Joseph Guidugli was the forgotten man in the Big 12.  He was the incumbent starter at Oklahoma but after a freak elbow injury in week 2 he was replaced and was forced to ride the bench after Freshman phenom Chum Lee took over and ran away with his job.  Joe was crushed.  He loves football.  His dad was a QB back in the old World League for the Napoli Galaxy and the Philadelphia Surge which is how they came to America.  Joe was elite at all levels he competed at.  A 5 star recruit for the Sooners, he was supposed to be the savior they desperately needed.  But he wasn't.  They were good but he was average.  He didn't break any records or run over the competition.  He was good enough to win with but once they found a better option the Sooners moved on.  Joe was left to fend for himself.  He always relied on his talent but now if he wanted to make it he would have to go from the ground up again. 

 

He got a tryout with the Explorers but he didn't make the final 53. That's when he faced the fact that he may not make it and he would have to use other means to get scouts attention.  He was part of a 1 off Experimental league Called the SOF where he Competed and won the starting job in camp for the LA Express.  But he still wasn't polished.  He had problems with turnovers and he would miss wide open targets at times.  But when the Express hired Mike Guidugli as their QB's coach things started to turn around for young Joey.  At the feet of his father, the young gun QB took of throwing 27 TDs in the last 6 games of the season steering his team to the playoffs.  There he proceeded to outshine his opponents on the way the the championship game in Orlando to meet the Bostan Generals led by their star receiver, future Snowhawk De'Adrian Givan.  The Express survived to win the game even after Guidugli lost a fumble late in the 4th quarter.  He made up for it though by throwing 4 TD's including 1 with a minute left to seal the deal.

 

That 6 game stretch and playoff run was good enough to get him a camp offer from the Snowhawks that season and this time he made the team.  He even was awarded the starting job after a poor performance by their starter.  And just like Chum Lee before him, he took the job and never looked back.  As a starter the past few years he hasn't disappointed.  He has always put in great performances and has never missed the playoffs.  He has defiantly had his share of turnover trouble and has not always come through in the clutch but Joe Cool isn't just along for the ride anymore.  “ He has the Raw Italian Sauce.” Coach O'Brien said of Guidugli.  “He's cool calm and collected most of the time.” Joseph Guidugli has something that can't be taught.  He has taken all the knowledge that he has learned in a very unique situation and has turned himself from a trailer to a tractor.  Hopefully for 'Hawks fans he can get the giant Gorilla off his back and finally hoist a championship trophy once more.

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Written By: Noah Underhill

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5/26/19