[MIJB#19]

2014 Retirement Day: Few Surprises for Merchantmen
Much less than feared. At the start of the 2014 season, only four Maassluis Merchantmen players filled out their retirement applications. Wide receiver Jewell Simpson and guard Timothy Lacy were the biggest surprised. They were joined by team nestors linebacker Carl Meier and tackle Christopher Perdomo. Elsewhere, former Merchantmen players filled the headlines with their quitting. Most notable was defensive end Harold Wells.

Wide receiver Jewell Simpson was the most prolific name on the retirements list of the Merchantmen. Following an injury filled 2013 season, Simpson decided to step away from the game. "The Jewel" missed the first 12 games with a hamstring injury and after that recorded only 12 receptions for 91 yards. Simpson had been a controversial player, having arrived from the Springfield Isotopes in a trade for a first round pick. Simpson never lived up to the hype. In four seasons in Maassluis, he made 149 catches for 1,992 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Guard Timothy Lacy's retirement was another surprise. being just 30 years old, people expected him to stick around much longer. Lacy became a pro player aged 20 with the Fort Worth Fury. In the 2006 off-season, the Merchantmen brought in Lacy through trade and gave him a starting role from day one. In eight seasons, Lacy started in 105 regular season games for the Merchantmen. "Tiny Tim" was considered an important blocker for the running game, yet his pass protection abilty was always lacking. Still, Lacy was a member of the Merchantmen in all three division winning seasons.

Linebacker Carl Meier was a popular figure in Maassluis. Meier was a leader to the front seven players and inspired them into becoming one of the best defenses in the league for many years. Meier joined the Merchantmen in 2006 in a trade. After spending that season mostly on the bench, he became a starter during the succesful 2007 season. After that, Meier was demoted to a much more mentoring role, receiving playing time now or then. Meier missed the 2012 season on injured reserve status. In total, Meier played in 104 Merchantmen regular season games, in which he racked up 188 tackles, 71 assists, 4.5 sacks, 5 interceptions and 1 touchdown.

Offensive tackle Christopher Perdomo's stepping away wasn't surprising. Following many injury loaded seasons, Perdomo decided to quit before his body was totally destroyed at the age of 37. Perdomo started his career with the Frederick Red Menace, then moved to the San Luis Obispo Burn for three seasons and spent his last two as a reserve in Maassluis. Perdomo posted impressive season stats in a backup role in 2012, but last season he wasn't able to live up to that. In the end he played 102 regular season games in the IHOF, 20 of those with the Merchantmen.

The Fort Worth Fury's defensive end Harold Wells was one of the biggest surprises on retirement day. Wells was a four-time All-IHOF selection, once making the first team selection. Wells started his career with the Maassluis Merchantmen. After two good seasons, the Merchantmen traded Wells to the Bordeaux Vineyards in a salary cap forced move. Wells spent five seasons there, before moving on to the Fort Worth Fury for three more seasons. At the time of retirement, Wells ranks third all-time in sacks in the IHOF.

Guard Butch White followed his old partner in crime Tim Lacy into retirement. White was a starter with the Maassluis Merchantmen between the 2005 and 2010 season and nicknamed "Bruce" following a name mix up on draft day 2005. Following three injury plagued years, White was demoted to a backup role in 2011 and forced out through trade in 2012. White moved on to the Paris Musketeers, where he was a 16-game starter last season. White, like many Merchantmen players, had his best year in 2007. White allowed only 3 sacks and posted 32 key run blocks in 93 attempts. At the time of retirement, White ranks 4th all-time in Merchantmen history with 117 key run blocks in 85 regular season games.

Other players with Merchantmen ties who retired:
* Tackle Russell "Rusty" Malave, Merchantmen starter in 2004 and 2005, traded during the 2006 season. Played 30 games for the Merchantmen.
* Cornerback Johnnie "Stitch" Stidham, a Merchantmen starter in 2006 and backup in 2007. Stidham still holds the Merchantmen single season record in interceptions with 7 picks.
* Cornerback Carlos Mitchem, who spent the 2007 season in Maassluis on injured reserve.
* Cornerback Gene Sampson, once drafted by the Merchantmen, but traded before the 2007 season started. Retired as a free agent.
* Running back Tyrell Mahoney, jobless in 2013 after having bounced around, played in 14 games in the 2007 season for Maassluis.
* Running back Herb Williams, drafted by the Merchantmen in 2011, failed to make the team and "Herbie" retired after failing to make the Rochester Lake Mosters roster.
* Safety Joseph Eubanks, punter Hugh McNeil and defensive end Mitchell Boyd, all signed by the Merchantmen in the 2012 off-season, but failed to make the regular season roster.
* Linebacker Ross Nunes, who spent a couple of weeks on the Merchantmen roster in 2012, including two playoff games.
* Center Jessie Rhem, a fourth round pick for the Merchantmen in 2013, retired after he failed to make the team for that 2013 regular season.
* Defensive end John Claxton, cornerback Marco Gonzalez, defensive end Kelly Stehlik, fullback Daniel Linder, linebacker Clifton Farlow, running back Kenneth Pratt and running back Jermains Stanton were 2013 free agent acquisitions, but didn't make the regualr season roster.