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1997

January 7, 1997

World League announces that it will field four Japanese players in 1997.  Kyoto University defensive coordinator Kiyo Mori will serve as an assistant coach for Amsterdam. 

January 16, 1997

Alton Byrd, one of the best known sports figures in Britain, is named as general manager of the Lonson Monarchs. 

January 23, 1997

World League announces that all 30 regualr season games will be seen on US television in 1997 on FX and DirecTV.  World Bowl '97 will be broadcast on FOX.

January 26, 1997

New England Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri, formerly of the Amsterdam Admirals, becomes the first World League player to score in the Super Bowl.

February 17, 1997

Defensive End Israel Stanley (Arizona State) is the first player chosen in the 1997 draft, taken by the Rhein Fire. 

February 18, 1997

WL announces that a record 112 current NFL roster players from 28 teams have been allocated for the 1997 season.  

March 1997

Week long kicking camp held in Orlando, FL with WLAF's kicking guru Doug Blevins 

March 1997

Training Camp opens in Carrollton, Georgia

12 April 1997
World League '97 kicks off 
May 11, 1997
In an exciting Week 5 where four of the six teams could have hosted the World Bowl, Barcelona beat Amsterdam 28-21 to win the rights to host the championship game. It's their second post-season appearance 
 June 14, 1997

Barcelona's 46-18 victory against Scotland confirms the Rhein Fire as the visiting team in World Bowl '97. Fire finish with a league best 7-3 record. 

June 22, 1997
Barcelona Dragons defeat Rhein Fire by 38 points to 23 in Barcelona. Barcelona came close to having a losing record at the end of the season losing 4 of their last 5 before the World Bowl. Jon Kitna passes for a World Bowl record 401 yards in front of 31,000 fans in the Estadi Olimpic. 

August 31, 1997

The NFL kicks off a season in which a record 118 players with World League experience on NFL rosters. 

September 8, 1997

Scottish Claymores announce Dick Regan as Managing Director, replacing former general manager Mike Keller.  Will Wilson is named assistant general manager. Ken Saunders takes over as Chief Financial and Administrative Officer for the league.  

October 7, 1997

London Monarchs announce they are to play two home games outside London in 1998 and will be renamed the England Monarchs. Team will play three home games at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, plus games in Bristol and Birmingham.  
October 17, 1997

Frankfurt's Waldstadion is named as the site of World Bowl '98. Galaxy name former Dragons offensive coordinator Dick Curl as new head coach, replacing Ernie Stautner.  

October 19, 1997
World League President Oliver Luck announces that for the first time the World Bowl will be played at a fixed site rather than the home of the leading site. Frankfurt's Waldstadion is chosen to host World Bowl '98 on 14th June 1998. 

November 5, 1997

Miguel Matas, a well-known local businessman, is named as President of the Barcelona Dragons with Marco Fuste as general Manager.

By the end of the 1997 season, there were growing concerns that their markets, except Germany, were not living up to their potential. Radical changes were made to the two British teams. The London Monarchs would become the England Monarchs, and play their home games in London, Birmingham and Bristol. Also, the Scottish Claymores would divide their schedule between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Then, at a press conference in San Diego during Super Bowl XXXII weekend, the league announced it too would be changing: the league would be rebranded as NFL Europe.

 

1997 Results & Standings

Week 1
Teams1st2nd3rd4thOTFinalDateAttendanceTime / Day
BARCELONA DRAGONS
@ Rhein Fire
7
3
14
3
6
3
0
3
 27
12
04-12-9717,1127:00 P.M. / Saturday
SCOTTISH CLAYMORES
@ Amsterdam Admirals
0
0
6
0
0
0
10
3
 16
3
04-12-9716,1857:00 P.M. / Saturday
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ LONDON MONARCHS
7
0
0
6
0
6
0
2
 7
14
04-13-9710,7193:00 P.M. / Sunday
Week 2
Amsterdam Admirals
@ FRANKFURT GALAXY
0
10
3
3
7
3
0
3
 10
19
04-19-9731,7297:00 P.M. / Saturday
BARCELONA DRAGONS
@ Scottish Claymores
3
0
7
0
0
0
10
7
 20
7
04-20-9714,8773:00 P.M. / Sunday
London Monarchs
@ RHEIN FIRE
0
0
0
0
0
14
6
14
 6
28
04-20-9714,8763:00 P.M. / Sunday
Week 3
FRANKFURT GALAXY
@ Barcelona Dragons
0
7
3
0
3
0
11
3
 17
10
04-26-9718,8007:30 P.M. / Saturday
London Monarchs
@ AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS
0
7
6
13
0
0
0
14
 6
34
04-26-9713,7677:00 P.M. / Saturday
RHEIN FIRE
@ Scottish Claymores
13
0
0
0
7
3
3
7
 23
10
04-27-9711,1663:00 P.M. / Sunday
Week 4
Rhein Fire
@ AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS
0
10
6
0
7
0
7
13
 20
23
05-03-9710,6987:00 P.M. / Saturday
SCOTTISH CLAYMORES
@ Frankfurt Galaxy
3
0
0
3
0
0
6
0
 9
3
05-03-9732,6907:00 P.M. / Saturday
BARCELONA DRAGONS
@ London Monarchs
0
17
7
13
15
2
15
0
 37
32
05-04-9710,1103:00 P.M. / Sunday
Week 5
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ RHEIN FIRE
0
0
7
0
0
7
0
3
 7
10
05-10-9732,1407:00 P.M. / Saturday
Scottish Claymores
@ LONDON MONARCHS
0
3
0
10
0
3
8
0
 8
16
05-11-9711,2103:00 P.M. / Sunday
Amsterdam Admirals
@ BARCELONA DRAGONS
0
14
0
7
14
0
7
7
 21
28
05-11-9714,1527:30 P.M. / Sunday
Week 6
RHEIN FIRE
@ Frankfurt Galaxy
0
3
14
7
0
7
7
3
 21
20
05-17-9739,1827:00 P.M. / Saturday
LONDON MONARCHS
@ Barcelona Dragons
0
0
6
7
0
0
3
0
 9
7
05-17-9713,5147:30 P.M. / Saturday
Amsterdam Admirals
@ SCOTTISH CLAYMORES
0
3
3
0
0
0
3
7
 6
10
05-18-979,0213:00 P.M. / Sunday
Week 7
Barcelona Dragons
@ AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS
7
0
0
17
14
0
0
9
 21
26
05-24-9713,2897:00 P.M. / Saturday
London Monarchs
@ FRANKFURT GALAXY
0
6
7
11
0
0
0
14
 7
31
05-24-9730,7237:00 P.M. / Saturday
SCOTTISH CLAYMORES
@ Rhein Fire
7
3
0
10
0
7
16
0
 23
20
05-25-9720,4983:00 P.M. / Sunday
Week 8
RHEIN FIRE
@ Barcelona Dragons
7
0
14
9
7
7
10
7
 38
23
05-31-9713,6707:30 P.M. / Saturday
AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS
@ London Monarchs
7
0
0
0
0
3
6
6
 13
9
06-01-979,1503:00 P.M. / Sunday
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ SCOTTISH CLAYMORES
0
0
0
3
0
14
7
7
 7
24
06-01-9711,6183:00 P.M. / Sunday
Week 9
Amsterdam Admirals
@ RHEIN FIRE
0
7
0
10
0
0
0
7
 0
24
06-07-9723,6977:00 P.M. / Saturday
Barcelona Dragons
@ FRANKFURT GALAXY
10
0
0
21
0
2
7
6
 17
29
06-07-9740,7433:00 P.M. / Saturday
LONDON MONARCHS
@ Scottish Claymores
7
0
3
6
0
3
0
0
 10
9
06-08-9716,1153:00 P.M. / Sunday
Week 10
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS
0
0
7
7
0
13
0
0
 7
20
06-14-9719,4867:00 P.M. / Saturday
Scottish Claymores
@ BARCELONA DRAGONS
3
7
7
24
8
7
0
8
 18
46
06-14-9715,0347:30 P.M. / Saturday
RHEIN FIRE
@ London Monarchs
0
0
3
7
7
0
0
0
 10
7
06-15-9710,4623:00 P.M. / Sunday
WORLD BOWL 1997 at Estadi Olimpic de Montjuic - Barcelona
Rhein Fire
@ BARCELONA DRAGONS
3
14
14
14
0
7
7
3
 24
38
06-22-9731,1001PM ET / Sunday

 

http://www.hworth.net/nflel/scores1997.html

Note: The team that leads the standings after week 5 earns a bid and the right to host the World Bowl. The team which has the best overall record at the end of the season also qualifies for the World Bowl. If the host team also leads the standings after the second half of the season, the club with the second-best overall record qualifies for the World Bowl.

World Bowl '97

June 22, 1997 at Estadi Olimpic de Montjuic, Barcelona

(Att: 31,100)

Rhein (7-3)31407 —24
Barcelona (5-5)141473 —38
MVP: Jon Kitna, Barcelona, QB (23 for 31, 401 yards and 2 TDs.)

Passing Efficiency

 AttCmpCmp PctYdsAvg GainTDTD PctLongIntInt PctRating
Jon Kitna, Bar31717153.924487.72226.996-td154.782.6
Dave Barr, Scot1649859.811186.8231.850-td42.476.2
T.J. Rubley, Rhe21811753.714736.76125.573-td94.176.1
Chad May, Fran1848646.710165.5242.247-td31.664.5
Spence Fischer, Scot1487852.78395.6710.746-td64.155.0

Scoring

TouchdownsTDRusRecRetPts
Sheddrick Wilson, Bar909054
Derrick Clark, Rhe990054
Tyree Davis, Bar706142
Bobby Phillips, Fran660036
Bill Schroeder, Rhe606036
KickingPATFG/FGALgPts
Ralf Kleinmann, Fran12/1313/214751
Manfred Burgsmuller, Rhe23/257/92844
Jess Angoy, Bar26/285/93541
Oliver Quass, Ams0/09/133527
Kari Gronroos, Scot2/28/103526
ReceptionsNoYdsAvgLongTD
Yo Murphy, Sco4755911.950-td2
Tyree Davis, Bar4373817.2556
Bill Schroeder, Rhe4370216.373-td6
Sheddrick Wilson, Bar4163315.4539
Bryce Burnett, Bar3535710.2362
RushingCarYardsAvgLongTD
Siran Stacy, Sco1997853.9314
Bobby Phillips, Fran1447605.365-td6
Ontiwaun Carter, Rhe1205874.9502
Derrick Clark, Rhe1075104.8279
Terry Wilburn, Bar1074294.0241

Other Individual Leaders

Yards from Scrimmage864Siran Stacy, Sco
Punting Average45.1Wayne Lammle, Sco
Interceptions6Carlos Brooks, Bar
Sacks9Malcolm Showell, Lon & Herman Smith, Lon.
Punt Return Avg.12.4Vernon Turner, Fran
Kickoff Return Avg.26.3Eric Smith, Sco

Annual Awards

Offensive MVPT.J. Rubley, Rhein, QB
Defensive MVPJason Simmons, Scotland,. DE
Coach of the YearGalen Hall, Rhein

All-World League Team

The All-World League Team as selected by members of the World League media.

PosPlayerPosPlayer
QBT.J. Rubley, RheinDEMalcolm Showell, London
RBBobby Phillips, FrankfurtDTLa'Roi Glover, Barcelona
RBSiran Stacy, ScotlandDTTroy Ridgley, Amsterdam
WRBill Schroeder, RheinDEJason Simmons, Scotland
WRSheddrick Wilson, BarcelonaLBHillary Butler, Frankfurt
TEBryce Burnett, BarcelonaLBRichard Newbill, London
TEEthan Brooks, RheinLBShawn Banks, Frankfurt
GMike Sheldon, RheinCBJack Kellogg, Frankfurt
CBob Kronenberg, RheinSJohnny Dixon, Frankfurt
GTom Robsock, BarcelonaSGeorge Coghill, Scotland
TSpence Folau, RheinCBCecil Doggette, Frankfurt

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