No sooner had Franklin McIntosh become the Spirit's newest member than he announced his intention to shed his bad-boy image.
McIntosh, acquired from the archrival Harrisburg Heat for Tarik Walker and Steve Boardman on Dec. 1, had friction with Baltimore fans the past two years, not all of which he initiated.
Now McIntosh is about to play his first game against the team that he served with distinction. The Spirit will travel to Harrisburg tonight, intent on whittling at the Heat's series lead. Harrisburg has won eight of nine against the Spirit at home and 12 of 17 overall.
Opposing fans single out McIntosh -- like Baltimore fans taunting him as the Heat ran a victory lap in Harrisburg last season -- because he usually has done the most damage to their team. He is the National Professional Soccer League's all-time points leader with 752, including 70 in 15 games against the Spirit.
"If they throw drinks and food at me, give me the finger and use foul language, I just laugh, especially if we won," McIntosh said. "But racial remarks I can't take.
"That's what happened during the victory lap last year. I told the guy if he wanted to say it, come down and say it to my face. He said to bring it up there. I said OK and started to go into the stands, but my teammates talked me out of it."
At times, McIntosh invites abuse from fans, not only because he is a big scorer, but also because he often celebrates a goal by dancing or strutting.
Another incident in Harrisburg occurred before a game when Heat players trotted to midfield and waved to the crowd. Three Baltimore fans leaped out of the stands and hurled ice at McIntosh. He made it a point to celebrate in front of the Baltimore contingent after he scored that night.
"He's an emotional soccer player, that's all," Spirit vice president Drew Forrester said. "I mean, this isn't armed robbery."
Nor was it armed robbery after a game here last season when Harrisburg scored near the end of the game and celebrated in the goal. A few fans right behind the goal spit on the Harrisburg players and a few punches were thrown through the net by both sides.
"What do people expect me to do, put my head between my legs and scamper away?" McIntosh said. "Some guys get intimidated by fan treatment like that. I get pumped up."
In two games with the Spirit, McIntosh's behavior has been just short of exemplary.
He was assessed a misconduct penalty against the Buffalo Blizzard, but only because instead of obediently handing the ball to the referee, he playfully pulled it back out of the official's grasp.
Off the field, he has initiated "Franklin's Friends," a program under which 20 underprivileged children can attend each home game with tickets purchased by McIntosh.
"In these first few weeks, Franklin has shown he's not as bad as some people thought he was," said Forrester. "The response to him has been positive, except for a group of maybe 20 who refuse to accept him. That's OK. We won't lose sleep over that."
McIntosh, 31, was born in Birmingham, England, and began playing soccer at the age of 6. It was either soccer or cricket, and he didn't like cricket.
When he was 16, his family moved to Brooklyn, N.Y. He played at New York Tech and was drafted by the Blast of the old Major Soccer League. After one season here, McIntosh began his record-setting NPSL career in 1988.
"He gave us three years of exceptional play," said Harrisburg coach Jim Pollihan. "He wasn't afraid to mix it up. On the road, fans took exception to it, but no harm was done."
The Heat's Richard Chinapoo says he was "our franchise player when he was here." With a game on the line, the Heat looked to McIntosh. Frequently, he delivered -- and then celebrated.
"His dancing and showboating is part of the game," said the Heat's Mark Pulisic. "Baltimore fans were upset by it because we have a history of beating the Spirit handily."
That, the Spirit's Jason Dieter acknowledges, is the source of contention: "Our fans' frustration is tied to us not beating Harrisburg."
McIntosh has been a villain in other cities, too. In Dayton, Canton and Milwaukee, he has incurred the fans' verbal wrath.
"That's because I've been involved in a lot of big games and scored a lot of goals," McIntosh said. "They boo, that's OK."
After three seasons in Harrisburg, McIntosh soured on the Heat. He held out this year, only partly over salary.
"I wasn't appreciated," he said. "And I didn't feel they were committed to winning. We had a chance to get good players that would have helped us get past Cleveland into the finals, but didn't get them."
All of which made McIntosh receptive to the opportunity to join the team he once tormented.
"I can't tell you how many fans came up to me after last weekend's games and said, 'Welcome to Baltimore,' " McIntosh said. "That made me feel good."
SPIRIT TONIGHT
Opponent: Harrisburg Heat
Site: State Farm Show Arena, Harrisburg, Pa.
Time: 7:30
Radio: WWLG (1360 AM), WAMD (970 AM)
Outlook: The Spirit is 0-2 against Harrisburg this season, losing once at home and once on the road. The Heat leads the overall series, 12-5. Of the nine games in Harrisburg, the Spirit has won only one, in November 1993 in overtime. Tonight's game marks the return to Harrisburg of the newest Spirit player, Franklin McIntosh, who starred for the Heat for three seasons. McIntosh, the National Professional Soccer League's all-time points leader with 752, scored 70 in 15 games against the Spirit in two seasons. Tarik Walker and Steve Boardman, traded to Harrisburg for McIntosh, will make their first appearances against their old team. The Heat's Mark Pulisic (48 points), David Bascome (39) and Bill Becher (37) are among the NPSL's top 20, as are the Spirit's Kevin Sloan (59), Tim Wittman (50) and Jon Parry (43).