Two Minute Warning: DeAndrew Rubin

[Papa_Bull]

Speaking of W/R's, Scott McCready is playing for the Scottish Claymores.

http://www.conferenceusa.com/sports/football/release.asp?RELEASE_ID=6564

http://www.nfleurope.com/claymores/playerprofiles/2004/mccready_scott.htm

Scott played well yesterday but his team lost 20-14:

Scott McCready made a spectacular diving grab for a touchdown. photo: Sean Ryan

Berlin opens with a victory

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April 4, 2004

NFL Europe

Berlin Thunder 20 Scottish Claymores 14

Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany

Attendance: 14,257

Rohan Davey passed for 106 yards and ran for a touchdown. photo: Sean Ryan

The Berlin Thunder finally overcame a streak of five opening day losses as they defeated the Scottish Claymores 20-14 in their 2004 opener to give new head coach Rick Lantz a victory on his debut. Led by effective work by quarterbacks Rohan Davey (New England) and David Rivers, the Thunder had a productive day offensively, totaling 308 yards.

Davey completed 8 passes for 106 yards, and gave Berlin a ten point advantage in the third quarter on his 6-yard touchdown run. Rivers hit Chas Gessner for a 12-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter for the first Berlin touchdown of the game, and completed 8 of 10 total passes.

Persistent rain in Berlin finally put pay to Scotland's valiant comeback effort as Claymores quarterback Nate Hybl (Cleveland) fumbled the greasy ball on a snap in Berlin territory with under two minutes remaining to kill a drive that could have put them ahead. Hybl completed 17 of 24 for 147 yards, sharing time with Detroit allocated quarterback Curt Anes, who threw for Scotland's first touchdown of the game.

Berlin's defense held firm under enormous pressure at the end of the game, despite a great effort by Scotland runner Ian Smart. Smart was targeted on several short passes by Hybl in the final quarter, using his elusiveness to turn them into large gains, with 69 yards on just five receptions.

After the Berlin defense held the Claymores on their opening drive, running back Ray Jackson fumbled to give Scotland possession on the Thunder 36-yard line. However, the Claymores could not capitalize, as Mark Jensen's 46-yard field goal attempt slid wide left.

On their ensuing drive a 17-yard connection from Davey to tight end Mike Pinkard, and a healthy dose of Jackson's running, set up a 37-yard field goal attempt by Jonathan Ruffin. However, the Dallas allocated kicker's 38-yard attempt also failed, leaving the scores tied 0-0 as the opening quarter ended.

In the second quarter Curt Anes entered the game for Claymores starting quarterback Nate Hybl, and sparked some life into a dormant Scotland offense. With the help of running back Maurice Hicks, who contributed 37 yards on the drive, Anes overcame a pair of holding penalties to drive the Claymores to the Thunder 10-yard line, from where he connected with tight end Marcus Helfman to give his team a 7-0 lead.

Scott McCready made a spectacular diving grab for a touchdown. photo: Sean Ryan

Berlin also made a second quarter switch at quarterback, with David Rivers replacing Rohan Davey. However, it was running back Eric McCoo who did the damage for the Thunder, ripping holes in the Claymores defense for 32 yards on the ground on three consecutive plays. Rivers also gained yards with his legs, picking up five on 3rd-and-1 to give the Thunder a first down at the Scotland 29-yard line. On the next play, the quarterback hit tight end Bryan Fletcher for a 14-yard gain, but two holding penalties killed the drive, forcing the Thunder to settle for Hayden Epstein's 37-yard field goal for Berlin's first points of the game.

On the second play of Scotland's next drive, and with 1:49 remaining in the half, Anes was picked off by Thunder defensive back James Thornton, giving the Thunder possession at Scotland's 36-yard line. A 12-yard connection between Rivers and Fletcher set up Rivers' 12-yard touchdown pass to a streaking Chas Gessner across the middle of the field, giving the Thunder a 10-7 lead at half-time.

Berlin reemerged with Davey under center, starting a drive from their 27 yard line. A 25-yard scramble by the big passer put the ball into Claymores territory, and the New England Patriots allocated player connected with Pinkard and Gessner to put the ball on Scotland's 18. Davey finished the drive with a 6-yard scramble into the endzone to give Berlin a ten-point advantage.

Hybl returned to the field for the Claymores, but despite completions to Scott McCready and Ronald Bellamy the Claymores were held by Berlin's defense, forcing Nick Murphy onto the field to punt. Davey's offense began with the ball at the 20, and once again found its rhythm quickly. Mike Pinkard snaring his fourth pass of the day for a 24-yard gain on the first play of the drive. However, the promising start also led to a punt, which gave Scotland the ball at their own 15-yard line as the final quarter began.

Stout play from Berlin's defense forced Murphy back onto the field in three plays, and with Rivers back in the game, the Thunder moved to within field goal range. Jonathan Ruffin's 43-yard field goal attempt bounced off the cross bar and over to put Berlin ahead 20-7.

A 15-yard return by Nick Davis and a long pass from Hybl to running back Ian Smart gave the Claymores the ball in Berlin territory. Hybl then connected with McCready for 16 yards, placing the ball on the Thunder 23. Another pass to Smart moved the ball to the 15, where Hybl was sacked by T.J. Bingham and Lawrence Flugence. However, Hybl managed to pick up a first down, hitting McCready for an 11-yard gain. A personal foul on Israel Idonije on a crucial third down gave Scotland's drive new life, and from the 4 yard line Hybl's pass was tipped by intended receiver Nick Davis and caught spectacularly by McCready.

Berlin replied with Rivers completing passes to LaShaun Ward and Ray Jackson's run taking them to the Scotland 40 yard line. However, the Claymores defense managed to curtail any more movement by the Thunder, and after Epstein's punt rolled into the endzone Scotland began a drive from their 20 yard line with three minutes remaining in the game.

On the first play of the drive Ian Smart gained 10 yards running behind the left side of the Claymores offensive line, but a holding penalty negated his gain, leaving the Claymores on their own 20 once again. Smart continued his good form, converting two short passes into large gains to take Scotland inside Berlin's half at the two-minute warning. However, the slick ball finally took its toll, with Hybl fumbling the snap to turn possession over to Berlin at midfield.

The Claymores did get the ball back, but Hybl's desperation Hail Mary pass was intercepted by Thunder corner Jermaine Mays as time expired.

Here are his stats for the game:

PASS RECEIVING NO YDS AVG LG TD

.........S.McCready 11  67  6.1  16  1

http://www.nfleurope.com/stats/2004/04042004_sco_ber_stats.html

[Papa_Bull]

Bouncing back

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April 6, 2004

NFL Europe

Touchdown duo Marcus Helfman and Scott McCready insist the Claymores will bounce back after being washed out in Berlin.

San Francisco 49ers loan Helfman, who hauled in a 10-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Curt Anes to open the Claymores account in the second quarter, said: "Obviously we are disappointed at losing the opening game, but the team showed some great determination and I'm sure we'll learn from this loss and come back even stronger.

"It's a ten week season and we have a long way to go. This league is very competitive and all of the teams are pretty balanced. Every game is going to be a fight to the finish to win, but I know when the dust settles the Claymores will be one of the teams competing at the end of the season."

Former New England Patriots wide receiver McCready was also positive after his stunning diving touchdown catch that brought the Claymores back into the game in the second half.

He said: "The team are still together - the camaraderie is very good. I was proud of the way we rallied during the fourth quarter and moved the ball 50 yards down the field. I'm delighted to have got the touchdown - it was really just instinctive when the ball was deflected and bounced my way. But it's that old adage of if you don't win it really doesn't mean anything.

"We fought back and played to the end which says a lot about the character of the group we have here this season. It's tough to win on the road and even tougher to come back from two touchdowns back but I was proud at the way we never gave up."

And McCready had a message for Claymores fans, saying: "I'm a veteran in this league and I"ll be telling our guys that although it's a short season, there is still a long way to go. We have to face Berlin again in Scotland and I know with our fans and in our stadium it will be a completely different scenario.

"We were one minute from pulling the game around and I'm pretty confident that the team will bounce back from this and we'll get better and better as the weeks go on."

Former Claymores coach Tomsula, now defensive coorindator with Thunder echoed the Claymores' scorers sentiments when he said: "It was a very tough game for us. It was also very difficult to play against the Claymores. They are a very good team and will improve as this season goes on.

"We know it's going to be a tough re-match for us in Glasgow in a few weeks time. It's a long way to go but we'd love to be facing the Claymores again in the World Bowl."

[Papa_Bull]

DeAndrew played on Staurday.

He caught 2 catches each for 13 yards.

His team lost to the Berlin Thunder  28-17

http://www.nfleurope.com/stats/2004/04102004_ber_ams_stats.html

Sott McCready had 4 catches for 31 yards in his game.

His team lost to the Rhein Fire 31-3:

http://www.nfleurope.com/stats/2004/04102004_sco_rhe_stats.html

[The Sheriff]

DRube actually had three catches, one drop, and one defensive interference calls while he attempted to catch a pass if you read the play by play. Two of his catches were for 13 yards each, and the other was for no gain. The other ball was a straight out dropped pass. That was in third and he didn't play or get any more balls his way the rest of the game.