[MIJB#19]

General Manager Notes: 2097 begins with end for Theo and Humphrey
Is this the start of a new era?

The off-season in the International House Of Football traditionally starts with a wave of retirements. The wave in Maassluis was sky high, the Merchantmen and Oranje Haven were overwhelmed, can we withstand it? At the same time, we were prepared we knew this day was coming.

Theodore Bondy, wide receiver
8th overall pick in the 2082 draft. Last player standing of his draft class, and we still hoped he wouldn't quit the game at the age of 37. As a rookie impressed with 95 catches for 1,469 yards. In his second year broke out with 153 catches for 2,030 yards and 13 touchdowns and All-IHOF First team honors. 2084 was an off-year, but he bounced back with three sensational seasons. In 2085-2087 "Theo" was a phenomenon, racking up 39 100-yard games, nearly 170 catches per season, 17, 19 and 16 touchdowns, 2,100+ yards with the extreme in 2086 with 2,449 yards. Those seasons Bondy was an undisputed All-IHOF First Team selection and guided the Merchantmen into the playoffs, shined with two 200-yard playoffs games, but the ultimate reward didn't come, the team didn't get past the conference finals. Bondy and the Merchantmen got back to the conference final in 2091, but by then Bondy had turned from phenomenal to extremely good. After 15 seasons, 233 regular season games (Bondy misses 7 games), 13 playoffs games, 1,728 catches (3rd most in league history) for 21,524 yards (also 3rd most in league history) and 150 receiving touchdowns, the journey is over. The #80 jersey will forever be tied to Theo, to never be used again by the orange-white-and-blue.

Howard Humphrey, offensive tackle
#9 overall pick in the 2085 draft. Humphrey was a rare offensive lineman to start as a rookie for the Merchantmen. He delivered immediately with 44 key run blocks in that rookie season. As the starting right tackle, Humphrey was the key run blocker for the Merchantmen for nearly a decade, being a six time All-IHOF First Team selection. After a nasty injury mid-way through the 2093 season, he continued to be a good player, but never returned to be a dominant force. With Humphrey on the team, the Merchantmen got into the playoffs 5 times, never went one-and-done with him as a starter, but the conference championship game was their best performance, achieved in 2085 and 2091. With 178 regular season games played (177 started) and 11 playoffs games in 12 seasons, racking up 422 key run blocks (2nd most in Merchantmen history) in those regular seasons, Humphrey proved to be an unprecedented run blocking right tackle. No doubt Merchantmen fans and historians see him as the best at his position to ever put on the orange-white-and-blue jersey.

Aside from these obvious hall of fame candidates, the Merchantmen lose 5 more players:
Clay Brosseau, fullback
undrafted rookie signing in 2086. Spent two seasons watching from the stands, but eventually became the fullback of the team, playing in 145 regular season and 4 playoffs games. Meant to become a premier run blocker, Brosseau ended up making 56 key run blocks in 9 seasons in an active role. Unimpressive from a distance, but the most by any fullback in his time of action in the IHOF.

Andre Watson, guard
late 4th round pick in 2086. Had to wait two seasons in the wings, but then became the starting right guard. Held on to his starting role for 6 seasons, but the last 3 seasons saw his role diminsih to 6th and 7th lineman. Had 4 seasons with 30+ key run blocks, playing in 129 regular season and 6 playoffs games.

Renaldo Crawford, tight end
Originally a third round pick with the Toronto Lake Monsters in 2087, release in pre-season of his rookie season, picked up by the Frederick Red Menace late in that season. The Merchantmen signed him as a free agent in his second season in the post-draft free agency period. His role flipflopped from starter to fourth (inactive) choice, but the faith in his ability to be a suitable run blocker and special teamer never vanished. Last season was a disaster with a season ending injury in the first game of the season, which turned out to be the last as well, his 100th regular season game played for the Merchantmen. He didn't need the 2 playoffs games to join the Club of 100.

Jeffery Blake, tight end
Undrafted rookie signing in 2088. As a rookie was forced into action as the TE2. Held on to an active role for 5 seasons in Maassluis, then bounced around in the conference from Augusta through Gothenburg and Harlem back to Maassluis last season to fill in for Renaldo Crawford, as Blake too was known as primarily a run blocker and special teamer. Blake comes 1 game short of joining the Merchantmen Club of 100.

Todd Springer, guard
One-season rental for the 2096 season. Originally signed to mentor first round pick Nickolas Toler, but ended up starting in 11 regular season games after all. Was benched after the 38-0 drubbing in Gothenburg, but got has vengeances in week 17 in the 21-6 payback game in Oranje Haven. Before his one season in Maassluis was a respectable run blocker for the Houston Mustangs.

God speed guys.

And with that, it's time to move on. An off-season to figure out whether we want to spend all of our post draft cap space (roughly $62M) on quarterback Earnest Ashley, or want to look elsewhere. Our offensive line is depleted, we're down to 4 starters all 27 years or younger and what looks to be a career backup.

The defense is completely unchanged, only run stuffing linebacker Hayden McNeil isn't locked up. Second-year stars sack machine Richie Piotte and shutdown cornerback Ernie Grant are coming off All-IHOF worthy breakout seasons.

The off-season focus will go to the offense, exclusively, I suspect. A new offensive coordinator, a new look at the QB situation, the RB situation, the WR situation, the look for a fifth lineman and perhaps the biggest challenge: constructing a game plan that fits the players we have. Oh yes, new era, it is. Let's do this!