Hempstead, NY, Jan 7. -- The New York Seacooks announced today that they have reached agreement on one-year contract extension with QB Elijah Banker and Head Coach/Director of Player Personnel Ken Thatcher.
The press release states that Banker's contract is for 1 year and $22.5 million; Thatcher will be paid $7 million for his one-year commitment.
One-year contracts for high-level coaches and quarterbacks are unusual, but so is the Seacooks' situation. The Seacooks went 9-9 and missed the playoffs in Banker's sixth and Thatcher's third year with the franchise, but finished 7-3 and, scored the most points in the league, and had the best point differential in their conference.
Banker had his best season since partially tearing his rotator cuff in 2012, throwing for 40 touchdowns against just 11 interceptions and completing almost 68% of passes.
BANKER's THINKING
We all know who Elijah Banker is, ever since his 'college' days at New York Unit Tech. Banker led the Unit Tech to national championships in his final two years at the school, and was considered the most complete quarterback prospect to his the ESFL draft since John Barrywinkle in 1993.
Banker was selected first overall by the Boston Conquistadors; however, after a public spat with coaching and ownership, the Conquistadors elected to sign off on a blockbuster trade that sent their franchise quarterback to James Rasbey's Independence Walkers. (The Conquistadors have yet to win a playoff game in the nine years since.) In order to cement the deal, Banker agreed to a high-AAV, shorter-term contract, a 3-year, $65 million extension that carried him through the 2009 season.
Banker brought the 2009 version of the Walkers to the ESFL title game, but lost in spectacular fashion to the New York Seacooks. Banker would reach free agency and sign a 6-year, $105 million with the Seacooks that offseason after being spurned by his preferred suitor, the New York Sharks.
Ever since the ink dried on Banker's contract, the Seacooks have been perennial favorites to win the championship, but have repeatedly come up short, despite regular season success. The Seacooks secured the top seed in Banker's first two years, first with a 17-3 record in 2010, and then a 15-5 record in 2011. But they would lose the championship game to the Buffalo Bulls in 2010, and then a Super Saturday Semifinal to the Sharks in 2011.
2012 saw the Seacooks miss the playoffs entirely as Banker tore his right rotator cuff in the third game of the season, and proved unable to return. This proved to be the end for Danny Gilavert as Seacooks head coach. Gilavert had taken over late in 2008 when Marc Levy was diagnosed with prostate cancer; he would leave at the end of 2012 and sign a lucrative contract with the expansion Denver Muffins.
That opened the door for Ken Thatcher, who had "99.9% retired" after winning the 2010 championship with Buffalo, to come back to the Seacooks. Thatcher and the Seacooks had a non-amicable split after he led the 1997 San Diego Seacooks to a championship. The team would then move to Smithtown with what proved to be a decimated football operation. Thatcher would not coach again until Buffalo came calling after the 2003 season.
The Thatcher-Banker Seacooks have been both successful, yet seemingly snakebitten. In both 2013 and 2014 the Seacooks were eliminated by the Buffalo Bulls, the first time in a stunning first-round upset and the second time in a road semifinal under the new playoff rules. This year they failed to qualify for the playoffs despite measures of success.
But, ultimately, for Matt Ruffalo, the question came down to "tear it down" or "give it another shot". With a veteran core and a chance to bring an elite QB back on a short, if lucrative, commitment, the choice was clear.
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