Jack Bicknell

(written in 1999)

Jack Bicknell is the Don Shula of NFL Europe. He holds the career record for most regular season wins (32) and postseason wins (2), and is he is one of the few people in the current set-up of the league with links back to 1991, its' first season. Until last season, "Cowboy Jack" had guided the Dragons to five straight non-losing seasons. It is hard to think of anybody coaching else the Dragons.

Jack's first head coaching experience came at Maine between 1976 and 1980 (career record 18-35-1), but he is best known for his long stint at Boston College, where he turned round a fledging program and took it to uncharted heights. He coached at BC for 10 years, compiling a 59-55-1 record there, including a 1984 Cotton Bowl victory.

However it's "The Miracle in Miami", in 1984, that Jack will always be linked too - one of the most famous college football games of all time. On the day after Thanksgiving, huge underdog BC pulled a huge upset, toppling unbeaten Miami 47-45 at the Orange Bowl, in a game where the lead changed 5 times in the final quarter. With no time on the clock, and the ball at the Miami 48, Doug Flutie hurled a pass down the field (which traveled some 64 yards through the air) which Gerald Phelan caught among a crowd of Miami defenders for the winning score. The play propelled Flutie to the Heisman Trophy that season.

In 1991, Jack joined the first incarnation of the World League and took his Dragons all the way to World Bowl, knocking off the unbeaten Monarchs along the way. However in the first ever championship game of the league, London would get revenge winning 21-0, forcing Dragons QB Scott Erney into 4 first half interceptions (he threw just 2 in the regular season).

The following season, Jack did an amazing job in leading the Dragons to the European Division crown. The team was only 5-5, had scored just 104 points (the lowest ever in NFLE history) and had been shut 3 times, and limped into the play-offs on a 4 game losing streak. However they came within a whisker of upsetting red hot and eventual champion Sacramento Surge - losing 17-15 when Cary Blanchard hit a long field in the closing seconds.

Jack was the only coach the Dragons ever had

During the 2-year hiatus of the league, Jack never lost touch with Europe participating in numerous coaching clinics that the NFL ran. When the league returned in 95, it was an automatic that he would continue his role as Dragons head coach. In the first two years back, the Dragons went close both seasons, getting eliminated by the Galaxy on the final weekend in 95, and during the penultimate week in 96. Then in 97, it all came together thanks to a high powered offense led by Jon Kitna, and Jack finally got his World Bowl ring.

Jack gets animated on the sidelines

We hope, as long there is NFLE, there will always be a Jack Bicknell in Barcelona. The league just wouldn't be the same without him!

• 93 Coaching Clinic. In a sports hall in Manchester, that has an unusual chandelier hanging from the ceiling, Jack proceeds to zing bullets across the hall to a nervous looking Bill Peterson. How he misses I don't know! But it's all about having big hands, like Doug Flutie, he tells us.
• 96 All Season. When 'Sounds of the League' eavesdropped on Jack he was in stellar form. These are some of the best we can remember.

1. "Don't be sick today! Get sick tomorrow!"
2. "We're unbelievable Dick [Curl]. We're just the dumbest freakin' football team I've ever been around!"
3. "This is just nuts. It makes me want to throw up!"
4. "Tuck his pants in. At least make him look like a football player!"

• 97 World Bowl. Marcos Martos scores on 66 yard TD, the last 5 yards he spends turning round to taunt the Fire defense. Jack explodes on the sideline - telling the classless Martos that if he does that again he send him back to his native Mexico "IN A BOX!"
• 97 World Bowl. After coming close to World Bowl victory in both 91 and 92, Jack finally gets a much-deserved championship when Jon Kitna leads the Dragons over the Fire 38-24.
• 98 World Bowl Party. The Cheddarheads present Jack with a copy of their season review and announce to Jack that he has won best Male Cheddar.

Career Statistics

Year

W

L

%

Postseason

98

4

6

.400

97

5

5

.500

1-0

96

5

5

.500

95

5

5

.500

92

5

5

.500

0-1

91

8

2

.800

1-1

Totals

32

28

.533

2-2

To go back to the Cheddar Hall of Fame click here!

To go back to the main menu instead click here!