[MIJB#19]

General Manager Notes: welcome to the Ashley Era
Let's hope this will turn out to be an era, not jus a year...

Let's start with the bad news. And there's more bad news than just one little snippet. Let's go in this order: division standings, injuries report, quick recap of the first two games and then some further musing about the Merchantmen.

European Division
1. Bordeaux 2-0
2. Paris 1-1
3. Gothenburg 1-1
4. Maassluis 0-2

Yeah, we're not off to a great start, more on that later.

Our punter Doug James came out of the first game at the Paris Musketeers with a very serious knee injury. The verdict was horrible: out for a year, not just a season, but we should expect him to possibly not even be ready for action in week 3 of the 2095 season. We're now looking ahead to week3 of the 2094 season. To cover the gap, an old face returned home: Doug Guynes. The 32-year old, our 3rd round pick in 2085, was sitting in the free agent pool after a stint in Arizona last season.

Short term injuries might also have their effect. Reggie Thongchanh missed the week 2 game at home against the Hanalei Dragons. He'll be kept inactive in a new instalment of Futility Bowl, in Oranje Haven (where else), between two 0-2 teams. Thong' will be joined by Jackie Richardson. The veteran cornerback is out with a shoulder injury.

Center Lewis Azzolini was released just before opening day and replaced with veteran Aidan Doyle. Azzolini was a pain to watch in pre-season, he's just not that good anymore. Usually one would say that about an over the hill veteran, but this was an over the hill third-year pro. Doyle is 33 years old and most likely wals away as a disgruntled free agent next off-season, but we need some insurance on the line in case of injuries and he can mentor Robbie Zinn while doing that.

Okay, that's a lot of blabla, but what you're all really interested to hear and read about is how the rookie Earnest Ashley has done in his first two games as our starting quarterback? Let's start with the bad news first, again: 5 interceptions in 75 attempts. Yeah... In return, he did throw for 200+ yards in both games, twice found Theodore Bondy for a touchdown, so the chemistry with the all-time great is there. With Ed Schulz the connection is still developing (what would you expect with two green players?), 9 catches in 18 targets for 133 yards.

Is going back to Moe Sheldon an option at some point during the season? Well, quite simply, only injury could force us into that direction. Seriously, Sheldon has become too slow to be able to see the rush coming, he'd get sacked 4 times per game, in spite of, no, especially behind this young developing line. Which at the same time as a reason to give Ashley more credits and time to get used to playing in this game. Well kid, get ready for a sold out Oranje Haven that will be much less forgivable after a loss. The Dragons aren't a team to lose to, but the Lake Monsters are a team you're not allowed to lose to.

So yes, we lost the first two games: 14-10 in Paris and 23-13 at home against Hanalei. In both games we gained over 300 yards and in both games we allowed roughly 320 yards.

One thing that hasn't worked out as planed yet: throwing the ball more often. I constructed a new game plan, tried to throw plays in there that will be more favorable to our Smashmouth approach and find plays that won't play into the weaknesses of our skill position players. Well, we rank 14th in most rushing attempts and 16th in pass attempts. Sounds like our old school 50-50 approach no? Well, we ran the ball 51 times and threw it 76 times.

Our defense? Once again the bad news: the pass rush is unacceptably bad. These guys are scouted to be an elite unit in pass rushing, not just above average our some such, these guys should run havoc. Well, they're not doing that: they made 1 sack in 71 pass plays. Sample size or lack of something else?

Sample size should be at hand for almost everything, of course. Two games is so little. But we have only 16 games in a season (thankfully), one eighth already in the books and we've got to understand that since our 4-0 start last season we've been not just below .500.

Earnest Ashley has the keys, he's got the receivers, and we'll give him the time to grow. All three of the next games will be at home, all with a reasonable chance to win. But I'm willing to be patient with this kid. Not too much, I still want him to see 10 wins at the end of the season, or whatever number is required to make the post-season. Because we don't tank, we reload and keep on trying until we're officially eliminated, and then still keep on trying to win. Because that's how we roll, or sail, whichever makes more sense. Go Merchantmen!