NFL Europe Corner
by Stefan Nickel

This section is presented by Stefan Nickel, our overseas Kicking.com representative for NFL Europe. Feel free to contact him for more information.

World Bowl XV summary and the future of NFL Europa

First time in their team history, the Hamburg Sea Devils won the World Bowl against the Frankfurt Galaxy (37-28). In front of 48,125 enthusiastic football fans, most of them in purple and orange, Sea Devils QB Casey Bramlet threw a record four touchdown passes, and turned the home of the Galaxy into a home of the Hamburg Sea Devils. Sea Devils kicker Shane Andrus missed an extra point after Hamburg scored the first time, and also missed a 24-yard field goal, but scored a 23-yarder in the second quarter. Not a good day had by Galaxy kicker Rhys Lloyd. He missed his single try from 45 yards in the fourth quarter.
 

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But not only was the game in the focus of the fans, also the rumor that the league will close after this season, was flying around the stadium. Fans signed petitions at the fan party in front of the stadium right before the game, hoping that the league will continue in 2008. These lists will be presented to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell the next time he visits Germany .

Managing director Uwe Bergheim said, in a press conference before the game, that new concepts for improving the league, respectively making the league more profitable, were given to the NFL, and the decision if the league will continue in 2008 will be made within the next four weeks.

With playing a regular season game in London in October 2007, it will not be a good idea to close the NFL Europa in the same year. Fans in Europe need teams they can identify with. These fans are first fans of NFL Europa teams, and second, they have a favorite NFL team. Fans from the Hamburg Sea Devils and Rhein Fire, for example, were cheering together against the Galaxy. NFL Europa fans want to get in touch with their heroes. Playing regular season games in Europe, without having the NFL Europa anymore, maybe will work for one or two years. After that, I truly believe that fans in Europe will lose interests in that.

Look at the little kids here in Germany. They get in touch with football for the first time by watching an NFL Europa game. Then these kids are getting interested in this sport. They want to be like the players they see on the field. They start searching for local teams in the area they live, and start playing the game. If there will be no professional football league in Europe anymore, these kids won’t get in touch with football, and start playing soccer, or other sports except football.

If the NFL Europa league was closed, then professional football becomes a local sport in the USA, and for the European fans, like a used car dealership somewhere in New York. Football will lose interest in the whole rest of the world, too. The only sports totally accepted in the whole world are part of the Olympic Games. If pro football is only played in the USA, then the Super Bowl Champions cannot be a World Champions anymore.

Managers of the NFL and NFL Europa, think about that, do your homework, and keep this league alive!
 

League leaders season 2007

Rhein Fire punter Danny "The Rubber Band“ Baugher, and Frankfurt Galaxy kicker Rhys "The Machine" Lloyd received the punting and kicking crown after the regular season in 2007.

Danny Baugher, who is swinging his leg fast like he has a rubber band fixed at his forehead, and the big toe of his kicking foot, punted 47 times with a net average of 37.9 yards.

Also, strong legged Rhys Lloyd was perfect in all of his 28 PATs, and kicked 16 of 23 field goals, with a total score of 78 points. His longest try was 56 yards.

Danny Baugher is not the tallest punter I ever saw (height: 5-10) but he is an athlete. I compare him a little bit with Dirk Johnson from the Philadelphia Eagles. Dirk also played for the Rhein Fire in 2002.

Kicker Rhys Lloyd is a machine. He can boom his kickoffs with a hang time of about 4.1 or more, to the one yard line. The movement of his upper body and his kicking leg is like scissors. NFL coaches, if you trust your veteran, but need a kickoff specialist, take this guy. With this quality of kickoffs, your kicking team will get enough time to knock the return man down inside 15 yards.

Both will deserve all star team honors.

Kicking stats season 2007

* injured after week 4
** first game week 5
*** injured after week 7
**** first game week 8

Punting stats season 2007

Week 10 Summary (6/18/07)

The NFL Europa regular season 2007 is over. The Hamburg Sea Devils and the Frankfurt Galaxy will meet up in World Bowl XV in the Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt, Germany, the home of the Galaxy. The Cologne Centurions, who were 4-0 on the road, lost against the Galaxy 14-31. Centurions Kicker Nick Novak missed his 40-yard try, while Galaxy Kicker Rhys Lloyd scored three times with his four tries. He made another 50-yard field goal, which is worth four points in the NFL Europa.

The score in the regular season, between the Frankfurt Galaxy and the Hamburg Sea Devils was 1-1. Hamburg lost in week three 17-20, and won the home game in week nine, 36-31. We'll have to wait and see what´s going to happen!

In the other games, Rhein Fire lost to the Sea Devils 13-17, and the Amsterdam Admirals beat Berlin Thunder in a Friday night game. It was an exciting finish at the end, 21-20.

Now the question is, which players from this year have an “NFL leg”? Did coaches from the NFL get interested in anybody? Will we see somebody on Sundays in the future?

The quality of the kickers and punters this season was much better then the years before. On Saturday, in the finals, it could be possible that Galaxy Kicker Rhys Lloyd or Sea Devils Kicker Shane Andrus will play a key role.

Week 9 Summary (6/10/07)

The Berlin Thunder lost against Rhein Fire 24-17. All points were scored in the first half. Berlin Thunder Kicker D. J. Fitzpatrick kicked a 34-yard field goal, and punted two times for 80 yards (40 yds/avg.), while Berlin punter Tom Malone had three punts for 119 yards (39.7 yds/avg.). The last points of the game were scored by Rhein Fire Kicker Mark Brubaker, who kicked a 33-yard field gaol with two seconds remaining in the second quarter.
Saturday in Cologne, the Centurions welcomed the Amsterdam Admirals. Centurions Kicker Nick Novak missed his try from 35, but was good with his 20-yard field goal. Cologne Punter Joel Stelly punted three times for 134 yards (44.7 yds/avg.). Amsterdam Kicker Jeret Johnson confirmed his good performances from last week by being perfect, with his two long tries from 49 and 40 yards. Punter Glenn Pakulak punted four times for 179 yards (44.8 yds/avg.).

In Hamburg, the Sea Devils played against the Frankfurt Galaxy in front of 30,528 enthusiastic football fans. The winner of that game has the best chance for making it to the World Bowl. Hamburg beat the Galaxy 36-31. Galaxy Kicker Rhys Lloyd missed one field goal from 30 yards, and made one from 20. Galaxy Punter Kyle Basler had two punts for 96 yards (48.0 yds/avg.). Sea Devils Kicker Shane Andrus nailed his two tries (28 and 23 yards) through the goal posts, while Punter Adam Anderson also had two punts for 90 yards (45 yds/avg.).

It’s the first time in league history that, after week nine, three teams ended up with a record of 6-3. Everybody has to wait for week 10. Hamburg is qualified for the World Bowl, regardless if they win or lose against Rhein Fire. If Hamburg loses on Saturday, then the Centurions would have to tie the game next week with the Galaxy. This will be the only scenario that Hamburg won’t make it to the World Bowl. So a big game will be played in Frankfurt, when the Galaxy will welcome the Cologne Centurions. This game is like a conference finals. The winner is qualified for the World Bowl against the Hamburg Sea Devils.

Week 8 Summary (6/6/07)

After an exciting football weekend, the Frankfurt Galaxy cemented their rights to play in the World Bowl June 23rd by beating Berlin Thunder 25-22. With around 9 minutes in the fourth quarter, Thunder was ahead 22-3. Galaxy quarterback J.T. O´Sullivan started his show by throwing three touchdown passes. Berlin Thunder Kicker D. J. Fitzpatrick, who replaced injured Kicker Andrew Jacas, had three tries that day. His first try, from 37 yards, got nullified by a 'Running into the Kicker' penalty. Berlin scored a touchdown after that. Later in the game, he missed from 50 and 44 yards.

In Cologne, the Centurions missed their chances for making it to the World Bowl directly, by losing against the Hamburg Sea Devils 7-21. Now the Frankfurt Galaxy, the Cologne Centurions and the Hamburg Sea Devils will battle for the two spots in Yellow Storm World Bowl XV. Hamburg Sea Devils Kicker Shane Andrus missed his try from 37 yards.

In Duesseldorf, Rhein Fire beat the Amsterdam Admirals in a high scoring game 41-38. Rhein Kicker Mark Brubaker was perfect with his two field goals (36), (31). He kicked the game winner with 2:11 to play in the fourth quarter. Admirals Kicker Jaret Johnson satisfied all with his performances from 49, 41 and 37 yards. After the Admirals scored their last touchdown to shorten the score to 38-41, Johnson lined up for an onside kick. The onside kick got recovered by Rhein Fire with 13 seconds on the game clock. Rhein quarterback Cody Pickett knelt down, and Rhein Fire won.

Week 7 Summary (5/28/07)

With three weeks of the 2007 NFL Europa regular season remaining, the Frankfurt Galaxy remains on course for a title-game repeat. Cologne Centurions also improved to a league-best 5-2 on the season. Hamburg Sea Devils are behind with a record of 4-3. The other teams are Amsterdam Admirals 3-4, Berlin Thunder 2-5 and Rhein Fire 2-5.

Cologne Centurions vs. Amsterdam Admirals 30-7

N. Novak 3-4 FG, 31LU (19) (40) (31)
J. Stelly - 4 Punts, 168 yards, 42. 0 AVG, 1 TB, 2 IN20, 50 LG
G. Pakulak, 7 Punts, 302 yards, 43.1 AVG, 1 TB, 1 IN20, 52 LG

Rhein Fire vs. Frankfurt Galaxy 10-23

M. Brubaker, 1-1 FG (43)
D. Baugher, 5 Punts, 221 yards, 44.2 AVG, 1 TB, 55 LG

R. Lloyd, 3-4 FG, (22) (33) 47WL (31)
K. Basler, 3 Punts, 116 yards, 38.7 AVG, 1 IN20, LG 55, 1 Punt blocked

Berlin Thunder vs. Hamburg Sea Devils 7-17

A. Jacas, 2-3 FG (28) 51WL (53)
T. Malone, 6 Punts, 256 yards, 42.7 AVG, 51 LG
S. Andrus, 1-1 FG (41)
A. Anderson, 6 Punts, 255 yards, 42.5 AVG, 1 TB, 4 IN20, 60 LG

Week 6 Summary (5/20/07)

Saturday in Cologne, the Centurions beat the Rhein Fire 20-17. Rhein Fire Kicker Mark Brubaker kicked a 36-yarder, but missed a 43-yard field goal. Centurions Kicker Nick Novak hit his 30-yard try off the left post and it was no good. But, his second and third tries put the game in the right direction for the Centurions. With six seconds on the game clock in the second quarter, Novak went on the field for a 44-yard field goal and he made it, 3-17 Rhein Fire. The Centurions shortened the score to 10-17 with a touchdown pass of quarterback Erik Meyer. Early in the fourth quarter, a nightmare happened to Rhein Fire punter Danny Baugher, who earned special teams of the week honors in week five. His punt got blocked and got returned for a touchdown. Extra point by Nick Novak was good, and the Centurions tied the game 17-17. With 8:54 on the game clock in the fourth quarter, the Centurions sent Nick Novak on the field for a 49-yard field goal. Novak made it again, and the Centurions lead the Rhein Fire 20-17. That was Novak's 7th game-winning field goal in his entire career. Rhein Fire had no answer for that, and gave the game away.

On Sunday, the Frankfurt Galaxy beat Berlin Thunder 35-7. In Amsterdam, the Admirals evened their record at 3-3 with a 41-31 victory over the Hamburg Sea Devils. Sea Devils Kicker Shane Andrus nailed his 47-yard try through the goal posts.
 

NFL Europa League Leaders 2007 Season (after Week 5)

* injured after week 4
** first game week 5