IHOF: Maassluis Merchantmen

[MIJB#19]

Merchantmen Complete 2013 Training Camp Roster
The Maassluis Merchantmen have a new player. Speedy wide receiver Willie Bennett received the #80 jersey a day before training camp starts. Bennett played his collegiate career for the small football program of Wagner. Bennett is said to be a guy who's good at out running his cornerback to get open downfield.

[MIJB#19]

General Manager Notes: Training Camp 2013 Aftermath
I'm back!

Greetings, dear readers. It's been a while, but right now is a good time to come back with a report about the Merchantmen's 2013 plans. Well, it's pretty simple, we want to go all the way to IHOF Bowl X. It'll be tough, but with the team we have, we stand a decent chance. To be quite honest, it might be the last chance for almost half of the team even. First, I'll break down the current roster, position by position.

Quarterbacks
Nothing new on the horizon here. We hoped to draft a talented kid, to give Justin McDavid some work to do, but no such luck. Instead, we're looking at Richard Bell again as our backup. I like Bell, but we're having some trouble in getting him to extend his contract through the 2014 season. Our starter will obviously be Louie Flannery, who has grown into being the strongest quarterback in the league, whatever that's worth...

Running Backs
Here we're currently seven guys deep. Courtney Osgood lost a bit of his speed, but still looks like a potential 1,500-yard back. Of course, he won't get that as long as we keep Quentin Hatchette into the mix a lot. Behind them, the #3 role is up for grabs. Kenneth Pratt won't get it, he's out the door after pre-season. Rookie Lorenzo Webster came out of camp as one of the most experienced rookie runners in the league, yet I don't like him, much. Chester Capers might stick around as a kickoff return option. Brenden Boone was our #99 overall pick, yet I'm not sure what he can do for us. He lacks the hole recognition and isn't a true third down back either. Of course, our coaches recommend we use Boone as a third down back... The only sure thing is Jermaine Stanton as he won't make our pre-season 60-men roster.

Fullbacks
A tough decision to make here. Quentin Malicki is the obvious starter being a very good run blocker. We drafted rookie Daniel Linder with the prospect of being as good as Malicki some day, yet it'll be hard to justify giving him a roster spot. He's so green and fullback is about the last position where we're getting old. Juan Shields hangs around to mentor, but as it looks now, he'll probably only do so for Tracy Winslett, who was last season's third down back.

Tight Ends
Nothing new here. Arnold Ramirez remains as our run block support end, while Jim Reiser hopes to live up to the big play receiver hype for one last time. Winston Van Pelt is still one of the best long snappers in the league and over time has proven to be a reliable receiver when he's on the field.

Wide Receivers
Alfredo Bass. Enough said, no? Bass is a lock to make the IHOF Hal of Fame and we're happy to have him. Age is catching up though and he looked a bit slower than before. Bryce Ewald returned from injury, but we fear he's lost too much of his agility to play a starter. Thus, we're looking at Jewell Simpson again, the guy who loves to go over the middle, get deep and give his passer a open target downfield. Devin Henson looked not so good in camp and our kickoff return legend may be heading into his last season here. Drew McConnell remains as a good #3 option, yet should watch out for rookie Willie Bennett, who looked pretty fast in camp.

Centers
Depth isn't an issue here. Brant Heinrich comes off another very good season and remains our starter. Todd Serra was supposed to be his backup, but he's getting older too and is disgruntled. We're openly advertising Serra for trade right now. We signed Gothenburg backup Lance Blackwell to replace Serra already. And we might need him, as rookie Jessie Rhem was downright disappointing in training camp.

Guards
Long live J.J. Reilly. Our third-year pro has grown and grown and today is one of the most reliable guards in the league. On the right side, Timothy Lacy is the run blocking expert of the team. Behind them, the rookies Kevin Shepard and Johnnie Griffin fight it out for likely only one roster spot. Shepard currently has the edge, but Griffin made huge leaps in improvements, according to the scouting staff. But only time will tell whether either guy is starter material.

Offensive Tackles
They're old, but they're good. Ivan Jacques was clearly slower than he was about six months ago, yet he remains as the obvious blind side protection. Chrsitopher Perdomo, Cornelius Rice and Louis Bell all looked good in camp and will fight it out for the right side, although Bell is likely going to be just our #2 left tackle. Young off-season addition Tommie Burns made some good progress in training camp and isn't eliminated for making the final 53-men roster at all.

Punters/Kickers
Nothing new here. Sean Smalley is still improving and will be our punter for yet another season. The kicking duties will be shared once again: Al Bettis kicks off, Cary Coles does the field goals and extra points. It even looked like Coles improved his accuracy in training camp, which is quite surprising, given that this will be his tenth IHOF season.

Defensive Ends
Good news and bad news here. The bad news came from Omar Gougeon. He looked very out of shape in training camp and looked like the fourth best end. Wally Mattingly, however, looked better than ever before and seems to have locked up a big role as a pass rusher. Luther Hansen is going to be in the mix a lot too, but is still lacking the stamina to be an all downs threat. rookie Lester Henson still needs to work on his technique, yet he looks powerful enough to make plays. Veteran John Claxton will stick around at least throughout pre-season to tutor Hansen and Henson.

Defensive Tackles
Ouch. Charles Gomez used to be rock solid, but today he's just an above average starter. Now, don't get all depressed, the Gomez standards were pretty huge to begin with. Gomez will still be a huge pass rush threat and important for the run defense. Gomez will move to the right side though, to make room for Andrew Rasmussen at Rasm's favorite position. Rasmussen finally broke into a starting role last season and finally gets a chance to show he's the new Gomez. Meanwhile, rookie Melvin Galloway will be thrown into the mix as the rotation backup, while good old Andy Welickza shall be used all around the line as a run stopper. Free agent singing Kelly Stehlik has marvelous upside, but sadly we can't use him yet with the depth we've got.

Linebackers
Ah yes, one of my favorite groups. The retirement of Albert Boggess hurt, but not much. Depth is good and we're still having a great bunch of guys here. Cody Cluff remains as one of the best guys up the middle in the league. On the outside, I'm mulling with options. Mike Kershner sees age catching up, but remains as a good option. Lee Burns made great progress this off-season and looks ready to play a blitz role. Bernie Surry is the best run and pass defender, but his lack of stamina forces us to sub him in and out a lot. Terrence White looks like a great fit in a backup role, while rookie Renaldo Dunlap has the upside of a future starter. Carl Meier sticks around to keep everybody happy and to mentor Dunlap. Rookie Clifton Farlow won't make the pre-season roster.

Cornerbacks
Some tough decisions will have to be made here. After the arrival of five new guys, we have nine corners who can play a decent role. The easy casualties are raw rookie Teddy Rackers and nickel back Brian Spears, who will be placed on injured reserve. The others all have their pros and cons. Ross Greene is a proven man-to-man and bump and run defender. Tai Wayne is another man-to-man expert and also does well in zone defense. Marco Gonzalez is the best bump and run guy on the team. Sammie Kennedy is the best zone defender. Trent Orchard is very good in zone defense and bump and run defense. Myron Stevens makes a serviceable nickel or dime back. And Steven Brookshire could be a good option to fall back on when injuries hit, to use his turnover forcing skills and do his man-to-man trick. Had I to choose now, Brookshire would not make the final 53-men roster.

Safeties
While we're happy about the depth at cornerback, the safety depth is wading. The retirement of Emile William left us with only three guys in the rotation. Lincoln Gilmore's days as the comeback kid might return as camp showed that Eddie Cole has caught the long time starter. Broderick Schultz remains as the team's best zone defending safety and should play a role. Louis Farr is only useful as a bump and run guy, but then he was only acquired to be the team's punt return specialist. Hopefully he'll prove one of the IHOF trends the Merchantmen management has seen: to become a champion, a team needs to have a great punt returner.

All in all, the team is getting older and with that slower and weaker. On the other end, we're going to adapt to the trend that opposing offenses will try to beat us by lining their receivers up in man-to-man situations and avoid our well-oiled zone defense machine. The mass retirement that struck as has been handled with well, I think and I think we anticipated well in a lot of areas with getting young guys like Quentin Malicki, Eddie Cole, Lee Burns, J.J. Reilly and Luther Hansen in past drafts. Hopefully, the new rookies will live up to their potential and make the transition to the new generation of Merchantmen players go smooth enough to not fall into below .500 seasons. For 2013, I give us a 10 percent chance to win our first league title. Let the games begin!

[MIJB#19]

Merchantmen Trim Roster Down To 60
Nine released, one placed on injured reserve. That was the score of the week for the Maassluis Merchantmen. Going into training camp with 70 players has a downside, 10 of them will be forced off the team before the first pre-season game. Cornerback Brian Spears was placed on injured reserve with an elbow injury that was likly to sideline him for the entire season.

The nine players released were all off-season signings. Cornerback Steven Brookshire was most surprising, since he was expected to stick around as a potential starter. Defensive tackle Kelly Stehlik was the only other non rookie. Center Jessie Rhem and fullback Daniel Linder were also surprised cuts, given that they were drafted recently. So was running back Lorenzo Webster, however, his selection was a result of internal miscommunication. Wide receiver Willie Bennett, running back Jermaine Stanton, cornerback Teddy Rackers and linebacker Clifton Farlow were the last four cuts.

[MIJB#19]

Overtime Loss In First Pre-Season Game Merchantmen
Football returned to Maassluis. For the first time since the week 17 loss to the Gothenburg Giants. A bunch of new faces, but a lot of familiar faces as well. The Merchantmen starters gave the hometown fans a good look to the 2013 team. The visitig Oakland Black Panthers made it a game and eventually won on a big play in overtime.

Sixteen new players are listed on the Maassluis Merchantmen's pre-season roster. Not all of them dressed up for the game against the Black Panthers, but a good bunch did. Especially in the secondary a good number of new players got into action. Cornerbacks Ross Greene, Marco Gonzalez and Trent Orchard arrived in Maassluis to make the transition to new pass defense rules and trends possible.

The newness of the cornerbacks showed form time to time. The Merchantmen secondary allowed 297 yards passing, including a game winning 74-yard reception. Rookie Nolan Wiggins escaped his defender and ended overtime with a big bang. Ignoring that play, the pass defense wasn't so bad at all, although the pass rush was the key element there.

Long-time starting cornerback Tai Wayne had mixed feelings: "It's going to be tough. Teams are adepting to the 2-deep zone defense we used to play. Management went into the right direction by signing a bunch of experienced new guys, like Ross Greene. The new guys will need some time to get used to playing in this defense, but they should feel comfortable playing on the same side as guys like Charles Gomez and Cody Cluff pretty fast."

On the offensive side of the ball, quarterback Louie Flannery called it a day very quickly. Flannery lead the offense for three series. With Flan in charge, the offense had drives of 56, 67 and 65 yards. "Sadly, we fumbled the ball early, but I think we did well," Flannery said, "I was really pleased to see Bryce Ewald back on the team." Flannery completed 8 of 9 passes for 102 yards and a score, posting a 150.9 passer rating.

Wide receiver Bryce Ewald was the surprising team leader in yards from the line of scrimmage. Ewald missed the 2012 season with a knee injury, but came back strong. Ewald had 5 catches for 91 yards, including a 38-yard score. Ewald said: "It's great to back, I've worked so hard to make a comeback. It's great to be back on the field. Football is such a great game."

The running game showed good signs as well. Courtney Osgood and Quentin Hatchette showed their 2012 form as a good tandem. Osgood gained 77 yards, Hatchette 61 yards. Fullback Tracy Winslett added 15 yards to the mix, improving his chances to make the final roster as the team's third down back.

Story of the game was the number of fumbles. Both teams fumbled three times. While the Black Panthers managed to recover all of their own fumbles, including returning one for a score, the Merchantmen found themselves losing possession three times. Backup quarterback Justin McDavid said: "We need to work on that. Fumbling is one thing, recovering is another. You just can't lose the fumble recovery battle 6-0."

For the next two pre-season games, the Merchantmen will fly to the United States. The Muscatine Mosquitoes and the San Luis Obsipo Burn will be the opponents there. It reamins to be seen which players will see action. Head Coach Leroy Van Der Woude: "We plan to use the first team players in the two home games. On the road, we're going to give the rookies and other youngsters some time to get used to the offense. Being back home [in the USA] will do them good."

[MIJB#19]

Merchantmen End Pre-Season With Shutout Win
Confidence is back in Maassluis. Following a 20-0 win over the Minnesota Miners, happy faces were all around in Oranje Haven. The team is ready for the regular season, when the Paris Musketeers will visit Maassluis for week one. Last season the Musketeers won that road game, but the Merchantmen are not beaten so easily.

In the last pre-season game, the Merchantmen went back to starting most of their first string players. Louie Flannery didn't see much action (5 for 8, 32 yards, 1 interceptions), yet running back Courtney Osgood (29 carries, 128 yards) and most of the defensive stars (187 yards allowed) looked sharp.

Following the last pre-season game, fullback Tracy Winslett was placed on injured reserve with a severe hamstring injury. It paved the way for Juan Shields to make the 53-men roster as the backup fullback to Quentin Malicki. Other moves were six releases. That included long snapper Winston Van Pelt, who shortly after was re-signed to a one-year deal. Center Todd Serra was booted to make room. The other released players were cornerback Marco Gonzalez (again after being re-signed a day earlier), running backs Chester Capers and Kenneth Pratt, defensive end John Claxton and guard Kevin Shepard.

General Manager M.IJ.B. is looking forward to the 2013 season: "Just look at the team. Yes, we lost a bunch of guys to retirement, but that was to be expected. We've got a great bunch of guys on offense and still have one of the best defenses in the league. The experts may underestimate us, but so be it. I really believe that we have a shot to win our fourth Europeanm title. Ands after that, who knows? The playoffs can be like a coin flip at times."

[MIJB#19]

Maassluis Merchantmen 2013 Season Opening Day Roster

chart	player	years	age*		chart	player	years	age*
QB#1	Louie Flannery	7th	31		LDE#1	Luther Hansen	2nd	24
QB#2	Richard Bell	3rd	27		RDE#1	Omar Gougeon	8th	30
QB#3	Justin McDavid	10th	32		DE#3	Wally Mattingly	5th	27
					DE#4	Lester Henson	1st	23
RB#1	Courtney Osgood	3rd	29		RDT#1	Charles Gomez	10th	33
RB#2	Quentin Hatchette	3rd	25		LDT#1	Andrew Rasmussen	7th	29
RB#3	Brenden Boone	1st	23		DT#3	Melvin Galloway	1st	23
FB#1	Quentin Malicki	4th	26		DT#4	Andy Weliczka	8th	30
FB#2	Juan Shields	1st	31
(IR)	Tracy Winslett	2nd	23		SLB	Bernie Surry	6th	28
					MLB	Cody Cluff	10th	32
TE#1	Jim Reiser	10th	32		WLB	Lee Burns	2nd	24
TE#2	Arnold Ramirez	7th	32		LB#4	Mike Kershner	10th	31
LS	Winston Van Pelt	5th	27		LB#5	Terrance White	4th	26
					LB#6	Renaldo Dunlap	1st	22
WR#1	Alfredo Bass	2nd	33		LB#7	Carl Meier	8th	34
WR#2	Bryce Ewald	10th	32
WR#3	Jewell Simpson	4th	30		LCB#1	Tai Wayne	9th	29
WR#4	Drew McConnell	3rd	30		RCB#1	Trent Orchard	1st	28
KR	Devin Henson	8th	31		CB#3	Ross Greene	1st	31
					NB#1	Sammie Kennedy	6th	29
C#1	Brant Heinrich	8th	31		NB#2	Myron Stevens	8th	29
C#2	Lance Blackwell	1st	29		IR	Brian Spears	3rd	31
LG#1	J.J. Reilly	3rd	24		SS#1	Lincoln Gilmore	10th	32
RG#1	Timothy Lacy	8th	30		FS#1	Eddie Cole	3rd	27
RG#2	Johnnie Griffin	1st	22		S#3	Broderick Schultz	6th	31
LT#1	Ivan Jacques	7th	33		PR#1	Louis Farr	1st	28
LT#2	Christopher Perdomo	2nd	35
LT#3	Louis Bell	5th	31		K-FG	Cary Coles	10th	31
RT#1	Cornelius Rice	7th	31		K-KO	Al Bettis	8th	30
RT#2	Tommie Burns	1st	26		P	Sean Smalley	6th	29

* on 1st of August



Maassluis Merchantmen 2013 Schedule

week	opp	2012 rec.	us all-time hth
01	vs Paris Musketeers	7-8-1	11-7, 6-3 in Maa
02	at Frederick Red Menace	11-5 0-1	1-1, 1-0 in Fre
03	vs Georgia Gridlock	10-6	1-5, 1-1 in Maa
04	vs San Antonio Volunteers	6-10	2-4, 2-3 in Maa
05	bye
06	vs Vicksburg Vipers	10-6 4-0	2-1, 1-1 in Maa
07	at Fort Worth Fury	8-8	4-1, 4-1 in FtW
08	at Paris Musketeers	7-8-1	11-7, 5-4 in Par
09	at Telluride Outlaws	3-13	1-1, 1-1 in Tel
10	vs Bordeaux Vineyards	10-6 0-1	9-10, 4-5 in Maa
11	vs Gothenburg Giants	6-9-1	9-9, 5-4 in Maa
12	vs Brooklyn Fightin' Bums	7-9	2-0, 1-0 in Maa
13	at Boston Rhinos	10-6 0-1	1-3, 0-1 in Bos
14	at Chesapeake Chitterlings	12-4 0-1	2-0, 1-0 in Che
15	at Gothenburg Giants	6-9-1	9-9, 4-5 in Got
16	vs Williamsburg Colonials	8-8	0-2, 0-1 in Maa
17	at Bordeaux Vineyards	10-6 0-1	9-10, 5-5 in Bor
18	tbd
19	tbd
20	tbd
21	tbd

[Kodos]

Boo! No regular season Futility Bowl!

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Boo! No regular season Futility Bowl!

Futility Bowl IX: Playoff Edition, Part 2, With Avengences?

[Kodos]

Only if we get to do the avenging.

[MIJB#19]

Merchantmen Beat Musketeers in 2013 Season Opener
A good start for the Maassluis Merchantmen. With a 21-14 victory over the Paris Musketeers, the 2013 season started with a win. Concerns are place though, the highly graded Merchantmen defense looked sloppy and allowed 402 total yards. Quarterback Louie Flannery was a bright light, while the tandem of Courtney Osgood and Quentin Hatchette provided a strong running game.

The first quarter of this European matchup things didn't look so good. The Merchantmen had trouble getting upfield. Thakfully, the Musketeers played even worse on offense and were slowly pinned back in their own territory. Following a great punt from Sean Smalley to the 3-yard line, the Musketeers were looking despertae, resulting in an Edmundo Lumpkin interception. Linebacker Bernie Surry made the turnover and set up the 20-yard touchdown run from backup running back Quentin Hatchette.

Hatchette showed to be more than just a backup. After his big run, the coaching staff decided to give him more carries than starter Courtney Osgood. Hatchette would end the game with 126 yards on 21 carries. Teammate Courtney Osgood was held to 7 carries, yet he gained 54 yards and scored a touchdown as well.

After the Musketeers showed an 84-yard drive resulting in the tying touchdown, the Merchantmen stepped up the pace. With two long drives on their own and a missed field goal by Paris' Joshua Hunt, the lead grew to a 21-7 score. Tight end Jim Reiser hauled in Louie Flannery's first score of the season. Even an interception from Louie Flannery couldn't upset the home team, although he timed the turnover well, doing it on a long pass late in the second quarter, leaving no time for Paris to score back.

In the second half the Merchantmen almost collapsed under the pressure of the Paris passing game. Edmundo Lumpkin ended the game 33 of 53 for 324 yards and a score. Yet a couple of interceptions pretty much ended his team's chances. A pick made by Lincoln Gilmore in the last minute secured the Merchantmen victory.

Louie Flannery received a lot of accolades after the game. Quentin Hatchette received player of the game honors, but Flannery was praised for his leadership and accurate passing. Flannery completed 17 of 25 passes for 197 yards, a good outing for his own standards. Flannery said: "Things went well. Devin (Henson) had a good game and things are clicking again with Bryce (Ewald). And with Alfredo Bass, Jim Reiser and the running backs around, we still have an offense to fear."

The performance on the defensive side of the ball was worrying. Cody Cluff was a shadow of himself, recording 0 tackles for the first time in his career. Charles Gomez had only 1 tackle. Given that they're key to the run defense, that wasn't so much of a disaster. The Merchantmen allowed 402 total yards and never seemed to get a grip on the receivers. Even thought the pass rush broke up 10 of 54 passing plays, yet the pass defense figure was rather low with just 6 deflected passes. Cornerback Tai Wayne even accounted for half of that. Wayne: "Teams are starting to find ways to play against our 2-deep zone defense. We're trying to adjust to something new, but so far we're having trouble getting used to our new schemes."

That means the defense will have a lot of work to do the upcoming week. Going on the road to the Frederick Red Menace, it won't be an easy task. Quarterback Jackie Percy completed 28 of 36 passes for 375 yards and 2 scores in a 34-10 win at the Brooklyn Fightin' Bums. The last time Percy faced the Merchantmen, he guided his team to a 30-3 victory. Not a good forsight on what is about to come...

[MIJB#19]

Merchantmen Do Sunken Ship Imitation In Week 2 Loss
A game to quickly forget. With a 35-7 loss at the Frederick Red Menace, the Maassluis Merchantmen recorded their first defeat of the season. The Red Menace was impressive on offense, racking up 509 total yards, with running back Steven Stepanovich leading the way with his 120 and a score yards on the ground.

The Merchantmen were looking hopeless. They couldn't do anything on either side of the ball, until a 28-0 score half way the second quarter woke them up. Concerns that the Merchantmen are getting old and past their window of opportunity arose once again. Upcoming is a home game against the Georgia Gridlock, whom started the season 2-0 following two strong showings on defense.

[MIJB#19]

Merchantmen Impress With Win Over Georgia Gridlock
never write a team off too early. With an impressive 27-14 win, the Maassluis Merchantmen bounced back from last week's loss. The Georgia Gridlock looked aweful until they went into hurry up mode. The bad news of the game was Courtney Osgood's injury. The prolific running back serisouly hurt his knee and will likely be sidelined for about two months.

"We're back!" Defensive tackle Charles Gomez was looking happy after the second win of the season. Under his guidance, the Merchantmen defense had kept the Georgia offense in check for three and a half quarters. Gomez said: "It's early, but things were going well today. Last week is history, today was a better sign of what we're capable of."

Despite a strong defensive showing, the Merchantmen offense couldn't really do much. Quarterback Louie Flannery completed 21 of 31 passes for 223 yards and a score, but knew that his unit didn't win the game. Flannery said: ""Special teams ruled again. Nothing beats a punt return touchdown and forcing a fumble on a kick return in their territory."

Safety Louis Farr received a lot of praise for his first touchdown in orange-white-and-blue. Farr ran the ball back 78 yards for his second career punt return touchdown. Farr said: "The guys were blocking well. When I got past the first wave of tacklers, it was a piece of cake: keep the speed and make the score. It's a blessing to be part of this special teams unit."

Running back Courtney Osgood was part of the day's bad news. Osgood twisted his knee bad and was carried off the field. His backup Quentin Hatchette stepped up well, carrying 38 times for 121 yards and a score. Hatchette moved up to third in the league in rushing yards, despite his backup role. Tight end Jim Reiser explains: "We're not dependant on one or two players, we're a team of depth and workrate. Still, losing a guy to injury never makes you feel happy."

After the game, the Gridlock management complimented the Merchantmen's defense. Especially the overwhelming pass rush pressure caused the visitors to lose. Quarterback Nate Sutter completed only 12 of 28 passes for 137 yards, 9 of 30 pass plays were broken up by the pass rush.

The win also brings the Merchantmen back into the European Division lead. The Bordeaux Vineyards dropped to 1-2 after terrible beating by the hands of the Nort Plainfield Plague (34-3). The Gothenburg Giants moved into second place with a strong 30-14 win over the Orlando Knights. The Paris Musketeers remained winless due to a 13-6 loss at the Syracuse Mohawks.

[MIJB#19]

The Grand 2013 Season Week 4 Thru 15 Update!

It's been quiet. No, the IHOF didn't stop running and the Maassluis Merchantmen franchise definately didn't retreat from the league. The lack of dynasty reports isn't due to a total collaps after week 3 and it has nothing to do with further potential career ending injuries. Nope, it's been a lazy unmotivated general manager's fault for not keeping you up to date. Until now. It's time for one helluva update. Okay, maybe not a 100-page novel, but at least enough yadda-yadda to keep you busy for at least 15 to 30 minutes.


What Has Been So Far...
The 2012 season had been semi-succesful. The Merchantmen choked the European division title and handed it to the Bordeaux Vineyards. Holding some favorable tie-breakers, the Merchantmen grabbed the last wild card, next stop: Bordeaux. In a classic battle the Merchantmen won 27-23 and advance to the Conference semi finals. Sadly, the top seeded Tucker Tigers were no match (37-12 loss) and the ship had stranded. A chunckload of retirements of mainly backup players followed and the team brought in a couple of new prospects. Yet the core of the team stuck around and the Merchantmen started 2-1. A decent record, but it was obvious that the Merchantmen defense's game plan had been exposed and had become easy to beat.


How It Continued...
Following the abmyssal play by te defense in weeks 1 and 2, the Merchantmen management and coaching staff started working on a new game plan. Mainly on the defensive side of the ball, because for a change the offense was looking like the team's top unit. Even the special teams specialists were unable to win games. The planned bump-and-run heavy pass defense scheme went overboard and a new mix of man-to-man and zone defense schemes was installed. Things had paid off a bit against Georgia already and in week 4, the Merchantmen managed a convincing 31-21 win over the San Antonio Volunteers.

After a bye week, the team went into total self-destruction mode, again. The absence of Courtney Osgood in the running game was a weak excuse and the team looked hopeless at home against the Vicksburg Vipers (28-14 loss) and on the road at the Fort Worth Fury (21-20 loss). It was time for more research, testing and training on the defensive pass schemes. Safety Lincoln Gilmore explained: "Something had to be done. At .500, you know you're not going to make the playoffs in the AOC. The coaches returned with some good hints and (Charles) Gomez said: do as the man says, we're not going to miss the playoffs this season!"

With renewed instructions, the Merchantmen defense looked awesome in their next game. The Paris Musketeers were humiliated 38-13 in the Stade de France and happy faces were all around. A tough road game against the stingy Telluride Outlaws defense was also won and the 'game of the year' loomed. Sitting tied with the Bordeaux Vineyards at 5-3, both teams knew what was on the horizon: a head-to-had game that could determine the face of the rest of the season.

And indeed, Oranje Haven became the arena of a crucial. The game was dominated by the two defenses. Neiter of the offenses managed to get anything going. Yet the Bordeaux running game with in-season acquisition Raymond Flowers and good old 'Bam Bam' Jamerson was winning the field postion battle for the defending European champions. Flowers racked up 107 yards, but it was mostly because young quarterback Lincoln Manning was instructed to keep away from throwing. However, it wasn't Flowers who determined the game. Tied 3-3, 'Bam Bam' Jamerson broke out with a huge 65-yard run to set up his own touchdown. Defenses kept the game in check and the Vineyards grabbed the division lead firmly.

Week 11 marked the return of Courtney Osgood. Fearing that he would be a bit rusty, the Merchantmen switched to a more pass-happy offense and Louie Flannery had mixed success with it. Still, the defense was riding again and guided the team to home wins over the Gothenburg Giants (31-14) and Brooklyn Fightin' Bums (10-3). At 7-4, the Merchantmen were just tie-breakers away from a wild card spot, but knew that a tough schedule was remaining, with 4 of 5 games on the road, including games against the top three teams in the league so far.

In the meanwhilst, safety Lincoln Gilmore had move to the injured reserve list. In the home game against the Gothenburg Giants, Gilmore blew up his knee and it was quickly clear this could be a career destroyer. Early signs are Gilmore wouldn't play anymore in the 2013 season and is unlikely to be back in time for training camp and pre-season 2014. The management made a league wide statement to honor Gilmore for his efforst, Gilmore spent his entire IHOF career with the Merchantmen.

Happier news came from wide receiver Alfredo Bass. At the season start, people were wondering when he would pass the 10,000 yards receiving mark. A couple of good showings in week 8 (153 yards) and week 9 (99 yards) had him ready to reach the milestone in week 11. The Merchantmen were to play Bass' first IHOF team, the Gothenburg Giants, who seemed unwilling to cooprperate. Bass came a big-play short to get to five digits. A week later, Bass knew this would be his game. After his first two catches he had reached 9,999 yards and on his next catch, he broke through the magic barrier. The first IHOF player to do it.

The season continued and things didn't go as hoped. With a horrible showing at the Boston Rhinos. The defense saw no chance to stop quarterback Robby Gonzalez and his receivers. In possession of the ball, the Merchantmen also struggled. Louie Flannery had a disastrous game, throwing 4 interceptions, which were a key factor in the 33-7 loss. Until that game, Flannery had been flirting with the top of the passer ratings table. After that game, it became clear he just isn't a top quarterback.

On the road at the Chesapeake Chitterlings, the defense was looking a bit better, yet failed to impress. A couple of bad drives (or good drives from the Chitterlings) kept the game close and despite a strong offensive showing, the game wasn't in the pocket. Even worse, the second half was a total disaster and the Merchantmen fell from a 21-17 lead to a 38-28 defeat. Even a 450-yard performance by the offense wasn't enough to keep the Chitterlings from clinching a playoff birth.

Looking at the standings, all isn't over yet. Inside the European division, the Bordeaux Vineyards are strong leaders at 9-4, with the Merchantmen at 7-6. The Vineyards even hold the current #1 seed spot. The rest of the AOC is pretty strong too. The Northeast division sees the Boston Rhinos (9-4) and Rochester Lake Monsters (9-4) destined for the post season, while the Syracuse Mohawks (7-6) and North Plainfield Plague (7-6) are still in the mix for the wild cards. In the Deep South, the San Antonio Volunteers (8-5) and Vicksburg Vipers (8-5) are fighting for the division title, with the runners-up going likely to miss the playoffs based on conference record. In the Southeast, the Tucker Tigers (9-4) look ready to win the division, but the Georgia Gridlock (7-6) keep postponing the clinching. The Gridlock look hopeless for the wild cards, having lost to pretty much all other wild card hopefulls.


What Has Yet To Come...
The Merchantmen continue their season with a visit to the Gothenburg Giants. At 4-9, they don't look like in position to play spoilers, even more so after losing quarterback Charles Vance for the rest of the season. Amazingly enough, the Giants signed team legend Duane Davis as a free agent, potentially in hopes to see him relive his big days. The season then continues with a home game against the Williamsburg Colonials (6-7), who have been falling apart the last two months after a 3-1 start.

The season will end with a visit to the Bordeaux Vineyards. That game will most likely be unimportant for the division title race, which is likely to be clinched by then. The Merchantmen playoff scenario department has figured out that a Bordeaux loss to the Paris Musketeers in week 15 is probably the only thing that can postpone the Vineyards' sixth European division title. Besides, if the Merchantmen can finish the season at 10-6, they should be at least in the tie-breaking procedure for the last AOC wildcard.


Stay tuned, or at least visit the IHOF webiste regularly to find out how the 2013 regular season will end...

[MIJB#19]

The 2013 Season, Lest Us Forget Asap
It's over, the season of horror. No, we didn't go 0-16, but from start to finish things were ugly. The Merchantmen defense turned into arguably the worst in the league. 4th most rushing yards allowed, 4th highest quarterback rating allowed. We were 4th worst in total yards allowed too. Did I mention we had the worst red zone defense, by far? On the bright side, we still managed to win 8 games and but there wasn't much comfort there.

At my last update, we were 7-6 and still alive for the division and the playoffs. A disappointing 38-13 loss at the Gothenburg Giants ended our European division hopes. A week later, a 20-14 win over the Williamsburg Colonials couldn't avoid the elimination from the playoffs, 9-7 was clearly not going to do it this season (any season) in the AOC. The last game was a 20-14 loss at the Bordeaux Vineyards, to our agony with their backup quarterback Earnest Barlow starting.

The most intersting news in the last few weeks was a mental problem with kickoff kicker Al Bettis. Short Al was forced into a rehab clinnic, being diagnosed with tobacco withdrawal system. More injuries hurt us, resulting in some players ending up on injured reserve and the arrival of some new players for a week or two. Running back Scottie Grey played 2 games, with 16 carries for 45 yards, rookie wide receiver Willie Bennett returned to the team as a 'practice squad' player, punter Quinn Ingram played two games as replacement for Sean Smalley and cornerback D.J. Williams received some money for being on inactive roster status.

It's over, maybe I'll get over the horror and into writing a longer season review, but for now, I'd like to turn the black page and get into the off-season mood. Why? We didn't suffer a series of retirements, we've got cap room and we've still got our own first round pick! There isn't much reason to expect we'll get past the Bordeaux Vineyards, who reached the AOC championship game. We do hope to make the playoffs and end up in Futility Bowl IX against the defending IHOF champions. That's right, Merchantmen fans, the team y'all root for when we're out of it, the Rochester Lake Monsters defeated the Chesapeake Chitterlings in IHOF Bowl X!

2014, here we come.

[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.

[MIJB#19]

First 2014 Trade: Merchantmen Aqcuire OT Quinn England
The first trade of the 2014 IHOF off-season is in the books. The Maassluis Merchantmen were quick to negotiate and complete deal with the Syracuse Mohawks for offensive tackle Quinn England. The Mohawks had just placed England on the trading block. England started all 16 games in his rookie season, making 23 key run blocks and allowing only 5 sacks. The Merchantmen traded their 2nd round pick for England and a 3rd round pick. England was a 4th round pick with Syracuse in the 2013 draft. It marked an expected move, following the retirement of backup tackle Christopher Perdomo, the free agent status of left tackle Louis Bell and the expected decline in performance of starting left tackle Ivan Jacques.

[MIJB#19]

Merchantmen Start New Trading Spree
Back to business. Following the quiet 2013 off-season followed by a disappointing regular season, time for change arrived. In a matter of days, the Maassluis Merchantmen presented four new players and traded away third string linebacker Renaldo Dunlap. A short recap of recent events and quick introduction to the new faces: Andre Brookshire, Kennedy Gillespie, Garret Singer and Darren Walsh.

The 2014 off-season has been loaded with big trades so far. The Syracuse Mohawks moved up to the #1 overall pick, helping the Conyers Condors (going down from #1 to #2 overall and gaining star cornerback Mike Paradise) and the Minnesota Miners (going from #2 overall to #6, #14 and #45 overall). The Tucker Tigers saw a trade of league MVP quarterback Shaun Duncan get voided, but still acquired the tackles career leading linebacker Emmanuel Keever, veteran tackle James Jones and wide receiver Nick Jennings through trade. The later came over from the Telluride Outlaws, who are obviously clearing house, as can been seen by their trade of quarterback Nicky Lincoln to the Outer Banks Ospreys.

The Merchantmen had their own little spree. Having mixed feelings about the #16 overall pick, the management decided to trade that selection for veteran tackle Andre Brookshire and safety Kennedy Gillespie. On the same evening, the Merchantmen acquired the #74 overall draft pick in return for linebacker Renaldo Dunlap. Dunlap is a promising prospect, but sitting third string in Maassluis behind Cody Cluff and Terrence White.

Andre Brookshire made his first change of teams. The 31 year old offensive tackle was the Fort Worth Fury's second round pick in the 2004 league draft. A surprising move as Brookshire was a rookie back then. After three seasons of slow-starting, Brookshire grew into a reliable tackle, not allowing more than 4 sacks in a single season since 2007. His 2011 season was cut short as he twice broke a clavicle and his 2012 season went to waste with a ruptured elbow tendon. Last season he played in all 16 games. Brookshire is regared the best player on the Merchantmen and teammates already say he's better than Wilson Grimaldo, who starred on the Merchantmen OL in 2005 and 2006.

Kennedy Gillespie was a somewhat less flashy addition. However, The former fourth round draft pick in 2007 had been on the Merchantmen shortlist for years. Team scouts say that Gillespie is the best safety of his kind, with excellent play diagnosis, interception hands and zone defense experience. Gillespie isn't much of a run supporter, which means he'll probably take the free safety role, with Eddie Cole moving to the strong side. Gillespie's ballhawking skills are something the Merchantmen can definately use, given the team's disappointing total of 8 interceptions last season.

The first of two free agent signings of the Merchantmen was Garret Singer. A 33-year old guard who has experience on IHOF Bowl teams as the Chesapeake Chitterlings (runner up in 2006 and 2013) as well as the Syracuse Mohawks (2010 winners). Singer's career had been going downhill recently, being just a backup the last two seasons in Syracuse (2012) and Chesapeake (2013). His role could be similar in Maassluis this season, yet it highly depends on the progress of Johnnie Griffin, currently playing in La Ligue Etrangere Solesismique. Singer will likely see a lot of action as the rotation backup at both guard positions.

A surprising free agent signing was defensive end Darren Walsh. A starter with the Fairbanks Northstars the last two seasons, Walsh wasn't resigned. Walsh spent seven seasons with the Alaskan IHOF franchise, having been a fifth round draft pick in 2008. His biggest moment was in the 2008 season, when he was a regular starter on the IHOF Bowl V winning team. Walsh is coming off a bit of a career year with 9.0 sacks and 19 quarterback hurries. Walsh signed a rather cheap two-year deal, as he was flying under the radar, with Knoxville Rebels' Kris Kosderka being the top defensive end prospect, despite having only 9.0 career sacks in six IHOF seasons.

The Merchantmen dealing is far from over. Backup quarterback Richard Bell and gunner/nickelback Trent Orchard have been placed on the trading block. For both players there has been some interest and chances are they won't be on the Merchantmen roster when the draft starts next Friday. The Merchantmen draft might be quieter than initially expected. The management toned down the total of selections from 10 to 6, with no first or second round picks. The Merchantmen will be big players in the third round, holding the #74, #76, #81 and #86 overall picks. Their collection is rounded out with the #112 and #144 picks overall. The trading is far from over yet...

[MIJB#19]

Reese And Schaaf Come, Orchard Goes, Van Pelt Stays
More trades, more transactions. The Maassluis Merchantmen didn't want to wait for draft day and cashed four of six remaining picks. In the process, the Merchantmen also traded away their 2015 first round pick and cornerback Trent Orchard. Coming back for it are linebacker Fernando Reese and cornerback Raphael Schaaf, while tigth end Winston Van Pelt signed a new two-year contract in Maassluis.

Raphael Schaaf wasn't a total surprise addition. Following a disappointing 2013 campaign the team could use talent injection at cornerback. Even more so, Schaaf had been a trade target in the past. After six seasons with the Tucker Tigers, Schaaf was no longer needed and moved to the trade block. The Georgia Gridlock outbid Maassluis and landed the cornerback. Now, Schaaf joins the Merchantmen afterall, but isn't getting younger and appears to be more of a depth addition than being written in as a 2014 starter.

Fernando Reese will be a starter. The 26-yeay old linebacker is expected to become the starter on the strong side. Reese was a first round pick for the Springfield Isotopes back in the 2011 draft. Following a decent season, faith decided to haunt Reese, as he tore a patellar tendon. Reese needed a full year to recover and was just happy to be back on the football field. He didn't see much action during the 2013 season though, being a second stringer. The Merchantmen made a bold move and decided Reese is still first round material, despite the injury history.

Tight end Winston Van Pelt signed a new two-year contract with the Merchantmen. Van Pelt has spent his first five seasons in the IHOF with the Merchantmen as well. Last off-season a divorce seemed to have taken place, but Van Pelt had been released by accident and was quickly hired back. For the 2014 season he's expected to once again be the long snapper and get on the field occasionally on two tight-end formations and in goal line situations.

Trent Orchard left the Merchantmen after just one season. Orchard played a big role on the special teams unit, but failed to break into a prominent role on the defense. The former Columbus Architects third round pick was told there is a better chance on playing time back in the States. Orchard quickly packed his bags and reported at the Georgia Gridlock training facilities.

The trading of the past few days means the Merchantmen have gone from ten to justtwo draft picks in the upcoming draft. The Merchantmen still hold the #74 and #76 overall selections. Their 2015 draft picks collection now lacks a first round pick, but in return they now hold additional third, fourth and fifth round picks. Looking forward to the next off-season, not a good sign for a franchise with an aging team...

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by MIJB#19

the Rochester Lake Monsters defeated the Chesapeake Chitterlings in IHOF Bowl X!

[MIJB#19]

Jerry Beyer Back With Merchantmen
Problem child is back. A championship ring ritcher, wide receiver Jerry Beyer signed a two-year deal with the Maassluis Merchantmen. A surprise move as Beyer was released by his original team before the 2011 regular season. There's no guarantee Beyer will make the regular roster this time around, the Merchantmen also signed former Fort Worth Fury veteran Aaron Pitcher.

"I was as shocked as you all look," Jerry Beyer said on a press conference today, examining the faces of the journalists present. "Jelly Belly" returns as a free agent to the team that traded first round picked Cris Lyons to acquire second rounder Beyer instead. Following a relative succesful rookie campaign, 32 catches for 519 yards and 3 scores in the 2007 season, Beyer was considered a starter for the future. But good old Gregory Monti and Bryce Ewald kept getting back in the lineup. By the end of the 2010 season, Beyer had added only 47 more catches for 611 yards and 3 scores.

Especially that 2010 season was a personal drama as Beyer played in only 5 games, after being active in all games in the previous three seasons. After release, Beyer moved on and played a year with the Chesapeake Chitterlings. In 2012 he became a regular starter with the Rochester Lake Monsters, but was demoted to a special teamer role last season. Beyer prominently shows his championship ring, saying: "2013 wasn't alwasy fun, but they'll never take this aay from me."

To everybody's surprise another wide receiver was presented to the media. 33-year old Aaron Pitcher was also added to the wide receivers unit. After 10 seasons with the Fort Worth Fury, Pitcher moved on in a free agency move. After eight seasons of being a starter most of the time, his stint was over in Texas. The last two seasons were merely based on mentoring hot prospects Bo Blades and Damon Evans. Pitcher had only 4 receptions for 35 yards last season, but is expected to battle for a 53-men roster spot the upcoming training camp and pre-season. It'll be a challege as the Merchantmen now have seven wide receivers signed.

[Joe]

Good luck with Brookshire. Due to his injury history, I wasn't expecting as much interest in him as I received. The player I selected with the 1.16, OG Scottie Elliot, should be part of my line for a long time.

[MIJB#19]

Merchantmen Pick QB South And Returnman Flowers
Another draft in the books. Granted, the fourth round has just been started, and trades are always an option with the Maassluis Merchantmen. But the core of the draft is done. Quarterback Everett South and return specialists Cary Flowers have been selected in the 2014 amateur draft. The Merchantmen traded up during the draft to acquire both of them. South was selected #55 overall, Flowers #68 overall, slightly higher than the #74 and #76 the team was holding going into the draft.

Everett South was the fourth ranked quarterback of this class. A 22-year old playcaller graduating from Washington State University. Merchantmen General Manager M.IJ.B. said: "South came out of our interviews looking like the best candidate, aside from the clearcut #1 overall Tyler Zuck. South will be groomed behind Flannery for a couple of seasons and then we'll see whether he can challenge for a starting job. Getting a first round value quarterback late in the second round was worth trading up." The Merchantmen traded a 2015 fourth round pick to the Vicksburg Vipers to get South.

Cary Flowers amazed people at the scouting combine. The 22-year old wide receiver noted a 10-8 scored on the broad jump, 5 inches further than anyone else. GM M.IJ.B. said: "Cary is the complete return man. He's got one of those guys who can return both kickoffs and punts. I think we'll be happy with him very soon." To be able to get Flowers, the Merchantmen traded another 2015 fourth round pick away, but also received the Muscatine Mosquitoes' sixth round pick in that same draft.

The Merchantmen management announced that their draft is complete, but things are never certain with the masters of trading. Some sources claim that they are still looking for a tight end and cornerback. G.M. M.IJ.B. denied those rumours: "Another selection is unlikely. We'll definately consider trying to trade back in for two or three players who surprized us with individual workouts, but we're not going to trade anything more than a sixth round pick for any of them."

[MIJB#19]

Merchantmen Agree Terms With Flowers, McDaniel
The Maassluis Merchantmen training camp roster is shaping up. The Merchantmen management agreed terms with third round pick Cary Flowers and sixth round pick Darryl McDaniel. Wide receiver Flowers signed a four-year deal, tight end McDaniel a three-year contract. Quarterback Everett South turned down a four-year offer. The Merchantmen and South's agent will resume negotiating to come to an agreement in time for training camp. Fullback Jose Shields signed a new one-year contract. Shields spent the 2013 season as a backup to Quentin Malicki and will challenge Tracy Winslett for the second fullback roster spot.

[MIJB#19]

Merchantmen Sign Linebacker Backes
The Maassluis Merchantmen today announced the signing of linebacker Casey Backes. The 30-year old strong side backer will attend the 2014 training camp. After that it depends on roster spots, but Backes could get lucky and make the pre-season roster. Backes played with the Fairbanks NorthStars last season. He was active in 14 regular season games, mostly in a special teams role.

[MIJB#19]

Merchantmen Add Three Players For Training Camp
The Maassluis Merchantmen are ready for training camp. Three new players were added to the team as free agents, adding the roster total up to 66 players signed. Quarterback Everett South remains unsigned, but a new contract offer is around the corner. Meanwhilst, Tony Hill, Cornell Branch and Ricardo Hemsley tried on their brand new Merchantmen jerseys.

Defensive end Tony Hill is the oldest of the three new players. He kicked off his career with the Tucker Tigers. After six seasons in a backup role, Hill moved on to the Outer Banks Ospreys. he didn't survive roster cuts, but hafl way the season he signed with the Gothenburg Giants. Hill played in 9 games during that 2010 season. After that, Hill spent the 2011 season inactive on the North Plainfield Plague. He spent 2012 on injured reserve with the Outer Banks Ospreys and last season he was a roster cut day casualty for that team. He spent a day on the Plague after that, but was released before seeing any action. Hill decided to stick around in the league and hope for another chance one more time.

Tight end Cornell Branch comes over from the Conyers Condors. Branch spent the last four seasons there, after being a seventh round selection in the 2010 amateur draft. Branch has only 16 career receptions for 121 yards, however, he played in all 16 games last season. Branch is an all round talented tight end. He's smart and the Merchantmen believe Branch can be of great help in mentoring rookie Darryl mcDaniel during the pre-season. It is unlikely Branch will make the opening day roster, barring injuries to the two starters Jim Reiser and Arnold Ramirez.

Wide receiver Ricardo Hemsley was a bit of a surprise signing. Hemsley is said to be a special teams stand out, but not in terms of kick returning. Still, the Merchantmen scouting staff believes Hemsley has some upside with good yards after catch ability. He's unlikely to make the pre-season roster, but stranger things have happened in the past. Never say never.

[MIJB#19]

South Reports For Merchantmen Camp
The controversy is over. A day before training camp started, Everett South signed a four-year contract with the Maassluis Merchantmen. The second round pick decided to agree with the terms he denied earlier on. Merchantmen General Manager M.IJ.B. was pleased with the decission: "We're seeing upside in South. We're expecting him to become a good IHOF quarterback someday and wanted to give him a couple of years to build experience and character. I'm positive we've got the environment needed for a young quaterback."

Despite the signing Merchantmen fans and league pundits are skeptic about the South signing. One Merchantmen fan was quoted saying: "We've never had any luck with quarterbacks. Aside from Justin McDavid before the knee injury..." Well respected scouts around the IHOF did confirm that South is the most mature rookie quarterback of his class. Even more than #1 overall pick Tyler Zuck and Telluride Outlaws' project player Skip Hicks. Quarterback Louie Flannery said: "Good that he signed. Nobody was getting any better from South holding it for a shorter contract. Now let's get to camp and let the kid show what he's made of." Well said Louie.

[MIJB#19]

2014 Merchantmen Training Camp Report
Enough discussion about new signings and trades, football is about to start. With lots of drills to improve the player's skills, training camp 2014 was the first big step in preperation for the new season. Or at least in finding out which players will be starters and who will likely be gone before pre-season kicks off. A position by position breakdown.

Quarterbacks
Get ready for more Louie Flannery. The franchise quarterback looked in shape throughout training camp and asured himself of another season as the starter. Behind him it was Richard Bell who is te early favorite to win the backup role. Rookie Everett South didn't live up to expectations, but management does believe that South is going to be a good backup option, possibly even a starting caliber quarterback. Bell is still on the trading block, but chances are he'll get through some pre-season action first. Justin McDavid clearly got older, but with his experience he'll be crucial to South's progress and he's still one of the most popular players in Maassluis.


Running Backs
Running back by committee, here we come. Courtney Osgood has lost some of his explosiveness and speed, while Quentin Hatchette looks like he's catching up. The two backs are likely to be splitting carries and possibly sharing the playing time. Short yardage back Brenden Boone didn't impress either, but he did seem to be getting closer to the top two backs. Late 2013 signing Scottie Grey couldn't convince the management of being worth a roster spot.


Fullbacks & Tight Ends
Quentin Malicki will go into 2014 as the starter. The real question will be who the backup role will get. Tracy Winslett took some serious damage in terms of progression, following the hamstring injury that sidelined him last season. Juan Shields looks like the better blocker of the two, but chances are the Merchantmen take their chances with letting the tight ends play backup fullback roles. Jim Reiser was once again the most reliable pass catcher, however his speed and agilty are waning. Blocker Arnold Ramirez isn't getting any younger either and both are watching out for rookie Darryl McDaniel. Too bad that McDaniel didn't leave any good impressions in Merchantmen camp. 'Mentor' Cornell Branch and long snapper Winston Van Pelt did make some minor progress and both are expected to make the pre-season roster. Branch migt even be the second best fullback on the team.

Wide Receivers
No less than nine wide receivers went intoi training camp. Future hall of famer Alfredo Bass came out of it looking like the best of the bunch. The battling for the #2 and #3 roles has started though. Drew McConnell and Bryce Ewald had those roles last season, but both saw the younger receivers close in. But both have their respective role on the team in avoiding locker room trouble and cohesion. Rookie Cary Flowers left behind the impression that he's just a kick returner. Jerry Beyer had a decent camp and might have won a roster spot, at least for pre-season. Youngster Willie Bennett didn't make as much progress as hoped, while Devin Henson will have to fear for his chances to make the final 53-men as just the second best kickoff returner. Free agent signings Aaron Pitcher and Ricardo Hemsley are unlikely to make the pre-season roster.

Interior Linemen
The retirement of Tim Lacy is still hurting. Center Brant Heinrich assured himself of being the start in the middle again. Lance Blackwell appears to have gotten better, but Heinrich is a crucial player in terms of cohesion, going into his tenth season in Maassluis. J.J. Reilly is clearly the left guard again, being the most effective run blocker in IHOF history. Second year project Johnnie Griffin came back from La Ligue Solecismique looking good. He beat out veteran Garrett Singer for the right guard starting role. Still, Griffin might have to watch out for the offensive tackles as there are several options there who could play at his spot.

Offensive Tackles
No reason to complain here. Andre Brookshire looked impressive and the Merchantmen scouting stuff claims that Brookshire is the second best tackle in the league. On the left side it will be Ivan Jacques again. He's no longer the best pass protecting left tackle in the league, but should still be capable of protecting his quarterback well. Meanwhilst his future replacement Quinn England didn't make much noise in training camp. Tommie Burns made good progress and could be seeing more playing time next season. Cornelius Rice is clearly the biggest loser. Despite a sacks free 16-stars campaign last season, he's going to be the rotation backup for both the right side guard and tackle positions.

Defensive Linemen
Expect a new role for Charles Gomez. Training camp made clear that Gomez may still be the best lineman, but not the best run run stopper. Andrew Rasmussen and especially Andy Weliczka had good camps. As did second-year pro Melvin Galloway, who is expected to play Gomez' role next season. But what about Gomez? He's expected to mentor Galloway and see more action as defensive end. New signing Darren Walsh came out of camp looking like the best end. Omar Gougeon made another step backwards, while Wally Mattingly stayed put and youngsters Lester Henson and Luther Hansen couldn't make a leap foward. Tony Hill isn't going to make the regular season, but depending on cuts at other positions, he might make the pre-season roster.

Linebackers
Mixed feelings about Fernando Reese's first activity in Maassluis. Yes, he's locked himself into being the starting strong side linebacker, but expectations of how good he will be got toned down a little bit. Still, together with Cody Cluff and Lee Burns he'll form one of the best linebacking trios in the league. Terrence White remains as a reliable backup middle linebacker, while Bernie Surry is still a very good backup player. If only he had some stamina... Mike Kershner came out of camp looking like the least impressive, but he was recently polled as the most popular Merchantmen player and because of that is not going to another team. Casey Backes stay in Maassluis is pretty much over.

Cornerbacks
A seperate header since we went into camp with seven corners. Tai Wayne got a visit from Father Time and lost some of his speed. But he's still our best cornerback and has three good candidates to team up with him in the starting roles. Ross Greene is still a stand out pushing and pulling cover corner, while Sammie Kennedy and Raphael Schaaf have the zone defense experience to start or play the nickel or dime roles. Brian Spears looked better than expected on his return, but isn't much more than a dime back. The same can be said about Myron Stevens, who has to fear for his chances to make the 53-men roster. Young D.J. Williams failed to make any progress and isn't going to be on the team in the first pre-season game.

Safeties
Lincoln Gilmore will be out until mid-way the regular season, which means there's a tough decission to make. Does he go to injured reserve or continue to occuppy a roster spot until he's fully recovered? Eddie Cole looked really good in training camp he's said to have become a very good strong safety. Off-season acquisition Kennedy Gillespie clinched the free safety role. Broderick Schultz is yet another casualty of age and does remain as a very good backup option. Louis Farr is a great punt return option, but chances are he'll be traded due to the drafting of Cary Flowers.

[MIJB#19]

Merchantmen Make Tough Cuts After 3-1 Pre-Season
The compulsory exhibition season has ended. The Maassluis Merchantmen finished 3-1 following a 20-14 overtime win over the Ann Arbor Anachronism. The Merchantmen had already beaten the Boulder Blizzard (28-3), Minnesota Miners (12-6) and lost to the Oakland Black Panthers (45-21). Roster cut day followed and saw the Richard Bell and Myron Stevens axed. Strong safety Lincoln Gilmore was placed on injured reserve.

The pre-season campaign was a moving one. General Manager M.IJ.B. was surprisingly missing in action when the first game was about to be played. The Merchantmen players and staff travelled to Colorado to play the Boulder Blizzard. Overthere in the United States, seven players were released. Amongst them long-time contributors to the team in kick returner Devin Henson, defensive end Omar Gougeon and cornerback Myron Stevens.

As the team returned in Maassluis, Devin Henson and Myron Stevens surprisingly were on the plane too. After the game, General Manager M.IJ.B. had returned to his office and made sure the two respected veterans returned on the team. Young cornerback D.J. Williams and wide receiver Willie Bennett stayed in their homeland.

Following the last pre-season game, the Merchantmen announced their 53-men roster. Amongst them was no place for Myron Stevens. The management decided to break off trade talks for punt returner Louis Farr and let Stevens go. Stevens left the Merchantmen trainging ground in tears. Welcome to the business part of IHOF. Stevens was an undrafted rookie free agent singing in 2006. In 2009 he was the league's most efficient starting cornerback. Stevens leaves the Merchantmen after 8 season and 105 regular season games.

Joining Stevens into free agency is quarterback Richard Bell. After three seasons of backing up Louie Flannery, his stint in Maassluis is over. Bell was forced to start 3 games in the 2011 season, in which the team went 1-2. Bell had pass attempts in 11 games for the Merchantmen. After being placed on the trading block and With the selection of Everett South in the second round of the recent amateur draft, Bell's chances to make the final 53-player list were already slim.

Strong safety Lincoln Gilmore was also present at the press conference. Gilmore wasn't released, but won't make the 2014 roster anyway. Still recovering from MCL knee surgery, Gilmore was placed on injured reserve. The franchise leader in interceptions was diagnosed to miss the first two months of the regular season. The team opted to keep him on the inactive roster, but instead the team decided to keep longsnapper Winston Van Pelt on the team as a fourth tight end.

The four other players released were Jerry Beyer, Cornell Branch, Scottie Grey and Aaron Pitcher. Tight end Branch and wide receiver Pitcher were off-season free agent signings. So was receiver Beyer, who couldn't make the final 53-men roster to kickstart a second chapter with the Merchantmen. Running back Grey had been a late 2013 signing and had be re-signed in the off-season. Despite injury to Quentin Hatchette, the management decided to stick with three running backs and with fullback Tracy Winslett over Grey.

[MIJB#19]

Merchantmen Cut Devin Henson And Tracy Winslett
The unthinkable happened, again. For the third time this pre-season, the Maassluis Merchantmen released a long time member of the team. Kickoff returner Devin Henson was released 24 hours before the first game of the season. Henson came off a season with a 23.3 yards per kickoff return average and his third in a row without a touchdown. General Manager M.IJ.B. said: "Devin has been a great team player over the years, but he wasn't going to make it this season. We wish him well and will keep the lines open in case we need a kick returner later on this season."

Also released today was fullback Tracy Winslett. His roster spot was given to legendary blocking fullback Aldo Stubbs. Winslett was more of a runner and played the short yardage back role for the Merchantmen in 2012. He spent last season on injured reserve with a severe hamstring pull, which seriously hurt his progress. Especially his lack of improvement in (run) blocking did him in.

Aldo Stubbs will make his Merchantmen debut in Gothenburg, the home of his first IHOF franchise. Stubbs played one season with the Giants and then moved on to the Fiarbanks NorthStars for eight straight seasons. He failed to make the regular season roster last season, but signed with the Oakland Black Panthers a couple of weeks later. This season he missed the cut in Oakland, but the Merchantmen will be happy to revive Stubbs' football career in a backup role to Quentin Malicki.

Second year pro Richard Kiesling also made the week 1 roster. Kiesling was signed for his kickoff return skills and outplayed Devin Henson in practise. Kiesling was released by the Paris Musketeers recently, but the Merchantmen management expect good things from the youngster.

[MIJB#19]

2014 Season Recap
Ah yes, Merchantmen fans, I've failed you once again. No, I didn't feel like writing, most of the time. The 2014 went by and if you followed along you already know how things went down. If you didn't, here's a recap of how the 2014 season went down.

The last news reported was the release of Devin Henson. The long time Merchantmen member and well respected kickoff returner lost his roster spot to second year pro Richard Kiesling, while the first string duties to rookie Cary Flowers. And Flowers paid back out of the gates. Against all odds he scored his first IHOF touchdown in his first regular season game. Sadly, it wasn't enough to avoid a 26-24 loss at the Gothenburg Giants.

The Giants ended up being a surprisingly tough team to beat all season long. Backup passer Ben Randolph took control of the team when supposed to be franchise quarterback Charles Vance got hurt early in the season. The Giants never looked back and marched to their second European division title in franchise history.

There, the big news is out, we didn't win the European division in 2014. But that doesn't mean we had a bad season. Playing with te oldest team in the league, we had hopes to make some noise. Badly timed losses to the North Plainfield Plague and Orlando Knights in the first half of the season would turn out to be crucial to our post-season chances. As it turned out we ended up tied with those two teams for the second AOC wildcard, all with a 9-7 record. On head to head tie-breakers we were eliminated from contention, despite having the a top12 win-loss record in the league.

As it turned out, it became the farewell season of two big names in the IHOF. Wide receiver Alfredo Bass was back at it with 82 catches for 1,229 yards and 9 scores. With these figures, he managed to end the season leading the career tables in all three major receiving stats: receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. That said, the team turned out not depending so much on Bass anymore. in one of his three games of non-activity, Louie Flannery posted a career game, completing 35 of 39 passes versus the Boulder Blizzard en route to a 31-26 victory. Bass posted 80 catches and over 1,000 years for 9 touchdowns in each of his three season with the Merchantmen.

The other big name retirment after the 2014 season turned out to be Charles Gomez, the face of the franchise. Gomez had been far from his all-world form in the first seven years of the IHOF and was moved outside to play defensive end in his final season. with 7.0 sacks he lead the team for the first time in his career, but in the end it showed he was no longer the once best defensive tackle in the league. Still, he remains as one of the most accoladed players in the league and retires with impressvie totals of 706 tackles and 72.5 sacks, ranking him fifth on the career list amidst the big name defensive ends.

The biggest shocker was Courtney Osgood. The prolific running back decided to call it quits after just eigt seasons of IHOF football. Osgood was coming off a season in which he posted the second highest yards-per-carry average at 5.61. However, the Merchantmen coaching staff had been very consistent in giving him very few ball touches, demonstarted by Quentin Hatchette's 194 carries in 13 games, versus Osgood's 137 carries in 16 games. Osgood did tie the seven-year old rushing touchdowns record, set in 2007 at 8 scores by Randy Harris. Osgood played 4 seasons in Maassluis, posting two 1,000-yards seasons and scoring 24 touchdowns.

The two other players who retired are cornerback Raphael Schaaf and guard Garret Singer after just one year in the Merchantmen uniform. Elsewhere around the league, other Merchantmen alumni called it quits as well. Wide receiver Fredric Vargas, fullback Mark Burger were innitial Merchantmen players. Wide receiver Devin Henson and defensive end Omar Gougeon were the two most prominent free agent retirements with Merchantmen roots. Both played their entire careers for the orange-white-and-blue.

As already said, the 2014 season was good, but not great. We managed to win nine games, which isn't all too bad. But at season's end it turned out that all wins came against teams with a losing record. The sweep of the two French teams, the Paris Musketeers and Bordeaux Vineyards was maybe the highlight of the season, as we managed to do that only once before. But games against playoff teams were all lost. The Georgia Gridlock (31-13), Orlando Knights (20-3) and North Plainfield Plague (21-10) showed us how far we were from having playoff talent. Sadly, as we did manage to play close games with the Giants...

2014 will go down in the history books as the Boston Rhinos' season. With a team designed to go out for one last chance to win at all, the Rhinos delivered to the fans. They steamrolled through the regular season, with only five games ending within one score. Two of those five came in the last two weeks when the Rhinos had already secured homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. There it was, 16-0, the Rhinos posted the first undefeated season. Their playoff record in prior season had the historical knowledged IHOF fans worried, but the Rhinos had no message about their winless decade. The Vicksburg Vipers (30-3) and Gothenburg Giants (41-28) proved no threat to them.

IHOF Bowl XI saw not just the undefeated Boston Rhinos looking juggernautish going into the game. The Chesapeake Chitterlings had steamrolled through the NAC, losing only games to the Knoxville Rebels and Chicago Norsemen. In the playoffs they beat the first time post-seasoners Minnesota Miners (16-8) and their archrivals Frederick Red Menace (37-14) for their third IHOF Bowl appearance. Three times the charm they say, the Chitterlings never won the season final. And it didn't happen this time around either. In a close game, the Boston Rhinos proved to be slightly better and competing the ultimate 19-game winning streak.

Currently, the 2015 off-season has kicked off. A rash of retirments decimated the Rhinos roster to roughly 40 names, including 15 or so free agents. As the first couple of free agent signings are coming out, defensive tackle Charles Carreno announced he's going to bring his Championship ring along as he joins the Maassluis Merchantmen for a one-year $7 million deal. He ain't no Gomez, but he's close and expectations are going up already. But the Merchantmen roster is still the oldest in the league and with big glaring holes at running back and wide receiver.

[MIJB#19]

Today IHOF Bowl XII will take place and sadly but not unexpected, the Maassluis Merchantmen are not in it. I'll try to write a recap of the first 12 seasons of the Merchantmen so far to get back into the swing of writing in this dynasty report.

[Northwood_DK]

Cool. Its back

[MIJB#19]

Due to the slow load times, the last about 27 posts of this thread have been moved (per my request, thanks SkyDog!) to a brand new thread:
Maassluis Merchantmen (IHOF), part 2!