[MIJB#19]

Charles Gomez Wins Player Of Week Honors
In the 31-14 beating of the Tucker Tigers, Maassluis Merchantmen defensive tackle Charles Gomez played well enough to win the IHOF Defensive Player of the Week honors. In over four years in the league, this was Gomez' first player of the week honor. Gomez made 7 tackles, 3 sacks and recovered a fumbled that he forced to lead the defense to a rebound win after two straight losses.

"The honor is nice, but the real thing is the ring." Gomez said, "We got a goal and we're still far from reaching it." Gomez was the Merchantmen's first round pick in the league draft for the 2004 season and has been the team's best player since the league started. Gomez earned All IHOF First Team (2006) and All IHOF Second Team (2005, 2007) honors before, but was never the defensive player of the week.

This honor is the first and according to some team mates not the last. Middle linebacker Cody Cluff: "Gomez was robbed for Defensive Player of the Year in 2006 and was the Defensive Player of the Week a couple of times that season. Gomez is the top of the backbone, no Gomez no glory." Safety Lincoln Gilmore agrees with Cluff: "Most teams have a quarterback as their start player, we don't believe in stars, but Gomez would qualify as one."

Gomez' star has always been rising, but the big breakthrough came only recently as Gomez was featuring on the front of the 2008 IHOF Monthly Season Preview magazine. Gomez was pictured as the Maassluis Merchantmen's answer to North Plainfield quarterback David Conti. Gomez was then interviewed going into a Monday Night Football preview for the Maassluis at North Plainfield game in week three, but after the game people started to wonder whether the media attention broke his stride.

"No, no, I wasn't slacking." Gomez said. "You know me, I want to work hard for the team and make room for the other guys to make plays. The first three games things didn't go well and I really pumped myself up for the home game versus Tucker." Apparently it worked as Gomez shined and earned the Defensive Player of the Week honors. And with the Georgia Gridlock focussing in the pass with a shacky offensive line, Gomez and co. could be in for another good game.