubs in some capacity, without ever making a direct move between the two, or share some other connection.
- Baltimore Hawks legend Antoine Delacour served as the player agent for Lennox Garnett (Philadelphia's first pick in the 2026 ISFL Draft (S11)) and is rumoured to have encouraged him to hold out on signing his rookie deal with the Liberty. Garnett would later sign with SLM at the end of the 2031 ISFL season[1], before re-signing with the Liberty on a large contract. Speculation suggested that Delacour would have encouraged a move to another team, as he openly admitted his dislike of the Liberty on social media around that time.[2][3]
See also
- Rivalries in the NSFL
- List of Baltimore Hawks records and statistics
- List of Philadelphia Liberty records and statistics
References
- ↑ "_37AD on Twitter". Twitter. August 8, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ↑ "_37AD on Twitter". Twitter. August 7, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ↑ "_37AD on Twitter". Twitter. August 7, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2019.