[MIJB#19]

General Manager Notes: And then it all got quiet...
... until the action finally resumed.

And as the league resumed action, the Maassluis Merchantmen players apparently failed to notice. Despite all the god's given talent going around our offense, the Merchantmen have been not just underperforming, we're a downright disappointment. The post pre-season championship favorites that we were, we've played like the worst team in the league and both the DogBytes and Solecismic metrics tell us we're one of the two worst, if not the worst team in the league after 5 weeks of action.

For now, I'm going to spare the details and what not, in part because I've got a humongous writers' block of sort, but also because any attempt to start writing will end up in an endless rant, which is the kind of vibe and emotion I seriously can't use right now, both on and off the field.

We suck, but we've got the talent to flip it around and prove we're good. We have the best wide receiver in football, the best WR2 and the second best running back. We've kept together an elite defense, we've got a solid, cohesive offensive line. There's only one spot that we can blame it all on: Earnest Ashley. And with that, it's the game plan. Our staff got another shot at it and we've not quite improved. Our first win of the season was boosted by a +5 turnover margin, which made it a non-game by halftime. Too little too late, I'm afraid, as we're making water fast.

European Division:
1. Paris 5-1
2. Gothenburg 4-2
3. Maassluis 1-4
4. Bordeaux 0-5

I don't know what kind of juice they're drinking over in Paris and Gothenburg, but whatever it is, they're both still winning most of the time. The Vineyards arguably have the talent to be second behind us (hah!), but clearly our stuff is befuddled with something terrible and we're combining for 1 win in 10 attempt.

So, yeah, 6 weeks into the 17-week season and we've got 1 lousy win, that leaned heavily on a good bit of luck. Our schedule will only get harder form here on, ignoring that we had to play the first three all on the road, as we've played the second easiest schedule (based on the 2100 records of teams).

I'm about to start proclaiming that I've broken the game of football and made the best bunch of Merchantmen skill players ever turn into our worst group ever. A sensational performance, which I never ever expected to achieve. I've learned the hard way that I'm one of the worst game planners in the business. Is there still hope? Sure. Maybe I should start doing what others do: pick up a simulation engine and fool around with what does and doesn't work with a crapload of fantastic football players. You'd think you can't mess up with players like these, right?

Right?

Right.

So let's right the ship and our backs while we're at it. It's time to end what has felt like the worst stretch of season in Merchantmen history and figure out how to play football again. Surely we can do this. It may take a little bit more effort than I've had the energy for, but maybe that's what we'll need now. Apparently getting the players on team was the easy part, making them play up to their talent is next.

The Ghost of Merchantmen Past showed us what we were capable of back in the '20s, and many more times after that. The Solecismic Hall of Fame is packed with orange-white-and-blue players that were more limited than what's walking around in Oranje Haven this season. The Ghost of Merchantmen Yet to Come is showing us now what we've become: a winless bunch of overpaid players. We're better than that. Yes, we're better than that!

Less writing, more datamining. So, yes, indeed: I suggest more testing...