Crimson, Huskies Duel on the Charles

The afternoon sun beats down on a rocking sea of blue, palpitating with the strokes of a fleet of warriors. Oars slice into the spinning water as the shoreline blurs into the paling horizon. Like Roman slaves, they propel themselves along the water, the outcries of the coxswain lashing them at every move.

When the beating is over they emerge from the river, the long boats floating above their six-foot-something frames. Nothing can penetrate the army mentality, the metal strength of the company: “This We’ll Defend.” The warlords will not concede. The Charles is their fortress. But don’t count the battle won before it’s started. A parched pack of Huskies lurks close by seeking to mark its own territory. It thirsts for Crimson blood. And it loves that dirty water.

“Well, what I’ve heard is that Harvard’s crew’s been dominating Northeastern and pretty much everyone else for the past couple years,” says newly transferred Harvard rower Brodie Buckland. “We’re taking Northeastern down. Harvard’s dominant. Their proximity to Northeastern makes them natural enemies.”

Since his arrival at the Newell Boathouse, Buckland has been taken under the wing of Harvard heavyweight Master of Protocol Malcolm Howard, who just before his sophomore year suffered what was reported as a “pre-season off-water incident”—an assault at the hands of two members of Northeastern crew who were subsequently arrested for their actions.

“Malcolm has been awesome. The third day I was here he snagged me and has been spoiling me. The guys say I have a ‘man crush’ on him because I’m alwaysm, ‘Malcolm this,’ ‘Malcolm that.’ I wouldn’t disagree with them,” Buckland laughed. “He’s a decent fellow. Anybody that’d do that to him would have to look at themselves really hard in the mirror.”

To Howard, it’s all a matter of who’s the first to cross the finish line.

“I mean, there’s always been a big thing because [Northeastern is] our closest rival on the river,” he admits. “They beat us in the Head of in the Charles a few years ago. But one of the big things was last year we beat them by the biggest margin since the 1968 team that went to the Olympics. We really respect them as an opponent [but] we don’t place any special emphasis on them. We race because we want to win.”

But is it wishful thinking to downplay a rivalry so extensive that its infamy has spread clear across the country, all the way to the University of Washington where Buckland helped the men’s crew gain national standing?

“The rivalry is definitely something you hear about in Washington,” Buckland said. “In polls we [U. of Washington] were No. 2 and Harvard was No. 1. It came up.”

When it comes down to it, it’s an issue of pride. Northeastern, miles off the banks of the Charles, has no property rights. Even so, the Huskies are another crew on the Charles trying to come into “Our House.” A charge passes between the two teams when they cross on the river, conducted through an unspoken animosity lingering in the air. While the Harvard heavyweights may not concentrate all their efforts on besting their Northeastern counterparts, when the right to gloat is on the line, it won’t be pretty. Only one team can be the fastest on the Charles.

“I’m sure there’ll be important stuff going on this weekend and this season,” Buckland said. “Northeastern’s definitely going to be up there. In terms of bragging rights at home you have to beat them and let them know they’re not as cool as they think they are. I have yet to talk to the Northeastern guys but having the size of launch they do...it’s kind of haughty, like they’re expecting people to come and film them or something.”

And in a year in which Harvard will arguably be rebuilding as Northeastern continues to strengthen, the balance of power on the Charles could shift at just a moment’s notice.

“We have worked our way into the hunt at both the Sprints and the IRA in recent years,” Northeastern coach John Pojednic stated. “But fifth at the IRA needs to be a stepping stone for us, not an accomplishment to rest on.  I think I have evolved as a coach because of this league and my competitors; you either find a way to go fast, or you get run over.  It’s about what you expect, and subsequently, about how hard you’re willing to work to meet your expectations.”

Precise expectations for this year are unclear for both sides, but they’ll be clearer after today. The battle lines will be drawn. And as soon as the waters thaw, the war of the Charles will be on.