Back by popular demand, and quickly uploaded after everyone complained at the top of the week - is Pictures of Drunk People!

Wait a minute - he's not drunk! Lorne laughs as he's thinks how cold the chest hair challenged will be tomorrow! (see below)

That's getting better! Mr Touchdown Claymores and Mr Trench Crew AKA Steve and Ton appear to be in more in the spirit of things.

Ton models the new line in Trench Gear apparel. Do check our their revamped web-site at http://www.tonv.demon.nl/admirals/main.htm - its almost as mad as ours. I do say "their" as the TC are 2 - but alas the other hoodlum, known to the police simply as "Velcro" was a shock absentee in Edinburgh due to a women's rugby match!

Perfect! Shuggie displays his drunken disbelief that the Raiders just drafted a kicker in the 1^st round of the draft! The carnage would continue as these two would "hilariously" mix up their keys resulting in the Cheddars being locked out of Hotel Fester at 2am (despite furious attempts to open the Yale lock with car keys) and poor Blinky being locked out of his car and forced to make the long walk back to the same Hotel!

The newly formed Admiralty Fan Club was out in full force on this Cambridge night. Roelof, the president is seen here squeezing the Cheddar boys, while Jackie holds the beers and Hooch!

Photo credit: Steve D

Then there was the matter of Game Day! It was cold. It pissed it down. It hailed it down. Did I say it was cold? So what do 9 virile males Claymores fans do? Strip that's what! No close ups were available due to the malfunctioning of all camera equipment that went near these manly chests.

You may notice that the S is missing on this above shot - blame f'in clown Preston who was unsuccessfully trying to hunt down Kevin Greene at the time …

Game Report

1-0 baby! The Claymores opened the season in convincing style with a comfortable 28-9 win over their recent nemesis, the Admirals. How convincing? Well it was our 2^nd biggest home win in team history (only a 31-10 win over the Dragons in 98 was greater).

The talk of training camp, the defensive line otherwise known as the NOISY DAWGS or SCOTTISH HOUNDS lived up to its billing logging 7 sacks. And when the offense finally came of its kennel, it was un- Claymore like efficient in the red zone scoring 4 touchdowns, with our man Aaron Stecker notching two memorable TD's.

However the game started in less than convincing fashion. Rob Hart was forced to make a tackle at midfield on Admirals KR/CB Beshir Levingston, and the Dutch O led by Jim Kubiak moved ominously toward the end zone. But the Dawgs held firm on 3^rd and goal when Duane Hawthorne knocked a pass away from L.C. Stevens and the Admirals settled for three.

On the Claymores first offensive play, a tentative Kevin Daft had his first pass picked off by Admirals S Antonio Banks. The whole of Murrayfield let out a collective groan, and the first calling for back-up Marcus Crandell was heard. However it was up to the Hounds to deny the Admirals at the goal-line again as Ralph Dawkins was hit in the backfield by Phil Glover and Amsterdam settled for another Diliberto FG.

Last years defense would have spotted the offense a tough 14-0 hole to climb out of, but this years unit had kept the game close and when the Claymores finally started to move the ball in the second quarter it was game, set and match. Kevin Daft settled down, and using a variety of short passes, including a nice screen to Stecker move the ball down the field. On 1^st and 10 from the Admirals 13 he once again spotted Steck swinging out the backfield who left LB Shawn Stuckey grasping for air with an amazing open field move and jolted into the end-zone for the 1^st score of the season. Rob Hart tacked on the extra point and we were rolling.

Thanks to a favorable PI call on CB Beshir Levingston on 4^th down on our next drive, we were in scoring range again. This time Kevin delivered a strike to a fully stretched "Dr. Scoops" who had beaten Antonio Banks on the play. Murrayfield erupted as our local hero notched his 6^th career touchdown for a 14-6 lead. A Jose Cortez FG at the end of the first half made the halftime score 14-9.

The Claymores almost fumbled away the opening 2^nd half kickoff thanks to some botched razzle dazzle between Kory Blackwell and Damon Gibson. But the offense made no mistakes when it got the ball. Steck had a nice 18 yard run, and then went deep on LB Masafumi Kawaguchi for a stunning 39 yard TD pass that Kevin Daft laid on beautifully.

With the score 21-9 Claymores, it was time to RELEASE THE HOUNDS!!! And that they did, turning up the heat on Jim Kubiak who started missing his receivers with regularity. The barking sounds from the Murrayfield stands was a memorable scene, being credited by coach Criner after the game and it should improve as the season progresses. The Admirals O sunk without trace in the second half.

In the 4^th quarter, Daft hit Rickey Brady for a 20 yard score, who rumbled in thanks to a great downfield block by Damon Gibson. It was Brady's first TD as a Claymore, after failing to get one in the 97 season.

So 1-0 and off to Frankfurt we go to face the defending champs who are coming off a convincing 32-7 rout of the Thunder. Should be a great one!

WEEK 1 CHEDDARS

 RB Aaron Stecker - Steck provided the spark that the Claymores offense needed with his electric open field moves. He was our biggest threat in the air (4 catches for 83 yards 2 TD's), embarrassing every Admirals LB that tried to cover him. Now if we can only get some run blocking for him … (12 carries for 30 yards)

 DT Antonio Dingle - Dingle, the leader of the Hounds had an awesome day with 5 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble and numerous other pressures. All the Hounds deserve a Cheddar for their performance really. Jim Kubiak never got in rhythm like last year and was missing passes badly in the 2^nd half thanks to constant pressure.

 DE Michael Mason - The ex Thunder sack master brought his trade to Scotland in style with a 2 sack debut as a Claymore Hound!

 WR Scott Couper - Scoops suffered a wee bit of unfair criticism last year when he had a slow start. No such worries this season. He caught Kevin Daft's first completion of the year at full stretch, and repeated the trick in the end zone for his 6^th career touchdown. Led all wide receivers with 3 catches for 27 yards.

 CB Duane Hawthorne - So much for L.C Stevens then! The Admirals danger man was shut down most of the day (2 catches for 16 yards), and most of that credit goes to #38 who the Admirals wisely avoided throwing to. (1 tackle, 1 pass defensed).

 QB Kevin Daft - Well he did throw 4 TD's after all! (The first Claymores QB not called Dameyune to do that!). Settled down after that first pass, and played a sensible game avoiding turnovers the rest of the game. (14 of 23 for 199 yards 4TD's 1 INT). Showed some running ability with some first down scrambles (5 for 28 yards).

 WR Damon Gibson - Apart from one ill advised trick hand off, looked great on both punt (4 for 60 yards) and kickoff (2 for 51 yards) returns all day. Should take one to the house before the season is done! Had a quiet day on offense (1 catch for 3 yards).

 DE Chris Ward - Another standout Hound. His stats seem to change on a daily basis, but his performance got him a share of the Defensive Player of the Week with Dingle. His sack, strip and fumble recovery in the 4^th quarter iced the game.

 LB Phil Glover - Was a force behind the Dawgs, constantly in the backfield (5 tackles, 1 sack). Made a key goal line stop of Ralph Dawkins in the 1^st Q.

 TE Rickey Brady - Scored his first TD as a Claymore (1 for 20 yds). Well done Rickey!

The Hounds were dominant all day logging 7 sacks.

Game MVP Aaron Stecker prepares to go off tackle right.

QB Kevin Daft settled down, and went on to throw 4 TD passes

'Steck' gets congratulated after his second TD

Photo credit: Steve D

Dazed, confused but 1-0 BABY!!!

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