[MIJB#19]

Merchantmen retirement stories
During the average IHOF off-season, roughly 800 football players or hopefuls announce their retirement from football. Some after highly decorated seasons, receiving news stories in several media. Others were already stuck in anonymity after they didn't find a roster spot in what supposed to be their rookie season and step away unnoticed. The Maassluis Merchantmen have a tradition of giving players that made some impact for the team to get a bit of a farewell call. Even if they didn't retire officially as a Merchantman. Here's a shout out to 6 players that didn't make the headlines.


Abraham Desimone
Linebacker Desimone was the Merchantmen's first selection in the 2100 draft, being taken in the middle of the third round. After a situational role as a rookie, he became an all downs starter in his second season and remained to be so for 7 straight seasons. In 2108 the decline kicked in as his role shifted to mostly passing downs. In 2109 he signed with the Williamsburg Colonials as a free agent after his player agent demanded all downs rewards. In 2110 Desimone got severely injured and missed most of the regular season. In 2111 he returned in a time share role, but in the 2112 off-season he didn't survive the 53-men cuts in Williamsburg and got no other interest. He retired in the 2113 off-season, having 146 games played for the Merchantmen on his resume, once earning All-IHOF second team honors.

Darnell McKie
Tight end McKie rolled into the Merchantmen roster as an undrafted rookie free agent signing in 2102. He was active in all 16 games that season as the TE3, but it was in 2014 when he made some moderate impact on the team, becoming a reliable third and short and goalline situation target. In 2105 he dropped to fourth string and after unexplainable regression in his ability, he never got back to his 2104 form and the downfall kicked in. In 2111 the unavoidable happened as McKie was released in the pre-season cutdown wave to 53. He got a short stint with the Toronto Lake Monsters, signing with them in the post-season, but after he didn't get a contract in the 2112 off-season, McKie retired officially in the 2113 off-season. His resume in Maassluis shows 94 games played, with 5 of his 6 touchdowns scored in the 2104 regular season and playoffs.

Gino Shea
K Shea was taken high in the third round of the 2098 draft. Despite being clearly an IHOF caliber kicker, in 2101 he couldn't come to an agreement with the Merchantmen on a contract extension, prompting his departure as a free agent in 2102. Shea moved on to the Chesapeake Chitterlings, where he got to play in his first IHOF Bowl right away, albeit losing to the Toronto Lake Monsters. In 2108 came the highlight of his career, winning the IHOF Bowl with Chesapeake. The next off-season he didn't find a new team after his contract had expired, until Toronto picked him up in week 13 of the regular season. In 2112, still with Toronto, he played and lost in his third IHOF Bowl. In 2114 he was cut shortly after a 42-21 victory with the Lake Monsters in Maassluis and he didn't get a third chance elsewhere. This off-season he announced his retirement from football after 17 seasons, having played 270 football games in IHOF, with 64 of those for the Merchantmen.

Jimmy Summers
Punter Summers was a third round pick in 2099 for the Arizona Miners, where he stayed for 6 seasons. After getting cut in the 2105 pre-season, he got quickly picked up to punt a season for the Houston Mustangs. In 2106 Summers signed a 3-year deal with the Maassluis Merchantmen in late free agency and in 2108 signed an extension through the 2110 season. After the Merchantmen picked punter in the 2111 draft, Summers was signed at the 11th hour by the Tucker Tigers and lost the IHOF Bowl with them. In 2112 the Bordeaux Vineyards signed him. In the 2114 off-season Summers announced his retirement from football. His resume shows 82 games played for the Merchantmen.

Daniel Shapiro
S Shapiro played 36 games for the Maassluis Merchantmen in the prime of his football career. After 4 seasons with the Atlanta Vipers, the 2101 first round pick forced becoming a free agent in 2105 after holding out for 6 weeks in 2104. The Merchantmen went through the same headcase situation in his third season in Maassluis (2107), when he held out through week 8. The Fairbanks Northstars signed Shapiro in 2108, where he hung around until they cut him right before opening day 2112. Shapiro didn't get a new chance.

Tommy Tasker
Running back Tasker's career in the IHOF was short, almost non-existent. The breakaway specialist with receiving skills was taken by the Merchantmen in the 7th round of the 2114 draft. Albeit not surviving the roster cuts for the regular season, the Merchantmen were hoping to have a training camp roster spot for Tasker for a second chance, although they didn't opt to offer him (or anybody else) a future contract in the playoffs.