[MIJB#19]

His name is Ellis, Ellis McAlister

For a quarterback there are some mountains to climb to make a name in the International House Of Football. Helped by what some claim to be one of the best wide receivers to play the game, today it was Ellis McAlister's turn to join the ranks of Hall of Famers Jared Brimberry, Shaun Duncan, Ted Wolf, Bob Jourden, Jackie Collier and Ryan Norris, as well as the active legend Clayton Andrews (perhaps the best quarterback since Collier).

A humble sixth round pick from the 2074 draft, the Merchantmen saw something in the Oklahoma quarterback, born and raised in Mount Vernon, Washington. Five long years, McAlister was forced to ride the bench. He saw little action, handing off three times to Lance Blackwell in a 40-14 blowout of the Bordeaux Vineyards as a rookie. Back then it was Robbie Howe, the next two Erick Loera, followed by Sammy Erickson and Bennett Morris, all for a single season. By then, people still saw an emergency quarterback at best that had grown into a replacement level ball thrower.

But after the unexpected retirement of Bennett Morris, combined with the sudden decline of Sammy Erickson, McAlister all of a sudden went from fourth quarterback on roster to opening day starter in the 2079 season. Supported by the charming Walt Blair at running back and future Hall of Famer wide receiver J.R. Mills, McAlister guided the Merchantmen past the Paris Musketeers in his first real action. The 12-4 bye week campaign came to a crushing halt in the divisional round against the Clayton Andrews lead Toronto Lake Monsters, with 5 interceptions on McAlister's stat line. But a star was born, Maassluis had finally found their new franchise quarterback, the gut wrenching blow was forgiven after the unlikely breakout season.

Even at the age of 28, there was still room to improve for McAlister. Albeit a triplet of up and down seasons, league scouts kept reporting about McAlister getting better and better. Going into the 2083 season, the Merchantmen staff claims he's amongst the better half of starting quarterbacks, which was by no means written in the stars back when he was taken in that sixth round.

The 2083 campaign hasn't been all that particularly impressive either. The first four games saw the Merchantmen beat the Gothenburg Giants, Kansas Creationists and Tucker Tigers, sitting at 3-1. McAlister's play was far from stellar. No better than 227 yards passing, just 3 touchdowns versus 2 interceptions. The next three games, things went downhill at lightning speed. The fans were screaming for the head of Ellis after a couple of horrendous defeats at home. The 4 interceptions against the Snapfinger Jazz became the center of critism, McAlister's worst showing in a regular season game ever, second worst only to that day he got picked off 5 times after a cinderella story season.

Then came today's road game at the Bordeaux Vineyards. Merchantmen ownership basically called ultimatum on the staff: get this team's act together, or things will go another way.

First drive, first play: a dropped pass by Theodore Bondy. Second play, McAlister gets drilled by a Bordeaux defensive end. Third play, McAlister goes with the safest option, dumping to his running back to come short of a first down.

Down 7-0, things didn't get any better on the second drive. A hand off to Leonard Belin for 13 yards got followed up with a run for a loss from Belin. Third play of the drive, McAlister misjudges, misses his targeted fullback and a Bordeaux cornerback picks it off to move into Merchantmen territory.

Down 10-0, things continued to be downright disappointing. McAlister goes for a scramble on the first play, then sees Belin get the first down on the next play. Third play, McAlister gets sacked again. Fourth play, a screen pass to Theodore Bondy, obviously resulting in not much of a gain. Third and twelve, McAlister goes for the safe option of Artie Blazewicz for barely a gain.

The Merchantmen special teams unit then interferes as Craig McCorkle forces a fumble on the punt return and after left tackle Louie Murray miraculously comes away with it, Maassluis is in the red zone for the first time. McAlister throws another screen pass on second down, but on third and six, finally some success. McAlister finds Theodore Bondy open for a walk in touchdown.

The second quarter, things get a little bit better, but only just barely. McAlister finds All-IHOF tight end Monty Elliott for the first time today, sees Theodore Bondy drop another pass and gets sacked on the second drive of the quarter. A 28-yard catch and run from Bondy gets the engines running and the second touchdown pass (to fullback Tristan Cochrane) follows immediately after. The remainder of the second quarter is far from impressive, Maassluis plays a ball control game, which they fail in and they're trailing 20-12 at half time.

First drive of the second half, the Merchantmen defense forces three and out, putting all eyes on McAlister and his crew. An unlikely third and pretty long conversation to third stringer Rico Techen gets the chains moving. McAlister finally starts connecting with Bondy, ending the drive in a 15-yard catch and run from inside the red zone for the touchdown, leaving Maassluis trailing by just 1 point now.

The Merchantmen defense forces another three and out, now the offense gets finally in a swing. Another catch and run by Theodore Bondy puts the Merchantmen 26-20 up. Rookie Heath Oliver co-sacks Brad Nestor for the third time, the other first round rookie Bart Guthrie makes the tackle to force Bordeaux to punt. Third down: McAlister to Bondy, first down. Third down: McAlister to Bondy, first down. Third down: McAlister to Gavin Stern, first down.

Raul Curie makes the big run to start the fourth quarter and McAlister then finds Artie Blazewicz in the end zone for the 33-20 lead. By then, already the fifth touchdown pass from McAlister, with almost a full quarter of football still to go.

By then, the Bordeaux offense appeared to be broken, with the Merchantmen defense forcing another three and out. McAlister's sixth touchdown pass was a tremendous run after a short pass to Monty Elliott, hauling it in from 45 yards out. At that point, he ties a franchise record, in forgone times set by the pick machine Louie Flannery in the 2009 season. Harry Osborne joined the club of six in 2040 and as a backup saw Perry Coleman join in 2043. In 2078, McAlister was a witness when Bennett Morris became the fourth member in a tremendous showing against the Paris Musketeers. Today, McAlister had joined the last guy he had to backup.

But it wasn't all over just yet. After yet another three and out, McAlister connected with Artie Blazewicz on another short pass turned into a long touchdown. 47-20 up, but for McAlister, a record-breaking and -tying moment. The remaining 8 minutes of the game turned into garbage time, but forever, the Bordeaux Vineyards fans will have to remember they saw an opposing former sixth round quarterback throw 7 touchdown passes in a single game, something no European IHOF fanbase had seen before, neither on the supporting or opposing side.

After the game, the player of the game, Ellis McAlister smiled, but at the same time understood very well how this game goes. It was just another game, the Merchantmen had been less than underwhelming in the last three games, it was just a way to get back to .500. Next up, a road game at the Orlando Talons, a 6-2 team with the top scoring offense so far this season. But if the Merchantmen can bring this kind of A-game with them to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, anything can happen...

Tonight, the former sixth round pick, former fourth stringer, can go to sleep, knowing he joined the ranks of seven Hall of Fame quarterbacks. Also knowing back home, the Kansas Creationists saw their quarterback Hugh Gaines miss the opportunity to do the same thing on the exact same day, throwing for 504 yards and 6 touchdowns. Time was a plenty, but the Moontown Darksiders defense decided enough was enough down 45-17. Hugh Gaines got the Player of the Week honors.

But Ellis McAlister knows those come by 17 times per season, Gaines won the 1352nd iteration of it, excluding 316 rounds of playoffs games. Gaines had a 6 in his stat line, McAlister a 7. Something only 7 other quarterbacks had done before, combining for now 10 occurances. If he doesn't make it into the Hall Of Fame, which after sitting out the first five seasons of his career will be a longshot, he'll always have today.

Ellis? Who the fuck is Ellis? He's Ellis McAlister, a record-tying quarterback from Mount Vernon, Washington.