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Old 02-05-2020, 02:05 PM   #200
MIJB#19
Coordinator
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Maassluis, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
General Manager Notes: And then there was nothing...
Our season is over, cap hell forthcoming, window of opportunity closing?

Last time I wrote, we had just clinched the division title with 2 regular season games remaining. We're far ahead of that already, tomorrow the IHOF Bowl LXXXIV is on schedule. Nope, we're not in it. We didn't even make it to the Atlantic Ocean Conference championship game. How we didn't get there?

We finished the regular season with a heavily contested 26-23 overtime loss to the Iowa Cobbers, in a game where we allowed just one touchdown: a 90-yard pick six. We followed up with a smooth, yet tight 30-23 victory at the Gothenburg Giants, which wasn't enough to grab a bye week.

As a result, we got to host in the wild card round and once again got to face a division rival. The Paris Musketeers had their best showing against us this season (after we beat them twice by a firm margin in the regular season), but we failed to choke against them, coming up with a crucial fumble return touchdown in the fourth quarter to flip the score into a 24-20 victory. Our late game defense was crucial as Paris ran of time while driving for a possible game winning touchdown, they surely would have converted the field goal had it been 3 or less points.

So onwards we went, to play the second seeded Orlando Talons in their place. In spite of being underdogs, we had every right to be optimistic with victories against them in the last two seasons. We struck first and at half time were trailing just 14-13. In the third quarter we turned the scoreboard around, taking a 20-17 lead after Reggie Thongchanh scored his second short touchdown of the day. But in the fourth quarter our luck ran out, Theodore Bondy eventually had just 7 catches on 26 carries and we didn't get enough out of the 3 interceptions that we got out of Orlando's quarterback. End result a 34-20 loss.

As of now, I'm sensing that our cap dept for next season is too large to get out of without sacrificing some talent. As such, I've already called this the potential closing of our window of opportunity. It's too bad we didn't fix our defensive game plan a couple of seasons earlier, as it now ends up in a "would have, could have, should have" "what if?" situation.

So be it.

But we'll never give up, keep on trying.
Feelin' young, feelin' strong...

Go Merchantmen!
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* 2005 Golden Scribe winner for best FOF Dynasty about IHOF's Maassluis Merchantmen
* Former GM of GEFL's Houston Oilers and WOOF's Curacao Cocktail
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