[MIJB#19]

General Manager Notes: We need some help, but...
We're still in the race.

An up and down season, with early on offensive struggles, that has poke its head up a bit more in recent games, combined with a surprisingly solid defense, we've bounced through the north of .500 land throughout the season. And with just week 17 to go, this is where we're at:

1. Bordeaux 9-6
2. Gothenburg 8-7
3. Maassluis 8-7
4. Paris 8-7

The upcoming games: Paris at Bordeaux and Maassluis at Gothenburg.
Bordeaux in pole position, but if Paris beats Bordeaux, Paris will jump ahead and, depending on what happens in Gothenburg, because if Maassluis wins, that team claims the division title. Gothenburg is eliminated regardless of what happens. Even at second place behind Bordeaux, Gothenburg can't get past the Houston Mustangs for the final wild card. Bordeaux is the only team that can get the final wild card. Freaky enough, all four could end up with a winning record and only the division champion going into the playoffs with the #4 seed. So, yes, the division was competitive all season long, but we didn't all end up at 10-6, but we're floating between 8-8 and 9-7.

Our second half of the season has been, well, both food for optimism and has shown that anything can happen in football. We beat Bordeaux and Paris, beat the Midwest division champions Iowa, won at Chicago, but between all these victories, we choked the games against Gothenburg (lost by 1 point, while up by 9 in the fourth quarter), at Snapfinger (lost by 1 point on a late game 64-yard punt return touchdown) and choked a 14-point lead in Arizona, completing it in style by giving up a touchdown on a fumbled punt return. It's pointless to think that way, but it's fair to say that we should have been 10-5 here, with the division locked up on superior division record (our only loss has been that choke against the Giants).

And the Giants are who we'll meet next. Surely we deserve a 9-7 record more than they do, which isn't to say they aren't a 9-7 team this season, but probably they are, but that's not how it works in football, in particular in the IHOF. 13 of 16 teams in the Atlantic Ocean Conference are 7-8 or better, 11 of them go into week 17 with a winning record. In the other conference it's already guaranteed that at least one team with a 9-7 or better record will miss the playoffs. The tally could end up at 7 of 19 teams with a winning record to miss the playoffs.

Do we have a special game plan for the Giants today? Maybe, maybe not. We have to rely on our underwhelming top rookies Ken Torphy (7th in rushing yards, but with 3.3 yards per carry) and Calvin Maxwell (794 yards receiving, 35th in the league), leaning heavily on our second year wide receiver Vinny Buysse (2nd in the league in receiving yards, 1st in receptions). Earnest Ashley continues to struggle, going to come way short of 4,000 yards once again, unless he gets a 600-yard game today. So, let's wait and say what will happen in week 17...