[MIJB#19]

Merchantmen return to .500 land
For the fourth time this (2083) season, the Maassluis Merchantmen moved to .500. A solid 20-3 victory over the Harlem Apollos in a not quite sold out Oranje Haven improved them to a 6-6 record. Theodore Bondy caught 11 passes for 171 yards and a score, leading the way on offense, while the defense had a good day, allowing only 174 total yards.

A rollercoaster of a season continues for the Merchantmen. Grueling deficits are followed up with upset victories, or at one time failing to kick a field goal to force overtime. For now, 6-6 feels about right given what the Merchantmen have displayed on the field.

Ellis McAlister completed 21 of 36 passes for 251 yards and a couple of scores, seeing him bounce back from the off-day in Chicago last week. He's thrown for multiple scores in 4 of the last 5 games, while being picked off once per game on average. Most importantly, he's been using the top receiver in the league, finding Theodore Bondy on 9 touchdown passes in those 5 games and getting the ball in his hands 48 times for 782 yards.

At 120 catches for 1,537 yards, Bondy himself continues to be on pace for a two-mile season, an achievement reached only 15 times in IHOF history. Toronto Lake Monsters' Jameson Sawyer managed it 4 times in the last 5 seasons. Before that, in 2077 Maassluis' very own J.R. Mills was the eighth player to get in the two-mile club, amassing 2,228 yards receiving. That franchise record might be too steep for Bondy, although his recent form of 156 yards per game would get him close to the required 173 yards per game he'll need. He's already ahead of Riddick Stanley's best season (1,536 yards) and has Terry Haskell (1,575 yards) and Gabe Springer (1,669 yards) within reach. The receptions record looks like up for grabs, bar injuries, Gabe Springer's franchise record of 128 should be doable, perhaps as early as the next game at the Arizona Miners. Bondy's actually on pace to barely miss the league record, set by Jameson Sawyer at 162 receptions in 2078 and repeated in 2081.

But despite Bondy's amazing season, the overall performance of the Merchantmen isn't up to franchise standards. The defense's topnotch showing against the Apollos hasn't kept the team from still sitting within the worst four rushing defenses, while the pass defense has improved to league average, roughly. That 6-6 record is still 2 wins behind the division leading 8-4 Gothenburg Giants and behind the AOC Deep South's three 8-4 teams, where Atlanta will still have to host both Fort Wayne and Houston, meaning third place will be 11-5 at best. Even then, if somehow third place falls to 10-6, the Merchantmen will likely have inferior tie-breakers, not to mention they're also still behind the Augusta Greenjackets on tie-breakers. Only the Tucker Tigers (6-6 as well) are no real treat to the Merchantmen in the tie-breakers race.

But one game at a time. The Merchantmen will be visiting the Arizona Miners, a team that might be even more loaded than Maassluis' roster. The Miners have been underachievers for several seasons and at 6-6 are struggling to get W's as well. The winner will stumble on, the losing owner will probably continue to complain about the bunch of overpaid chokers on the payroll.