1997 Rhein Fire season

{{short description|World League of American Football team season}}

{{Infobox NFL season

| team = Rhein Fire (NFL Europe)

| teamdisplay = Rhein Fire

| year = 1997

| record = 7–3

| division_place = 1st

| coach = Galen Hall

| general manager = Alexander Leibkind

| stadium = Rheinstadion

| playoffs = Lost World Bowl '97

| uniform =

| previous = 1996

| next = 1998

| shortnavlink = Rhein Fire

}}

The 1997 Rhein Fire season was the third season for the franchise in the World League of American Football (WLAF). The team was led by head coach Galen Hall in his third year, and played its home games at Rheinstadion in Düsseldorf, Germany. They finished the regular season in first place with a record of seven wins and three losses, marking the first winning season in franchise history. In World Bowl '97, Rhein lost to the Barcelona Dragons 38–24. Quarterback T. J. Rubley earned all-World League honors and was named the league's offensive most valuable player.

Offseason

=World League draft=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center" \|+ 1997 Rhein Fire World League draft selections
width="120" colspan="2"\| Draft order ! width="160" rowspan="2"\| Player name ! width="60" rowspan="2"\| Position ! width="160" rowspan="2"\| College
Round ! Choice
1 ! 1 \| Israel Stanley \| DE \| Arizona State
2 ! 7 \| Artis Houston \| CB \| California
3 ! 18 \| Thomas Bailey \| WR \| Auburn
4 ! 19 \| Scotty Lewis \| DE \| Baylor
5 ! 30 \| David Merritt \| LB \| North Carolina State
6 ! 31 \| John Anderson \| S \| Oklahoma
7 ! 42 \| David Rhodes \| WR \| Central Florida
8 ! 43 \| Pete Shufelt \| LB \| UTEP
9 ! 54 \| Anthony Daigle \| RB \| Fresno State
10 ! 55 \| Sean Foster \| WR \| Long Beach State
11 ! 66 \| Chris Shelling \| CB \| Auburn
12 ! 67 \| Ricky Powers \| RB \| Michigan
13 ! 78 \| Kelly Wiltshire \| CB \| James Madison
14 ! 79 \| Earl Mackey \| LB \| Southern
15 ! 90 \| Mark Brook \| LB \| Wyoming
16 ! 91 \| Don Robinson \| CB \| Kentucky
17 ! 102 \| Will Brown \| LB \| Alabama
18 ! 103 \| Kyle Richardson \| P \| Arkansas State
19 ! 114 \| Chris Thomas \| WR \| Cal Poly
20 ! 115 \| Jay Barry \| RB \| Washington

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center"

|+ 1997 Rhein Fire World League draft selections

width="120" colspan="2"| Draft order

! width="160" rowspan="2"| Player name

! width="60" rowspan="2"| Position

! width="160" rowspan="2"| College

Round

! Choice

1

! 1

| Israel Stanley

| DE

| Arizona State

2

! 7

| Artis Houston

| CB

| California

3

! 18

| Thomas Bailey

| WR

| Auburn

4

! 19

| Scotty Lewis

| DE

| Baylor

5

! 30

| David Merritt

| LB

| North Carolina State

6

! 31

| John Anderson

| S

| Oklahoma

7

! 42

| David Rhodes

| WR

| Central Florida

8

! 43

| Pete Shufelt

| LB

| UTEP

9

! 54

| Anthony Daigle

| RB

| Fresno State

10

! 55

| Sean Foster

| WR

| Long Beach State

11

! 66

| Chris Shelling

| CB

| Auburn

12

! 67

| Ricky Powers

| RB

| Michigan

13

! 78

| Kelly Wiltshire

| CB

| James Madison

14

! 79

| Earl Mackey

| LB

| Southern

15

! 90

| Mark Brook

| LB

| Wyoming

16

! 91

| Don Robinson

| CB

| Kentucky

17

! 102

| Will Brown

| LB

| Alabama

18

! 103

| Kyle Richardson

| P

| Arkansas State

19

! 114

| Chris Thomas

| WR

| Cal Poly

20

! 115

| Jay Barry

| RB

| Washington

{{cite web |title=1997 World League draft |url=http://www.worldleague.com/general/facts/00035926.html |publisher=WorldLeague.com |accessdate=March 9, 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19970709131348/http://www.worldleague.com/general/facts/00035926.html |archivedate=July 9, 1997}}

Personnel

=Staff=

{{NFLE staff

| year = 1997

| team = Rhein Fire

| front_office =

General Manager – Alexander Leibkind

| head_coach =

Head Coach/Running Backs – Galen Hall

| offensive =

Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks – Ken Karcher
Wide Receivers – Wes Chandler
Offensive Line – Bob Lord

| defensive =

Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers – Pete Kuharchek
National Coach/Defensive Line – Walter Rohlfing
Defensive Backs/Special Teams – Steve Carson

}}

=Roster=

{{NFLE roster

|Year=1997

|Team=Rhein Fire

|BC1=#6E273D

|FC1=white

|BDC1=black

|Quarterbacks=

|Running Backs=

|Wide Receivers=

|Tight Ends=

|Offensive Linemen=

|Defensive Linemen=

|Linebackers=

|Defensive Backs=

|Special Teams=

|National Players=

{{NFLplayer|10 {{flagicon|GER|size=12px}}|Manfred Burgsmüller|K}}

{{NFLplayer|link=no|82 {{flagicon|GER|size=12px}}|Martin Driever|TE}}

{{NFLplayer|link=no|75 {{flagicon|GER|size=12px}}|Peter Gross-Pass|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|link=no|71 {{flagicon|GER|size=12px}}|Olaf Hampel|G}}

{{NFLplayer|link=no|94 {{flagicon|JPN|size=12px}}|Takahiro Ikenoue|LB}}

{{NFLplayer|link=no|78 {{flagicon|GER|size=12px}}|Vladimir Ilic|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|link=no| 8 {{flagicon|GER|size=12px}}|Babak Movassaghi|WR}}

}}

Schedule

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center; width:66em"
rowspan="2"\| Week ! rowspan="2"\| Date ! rowspan="2"\| Kickoff {{#tag:ref\|All times local to where the game was played.\|group="n"}} ! rowspan="2"\| Opponent ! colspan="2"\| Results ! rowspan="2"\| Game site ! rowspan="2"\| Attendance
Final score ! Team record
bgcolor="#FFDDDD" ! 1 \| Saturday, April 12 \| 7:00 p.m. \| Barcelona Dragons \| L 12–27 \| 0–1 \| Rheinstadion \| 17,150
bgcolor="#DDFFDD" ! 2 \| Sunday, April 20 \| 3:00 p.m. \| London Monarchs \| W 28–6 \| 1–1 \| Rheinstadion \| 14,876
bgcolor="#DDFFDD" ! 3 \| Sunday, April 27 \| 3:00 p.m. \| at Scottish Claymores \| W 23–10 \| 2–1 \| Murrayfield Stadium \| 11,166
bgcolor="#FFDDDD" ! 4 \| Saturday, May 3 \| 7:00 p.m. \| at Amsterdam Admirals \| L 20–23 \| 2–2 \| Amsterdam ArenA \| 10,698
bgcolor="#DDFFDD" ! 5 \| Saturday, May 10 \| 7:00 p.m. \| Frankfurt Galaxy \| W 10–7 \| 3–2 \| Rheinstadion \| 32,140
bgcolor="#DDFFDD" ! 6 \| Saturday, May 17 \| 7:00 p.m. \| at Frankfurt Galaxy \| W 21–20 \| 4–2 \| Waldstadion \| 39,182
bgcolor="#FFDDDD" ! 7 \| Sunday, May 25 \| 3:00 p.m. \| Scottish Claymores \| L 20–23 \| 4–3 \| Rheinstadion \| 20,498
bgcolor="#DDFFDD" ! 8 \| Saturday, May 31 \| 7:30 p.m. \| at Barcelona Dragons \| W 38–23 \| 5–3 \| Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc \| 13,670
bgcolor="#DDFFDD" ! 9 \| Saturday, June 7 \| 7:00 p.m. \| Amsterdam Admirals \| W 24–0 \| 6–3 \| Rheinstadion \| 23,697
bgcolor="#DDFFDD" ! 10 \| Sunday, June 15 \| 3:00 p.m. \| at London Monarchs \| W 10–7 \| 7–3 \| Stamford Bridge \| 10,462
colspan="8"\| World Bowl '97
bgcolor="#FFDDDD" ! 11 \| Sunday, June 22 \| 7:00 p.m. \| Barcelona Dragons \| L 24–38 \| 7–4 \| Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc \| 31,100

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center; width:66em"

rowspan="2"| Week

! rowspan="2"| Date

! rowspan="2"| Kickoff {{#tag:ref|All times local to where the game was played.|group="n"}}

! rowspan="2"| Opponent

! colspan="2"| Results

! rowspan="2"| Game site

! rowspan="2"| Attendance

Final score

! Team record

bgcolor="#FFDDDD"

! 1

| Saturday, April 12

| 7:00 p.m.

| Barcelona Dragons

| L 12–27

| 0–1

| Rheinstadion

| 17,150

bgcolor="#DDFFDD"

! 2

| Sunday, April 20

| 3:00 p.m.

| London Monarchs

| W 28–6

| 1–1

| Rheinstadion

| 14,876

bgcolor="#DDFFDD"

! 3

| Sunday, April 27

| 3:00 p.m.

| at Scottish Claymores

| W 23–10

| 2–1

| Murrayfield Stadium

| 11,166

bgcolor="#FFDDDD"

! 4

| Saturday, May 3

| 7:00 p.m.

| at Amsterdam Admirals

| L 20–23

| 2–2

| Amsterdam ArenA

| 10,698

bgcolor="#DDFFDD"

! 5

| Saturday, May 10

| 7:00 p.m.

| Frankfurt Galaxy

| W 10–7

| 3–2

| Rheinstadion

| 32,140

bgcolor="#DDFFDD"

! 6

| Saturday, May 17

| 7:00 p.m.

| at Frankfurt Galaxy

| W 21–20

| 4–2

| Waldstadion

| 39,182

bgcolor="#FFDDDD"

! 7

| Sunday, May 25

| 3:00 p.m.

| Scottish Claymores

| L 20–23

| 4–3

| Rheinstadion

| 20,498

bgcolor="#DDFFDD"

! 8

| Saturday, May 31

| 7:30 p.m.

| at Barcelona Dragons

| W 38–23

| 5–3

| Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc

| 13,670

bgcolor="#DDFFDD"

! 9

| Saturday, June 7

| 7:00 p.m.

| Amsterdam Admirals

| W 24–0

| 6–3

| Rheinstadion

| 23,697

bgcolor="#DDFFDD"

! 10

| Sunday, June 15

| 3:00 p.m.

| at London Monarchs

| W 10–7

| 7–3

| Stamford Bridge

| 10,462

colspan="8"| World Bowl '97

bgcolor="#FFDDDD"

! 11

| Sunday, June 22

| 7:00 p.m.

| Barcelona Dragons

| L 24–38

| 7–4

| Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc

| 31,100

{{cite book |title=The Official 1998 NFL Europe League Fact Book |pages=218–222 |chapter=1997 Season in Review}}

{{cite news |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/european-stars-and-stripes/1997-04-14/page-26/ |title=Dragons 27, Fire 12 |date=April 14, 1997 |newspaper=European Stars and Stripes |page=27 |location=Darmstadt, Germany |accessdate=June 5, 2012}}

{{cite web |url=https://apnews.com/06b69cee829bd9a3ae7284b53b872e83 |title=Fire 28, Monarchs 6 |author=Associated Press |date=April 20, 1997 |work=APNewsArchive.com |publisher=Associated Press |accessdate=March 9, 2013}}

{{cite web |url=https://apnews.com/eac927e3a84bcaf8add0a1b8321d2513 |title=Admirals 23, Fire 20 |author=Associated Press |date=May 3, 1997 |work=APNewsArchive.com |publisher=Associated Press |accessdate=March 9, 2013}}

{{cite web |url=https://apnews.com/57d97773739f33d663c94cbe885c6237 |title=Fire 10, Galaxy 7 |author=Associated Press |date=May 10, 1997 |work=APNewsArchive.com |publisher=Associated Press |accessdate=June 30, 2013}}

{{cite web |url=https://apnews.com/e816e38ef3f65ce3c0e3ca25c94b6dc4 |title=Fire 21, Galaxy 20 |author=Associated Press |date=May 17, 1997 |work=APNewsArchive.com |publisher=Associated Press |accessdate=June 30, 2013}}

{{cite web |url=https://apnews.com/f44bdf77a7e05b4561e01c3214bcdc69 |title=Fire 10, Monarchs 7 |author=Associated Press |date=June 15, 1997 |work=APNewsArchive.com |publisher=Associated Press |accessdate=June 30, 2013}}

Standings

Game summaries

=Week 1: vs Barcelona Dragons=

{{Americanfootballbox

| titlestyle = background:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid #AAAAAA; text-align:center;

| title = Week One: Barcelona Dragons at Rhein Fire – Game summary

| date = Saturday, April 12

| time = 7:00 p.m. CEST

| road = Barcelona

| R1 = 7

| R2 = 14

| R3 = 6

| R4 = 0

| home = Rhein

| H1 = 3

| H2 = 3

| H3 = 3

| H4 = 3

| stadium = Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf, Germany

| attendance = 17,150

| weather =

| referee =

| TV =

| TVAnnouncers =

| reference =

| scoring =

| stats =

}}

=Week 2: vs London Monarchs=

{{Americanfootballbox

| titlestyle = background:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid #AAAAAA; text-align:center;

| title = Week Two: London Monarchs at Rhein Fire – Game summary

| date = Sunday, April 20

| time = 3:00 p.m. CEST

| road = London

| R1 = 0

| R2 = 0

| R3 = 0

| R4 = 6

| home = Rhein

| H1 = 0

| H2 = 0

| H3 = 14

| H4 = 14

| stadium = Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf, Germany

| attendance = 14,876

| weather =

| referee =

| TV =

| TVAnnouncers =

| reference =

| scoring =

| stats =

}}

=Week 3: at Scottish Claymores=

{{Americanfootballbox

| titlestyle = background:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid #AAAAAA; text-align:center;

| title = Week Three: Rhein Fire at Scottish Claymores – Game summary

| date = Sunday, April 27

| time = 3:00 p.m. BST

| road = Rhein

| R1 = 13

| R2 = 0

| R3 = 7

| R4 = 3

| home = Scotland

| H1 = 0

| H2 = 0

| H3 = 3

| H4 = 7

| stadium = Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland

| attendance = 11,166

| weather =

| referee =

| TV =

| TVAnnouncers =

| reference =

| scoring =

| stats =

}}

=Week 4: at Amsterdam Admirals=

{{Americanfootballbox

| titlestyle = background:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid #AAAAAA; text-align:center;

| title = Week Four: Rhein Fire at Amsterdam Admirals – Game summary

| date = Saturday, May 3

| time = 7:00 p.m. CEST

| road = Rhein

| R1 = 0

| R2 = 6

| R3 = 7

| R4 = 7

| home = Amsterdam

| H1 = 10

| H2 = 0

| H3 = 6

| H4 = 7

| stadium = Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam, Netherlands

| attendance = 10,698

| weather =

| referee =

| TV =

| TVAnnouncers =

| reference =

| scoring =

| stats =

}}

=Week 5: vs Frankfurt Galaxy=

{{Americanfootballbox

| titlestyle = background:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid #AAAAAA; text-align:center;

| title = Week Five: Frankfurt Galaxy at Rhein Fire – Game summary

| date = Saturday, May 10

| time = 7:00 p.m. CEST

| road = Frankfurt

| R1 = 0

| R2 = 7

| R3 = 0

| R4 = 0

| home = Rhein

| H1 = 0

| H2 = 0

| H3 = 7

| H4 = 3

| stadium = Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf, Germany

| attendance = 32,140

| referee = Phil Luckett

| reference =

}}

=Week 6: at Frankfurt Galaxy=

{{Americanfootballbox

| titlestyle = background:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid #AAAAAA; text-align:center;

| title = Week Six: Rhein Fire at Frankfurt Galaxy – Game summary

| date = Saturday, May 17

| time = 7:00 p.m. CEST

| road = Rhein

| R1 = 0

| R2 = 14

| R3 = 0

| R4 = 7

| home = Frankfurt

| H1 = 3

| H2 = 7

| H3 = 7

| H4 = 3

| stadium = Waldstadion, Frankfurt, Germany

| attendance = 39,182

| reference =

}}

=Week 7: vs Scottish Claymores=

{{Americanfootballbox

| titlestyle = background:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid #AAAAAA; text-align:center;

| title = Week Seven: Scottish Claymores at Rhein Fire – Game summary

| date = Sunday, May 25

| time = 3:00 p.m. CEST

| road = Scotland

| R1 = 7

| R2 = 0

| R3 = 0

| R4 = 16

| home = Rhein

| H1 = 3

| H2 = 10

| H3 = 7

| H4 = 0

| stadium = Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf, Germany

| attendance = 20,498

| weather =

| referee =

| TV =

| TVAnnouncers =

| reference =

| scoring =

| stats =

}}

=Week 8: at Barcelona Dragons=

{{Americanfootballbox

| titlestyle = background:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid #AAAAAA; text-align:center;

| title = Week Eight: Rhein Fire at Barcelona Dragons – Game summary

| date = Saturday, May 31

| time = 7:30 p.m. CEST

| road = Rhein

| R1 = 7

| R2 = 14

| R3 = 7

| R4 = 10

| home = Barcelona

| H1 = 0

| H2 = 9

| H3 = 7

| H4 = 7

| stadium = Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc, Barcelona, Spain

| attendance = 13,670

| weather =

| referee =

| TV =

| TVAnnouncers =

| reference =

| scoring =

| stats =

}}

=Week 9: vs Amsterdam Admirals=

{{Americanfootballbox

| titlestyle = background:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid #AAAAAA; text-align:center;

| title = Week Nine: Amsterdam Admirals at Rhein Fire – Game summary

| date = Saturday, June 7

| time = 7:00 p.m. CEST

| road = Amsterdam

| R1 = 0

| R2 = 0

| R3 = 0

| R4 = 0

| home = Rhein

| H1 = 7

| H2 = 10

| H3 = 0

| H4 = 7

| stadium = Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf, Germany

| attendance = 23,697

| weather =

| referee =

| TV =

| TVAnnouncers =

| reference =

| scoring =

| stats =

}}

=Week 10: at London Monarchs=

{{Americanfootballbox

| titlestyle = background:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid #AAAAAA; text-align:center;

| title = Week Ten: Rhein Fire at London Monarchs – Game summary

| date = Sunday, June 15

| time = 3:00 p.m. BST

| road = Rhein

| R1 = 0

| R2 = 3

| R3 = 7

| R4 = 0

| home = London

| H1 = 0

| H2 = 7

| H3 = 0

| H4 = 0

| stadium = Stamford Bridge, London, England

| attendance = 10,462

| referee = Phil Luckett

| reference =

}}

=World Bowl '97=

{{Americanfootballbox

| titlestyle = background:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid #AAAAAA; text-align:center;

| title = World Bowl '97: Rhein Fire vs Barcelona Dragons – Game summary

| date = Sunday, June 22

| time = 7:00 p.m. CEST

| road = Rhein

| R1 = 3

| R2 = 14

| R3 = 0

| R4 = 7

| home = Barcelona

| H1 = 14

| H2 = 14

| H3 = 7

| H4 = 3

| stadium = Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc, Barcelona, Spain

| attendance = 31,100

| weather =

| referee = Phil Luckett

| TV =

| TVAnnouncers =

| reference =

| scoring =

| stats =

}}

Awards

After the completion of the regular season, the All-World League team was selected by members of the media.{{cite web|url=http://www.worldleague.com/general/news/allworld.html |title=1997 All-World League team |date=June 20, 1997 |publisher=WorldLeague.com |accessdate=March 9, 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19970709130411/http://www.worldleague.com/general/news/allworld.html |archivedate=July 9, 1997}} Overall, Rhein had six players selected. The selections were:

T. J. Rubley, quarterback
Bill Schroeder, wide receiver
Ethan Brooks, offensive tackle
Mike Sheldon, guard
Bob Kronenberg, center
Spencer Folau, offensive tackle

Additionally, Rubley was selected offensive MVP by the six World League head coaches.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/21/sports/rubley-and-simmons-honored.html |title=Rubley and Simmons Honored |date=June 21, 1997 |work=The New York Times |accessdate=March 9, 2013 |location=Manhattan, New York}} Galen Hall earned Coach of the Year honors.

Notes

References

Category:Rhein Fire seasons

Rhein