World Bowl XIV
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Frankfurt Galaxy 22, Amsterdam Admirals 7 MVP: RB Butchie Wallace
The Galaxy used the same formula for success that gave them seven regular season victories, moving the ball on the ground behind their outstanding offensive line. After setting a new NFL Europe League record with 1,753 yards rushing during the season, Frankfurt managed 269 in the title game. Roger Robinson (Arizona Cardinals) – who also broke the individual single-season mark – had 96 yards before leaving the game with an ankle injury. However, game MVP Butchie Wallace had 143 yards of his own - 138 of them in the second half - to ensure that the Galaxy did not miss a beat without their star player. Wallace ran the ball just 18 times for that total, averaging 7.9 yards per carry and scoring once. Frankfurt’s league-leading defense also played their part in the win, sacking Amsterdam quarterback Jared Allen (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) on six occasions and intercepting him once. Brandon Haw’s (Seattle Seahawks) third quarter pick resulted in a Galaxy field goal. The game was stopped for several minutes in the fourth quarter when Amsterdam guard Michael King (New York Jets) had to be taken off the field in an ambulance after suffering a spinal injury. Both teams had clearly defined offensive styles, and it showed in the comparison between their respective run to pass ratios. Frankfurt went to the air 19 times compared to 42 runs. The pass-oriented Admirals put it up on 23 occasions while rushing just 18 times. Amsterdam made their intentions clear from the start, going straight to the air, and picking up consecutive first downs on throws from Allen to Skyler Fulton (Seattle Seahawks) and then tight end Ben Hall (Arizona Cardinals). On the third play from scrimmage Frankfurt’s pass rush countered, with defensive tackle Anttaj Hawthorne (Oakland Raiders) sacking Allen for a 7-yard loss. That slowed their early momentum, and a drop on third down forced Glenn Pakulak (Oakland Raiders) onto the field to punt. Frankfurt also emphasized their strength on their opening possession, handing the ball to Robinson on the first two plays to leave them in 3rd-and-1. However, they too were unable to convert, and Mike Barr (Pittsburgh Steelers) punted the ball down to Amsterdam’s 22-yard line.
After punting, Amsterdam’s defense got Frankfurt into a 3rd-and-long situation, but the Galaxy picked up 17 yards on a pass from Otis to Brandon Middleton (St Louis Rams) to reach midfield. However, the drive stalled at Amsterdam’s 42-yard line, and Barr’s picture-perfect punt was downed by Middleton at the 1-yard line – giving the Galaxy a big boost in the field position game. The first points of the game ensued shortly afterwards. Croom gained two yards on first down to give Amsterdam some breathing space. On second down Allen slipped as he dropped back to pass, and that gave defensive tackle Jerome Nichols (Green Bay Packers) – the 2006 NFLEL sack leader during the regular season with seven – the chance to pounce and sack the quarterback for the first safety in World Bowl history. That score meant that the first quarter ended with the Galaxy in a 2-0 lead. Frankfurt failed to move the ball after receiving the free kick, and Amsterdam began the following drive at their 30-yard line. On first down Allen found Fulton for a 9-yard pickup, and Croom moved the chains a play later with a 3-yard gain on another screen. However, the Admirals again failed to move the ball past midfield and Pakulak entered the game for his third punt. In the second period Bryson Spinner (San Francisco) entered the game at quarterback for Frankfurt but was unable to help them move the ball, and after Amsterdam got the ball back from Barr the Admirals set about getting their first – and only – points of the game. A 14-yard run by Croom for a first down was followed by an 8-yard gain by Allen on the ground to take them inside Frankfurt’s half. Allen hit Croom over the middle for another 14 yards on the next play, and saw 15 more tacked on after a roughing the passer call – giving Amsterdam a first down at the Galaxy 13-yard line. Allen looked for Sean Mulcahy (Carolina Panthers) on first down, but the high pass was just out of reach of the leaping tight end. On second down they went back to the ground, and Croom put them on the scoreboard, breaking a tackle on the way to a 12-yard score that made it 7-2 midway through the second quarter. Frankfurt’s offense looked to be in neutral again until Spinner hit 6-foot-5 Aaron Hosack (with a beautifully flighted pass down the right sideline on third down for a 28-yard gain. The Minnesota Vikings-allocated receiver leapt to make the acrobatic catch at midfield. Spinner did it again two plays later, standing in the pocket despite heavy pressure to find tight end Keith Willis (Seattle Seahawks) for a 15-yard gain to Amsterdam’s 30-yard line. When the drive stalled the Galaxy called David Kimball (Oakland Raiders) into action for a 47-yard field goal, but the attempt slid wide left, leaving the game at 7-2 with 2:40 remaining in the first half.
After being stifled in the first half, Robinson scampered for a 24-yard gain on the second play of the third quarter to take the ball to Amsterdam’s 47-yard line. Robinson nearly undid his good work when he fumbled on his next carry, but tight end Willis was on hand to scoop up the loss ball. That fumble stopped Frankfurt in their tracks, and they were forced to punt again after Otis’ pass was batted down at the line of scrimmage by Earl Cochran on third down. Despite Croom picking up 21 yards on his first two carries of the quarter, Amsterdam were also unable to take the ball into the opponent’s territory and punted the ball back to the Galaxy. Frankfurt brought Wallace into the backfield on the next series to give Robinson a breather, and he started his award-winning night by carrying the ball on six consecutive plays to pick up 39 yards. The rest obviously did the trick for Robinson, who then stepped in to rip off an 18-yard run of his own to take the ball to Amsterdam’s 28-yard line. Otis then took a shot towards the endzone – aiming for Hosack, who drew a pass interference penalty from cornerback Art Thomas (Miami Dolphins). One play later Wallace bulled his way into the endzone to put the Galaxy back in front at 9-7. The touchdown capped an eight-play, 66-yard drive in which Wallace gained 25 yards. The Galaxy were soon threatening again after Allen saw a pass picked off and returned 27 yards by NFLEL interception leader Brandon Haw (Seattle Seahawks) to give the team the ball back at the Admirals 29-yard line. A 15-yard pickup by Robinson took them inside the redzone, but – as so often during the season – Frankfurt were forced to settle for a field goal, with Kimball’s successful 29-yard kick giving them a 12-7 lead as the third quarter ended.
Allen gamely led his offense downfield, connecting with Fulton for a 12-yard gain, then seeing a hand-off to Croom go for 24 more. The quarterback then found Chad Lucas (Green Bay Packers) for 22 yards, but lost half of those being sacked by Josh Cooper on the very next play. After a long break for injured King to be taken off the field in an ambulance, Allen picked up 10 yards on the ground to make it to the 26-yard line as the two-minute warning was reached. With two plays to pick up 11 yards Allen twice aimed for Lucas in the endzone, but on both occasions the receiver was well covered, and the passes were broken up. The failure to convert on fourth down turned the ball over to the Galaxy, who then saw Wallace tear away for a 63-yard run to take the ball all the way to Amsterdam’s 12-yard line with 1:12 remaining. On the next play Frankfurt capped the win with a 12-yard run by J.R. Niklos to score their fourth World Bowl title. |
 Frankfurt Galaxy celebrates winning the World Bowl XIV at the LTU Arena in Duesseldorf, Germany, Saturday, May 27, 2006. Frankfurt Galaxy defeated the Amsterdam Admirals in the NFL Europe football final with 22-7. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) |
 Frankfurt Galaxy players Rob Lee, Charles Missant and Jeff Otis, from left, celebrate winning the World Bowl XIV at the LTU Arena in Duesseldorf, Germany, Saturday, May 27, 2006. Frankfurt Galaxy defeated the Amsterdam Admirals in the NFL Europe football final with 22-7. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) |
 Frankfurt Galaxy quarterback Jeff Otis, center, holds the trophy after winning the World Bowl XIV at the LTU Arena in Duesseldorf, Germany, Saturday, May 27, 2006. Frankfurt Galaxy defeated the Amsterdam Admirals in the NFL Europe football final with 22-7. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) |
 Frankfurt Galaxy celebrates winning the World Bowl XIV at the LTU Arena in Duesseldorf, Germany, Saturday, May 27, 2006. Frankfurt Galaxy defeated the Amsterdam Admirals in the NFL Europe football final with 22-7. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) |
 Frankfurt Galaxy guard Emmanuel Akah celebrates like a cheerleader after winning the World Bowl XIV at the LTU Arena in Duesseldorf, Germany, Saturday, May 27, 2006. Frankfurt Galaxy defeated the Amsterdam Admirals in the NFL Europe football final with 22-7. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) |
 Football fans celebrate during the World Bowl XIV at the LTU Arena in Duesseldorf, Germany, Saturday, May 27, 2006. Frankfurt Galaxy defeated the Amsterdam Admirals in the NFL Europe football final with 22-7. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) |
 Amsterdam's defense tries to stop Frankfurt's running back Butchie Wallace, center, during the World Bowl XIV at the LTU Arena in Duesseldorf, Germany, Saturday, May 27, 2006. Frankfurt Galaxy defeated the Amsterdam Admirals in the NFL Europe football final with 22-7. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) |
 Amsterdam's wide receiver Skyler Fulton, right, is stopped by Frankfurt's safety Rob Lee, left, during the World Bowl XIV at the LTU Arena in Duesseldorf, Germany, Saturday, May 27, 2006. Frankfurt Galaxy defeated the Amsterdam Admirals in the NFL Europe football final with 22-7. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) |
 Amsterdam's guard Michael Kinglies on the field heavenly injured during the World Bowl XIV at the LTU Arena in Duesseldorf, Germany, Saturday, May 27, 2006. King was taken by an ambulance out of the stadium. Frankfurt Galaxy defeated the Amsterdam Admirals in the NFL Europe football final with 22-7. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) |
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Admirals Head Coach Bart Andrus (On neck injury to Michael King) “Michael King is doing good. They wanted to make absolutely sure that he was in good condition taking him off the field, and our prayers are with him. That injury did slow us down on that final drive, and we lost momentum a bit through the stoppage.”
Quarterback Jared Allen (On difference in second half) “They did not do anything different against us defensively in the second half – they are just a good defense. They got up on us and were able to run the ball.” (On his performance) “It was my job to lead the offense, and I truly know I left it all out on the field. On that last drive I hit some good passes and found open receivers, but we just didn’t manage to pull it off.”
Defensive Tackle Tony Brown – NFLEL co-Defensive MVP (On gameplan for second half) “We had the lead, and we just tried to keep it.” (On his season) “It has been a great season, but I have a lot to prove when I get back to the states. As a team we had a good run, but I wish we could have won it today.”
Wide receiver Skyler Fulton
Running back Larry Croom (On gameplan for second half) “We had to come out and score early in the second half. We knew that if they went ahead, with the style of play that they have, we were not going to have too much time to play with on the clock.”
Defensive end Earl Cochran (On game) “Give credit to their coach, he got a gameplan together that beat us. We won twice in the regular season, but it doesn’t count for anything, because they walked off with that trophy.” |
Galaxy Head Coach Mike Jones
RB Butchie Wallace – Yello Strom World Bowl XIV MVP
DE Josh Cooper
LB Matt Sinclair
Keith Willis
RB Roger Robinson
Defensive coordinator Ed O’Neil (On winning the title) – “It’s indescribable for these young kids. They get one chance usually, and this is a great way to leave.”
K David Kimball
WR Aaron Hosack
C Charles Missant
QB Jeff Otis (On where the momentum shifted their way) – “I think when we got that pass interference down there. We knew we were going to score after that.” (On when he knew the game was theirs) – “I kind of thought it was over when we got the ball back. I knew we weren’t giving it back. I knew our offensive line wasn’t going to let that happen.” (On capping the season with the championship) – “It’s great. You couldn’t end a season any better. You make it to the last game, and you don’t want to go home a loser. We got it done today, and we’re not going to go home losers. We’re going to go home champs.”
CB Lenny Williams (On his fourth-down pass breakup in the end zone) – “I knew that was a big play, but I knew they had a lot of time on the clock. Luckily, the MVP Butchie Wallace ran the clock out and got a big run to seal the deal for us. That was it. Done deal.”
T Rob Droege (On winning the title) – “It’s a good feeling. I’ve never won a championship. This atmosphere makes it that much better.”
Offensive coordinator Whitey Jordan (On winning his third World Bowl) – “They’re all good, but this one might be the best one.” (On Butchie Wallace’s performance) – “Butchie Wallace was fantastic, and he’s been playing well all year. We didn’t get him until the fifth week, but we had him in camp and we knew what he could do. With him and Roger running the football, we’re hard to stop. We have such good blockers. J.R. Niklos was unbelievable in front of him at fullback as the lead blocker. They all did a great job, so it was a great night for us.”
FB J.R. Niklos (On winning the championship) – “It’s great. I’ve never won a championship before. I’ve always been on so-so teams. This is the best feeling.” (On the defense’s performance) – “Our defense always keeps us strong. They give us three-and-outs. They keep us going. We know if we score, we’re going to win.” |
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SERIES NOTES
THIS SEASON
TELEVISION
COACHES
WORLD BOWL HISTORY
GAME NOTES |
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FASTEN your seat belts. You're about to experience Yello Strom World Bowl XIV as the 2006 NFL Europe League season finale prepares to rock Dsseldorf. There will be fireworks, a spectacular laser show and performances from a couple of the biggest names in rock as STATUS QUO and MANFRED MANN'S EARTH BAND belt out some of their most famous chart-topping tunes to get the party into full swing at LTU arena. And there is also the small matter of a mouth-watering clash on the field between the two best teams in the NFL Europe League this season as the Amsterdam Admirals (7-3) go head to head with the Frankfurt Galaxy (7-3) for championship glory. Both teams have the chance to write their name in the NFLEL record books. Frankfurt will play in their record seventh World Bowl and can lift the famous trophy for a league-best fourth time on Saturday night. The Admirals - winners last season - can become just the second team in NFLEL history to win back-to-back World Bowls, matching the 2001-2002 Berlin Thunder. YELLO STROM WORLD BOWL XIV SATURDAY MAY 27 Amsterdam Admirals vs Frankfurt Galaxy LTU arena, Dsseldorf, 6:00 p.m. PLAYERS OF THE WEEK - WEEK 10 OFFENSIVE - FRED JACKSON - RB, Rhein Fire 154 yards rushing, including 80-yard TD, vs Cologne DEFENSIVE - JASON SHIVERS - S, Hamburg Sea Devils 5 tackles, 3 pass defenses, scored on 45-yard fumble return, at Amsterdam SPECIAL TEAMS - TRAVIS DORSCH - P, Rhein Fire 44.7-yard average, 2 punts in 20, 1 rush for 25 yards, vs Cologne NATIONAL - PHILIPPE GARDENT - LB, Cologne Centurions 10 tackles, at Rhein Fire NEWS AND NOTES NFL Europe 2006, World Bowl - Page 2 Players and coaches looking forward to title showdown ONE team heads into Yello Strom World Bowl XIV on the back of a Week 10 victory on the road. The other having suffered a final weekend loss at home. Yet despite those obvious differences, there is little to choose between the Amsterdam Admirals and Frankfurt Galaxy as both clubs begin preparations for the title game in Dsseldorf. The teams boast 7-3 records and players and coaches on both clubs are sharing the same feeling of excitement and anticipation ahead of Saturday night's showdown at the LTU arena. Despite seeing his team fall to a home defeat against the Hamburg Sea Devils in Week 10, Admirals head coach BART ANDRUS is confident his club can produce the goods this weekend. He says: "It is not just another match - it is a championship game. Those are always different because there is no next week. I think you will see a very focused team that will come out and play like there is no tomorrow. "I would be very surprised if they left anything on the field. I think they will let it all hang out." Galaxy head coach MIKE JONES saw his team clinch a berth in the World Bowl with a narrow victory in Berlin last week and says: "We're very pleased with what this team has accomplished this season. We will go back and study our last game against Amsterdam. We need to see what worked then and put in some things we think will work this week." Both teams will go into the game without their chosen starting quarterbacks as Amsterdam's GIBRAN HAMDAN (Seattle Seahawks) and Frankfurt's CRAIG OCHS (Buffalo Bills) are sidelined with injuries. But there will be stars on display on Saturday night as Frankfurt will be led by record-setting running back ROGER ROBINSON (Arizona Cardinals) and the Admirals will look for a big performance from wide receiver SKYLER FULTON (Seattle Seahawks), who has also written his name in the NFLEL record books this season. Robinson, who rushed for a single season record 1,087 yards this year, says: "Amsterdam has a great team but I know there are a lot of guys in our locker room who are not going to let anybody beat us three times. "We feel good. They are a great team but we feel very comfortable playing them." Andrus insists: "I don't think our players will be over-confident having beaten Frankfurt twice. To me, that gets nullified with this being a championship game. I don't care what the score is on Saturday night, so long as we have one more point than the Galaxy." Admirals happy with Allen under center in World Bowl XIV THE Amsterdam Admirals should have no fears about going into World Bowl with JARED ALLEN (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) as starting quarterback after starting the season as back-up behind GIBRAN HAMDAN (Seattle Seahawks). Last season, Kurt Kittner did not become the Admirals starter until Hamdan's season-ending shoulder injury in Week 5 but went on to lead them to World Bowl victory by completing 15 of 28 passes for 239 yards and 2 touchdowns, earning MVP honors. In fact, teams going into World Bowl with a different starting quarterback to the man who was their Week 1 starter have a 5-2 record. The only two losses were against teams who also had a change of quarterback from Week 1 to World Bowl. This will be the third time the Admirals have reached World Bowl and on all three occasions, the man who has gone into the season as starting quarterback has missed the championship game through injury. These are the occasions when teams have shown a change of quarterback from Week 1 of the season to World Bowl: Year Team WB QB Wk 1 QB WB result 1991 London Stan Gelbaugh Jon Witkowski Won 1995 Frank Paul Justin Jim Miller Won 1995 Amst Jamie Martin Will Furrer Lost 1996 Scot Jim Ballard Steve Matthews Won 1998 Rhein Jim Arellanes Mike Quinn Won 1998 Frankf Chris Dittoe Damon Huard Lost 2005 Amst Kirt Kittner Gibran Hamdan Won Although Frankfurt will also turn to their substitute quarterback in Dsseldorf, they can take heart from the fact that JEFF OTIS (Arizona Cardinals) was their chosen starting quarterback at the beginning of the season. Otis started the opening five games of the season for the Galaxy and threw for 560 yards and 4 touchdowns this year, compiling a passer rating of 72.6. YELLO FACT: Three's a charm THE Amsterdam Admirals will be only the third team to score three victories over a rival in the same season if they beat Frankfurt in World Bowl. And on both previous occasions, the Galaxy have been the victims. In 2004, the Berlin Thunder scored a hat-trick of win against Frankfurt, while the 1996 Scottish Claymores also rounded off the season with a third win against the Galaxy in World Bowl. On the other occasions when a team has been bidding for a third win over a rival in World Bowl, the Rhein Fire lost to Berlin (2002), Barcelona lost to Berlin (2001) and Barcelona lost to Frankfurt (1999). NEWS AND NOTES NFL Europe 2006, World Bowl - Page 3 26 NFL teams represented in Yello Strom World Bowl XIV PLAYERS from a total of 26 NFL teams will compete for glory in Yello Strom World Bowl XIV this weekend. In a season when a record 272 NFL players were allocated to the NFL Europe League, 63 members of the two active rosters are from NFL teams, up from the 56 NFL allocated players who took part in last year's title showdown. The Oakland Raiders lead the way, with six players taking part in the NFLEL championship game on Saturday evening. Members of the Raider Nation on Amsterdam's roster are punter GLENN PAKULAK, quarterback REGGIE ROBERTSON and linebacker SHAWN MORGAN. The Galaxy also boasts three Raiders players on its roster in kicker DAVE KIMBALL, tackle RODERICK GREEN and defensive tackle ANTTAJ HAWTHORNE. Trailing the Raiders with five representatives in the World Bowl are the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, while the Chicago Bears, New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks each have four players on the active rosters of the competing teams. Yello, orange and purple YELLO Strom World Bowl XIV will be awash with colour, with both the Amsterdam Admirals and Frankfurt Galaxy wearing their home jerseys in the LTU arena. Amsterdam won last year's World Bowl while wearing their orange shirts in a game that marked a change from the norm in professional football when both teams were allowed to wear their home jerseys. Instead of wearing white, the Berlin Thunder wore their black jerseys and that new tradition is to be maintained this year with the Galaxy wearing their purple jerseys. World Bowl Director MARSHALL HAPPER explained: "European sports fans are used to seeing their teams wearing their traditional colors unless there is an obvious clash. The orange and purple jerseys are part of the heritage and tradition of these two teams and we are pleased to give both of them the chance to wear their favored uniforms." In their six World Bowls, the Galaxy have a 1-2 record in purple jerseys and a 2-1 record in white. Amsterdam is 1-1 in colored shirts. Admirals hope that edge in experience will be key factor HOW much will previous World Bowl experience count when the Amsterdam Admirals meet the Frankfurt Galaxy on Saturday? The Admirals hope it will be an important factor as they have nine players on their roster with World Bowl experience, while only three members of the Galaxy have stepped onto the field in an NFLEL championship game. Eight of the Admirals' nine players with World Bowl experience picked up a championship ring with Amsterdam in 2005 while defensive end DARRELL LEE was on the losing sideline in Dsseldorf last season as a member of the Berlin Thunder. Another Admirals veteran of 2005, French running back SANDINO OCTOBRE, is set to miss the game injured. Admirals head coach BART ANDRUS says: "When you have guys who have gone through the experience of competing in this type of game and setting, I think that does give you something positive and we will play on that as much as we can. There are a lot of distractions so it will be difficult but at least we have some guys who have done it before." Admirals players with World Bowl experience LB Derrick Ballard Amsterdam 2005 LB Carl-Johan Bjrk Amsterdam 2005 DT Jeremy Caudill Amsterdam 2005 DE Earl Cochran Amsterdam 2005 T Ben Herrell Amsterdam 2005 WR Noriaki Kinoshita Amsterdam 2005 DE Darrell Lee Berlin 2005 C Tyler Lenda Amsterdam 2005 TE Yoan Schnee Amsterdam 2005 Galaxy players with World Bowl experience P Mike Barr Frankfurt 2004 DT Daniel Benetka Frankfurt 2003-2004 FB Martin Latka Frankfurt 2004 But before Galaxy fans begin to worry too much, they should bear this note in mind: the team with the most World Bowl experience has lost in each of the past three seasons. In 2003, the victorious Frankfurt Galaxy had two players with World Bowl experience compared to Rhein's 12. In 2004, the Berlin Thunder defeated Frankfurt, despite their veterans being outnumbered nine to three. And in last year's title game, the Admirals had no players with World Bowl experience yet they still overcame a Berlin squad boasting nine players who had played in the big game. NEWS AND NOTES NFL Europe 2006, World Bowl - Page 4 Yello Strom World Bowl XIV caps season of achievement WHEN Yello Strom World Bowl XIV kicks off in Dsseldorf, Germany, on Saturday evening, it will mark the final chapter of another remarkable season in NFL Europe. Here are some of the highlights from the 2006 campaign: ● There were 59 plays covering 40 yards or more - the highest figure in NFLEL history (52 in 2004). ● Frankfurt Galaxy running back ROGER ROBINSON set a new single season rushing record by gaining 1,087 yards on 214 carries, surpassing the mark of 1,057 set by Mike Green of the 2001 Barcelona Dragons. Robinson also set a new record with seven 100-yard rushing days this season, breaking the old mark of six set by Joe Smith of the 2005 Rhein Fire. ● Amsterdam Admirals WR SKYLER FULTON set a new single season record with six 100-yard receiving games. ● Amsterdam Admirals' third-year quarterback GIBRAN HAMDAN compiled a new single-season passer rating record by posting a figure of 113.4. That shattered the old record of 107.3 set by Kevin Daft, of the Scottish Claymores, in 2000. ● Amsterdam Admirals wide receiver CHAD LUCAS (Green Bay Packers) became the first receiver in league history to catch 4 touchdown passes in a game when he enjoyed an outstanding day against the Berlin Thunder in Week 4. He also tied the league mark for most touchdowns in a game. ● Frankfurt Galaxy safety BRANDON HAW (Seattle Seahawks) tied the league's single game record with 3 interceptions against the Cologne Centurions in Week 7. ● Cologne Centurions quarterback SHANE BOYD (Pittsburgh Steelers) set a new QB single-game rushing mark when he gained 98 yards on 8 carries against the Berlin Thunder in Week 5. Boyd ended the season with 339 rushing yards on 47 carries. That total was the highest in league history by a quarterback, surpassing the mark of 334 set by Jon Kitna, of the Barcelona Dragons, in 1997. ● Frankfurt Galaxy rushed for 1,745 yards, breaking the single season record of 1,686 yards set by the 1999 Rhein Fire. YELLO FACT: Backing in As disappointed as they might have been to lose their Week 10 game against the Hamburg Sea Devils, the Amsterdam Admirals won't be worried about being seen to have backed in to Yello Strom World Bowl XIV. Last season they were beaten by 13 points (27-14) by the Rhein Fire in Week 10 but went on win the title game. This season's Week 10 game saw them beaten by 13 points once more (34-21). Admirals head coach BART ANDRUS says: "I felt our loss to Rhein last year was even worse than the loss to Hamburg - and we still won World Bowl." Making a fast start in NFLEL title showdown can prove successful THE opening moments of any championship game can be nervy and, like a boxer circling the ring in a big title fight, are usually a good time to feel out your opponent. But World Bowl history has shown that if one team can land the first significant punch of the fight, they can use that early success as a platform to go on and become champions. In the previous 13 World Bowls, the team scoring the first points - be it a touchdown or a field goal - has gone on to win on nine occasions. And the team scoring the first points has won the last six World Bowls. Frankfurt Galaxy were the last club to concede the first points in World Bowl and end up as winner after the Barcelona Dragons took a 3-0 lead on Jesus Angoy's 38-yard field goal in World Bowl '99. The Galaxy came back to win the game 38-24. In last year's World Bowl, the Amsterdam Admirals opened the scoring on Kurt Kittner's 22-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ruvell Martin. That score gave the Admirals the platform to go on and record a 27-21 victory over the league-leading Berlin Thunder. YELLO FACT: Biggest Comeback Only one team has ever come back from a deficit greater than 7 points to win World Bowl, which was when the Sacramento Surge recovered from 17-3 behind to beat the Orlando Thunder 21-17 in World Bowl '91 in Montreal. Sacramento is one of only three teams to win World Bowl after trailing at halftime. Rhein came back from 10-3 down at the half to beat Scotland 13-10 in 2000 and Frankfurt trailed Amsterdam 7-6 at halftime in 1995 before winning 26-22. NEWS AND NOTES NFL Europe 2006, World Bowl - Page 5 NFLEL websites to provide in-depth coverage of title game OFFICIAL NFL Europe League internet sites NFLEurope.com and WorldBowl.com will provide comprehensive coverage of Yello Strom World Bowl XIV. On gameday, fans can follow the action from LTU arena with live play-by-play coverage, quarterly updates and a comprehensive game recap and statistics, as well as reaction from both locker rooms after the final gun. Once again, fans visiting WorldBowl.com can have their say in the game's Most Valuable Player. Votes cast online will account for 50 percent of the ballot, with the remainder coming from media members attending the game. World Bowl Media Schedule Tuesday May 23: 10:00 a.m. - World Bowl Week Kickoff Press Conference, LTU arena, Press Conference Room 2, Level 0. Head coaches from competing teams, NFLEL Football Consultant John Beake, NFLEL Director of Football Operations Mike Chan, Fire GM Sammy Schmale. Thursday May 25: 11:00 a.m. to 12.20 p.m. - World Bowl Media Day, LTU arena. Including announcement of All-NFLEL team, MVP and Coach of the Year awards. Interview sessions: Amsterdam, 11:00 to 11:30; Frankfurt 11:45 to 12:15. Wednesday May 24 - Friday May 26: Credentials available for collection at Lindner Congress Hotel (PR Office: Salon Mnchen), Emanuel-Leutze Strasse 17, D-40547 Dsseldorf, between 10:00 a.m. and 5 p.m. (except Thursday a.m.) Saturday June 11: 2:00 p.m. - Press will-call window opens at LTU arena. 4:20 p.m. - Conference Room 2, Level 0. Announcement of winners of NFLEL Journalism Awards 2006. 4:30 p.m. - Conference Room 2, Level 0. New conference with NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue; NFL Senior Vice-President of International Mark Waller; NFL Europe Managing Director Jim Connelly. 5:20 pm. - pregame show starts COACH'S CORNER: Jim Tomsula Rhein Fire head coach JIM TOMSULA says: "I wish both World Bowl teams the best and I know both will have a great showing as far as fans are concerned. Both teams have made big plays when they needed to during the season and I expect an exciting game." YELLO FACT: Unlucky Seven The Frankfurt Galaxy have tied a franchise best by finishing the season 7-3 (a mark they also posted in 1991, 1998 and 2004). But that might not be a good omen because on none of those occasions did they win World Bowl, failing to reach the postseason in 1991 and losing in the title game in 1998 and 2004. On all three occasions when the Galaxy has won World Bowl (1995, 1999 and 2003) they did so after posting a 6-4 regular season record. Coach of the Year prize a good omen for World Bowl WHEN journalists from around the world gather at LTU arena on Thursday for Yello Strom World Bowl XIV Media Day, they could be given a pointer to who is going to win the title showdown. As well as unveiling the All-NFL Europe League team for 2006, NFL Europe officials will also name the Coach of the Year. And should MIKE JONES (Frankfurt Galaxy) or BART ANDRUS (Amsterdam Admirals) lift the trophy, they should feel pretty good about their World Bowl chances heading into the weekend. Of the previous 11 Coach of the Year winners since the award was first handed out in 1995, eight have gone on to win World Bowl later that week, while three lost the title game. Here is a look at how the Coach of the Year has fared in World Bowl: Year Coach World Bowl 1995 Ernie Stautner, Frankfurt Won 1996 Jim Criner, Scotland Won 1997 Galen Hall, Rhein Lost 1998 Dick Curl, Frankfurt Lost 1999 Dick Curl, Frankfurt Won 2000 Galen Hall, Rhein Won 2001 Jack Bicknell, Barcelona Lost 2002 Peter Vaas, Berlin Won 2003 Doug Graber, Frankfurt Won 2004 Rick Lantz, Berlin Won 2005 Bart Andrus, Amsterdam Won Offensive and defensive Most Valuable Players have not enjoyed quite so much success in World Bowls the weekend after picking up their coveted prizes. There have been 13 offensive MVPs in NFLEL history and 12 of those have gone on to play in World Bowl. But in those championship games, the offensive MVPs have posted a 6-6 record and have lost five of their last six appearances. Only nine defensive MVPs have reached World Bowl and they have a combined 3-6 record in the biggest game of the season. NEWS AND NOTES NFL Europe 2006, World Bowl - Page 6 Defense wins championships? Not in the NFL Europe League THE old adage that defenses win championships may be true to some extent in the NFL, but the same cannot be said for the NFL Europe League. In the previous 13 World Bowls, only one team has ever won the final while boasting the number one-ranked defense in NFLEL (Frankfurt Galaxy, 2003). That figure will increase if the top-ranked Frankfurt defense comes out on top against Amsterdam. The Galaxy are only the fourth team (1995 Amsterdam, 2000 Scotland, 2003 Frankfurt) to qualify for the title game with the top defense. Having a top-ranked offense, on the other hand, can result in a World Bowl victory. And that suits Frankfurt just fine as they also have the number one offense in the league. The eight previous clubs who have reached the title game with the league's best offense - which includes the 2005 Admirals - have gone 7-1 in World Bowl. Frankfurt is only the second team in NFLEL history to top the league in both offense and defense in the same season. The only other team to achieve that was the 1998 Amsterdam Admirals, who failed to qualify for the championship game Here is how the top-ranked defensive team has fared in the NFLEL/World League, and the defensive ranking of the eventual World Bowl champion. Year No 1 Defense World Bowl winner 1991 Frankfurt London (7-3, missed playoffs) (number 2 ranked defense) 1992 San Antonio Sacramento (7-3, missed playoffs) (number 2 ranked defense) 1995 Amsterdam Frankfurt (9-1, lost in WB) (number 3 ranked defense) 1996 London Scotland (4-6 missed WB) (number 4 ranked defense) 1997 Frankfurt Barcelona (4-6, missed WB) (number 6 ranked defense) 1998 Amsterdam Rhein (7-3, missed WB) (number 4 ranked defense) 1999 Rhein Frankfurt (6-4, missed WB) (number 6 ranked defense) 2000 Scotland Rhein (6-4, lost in WB) (number 6 ranked defense) 2001 Frankfurt Berlin (3-7, missed WB) (number 6 ranked defense) 2002 Frankfurt Berlin (6-4, missed WB) (number 3 ranked defense) 2003 Frankfurt Frankfurt (6-4, reached WB) (number 1 ranked defense) 2004 Cologne Berlin (4-6, missed WB) (number 5 ranked defense) 2005 Cologne Amsterdam (6-4, missed WB) (number 3 ranked defense) COACH'S CORNER: Jack Bicknell HAMBURG Sea Devils head coach JACK BICKNELL says: "I think it will be a competitive game. Frankfurt and Amsterdam are playing good football and that is always a plus. It won't surprise me if it goes down to the wire." Are you to ready to rock? TWO legendary music acts with a combined 80 years of chart success and a German reggae star will headline as the NFLEL's season finale celebrates the theme 'World Bowl Rocks Dsseldorf!' The pre-game show, which starts with a spectacular display of fireworks, lights and lasers, will be headlined by Status Quo, who will perform their anthem 'Rockin' All Over The World', along with one of their recent hits, 'The Party Ain't Over Yet'. Status Quo front-men Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt are celebrating their 40th anniversary together, and will be making their second World Bowl performance, having performed at World Bowl X in 2002, also in Dsseldorf. Manfred Mann's Earth Band will become the latest name to join an impressive list of World Bowl halftime performers. The band, which has been scoring chart success since the 1960s, with songs like "Do Wah Diddy Diddy", and re-formed under their current name in the 1970s, will perform their hits "Mighty Quinn" and "For You". Previous World Bowl halftime acts include: Five, Coolio, Faithless, Sugababes and Shaggy. Also featured in the entertainment line-up is Cologne-based reggae star Gentleman, who will perform his two top-10 hits, "Superior" and "Intoxication", and the spectacular Yello Strom Light Show, which will kick off the pre-game show in dramatic fashion. COACH'S CORNER: David Duggan COLOGNE Centurions head coach DAVID DUGGAN says: "I'm terrible at predicting these things and really could not tell you one way or another who will win. Both Amsterdam and Frankfurt have very good football teams and I expect a hard-fought contest." YELLO FACT: National pride NATIONAL players from eight different countries are on the rosters of the participants in Yello Strom World Bowl XIV. They are from: England (4), Germany (4), Japan (4), France (2), Netherlands (2), Sweden (1), Finland (1) and Mexico (1). TEAM BY TEAM CAPSULES NFL Europe 2006, World Bowl - Page 7 AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS (7-3)Head Coach: Bart Andrus (30-30 in NFLEL,plus 1-0 in World Bowl)Colours: Orange and blue OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: John Allen (3rd season) DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Richard Kent (1st season) ALL-TIME FRANCHISE RECORD: 64-56 MEDIA CONTACT: Perry Hendriks Phone: 31-20-465-0550 Fax: 31-20-465-0555 E-mail: hendriksp@admirals.nl Internet: www.admirals.nl LAST GAME: lost 21-34 vs Hamburg (5/20/06) OFFENSE: 25.9 pts/game; 332.2 yds/game (rank 2); 86.4 yds rush/game (rank 6); 245.9 yds pass/game (rank 1) Passing: Gibran Hamdan, 1,629 yds Rushing: Larry Croom, 427 yds Receiving: Skyler Fulton, 53 rec, 992 yds DEFENSE: 23.4 pts/game; 312.1 yds/game (rank 4); 133.9 rush yds/game (rank 5); 178.2 pass yds/game (rank 4) Sacks: Earl Cochran 5 Interceptions: Cory Peoples, Justin Perkins, 2 - THIS WEEK: vs FRANKFURT GALAXY - Head coach BART ANDRUS knows that victory by any margin is the goal for his team, saying: "I can't give a prediction for the score and I don't care what it is, as long as it is one more than they have. One will do it, 20 will do it. As long as it is more than they have I will be happy."... QB JARED ALLEN (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) has started the last three games following Gibran Hamdan's season-ending injury (see table) and has a passer rating of 74.2... QB REGGIE ROBERTSON (Oakland Raiders) saw playing time last week, completing 9 of 17 passes for 83 yards. Coach Andrus says: "We felt like we needed to get Reggie some time. He needs to be comfortable playing and also we wanted to take some reps off Jared because he bruised his knee a week earlier and I didn't want to give him so many plays." Finished season with a 61.7 passer rating... RB LARRY CROOM (San Diego Chargers) leads the team in rushing yards (see table) and is league leader with 6 rushing TDs... RB DIAMOND FERRI (Atlanta Falcons) gained 333 yards on 84 carries during the season. He ranks fourth in the league in combined net yards with 881 but is battling injury to be fit for the game... WR CRAIG BRAGG (Chicago Bears) caught 21 passes for 301 yards this season... WR SKYLER FULTON (Seattle Seahawks) led NFLEL in receiving yards and receptions (see table) and set a new NFLEL record with six 100-yard games. Held to season-low yardage last week as he sat out much of the game, leaving him 31 yards shy of league single-season record (1,023, Sean LaChapelle, Scotland, 1996)... WR CHAD LUCAS (Green Bay Packers) finished the season ranked fourth in the league with 440 yards on 27 catches after sitting out last week. Led the league in touchdowns and receiving touchdowns with 8... French RB SANDINO OCTOBRE had 9 receptions for 46 yards this season but is set to miss the game... Japanese WR NORIAKI KINOSHITA caught 12 passes for 188 yards and finished second in NFLEL with 27.9-yard kickoff return average... TE TORY HUMPHREY (Green Bay Packers) caught 19 passes for 206 yards and 1 TD this season... English WR MARVIN ALLEN has joined Amsterdam as injury cover after catching 6 catches for 79 yards and 1 TD this season for Frankfurt and Rhein. Faces the team he began season with and played for in 2005... English national RB JERMAINE ALLEN has joined the team as injury cover after rushing for 79 yards on 26 carries and catching 5 passes for 45 yards for Hamburg. Scored his first NFLEL touchdown against Amsterdam last week... DE EARL COCHRAN led the Admirals with 5 sacks. Had 2 tackles and 0.5 sacks in World Bowl last year... DE CLAUDE HARRIOTT ranked joint second on the team with 4 sacks... DT TONY BROWN (Carolina Panthers) had 40 tackles and 4 sacks during the regular season... Swedish LB CARL-JOHAN BJRK ranked second on the team with 52 tackles... LB JEREMY CAIN (Chicago Bears) posted 39 tackles this seaso... Belgian DT PATRICE MAJONDO-MWAMBA posted 14 tackles and 1 sack during the season... CB JUSTIN PERKINS (Kansas City Chiefs) had 39 tackles, 10 passes defended and 2 interceptions this season, including running back a 70-yard interception for a TD against Frankfurt in Week 9... S ATARI BIGBY (Green Bay Packers) led the team with 61 tackles and broke up 4 passes. Posted 1 interception - against Frankfurt in Week 9... CB ABRAHAM ELIMIMIAN (Chicago Bears) broke up 7 passes and made 35 tackles this season... K RYAN KILLEEN (Seattle Seahawks) led NFLEL kickers with 71 points this season. Was 14 of 17 on FGs... P GLENN PAKULAK (Oakland Raiders) led the league with a 42.1-yard average. QB JARED ALLEN (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), GAME-BY-GAME Att Comp Yds TD Int Wk 2: at Col 3 2 8 0 0 Wk 4: at Ber 8 5 65 2 1 Wk 6: at Rhe 6 5 43 0 0 Wk 8: Col 27 13 177 1 3 Wk 9: at Fra 22 14 139 0 0 Wk 10: vs Ham 27 17 235 1 2 TOTAL 93 61 670 4 6 RB LARRY CROOM (San Diego Chargers), GAME-BY-GAME Rush Yds TD Rec Yds TD Wk 1: vs Ber 9 34 1 1 5 0 Wk 2: at Col 15 82 0 0 0 0 Wk 3: vs Fra 13 17 0 0 0 0 Wk 4: at Ber 11 80 0 2 6 0 Wk 5: vs Rhe 8 23 1 3 23 0 Wk 6: at Rhe 12 49 1 2 17 0 Wk 7: at Ham 3 17 0 1 6 0 Wk 8: vs Col 15 40 0 2 20 0 Wk 9: at Fra 11 53 1 1 4 0 Wk 10: vs Ham 9 32 2 4 26 0 TOTAL 106 427 6 15 107 0 WR SKYLER FULTON (Seattle Seahawks), GAME-BY-GAME Rec Yds TD Wk 1: vs Ber 6 131 1 Wk 2: at Col 5 105 1 Wk 3: vs Fra 4 144 2 Wk 4: at Ber 3 77 0 Wk 5: vs Rhe 6 113 2 Wk 6: at Rhe 5 95 0 Wk 7: at Ham 10 166 0 Wk 8: vs Col 6 38 0 Wk 9: at Fra 6 105 0 Wk 10: vs Ham 2 18 0 TOTAL 53* 992* 6 * Leads NFLEL TEAM BY TEAM CAPSULES NFL Europe 2006, World Bowl - Page 8 FRANKFURT GALAXY (7-3)Head Coach: Mike Jones (17-13) in NFLEL,plus 0-1 in World Bowl.Colours: Purple, orange, red and white OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Whitey Jordan (2nd season) DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Ed O'Neil (3rd season) ALL-TIME FRANCHISE RECORD: 75-65 MEDIA CONTACT: Joachim Haas Phone: 49-69-978-2790 Fax: 49-69-978-279099 E-mail: joachim.haas@frankfurt-galaxy. Internet: www.frankfurt-galaxy.de LAST GAME: Won 14-13 at Berlin (5/20/06) OFFENSE: 17.2 pts/game; 340.4 yds/game (rank 1); 174.5 rush yds/game (rank 1); 165.9 pass yds/game (rank 6) Passing: Craig Ochs, 1,019 yds Rushing: Roger Robinson, 1,087 yds Receiving: Aaron Hosack, 36 rec, 473 yds DEFENSE: 16 pts/game; 270.6 yds/game (rank 1); 97.4 rush yds/game (rank 1); 173.2 pass yds/game (rank 2) Sacks: Jerome Nichols, 6.0 Interceptions: Brandon Haw, 5 - THIS WEEK: vs AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS - Head coach MIKE JONES says: "We're very happy to get back to the World Bowl. It's a great time for the players because this is the first time for most of them. We are very happy as a staff and we are happy for the accomplishments of the team."... QB CRAIG OCHS (Buffalo Bills) started the last five games of the season but picked up a shoulder injury in Week 10 that rules him out of World Bowl... QB JEFF OTIS (Arizona Cardinals) started the opening five games of the season (see table). Has a passer rating of 72.6... QB B.J. SYMONS (Chicago Bears) returns to the team where he played last year after spending this season with Berlin, where he completed 31 of 66 passes for 396 yards with 4 TDs and 0 interceptions for an 86.4 rating... QB BRYSON SPINNER (San Francisco 49ers) completed 17 of 43 passes for 172 yards, a 49.8 passer rating. Rushed 10 times for 88 yards... RB ROGER ROBINSON (Arizona Cardinals) set a new single-season NFLEL record for rushing yards, despite missing one game through injury, and had a record seven 100-yard games. Only the fourth player to top 1,000 rushing yards in a season... RB J.R. NIKLOS rushed 38 times for 136 in second season with Galaxy and caught 13 passes for 105 yards... RB BUTCHIE WALLACE gained 68 yards on 9 carries last week to finish season with 343 yards on 72 carries with 2 TDs. Gained 50 yards on 10 carries against Admirals in Week 9... WR AARON HOSACK (Minnesota Vikings) leads the Galaxy in receptions and receiving yards (see table) and ranks third in NFLEL in both categories... WR WALTER YOUNG (Pittsburgh Steelers) ranked second on the team with 31 cathes for 370 yards and 3 TDs... WR BRANDON MIDDLETON (St Louis Rams) arrives from Berlin as injury cover a week after catching 6 passes for 99 yards a TD against Frankfurt. Is with this third team of the season after catching 13 passes for 161 yards and 2 TDs for Rhein and Berlin... TE KEITH WILLIS (Seattle Seahawks) caught 18 passes for 290 yards and 1 TD this season... German DE ULRICH WINKLER had 12 stops and 1 sack this season... German DE DANIEL BENETKA had 14 tackles on the year... DE JOSH COOPER posted 26 tackles and 2 sacks this season... DT JEROME NICHOLS (Green Bay Packers) led the league after posting his 6th sack of the year last week. Totaled 29 tackles... LB MATT SINCLAIR (Miami Dolphins) ranked third on the team with 49 tackles this season... LB JARED NEWBERRY (Tennessee Titans) ranked second on the team with 53 tackles... LB TRAVIS HARRIS led the Galaxy with 61 tackles and broke up 4 passes... CB LENNY WILLIAMS (Dallas Cowboys) recorded 30 tackles and had a team-high 11 passes defended... S BRANDON HAW (Seattle Seahawks) led the league after posting his 5th interception of the season last week. Posted 25 tackles and 7 passes defended... CB BILL ALFORD ranked fourth on the team with 34 tackles... K DAVID KIMBALL (Oakland Raiders) ranks second among NFLEL kickers with 64 points, including 16 of 24 FGs... P MIKE BARR (Pittsburgh Steelers) ranked sixth in the league with a 37.8-yard average. QB JEFF OTIS (Arizona Cardinals), GAME-BY-GAME Att Comp Yds TD Int Wk 1: at Rhein 8 4 19 0 0 Wk 2: vs Ham 14 9 134 2 0 Wk 3: at Ams 29 18 188 1 0 Wk 4: vs Col 13 4 31 1 1 Wk 5: at Ham 10 3 61 0 0 Wk 6: Ber 3 3 47 0 0 Wk 7: at Col DNP Wk 8: Rhein 1 1 7 0 0 Wk 9: Ams DNP Wk 10: at Ber 13 6 73 0 2 TOTAL 91 48 560 4 3 RB ROGER ROBINSON (Arizona Cardinals), GAME-BY-GAME Rush Yds TD Rec Yds TD Wk 1: at Rhein 26 103 0 1 0 0 Wk 2: vs Ham 23 150 1 3 26 0 Wk 3: at Ams 14 95 1 2 4 0 Wk 4: vs Col 25 128 1 1 10 0 Wk 5: at Ham DNP Wk 6: vs Ber 27 146 1 3 45 0 Wk 7: at Col 22 67 0 1 7 0 Wk 8: vs Rhe 20 144 0 0 0 0 Wk 9: vs Ams 25 121 0 1 9 0 Wk 10: at Ber 32 133 0 1 12 0 TOTAL 214* 1, 087* 4* 13 113 0 WR AARON HOSACK (Minnesota Vikings), GAME-BY-GAME Rec Yds TD Wk 1: at Rhein 1 10 0 Wk 2: vs Ham 5 70 1 Wk 3: at Ams 5 61 1 Wk 4: vs Col 3 37 0 Wk 5: at Ham 7 102 1 Wk 6: vs Ber 3 18 0 Wk 7: at Col 4 95 1 Wk 8: vs Rhe 4 26 0 Wk 9: vs Ams 4 57 0 Wk 10: at Ber 0 0 0 TOTAL 36 473 4 * Leads NFLEL YELLO STROM WORLD BOWL XIV MATCHUP NFL Europe 2006, World Bowl - Page 9 AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS (7-3) vs FRANKFURT GALAXY (6-4) LTU arena, Dsseldorf, Saturday May 27, 6:00 p.m. SERIES NOTES Overall: Tied 12-12 (Frankfurt leads 1-0 in World Bowls) At Frankfurt: Frankfurt leads 9-3 At Amsterdam: Amsterdam leads 9-3 Streak: Amsterdam 3 THIS SEASON In the Week 3 meeting in Amsterdam, QB GIBRAN HAMDAN compiled the perfect 158.3 passer rating while leading Amsterdam to a 38-20 win. He completed 12 of 15 passes for 189 yards and 3 touchdowns. WR SKYLER FULTON caught 4 passes for 144 yards and 2 scores as the Admirals romped to victory.... In Week 9, the Admirals clinched a berth in World Bowl with a 17-12 victory. LARRY CROOM (8-yard run) and JUSTIN PERKINS (70-yard interception return) scored the decisive touchdowns, despite Frankfurt's ROGER ROBINSON rushing for 121 yards. TELEVISION Germany: LIVE/NASN; SAME-DAY HIGHLIGHTS/ARD Netherlands: LIVE/NASN; HIGHLIGHTS/NOS & SBS6 US: LIVE/NFL Network (12 noon ET) FOX NFL SUNDAY duo of play-by-play announcer CURT MENEFEE and former NFL offensive lineman BRIAN BALDINGER call the action from Dsseldorf. Yello Strom World Bowl XIV will reach an estimated worldwide television audience of more than 150 million in more than 120 countries. COACHES BART ANDRUS has led the Admirals to back-to-back World Bowl berths for the first time in their history... Named NFLEL Coach of the Year in Admirals' championship season in 2005... Aiming to become only the second head coach to win back-to-back World Bowls (Peter Vaas, Berlin 2001-02) and only the third head coach to win two World Bowls (Vaas & Galen Hall, Rhein 1998, 2000)... Has achieved winning season in last two seasons after failing to post a winning season in his first four seasons in Amsterdam... Won his first World Bowl ring in 2000 as offensive coordinator of the Rhein Fire. Former head coach of Rocky Mountain College, offensive coordinator at Southern Utah, Montana State and Humboldt State and quarterbacks coach of Tennessee Titans... Galaxy head coach MIKE JONES has reached World Bowl for the second time in three seasons in charge of the Galaxy, having lost in World Bowl XII in 2004... Has matched the 7-3 record he posted in 2004, making him the first Galaxy head coach to post two 7-3 records... Is the third Galaxy head coach to lead the team to two World Bowls (Ernie Stautner, 1995 and 1996; Dick Curl, 1998 and 1999)... Served as a member of the Rhein Fire coaching staff from 1995-2000 and again in 2002-2003, winning World Bowls in 1998 and 2000. WORLD BOWL HISTORY Amsterdam Admirals and Frankfurt Galaxy meet in World Bowl for the second time, with Frankfurt having beaten the hometown Admirals 26-22 in World Bowl '95.... Admirals had to wait until 2005 for second World Bowl appearance, when they beat Berlin Thunder 27-21 to win their first championship. KURT KITTNER passed for 239 yards and 2 touchdowns to win MVP honors... Galaxy are appearing in an NFLEL-record seventh World Bowl... After victory in 1995, they were beaten in World Bowl '96 when they lost 32-27 to the Scottish Claymores... Reached back-to-back Bowls again in 1998 and 1999, losing 34-10 to the Rhein Fire and then beating Barcelona Dragons 38-24... Achieved repeat World Bowl performances for the third time when they beat the Rhein Fire 35-16 in 2003 and lost 30-24 to the Berlin Thunder in 2004... Both teams have played in one previous World Bowl in Dsseldorf (Amsterdam 2005, Frankfurt 1999) and both have achieved victory... Amsterdam's back-to-back World Bowl appearances make them the seventh team to achieve that feat (Frankfurt 3 times, Berlin 2, Rhein 1). GAME NOTES Galaxy are bidding to become the first franchise to win four World Bowls (breaking a tie with Berlin Thunder), while Amsterdam aims to join Berlin as the only team to win back-to-back World Bowls... Amsterdam has posted back-to-back winning seasons, after a nine-year stretch without one... Admirals have finished as regular season champions for the first time since they posted a 9-1 record in 1995. On that occasion they lost to Frankfurt in World Bowl... Frankfurt has matched a franchise record by posting a 7-3 mark (also achieved in 1991, 1998 and 2004)... Teams marched towards World Bowl on the back of the season's two longest winning streaks. Amsterdam won six straight after a loss in Week 1, with Frankfurt winning five straight, beginning in Week 4... Amsterdam had a perfect 5-0 record in games on the road (first team since 1991 London Monarchs)... The Admirals lead NFL Europe in points scored (259). They averaged 31.7 points per contest in the season's first six games but 17.25 in the last four... Frankfurt became only second team in league history to finish with number one ranking in both offense and defense... The Galaxy set a new single-season NFLEL record with 1,745 rushing yards and they go against an Amsterdam that ranked last in stopping the run... Amsterdam has the league's top-ranked passing attack and also led the league in completion percentage (60.8) and yards per completion (13.89). They were also the most sacked team (26) and go against a Frankfurt defense that ranked second against the pass... Frankfurt led the league with an average 32:11 time of possession, while Amsterdam ranked last with 28:02. - RED ZONE STATISTICS - 2006 - OFFENSE No TD TD% FG FG% Scoring % Frankfurt 28 12 42.9 12 42.9 85.7 Amsterdam 33 18 54.5 10 30.3 84.8 Berlin 30 19 63.3 5 16.7 80.0 Rhein 34 17 50.0 9 26.5 76.5 Hamburg 25 12 48.0 7 28.0 76.0 Cologne 26 10 38.5 9 34.6 73.1 DEFENSE No TD TD% FG FG% Scoring % Cologne 22 10 45.5 4 18.2 63.6 Frankfurt 20 10 50.0 5 25.0 75.0 Amsterdam 36 19 52.8 9 25.0 77.8 Rhein 30 14 46.7 10 33.3 80.0 Berlin 36 16 44.4 15 41.7 86.1 Hamburg 32 19 59.4 9 28.1 87.5 - WEEK TEN RESULTS - Rhein Fire 21, Cologne Centurions 10 (LTU arena, Dsseldorf. Attendance: 28,334) Hamburg Sea Devils 34, Amsterdam Admirals 21 (Amsterdam ArenA. Att: 15,937) Frankfurt Galaxy 14, Berlin Thunder 13 (Jahnstadion, Berlin. Att: 14,225) |
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April 18, 2006 NFL Europe Ticket Hotline: (+49) 01805-478 73 73 Online: Click here
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