[MIJB#19]

2065 - 2072 Alfred Hickman period

With Lester Lowe coming off his worst passer rating, the Merchantmen sent their 2066 first round pick to Hanalei for quarterback Alfred Hickman. The draft resulted in #16 overall taken center Tom Anaya. With the loaded defense, Hickman basically just had to make sure the offense scored enough points to get ahead and maintain the lead. Given the game plan on offense, it proved to be difficult for Hickman. Aside from his first season in Maassluis, Hickman threw for 20 or more interceptions in each of the 2066 to 2069 seasons. He did throw for 4,367 or more yards in 5 straight seasons. Contract disputed forced the Merchantmen into cutting Hickman prior to the 2070 training camp. He returned in 2071 after the Merchantmen went through the 2070 season with Robbie Rhoades at quarterback. With Hickman, the Merchantmen seemed to be able to turn any wide receiver into a 1,000-yard receiver. Bubba Ellard (2065-2067), J.T. Rivera (2068), Riddick Stanley (2068), Gerald Cook (2069), J.R. Mills (2070-2072) and Rusty Andrade (2071) all topped 1,000 yards in a 5-season period. Cook was a 2063 third round pick, Andrade an undrafted rookie signing in 2066 and J.R. Mills Maassluis' 2069 first round pick. But we're getting ahead of ourselves.

In 2065 the Merchantmen returned to the elite, posting a 12-4 record and losing to Houston in the conference semifinals. In 2066, the Merchantmen had some struggles, but at 10-5-1 still were European division champions. Hickman even posted more interceptions than passing touchdowns, a rare feat for a Merchantmen quarterback. Yet, leaning on the extremely talented defense, the Merchantmen cruised through the playoffs. Bordeaux (21-18), North Plainfield (31-23) and Houston (31-20) were beaten, the last two on the road. The Merchantmen had reached IHOF Bowl LXIII. Despite going into the game as underdogs to the 13-3 Texas Sharks, the Merchantmen defense took control early on and paved the way to a dominating 33-3 victory. Fittingly, defensive tackle Shaun Hartman received IHOF Bowl MVP honors, achieving what Charles Gomez never did. Moreover, the Merchantmen finally reached the top, they were IHOF champions!

Their championship defense campaign was a typical struggle. With a 5-6 record, they looked done, but after a 5-game winning streak, they claimed another division title with a 10-6 record. Victories over Snapfinger (24-17) and at Houston (29-24) gave then an opportunity to become back-to-back 10-win conference champions. But despite hosting the AOC Championship game against the North Plainfield Plague, they lost a back-and-forth game 35-32. Moreover, the victory at Houston turned out to be the last victory in a playoff game for a long time.

Despite the apparent ability to turn any receiver into a 1,000-yard receiver, the selection of J.R. Mills as the #9 overall pick (traded up from #24) in the 2069 draft marked the arrival of the third elite wide receiver in Maassluis after Gabe Springer and Terry Haskell. In the 2071 draft, the Merchantmen selected offensive tackle Oscar Meadows #14 overall, moving up from #21 overall, having acquired that pick from Texas a draft prior. At #19 overall, moved up from #24, the Merchantmen selected quarterback Robbie Howe, despite having re-acquired Alfred Hickman as a free agent. Unlike with previous first round pick quarterbacks, the plan was clear to bring Howe slowly, banking on Hickman to stick around for a couple of season and likely ending up in another money dispute to force him out of Maassluis again. The 2072 draft saw the arrival of wide receiver Brody Stevens, giving Maassluis a wide receiver duo with more talent than any previous tandems. Stevens' rookie campaign was underwhelming, but the prospect of having Howe to throw to Mills and Stevens, with 2069 third round pick running back Lance Blackwell toting the ball from behind Anaya and Meadows, the Merchantmen figured that their stretch of 10-6 or better seasons wasn't going to end soon and the lack of victories in the playoffs was soon to be over.

2065 12-4 (3rd) conference semifinals
2066 10-5-1 (3rd) IHOF champions
2067 10-6 (3rd) conference finalist
2068 10-6 (4th) wild card round
2069 10-6 (6th) wild card round
2070 11-5 (3rd) wild card round
2071 12-4 (3rd) wild card round
2072 11-5 (5th) wild card round