2006 Amsterdam Admirals season
Encyclopedia
The 2006 Amsterdam Admirals
season was the 12th season for the team in the NFL Europe
League.
The 2006 season of the Amsterdam Admirals
started off full of hope. The previous season headcoach Bart Andrus
and his team had managed to lay their hands on the coveted World Bowl
trophee - for the first time in the Admirals' history - after beating Berlin Thunder
27 to 21 in World Bowl XIII
. Furthermore, Gibran Hamdan
had returned as starting quarterback after being injured halfway the 2005 season, ready to be the focal point of a passing offense.
After an initial loss in week 1 to their World Bowl XIII opponent Berlin Thunder, quarterback Gibran Hamdan, together with key players such as wide receivers Skyler Fulton, Noriaki Kinoshita, Chad Lucas
and special teams players Glenn Pakulak and Ryan Killeen
, led the Admirals to 6 straight wins before suffering two broken ankles in week 7 against the Hamburg Sea Devils
. After that the well-oiled Admirals offense lost steam when second-string quarterback Jared Allen
took over. Despite this, Allen and his team managed to defeat the 2006 NFLE league number two team Frankfurt Galaxy
in week 9 on Galaxy home soil, resulting in the Amsterdam Admirals clinching their World Bowl
berth.
Finally the Admirals met Frankfurt Galaxy again in week 11 in Düsseldorf in LTU Arena
, the spot of World Bowl XIII. The hope from beating Galaxy in week 9, however, quickly dissipated when it became clear that the Admirals' offensive line without Hamdan was no match for Galaxy's rushing offensive line powered by running back Roger "the rabbit" Robinson
. After four quarters the Admirals hadn't managed to claim their second World Bowl victory with a final score of 22 to just 7.
Despite the disappointment of losing, the season of 2006 also saw many highlight like when Skyler Fulton established a new league record by catching for 100+ yards in 6 out of 10 games. Fulton fell just 32 yards short of breaking the individual record for most yards gained in a season, set at 1023 yards in 1996 by Scottish Claymores
wide receiver Sean LaChapelle
(Fulton received for 992 yards). He would surely have broken this record if not for a hamstring injury towards the end of the season.
opponent Berlin Thunder
for a rematch in their home base, the Amsterdam ArenA
. After going three and out on their first possession Glenn Pakulak punted the ball to the Thunder 20 from where it was carried to the 26 for Thunder's first down. The Thunder offense opened with good drives when second-year running back Little John Flowers carried 5 times for 22 yards and picked up an important 13 yards on third-and-six, bringing the ball to first-and-six. Flowers also covered the last six yards on the next run for a touchdown and the extra point by Xavier Beitia
. All this was witnessed by the cold Admirals fans - it was already a chilly 0°C/32°F at kickoff - who hadn't seen the last chilling event for the night.
On their next possession, the Admirals moved the ball from their own 32 to Berlin's 21, where it was fumbled by running back Larry Croom and recovered by Berlin's defense. The Thunder took advantage of the turnover as it began another scoring drive with quarterback Campbell
avoiding what seemed like an unavoidable sack to complete a 16-yard pass to wide receiver Keron Henry. Running back Marty Johnson pulled off an 18-yard dash before - in the second quarter now - Campbell connected with his wide receiver Musinski on a 27-yard scoring play, followed by another successful PAT kick by Xavier Beitia: 14-0.
After driving up to the Berlin 39, the Admirals found themselves stuck on 3-and-1 and 4-and-1. Pakulak was brought out once again and punted the ball into the end zone for a touchback. Berlin Thunder had success again and made it to Amsterdam's 9-yard line, but were faced with 4-and-2. They decided to roll the dice. Apparently they rolled a pair of sixes, since the pass connected for yet another touchdown. Berlin failed to come up with the extra point though, when the snap failed to connect. 20-0, it was indeed getting very cold on the Amsterdam stands. The chill was complete when inside the two-minute warning when Admirals quarterback Reggie Robertson was intercepted by defensive end Christian Mohr
, who ran the ball back 34 yards to the Admirals’ two-yard line. Berlin Thunder got stuck on the Admirals' 1-yard line on their 4th and decided to roll the dice again for a touchdown attempt, comfortable in their 20-0 lead. This time however, they rolled snake eyes
and fumbled the ball after which Derrick Ballard
ran a league record 95 yard fumble-run to score as time expired in the first half. Ryan Killeen
kicked the ball between the uprights for the extra point: 20-7
On the opening drive of the 3rd quarter, Berlin got into scoring position again when they ended up with 4-and-15 on the Amsterdam 19. Beitia kicked the ball in for the third times with a 36-yard field goal, making it 23-7. The Admirals must have figured it was high time to bring out the magic because right after Croom gained 9 yards, Hamdan
connected with wide receiver Craig Bragg (who was wide open) on a 56-yard passing play taking the ball to the Berlin two-yard line. Croom then forced his way into the end zone and Killeen followed with the extra point: 23-14. Admirals fans were getting a bit warmer.
The next scoring play came from Berlin Thunder once again when, after one of Hamdan's passes hit an offensive lineman, Berlin drove up the field and Beitia came into position again for a 27-yard field goal. After intercepting another pass near the end of the 3rd quarter, Berlin drove the ball up to the 1-yard line before scoring another touchdown in the 4th quarter. The Admirals brought out the magic again when Japanese national player Noriaki Kinoshita scored on an explosive 59-yard punt return down the left sideline. Hamdan then fired off a 54-yard scoring pass to his favourite wide receiver Skyler Fulton, with the pair hooking up again for a two-point conversion. With 3:04 left on the clock, the Admirals had closed the gap to 4 point: 33-29.
The last bit of hope of Amsterdam dwindled, however, when Berlin's Campbell threw a 13-yard pass on 3rd down, giving them enough time to drain the game clock. The warmed-up Admirals fans had to admit defeat when the game clock ticked down to zero and the score on the big board was still 33-29.
Cologne began their opening drive after Amsterdam's Diamond Ferri
stopped Bratton at the 26-yard line. Cologne's quarterback Kliff Kingsbury
opened big with an 18-yard pass to running back Russell on the first play. However, the Amsterdam defense fought back, forcing Cologne to punt after going 3-and-5 when Tony Brown sacked the quarterback.
A 48-yard punt and a fair catch by Noriaki Kinoshita
set the Admirals back at their 6-yard line. On the first play however, Hamdan
outdid Kingsbury when he connected through the air with the same Kinoshita for a 48-yard gain. To make matters worse for the Centurions, they were penalized 30 yards for roughing the passer, making it a 78-yard gain on the first play and taking the ball to Cologne's 16. Another penalty – this time for pass interference - gave Amsterdam a first down at the 9. On third down and 6 yards to go, Cologne's Thomas Houchin intercepted a pass by Hamdan in the endzone, running it back to his own 16.
On the next drive, Cologne was again stopped after their second first down and punted the ball the Amsterdam's 25. Amsterdam got handed a first down again when, with 2-and-14 after a false start, Cologne was penalized again for roughing the passer, giving the Admirals their first down. However, after three incomplete passes and 4-and-10 at Cologne's 26 near the end of the first quarter, Amsterdam brought Ryan Killeen
into position for a 44-yard field goal, which he scored.
With a successful drive by Alex Haynes - rushing the ball for 38 yards on 4 tries - Cologne got stuck again at 4-and-4 at Amsterdam's 28. Going for the field goal, Cologne's kick got blocked and picked up by Admirals cornerback Justin Perkins who returned it 72 yards for a touchdown, giving the visitors a 10-0 lead.
After another penalty for offensive holding, the Centurions countered with a big play, with second quarterback Boyd completing a 55-yard pass, followed by Haynes ending up in Amsterdam's endzone after rushing for 9 and 22 yards. 10-7. The Admirals had a case of déjà-vu when on their second down Diamond Ferri
fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Centurion right tackle Dixon. After driving up to Amsterdam's 28 with the help of a roughing-the-passer penalty, Cologne once again attempted a 46-yard field goal. This time it greeted the uprights left and right, squaring the score at 10-10.
The Cologne Centurions quickly got possession of the ball again. A 25 yard connection between quarterback Boyd and tight end Trent Smith
after Amsterdam's defense choked on a faked handoff to Russell, took the ball to Amsterdam's 17. Cologne's touchdown plans were however once again ruined when tackle Obeng's offensive holding set them back 10 yards and the Centurions got stuck at 4-and-18. Tim Duncan
was brought in again and secured Cologne's second field goal of the afternoon.
One minute into the second half, Cologne safety Brandon Pinderhughes hit Hamdan hard from behind, forcing a fumble and giving Cologne the ball at the Amsterdam 29. It was the same story all over again, though, when they couldn't get another first down. When Duncan was called upon again, his kick failed, going wide right from 44 yards. This miss proved to be costly immediately afterwards. On their second down, Hamdan spotted Skyler Fulton wide open down the right sideline and threw a perfect pass for a 65-yard touchdown, giving the Admirals the lead again at 17-13 after Killeen secured the extra point.
Next, Cologne drive made it all the way to Amsterdam's 6-yard where they once again were withheld from a touchdown by the Admirals defensive line. Duncan then missed a costly second time on the 24-yard field goal to leave Cologne stranded four points behind the visitors, 17-13. A 12-yard rush up the middle by Ferri and a 35-yard pass by Hamdan to Chad Lucas
gave Amsterdam a first down at the 24-yard line. Three plays later they also got stuck at 4-and-9 and Killeen's successful 41-yard field goal widened the gap to 20-13.
Cologne's defense held Amsterdam's offense at bay and managed to block Glenn Pakulak
's punt in the 4th quarter, only 14 yards from Amsterdam's endzone. Quick thinking by Admirals safety Atari Bigby
saved the Admirals from a possible score-evening touchdown run by kicking the ball out of bounds at the back of the endzone, giving the Centurions a safety instead. After the free kick, the Cologne Centurions came back dangerously when they ran the ball all the way back to the Amsterdam 9 after a 25-yard pass to Russell by Kingsbury. When Kingsbury was sacked by Amsterdam defensive end Earl Cochran
and penalized for intentional grounding, it forced Cologne to go for the kick again with 4-and-19. Tim Duncan then missed his fourth field goal with 3:02 remaining, condemning Cologne to defeat and giving Amsterdam their first win with 20-15 on the board.
Amsterdam Admirals
The Amsterdam Admirals were a professional American football team in NFL Europe based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.-History:The Admirals were formed in 1995 as part of the NFL's plan to restart the World League of American Football, to be based entirely in Europe...
season was the 12th season for the team in the NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
League.
The 2006 season of the Amsterdam Admirals
Amsterdam Admirals
The Amsterdam Admirals were a professional American football team in NFL Europe based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.-History:The Admirals were formed in 1995 as part of the NFL's plan to restart the World League of American Football, to be based entirely in Europe...
started off full of hope. The previous season headcoach Bart Andrus
Bart Andrus
Bart Andrus is the current Offensive Coordinator for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League.He is the former head coach of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
and his team had managed to lay their hands on the coveted World Bowl
World Bowl
The World Bowl was the American football Championship game of NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the National Football League.The World Bowl trophy itself was a globe made of glass measuring 35.5 cm in diameter and weighing 18.6 kg .-World League of American Football:When NFL Europe was...
trophee - for the first time in the Admirals' history - after beating Berlin Thunder
Berlin Thunder
The Berlin Thunder were a professional American football team in NFL Europe, which was a springtime American football league serving primarily as a developmental league for the National Football League. Most of the players were young American professional players assigned by NFL teams to receive...
27 to 21 in World Bowl XIII
World Bowl XIII
World Bowl XIII was NFL Europe's 2005 championship game. It was played at the LTU arena in Düsseldorf, Germany on June 11, 2005. In this match-up, the 6-4 Amsterdam Admirals managed to get back to the World Bowl after losing in World Bowl III and spending nearly a decade being on the outside. ...
. Furthermore, Gibran Hamdan
Gibran Hamdan
Gibran Latif Hamdan is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League and NFL Europa. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
had returned as starting quarterback after being injured halfway the 2005 season, ready to be the focal point of a passing offense.
After an initial loss in week 1 to their World Bowl XIII opponent Berlin Thunder, quarterback Gibran Hamdan, together with key players such as wide receivers Skyler Fulton, Noriaki Kinoshita, Chad Lucas
Chad Lucas
Chad Dennard Lucas is a wide receiver for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Alabama State....
and special teams players Glenn Pakulak and Ryan Killeen
Ryan Killeen
Ryan Killeen is an american football placekicker for the National Football League Seattle Seahawks' NFL Europe affiliate Amsterdam Admirals.-Professional career:...
, led the Admirals to 6 straight wins before suffering two broken ankles in week 7 against the Hamburg Sea Devils
Hamburg Sea Devils
The Hamburg Sea Devils were an American football team that began play in NFL Europa from 2005 to 2007. They played their home games at Hamburg's AOL Arena . They played their first game on April 2, 2005 losing 24-23 to the Cologne Centurions...
. After that the well-oiled Admirals offense lost steam when second-string quarterback Jared Allen
Jared Allen (quarterback)
Jared Allen is currently the Quarterbacks Coach at Florida Atlantic University and a former American football quarterback. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the National Football League and in NFL Europe for the Amsterdam Admirals in 2006.- High school career :Jared Allen attended Edmond...
took over. Despite this, Allen and his team managed to defeat the 2006 NFLE league number two team Frankfurt Galaxy
Frankfurt Galaxy
The Frankfurt Galaxy was a professional American football team that originally played in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. The team was based in Frankfurt, Germany and played in the Commerzbank-Arena, formerly called the Waldstadion.-History:In 1991, the...
in week 9 on Galaxy home soil, resulting in the Amsterdam Admirals clinching their World Bowl
World Bowl
The World Bowl was the American football Championship game of NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the National Football League.The World Bowl trophy itself was a globe made of glass measuring 35.5 cm in diameter and weighing 18.6 kg .-World League of American Football:When NFL Europe was...
berth.
Finally the Admirals met Frankfurt Galaxy again in week 11 in Düsseldorf in LTU Arena
LTU Arena
Esprit Arena is a multi-functional football stadium in Düsseldorf, Germany. The stadium holds 54,600 and has a closable roof. The special heating system allows comfortable events at the height of winter.- History :...
, the spot of World Bowl XIII. The hope from beating Galaxy in week 9, however, quickly dissipated when it became clear that the Admirals' offensive line without Hamdan was no match for Galaxy's rushing offensive line powered by running back Roger "the rabbit" Robinson
Roger Robinson
Roger Robinson was an American football running back who was signed by the Arizona Cardinals and allocated to NFL Europe in 2006....
. After four quarters the Admirals hadn't managed to claim their second World Bowl victory with a final score of 22 to just 7.
Despite the disappointment of losing, the season of 2006 also saw many highlight like when Skyler Fulton established a new league record by catching for 100+ yards in 6 out of 10 games. Fulton fell just 32 yards short of breaking the individual record for most yards gained in a season, set at 1023 yards in 1996 by Scottish Claymores
Scottish Claymores
The Scottish Claymores were an American football team from Scotland. The franchise played in the World League of American Football between 1995 and 2004, initially playing all home games at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh and latterly sharing home games with Hampden Park, Glasgow...
wide receiver Sean LaChapelle
Sean LaChapelle
Sean Paul LaChapelle is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for two seasons for the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs. He was signed to the Chiefs after wide receiver Lake Dawson suffered a season-ending injury and was placed on injured reserve. LaChapelle...
(Fulton received for 992 yards). He would surely have broken this record if not for a hamstring injury towards the end of the season.
Free Agent Draft
| Draft order | Player name | Position | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round | Choice | |||
| 1 | 6 | James Lee | DT | Oregon State |
| 2 | 12 | Claude Harriott Claude Harriott Claude Harriott is an American football defensive end for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League.-Early years:... |
DE | Pittsburgh |
| 3 | 13 | Kevin Timothee | CB | Florida International |
| 4 | 24 | Earl Cochran Earl Cochran Earl Cochran, Jr is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2003... |
DE | Alabama State |
| 5 | 25 | Tyler Lenda | T | Penn State |
| 6 | 36 | Michael Tolbert | LB | Baylor |
| 7 | 37 | Sam Massey | CB | Morgan State |
| 8 | 48 | Ben Herrell | T | Miami (Ohio) |
| 9 | 49 | Lamar Lee | CB | Arkansas State |
Staff
Roster
Schedule
| Week | Date | Kickoff (CET Central European Time Central European Time , used in most parts of the European Union, is a standard time that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time . The time offset from UTC can be written as +01:00... ) |
Opponent | Results | Game site | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final score | Team record | ||||||
| 1 | Saturday, March 18 | 7:00 p.m. | Berlin Thunder 2006 Berlin Thunder season The 2006 Berlin Thunder season was the eighth season for the team in the NFL Europe League.-Free Agent Draft:-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:-Week 1: at Amsterdam Admirals:-Week 2: vs Rhein Fire:-Week 3: at Hamburg Sea Devils:... |
L 29–33 | 0–1 | Amsterdam ArenA Amsterdam ArenA Amsterdam Arena is a stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is the largest stadium in the nation and it was built from 1993 to 1996 at a cost of €140 million, and was officially opened on 14 August 1996. It has been used for association football, American football, concerts, and other events... |
16,341 |
| 2 | Sunday, March 26 | 4:00 p.m. | at Cologne Centurions 2006 Cologne Centurions season The 2006 Cologne Centurions season was the third season for the team in the NFL Europe League.-Free Agent Draft:-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:-Honors:*LB Philippe Gardent, NFL Europe League Co-Defensive MVP, All-NFL Europe League team selection... |
W 20–15 | 1–1 | RheinEnergieStadion RheinEnergieStadion The RheinEnergieStadion is a football stadium in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was built on the site of the two previous Müngersdorfer stadiums. It is the home of the local Bundesliga team, 1. FC Köln. The stadium was one of the 12 hosting the 2006 FIFA World Cup... |
17,251 |
| 3 | Saturday, April 1 | 7:00 p.m. | Frankfurt Galaxy 2006 Frankfurt Galaxy season The 2006 Frankfurt Galaxy season was the 14th season for the team in the NFL Europe League.-Free Agent Draft:-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:-Week 1: at Rhein Fire:-Week 2: vs Hamburg Sea Devils:-Week 3: at Amsterdam Admirals:... |
W 38–20 | 2–1 | Amsterdam ArenA | 9,917 |
| 4 | Saturday, April 8 | 6:00 p.m. | at Berlin Thunder | W 38–31 | 3–1 | Olympic Stadium Olympic Stadium (Berlin) The Olympiastadion is a sports stadium in Berlin, Germany. There have been two stadiums on the site: the present facility, and one that is called the Deutsches Stadion which was built for the aborted 1916 Summer Olympics. Both were designed by members of the same family, the first by Otto March... |
11,443 |
| 5 | Saturday, April 15 | 3:00 p.m. | Rhein Fire 2006 Rhein Fire season The 2006 Rhein Fire season was the 12th season for the team in the NFL Europe League.-Free Agent Draft:-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:-Week 1: vs Frankfurt Galaxy:-Week 2: at Berlin Thunder:-Week 3: at Cologne Centurions:... |
W 35–31 | 4–1 | Amsterdam ArenA | 12,683 |
| 6 | Saturday, April 22 | 7:00 p.m. | at Rhein Fire | W 30–21 | 5–1 | LTU arena | 20,118 |
| 7 | Saturday, April 29 | 6:00 p.m. | at Hamburg Sea Devils 2006 Hamburg Sea Devils season The 2006 Hamburg Sea Devils season was the second season for the team in the NFL Europe League.-Free Agent Draft:-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:-Week 2: at Frankfurt Galaxy:-Honors:*WR Scott McCready, All-NFL Europe League team selection... |
W 18–17 | 6–1 | AOL Arena | 15,224 |
| 8 | Saturday, May 6 | 7:00 p.m. | Cologne Centurions | L 13–20 | 6–2 | Amsterdam ArenA | 12,228 |
| 9 | Sunday, May 14 | 5:00 p.m. | at Frankfurt Galaxy | W 17–12 | 7–2 | Commerzbank-Arena Commerzbank-Arena The Commerzbank-Arena is a sports stadium in Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany. Commonly known by its original name, Waldstadion , the stadium opened in 1925. The stadium has been upgraded several times since then; the most recent remodelling was its redevelopment as a football-only stadium in preparation... |
31,769 |
| 10 | Saturday, May 20 | 7:00 p.m. | Hamburg Sea Devils | L 21–34 | 7–3 | Amsterdam ArenA | 15,937 |
| World Bowl XIV | |||||||
| 11 | Saturday, May 27 | 6:00 p.m. | Frankfurt Galaxy | L 7–22 | 7–4 | LTU arena | 36,286 |
Week 1: vs Berlin Thunder
In the first game of the season, the Admirals met their 2005 World Bowl XIIIWorld Bowl XIII
World Bowl XIII was NFL Europe's 2005 championship game. It was played at the LTU arena in Düsseldorf, Germany on June 11, 2005. In this match-up, the 6-4 Amsterdam Admirals managed to get back to the World Bowl after losing in World Bowl III and spending nearly a decade being on the outside. ...
opponent Berlin Thunder
Berlin Thunder
The Berlin Thunder were a professional American football team in NFL Europe, which was a springtime American football league serving primarily as a developmental league for the National Football League. Most of the players were young American professional players assigned by NFL teams to receive...
for a rematch in their home base, the Amsterdam ArenA
Amsterdam ArenA
Amsterdam Arena is a stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is the largest stadium in the nation and it was built from 1993 to 1996 at a cost of €140 million, and was officially opened on 14 August 1996. It has been used for association football, American football, concerts, and other events...
. After going three and out on their first possession Glenn Pakulak punted the ball to the Thunder 20 from where it was carried to the 26 for Thunder's first down. The Thunder offense opened with good drives when second-year running back Little John Flowers carried 5 times for 22 yards and picked up an important 13 yards on third-and-six, bringing the ball to first-and-six. Flowers also covered the last six yards on the next run for a touchdown and the extra point by Xavier Beitia
Xavier Beitia
Xavier Beitia is an American football placekicker who last played for the Georgia Force of the Arena Football League in 2007. He played college football at Florida State and signed with the New York Jets in 2004 and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2006...
. All this was witnessed by the cold Admirals fans - it was already a chilly 0°C/32°F at kickoff - who hadn't seen the last chilling event for the night.
On their next possession, the Admirals moved the ball from their own 32 to Berlin's 21, where it was fumbled by running back Larry Croom and recovered by Berlin's defense. The Thunder took advantage of the turnover as it began another scoring drive with quarterback Campbell
Lang Campbell
Lang Campbell is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League. He was originally signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
avoiding what seemed like an unavoidable sack to complete a 16-yard pass to wide receiver Keron Henry. Running back Marty Johnson pulled off an 18-yard dash before - in the second quarter now - Campbell connected with his wide receiver Musinski on a 27-yard scoring play, followed by another successful PAT kick by Xavier Beitia: 14-0.
After driving up to the Berlin 39, the Admirals found themselves stuck on 3-and-1 and 4-and-1. Pakulak was brought out once again and punted the ball into the end zone for a touchback. Berlin Thunder had success again and made it to Amsterdam's 9-yard line, but were faced with 4-and-2. They decided to roll the dice. Apparently they rolled a pair of sixes, since the pass connected for yet another touchdown. Berlin failed to come up with the extra point though, when the snap failed to connect. 20-0, it was indeed getting very cold on the Amsterdam stands. The chill was complete when inside the two-minute warning when Admirals quarterback Reggie Robertson was intercepted by defensive end Christian Mohr
Christian Mohr
Christian Mohr is an American football defensive end who plays for Mönchengladbach Mavericks of the German Football League....
, who ran the ball back 34 yards to the Admirals’ two-yard line. Berlin Thunder got stuck on the Admirals' 1-yard line on their 4th and decided to roll the dice again for a touchdown attempt, comfortable in their 20-0 lead. This time however, they rolled snake eyes
Snake eyes
In gambling, snake eyes is the outcome of rolling the dice in a game and getting only one pip on each die. The pair of pips resembles a pair of eyes, which is appended to the term 'snake' because of the long-standing association of this word with treachery and betrayal...
and fumbled the ball after which Derrick Ballard
Derrick Ballard
Derrick Ballard is a Canadian football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Memphis....
ran a league record 95 yard fumble-run to score as time expired in the first half. Ryan Killeen
Ryan Killeen
Ryan Killeen is an american football placekicker for the National Football League Seattle Seahawks' NFL Europe affiliate Amsterdam Admirals.-Professional career:...
kicked the ball between the uprights for the extra point: 20-7
On the opening drive of the 3rd quarter, Berlin got into scoring position again when they ended up with 4-and-15 on the Amsterdam 19. Beitia kicked the ball in for the third times with a 36-yard field goal, making it 23-7. The Admirals must have figured it was high time to bring out the magic because right after Croom gained 9 yards, Hamdan
Gibran Hamdan
Gibran Latif Hamdan is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League and NFL Europa. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
connected with wide receiver Craig Bragg (who was wide open) on a 56-yard passing play taking the ball to the Berlin two-yard line. Croom then forced his way into the end zone and Killeen followed with the extra point: 23-14. Admirals fans were getting a bit warmer.
The next scoring play came from Berlin Thunder once again when, after one of Hamdan's passes hit an offensive lineman, Berlin drove up the field and Beitia came into position again for a 27-yard field goal. After intercepting another pass near the end of the 3rd quarter, Berlin drove the ball up to the 1-yard line before scoring another touchdown in the 4th quarter. The Admirals brought out the magic again when Japanese national player Noriaki Kinoshita scored on an explosive 59-yard punt return down the left sideline. Hamdan then fired off a 54-yard scoring pass to his favourite wide receiver Skyler Fulton, with the pair hooking up again for a two-point conversion. With 3:04 left on the clock, the Admirals had closed the gap to 4 point: 33-29.
The last bit of hope of Amsterdam dwindled, however, when Berlin's Campbell threw a 13-yard pass on 3rd down, giving them enough time to drain the game clock. The warmed-up Admirals fans had to admit defeat when the game clock ticked down to zero and the score on the big board was still 33-29.
Week 2: at Cologne Centurions
After losing to Berlin at home in week 1, it was up to the Admirals to even the score at Cologne.Cologne began their opening drive after Amsterdam's Diamond Ferri
Diamond Ferri
Diamond M. Ferri is an American and Canadian football linebacker who currently plays for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League....
stopped Bratton at the 26-yard line. Cologne's quarterback Kliff Kingsbury
Kliff Kingsbury
Klifford "Kliff" Kingsbury is an American Football Coach, serving as the current co-offensive coordinator for the University of Houston Cougar football team. Prior to his current role, Kingsbury was a Quarterback in the NFL and NFL Europe, winning a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in a...
opened big with an 18-yard pass to running back Russell on the first play. However, the Amsterdam defense fought back, forcing Cologne to punt after going 3-and-5 when Tony Brown sacked the quarterback.
A 48-yard punt and a fair catch by Noriaki Kinoshita
Noriaki Kinoshita
Noriaki Kinoshita is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Amsterdam Admirals in 2005. He played college football at Ritsumeikan.-Early years:...
set the Admirals back at their 6-yard line. On the first play however, Hamdan
Gibran Hamdan
Gibran Latif Hamdan is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League and NFL Europa. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
outdid Kingsbury when he connected through the air with the same Kinoshita for a 48-yard gain. To make matters worse for the Centurions, they were penalized 30 yards for roughing the passer, making it a 78-yard gain on the first play and taking the ball to Cologne's 16. Another penalty – this time for pass interference - gave Amsterdam a first down at the 9. On third down and 6 yards to go, Cologne's Thomas Houchin intercepted a pass by Hamdan in the endzone, running it back to his own 16.
On the next drive, Cologne was again stopped after their second first down and punted the ball the Amsterdam's 25. Amsterdam got handed a first down again when, with 2-and-14 after a false start, Cologne was penalized again for roughing the passer, giving the Admirals their first down. However, after three incomplete passes and 4-and-10 at Cologne's 26 near the end of the first quarter, Amsterdam brought Ryan Killeen
Ryan Killeen
Ryan Killeen is an american football placekicker for the National Football League Seattle Seahawks' NFL Europe affiliate Amsterdam Admirals.-Professional career:...
into position for a 44-yard field goal, which he scored.
With a successful drive by Alex Haynes - rushing the ball for 38 yards on 4 tries - Cologne got stuck again at 4-and-4 at Amsterdam's 28. Going for the field goal, Cologne's kick got blocked and picked up by Admirals cornerback Justin Perkins who returned it 72 yards for a touchdown, giving the visitors a 10-0 lead.
After another penalty for offensive holding, the Centurions countered with a big play, with second quarterback Boyd completing a 55-yard pass, followed by Haynes ending up in Amsterdam's endzone after rushing for 9 and 22 yards. 10-7. The Admirals had a case of déjà-vu when on their second down Diamond Ferri
Diamond Ferri
Diamond M. Ferri is an American and Canadian football linebacker who currently plays for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League....
fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Centurion right tackle Dixon. After driving up to Amsterdam's 28 with the help of a roughing-the-passer penalty, Cologne once again attempted a 46-yard field goal. This time it greeted the uprights left and right, squaring the score at 10-10.
The Cologne Centurions quickly got possession of the ball again. A 25 yard connection between quarterback Boyd and tight end Trent Smith
Trent Smith
Darrell Trent Smith was a tight end in the National Football League. He played college football for the University of Oklahoma. He last played for the San Francisco 49ers. Before college stardom, Smith was a Redoak Ram for Redoak Elementary School in Moore, Oklahoma...
after Amsterdam's defense choked on a faked handoff to Russell, took the ball to Amsterdam's 17. Cologne's touchdown plans were however once again ruined when tackle Obeng's offensive holding set them back 10 yards and the Centurions got stuck at 4-and-18. Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan
Timothy Theodore "Tim" Duncan is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . The 6-foot 11-inch , 255-pound power forward/center is a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year...
was brought in again and secured Cologne's second field goal of the afternoon.
One minute into the second half, Cologne safety Brandon Pinderhughes hit Hamdan hard from behind, forcing a fumble and giving Cologne the ball at the Amsterdam 29. It was the same story all over again, though, when they couldn't get another first down. When Duncan was called upon again, his kick failed, going wide right from 44 yards. This miss proved to be costly immediately afterwards. On their second down, Hamdan spotted Skyler Fulton wide open down the right sideline and threw a perfect pass for a 65-yard touchdown, giving the Admirals the lead again at 17-13 after Killeen secured the extra point.
Next, Cologne drive made it all the way to Amsterdam's 6-yard where they once again were withheld from a touchdown by the Admirals defensive line. Duncan then missed a costly second time on the 24-yard field goal to leave Cologne stranded four points behind the visitors, 17-13. A 12-yard rush up the middle by Ferri and a 35-yard pass by Hamdan to Chad Lucas
Chad Lucas
Chad Dennard Lucas is a wide receiver for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Alabama State....
gave Amsterdam a first down at the 24-yard line. Three plays later they also got stuck at 4-and-9 and Killeen's successful 41-yard field goal widened the gap to 20-13.
Cologne's defense held Amsterdam's offense at bay and managed to block Glenn Pakulak
Glenn Pakulak
Glenn Adam Pakulak, Jr. is an American football punter who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2003...
's punt in the 4th quarter, only 14 yards from Amsterdam's endzone. Quick thinking by Admirals safety Atari Bigby
Atari Bigby
Atari David Bigby is an American football safety for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
saved the Admirals from a possible score-evening touchdown run by kicking the ball out of bounds at the back of the endzone, giving the Centurions a safety instead. After the free kick, the Cologne Centurions came back dangerously when they ran the ball all the way back to the Amsterdam 9 after a 25-yard pass to Russell by Kingsbury. When Kingsbury was sacked by Amsterdam defensive end Earl Cochran
Earl Cochran
Earl Cochran, Jr is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2003...
and penalized for intentional grounding, it forced Cologne to go for the kick again with 4-and-19. Tim Duncan then missed his fourth field goal with 3:02 remaining, condemning Cologne to defeat and giving Amsterdam their first win with 20-15 on the board.
Week 3: vs Frankfurt Galaxy
Week 4: at Berlin Thunder
Week 5: vs Rhein Fire
Week 6: at Rhein Fire
Week 7: at Hamburg Sea Devils
Week 8: vs Cologne Centurions
Week 9: at Frankfurt Galaxy
Week 10: vs Hamburg Sea Devils
World Bowl XIV
Honors
- LB Derrick BallardDerrick BallardDerrick Ballard is a Canadian football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Memphis....
, All-NFL Europe League team selection - DT Tony BrownTony Brown (American football)Robert Anthony "Tony" Brown, Jr. is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2003...
, NFL Europe League Co-Defensive MVP - WR Skyler Fulton, All-NFL Europe League team selection
- QB Gibran HamdanGibran HamdanGibran Latif Hamdan is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League and NFL Europa. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
, All-NFL Europe League team selection - K Ryan KilleenRyan KilleenRyan Killeen is an american football placekicker for the National Football League Seattle Seahawks' NFL Europe affiliate Amsterdam Admirals.-Professional career:...
, All-NFL Europe League team selection - ST Noriaki KinoshitaNoriaki KinoshitaNoriaki Kinoshita is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Amsterdam Admirals in 2005. He played college football at Ritsumeikan.-Early years:...
, All-NFL Europe League team selection - C Tyler Lenda, All-NFL Europe League team selection
- WR Chad LucasChad LucasChad Dennard Lucas is a wide receiver for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Alabama State....
, All-NFL Europe League team selection - OT Jeff RoehlJeff RoehlJeffrey Alan Roehl is an American football offensive lineman who is most known for his time spent playing for the New York Giants of the National Football League...
, All-NFL Europe League team selection
League Records (1995-2006)
- Note: NFLE has a 10-game season!
Most Games, 100 or More Yards Pass Receiving, Season Player Year Games Skyler Fulton 2006 6 Longest Fumble Run Player Game Yards Derrick Ballard Derrick BallardDerrick Ballard is a Canadian football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Memphis....
Amsterdam vs. Berlin, 3/18/06 95