[MIJB#19]

General Manager Notes: Division leaders!
At least for one week of action.

We've done it, we've reached the spot that Merchantmen fans of the past were used to: the top of the division. After a 20-7 drubbing at the Hanalei Dragons, we beat the Orlando Talons 27-24 in overtime to improve to 2-1. In the meantime, the Gothenburg Giants lost against the Tucker Tigers today and now we're in a three-way lead at the top of the division, with us having the premature tie-breakers.

European Division:
1. Maassluis 2-1
2. Gothenburg 2-1
3. Bordeaux 2-1
4. Paris 1-2

So, first things first, we played dreadful at Hanalei. Earnest Ashley got picked off twice, Ken Torphy ran for 45 yards and Vinny Buysse was held to 2 catches for 10 yards. In return, the defense gave up exactly 400 total yards.

We bounced back at home, with quite possibly the most crucial play being Calvin Maxwell's 60-yard kickoff return to start overtime and set up the game winning field goal. Which means that of Earnest Ashley's 364 yards passing and Maxwell's 182 yards receiving, none of that was boosted by overtime action as all we gained there was a 6-yard run by the Lost Cause. Torphy ran for 56 yards on 20 carries.

And with that, we once again go into our way too early in the season open week to watch what the rest of the division can do to catch up or jump ahead. As per usual, all three are playing on the road, with Gothenburg the only one favored to win, obviously.

Okay, so, how about all those rookies, are they making any impact yet? The true impact guys should be our high round picks, you'd assume. I'm unimpressed by our first round pick LB Tony Burks, as a result, he's fighting for playing time with several other players, mostly the guys that were playing last season already. TE Garrett Alcala made his first two receptions today, including his first touchdown, so: yay. CB Logan Wallace is by lack of veterans our shutdown corner and today he was close to living up to it. K Oscar Harrington missed a 58-yard field goal late in regulation, but he did nail the game winner in over time. S Zachary Centers has been inactive so far. CB Wesley Cabrera had an interception today. And that's where I think I should stop mentioning stats. I'll add that the following rookies are starters as well: 4th round LT Harold Gruenwalder, 4th round G Brett Stickney, 5th round C Lincoln Stonge and undrafted LT Carson McCormick. Some have their roles on the special teams unit and 7 guys have yet to get the chance to dress up for a game.

In other news, G Roger Staigvil, LT Johnnie Houston, RB Ronnie Vanden Bosch, TE Myron Lofton, TE Riley Bridges, WR Bobby Sutton, WR Tony Tanyavutti, WR Jimmie Hitt, LT Johnathan Van Pelt, DT Caleb Domis, DE J.C. McPike, LB Preston Bradford, LB Caden Reese and S Jon Brotzman are all sitting on the free agents market. Some of them were released by us with some heartache (Domis, McPike), but most just didn't understand what their market value was outside of Maassluis. And see there, these guys are sitting at home, waiting for a phone call that likely won't come. They could have been starters on a division leading team...