WEEK 1 - CLAYMORES 45 DRAGONS 17

Joe, who played for the Claymores in 1998, was inducted into our Hall of Fame at the weekend. Although the 98 team went 2-8, Joe was a standout, and made the all league team (only one of 2 Claymores that year to do so).

Check out Joe's HoF biography

Maybe one day, when his neck finally gives out, we'll have a game day tribute to the Mad Hatter, who sacrificed the use of several vertebrae in pursuit of donning the perfect headgear. This week, the ensemble piece centered around a fire engine and a US Flag. Don't we play the Fire next week though?

After the Andruzzi brothers had finished on stage, the Claymores sent out a comedian to try and warm up the somber crowd. Buddy here's a tip - don't give up yer day job!

(Seriously though we miss you on the field #81 ...)

Rob Hart leads the 2002 Claymores onto the field to do battle with the Dragons.

Dragons coach Jack Bicknell has certainly had his way against the Claymores compiling a 10-4 mark, but the Scots are 4-3 on their home soil.

Jack's team would never get into rhythm on this day ...

Opening kickoff of the season, and returning veteran Hurley Tarver steps up to make the tackle on Carl Fair. The D quickly forced a 3 and out and had excellent field position to start.

The offense looked much better in Tampa, and it didn't disappoint when it got the ball.

Unlike last year, Scott Dreisbach has a multitude of weapons to choose from. The #4 WR on this years team would have been #1 last year.

But it was the running game that got things going early. Behind the quick moves and sweet cuts of Herbert "Whisper" Goodman the Claymores O marched down the field effortlessly.

Then on 3rd and Goal, Dreisbach cashed in finding Scott McCready for a 4 yard TD pass under the goal posts.

CLAYMORES 7-0

There are more ex Claymores on other rosters this year than our own, and one of them was starting at safety - Renard Cox.

Cox was called into a lot of run support early as the Claymores pounded away.

And at the center of that was our man McAllister "Big Mac" Collins who had earned the starting job at center. The line played really well most of the day, easing any worries we may have had from Tampa.

Another good drive led to a 23 yard Rob Hart FG

CLAYMORES 10-0

Enter Ted White. The "Bad Penny" turned Good Euro as he managed to spark the Dragons O, standing tough in the pocket, and hitting key 3rd down conversions. With his confidence shattered after the 2000 season in Frankfurt, he was the last guy you thought you'd see back, but we wish him well on his resurrection.

The drive ended with White hitting TE Brandon Christenson for a 2 yard TD. Here's another guy worth rooting for. He broke his leg early on in WB IX last year, and as one of Mike Green's key blockers, the Dragons never got their running game going after that. He's battled back from injury and it wasn't the last time he'd hit paydirt on this day.

The Doctor was on the Field late in the 2nd as Goodman took a knock to his wrist (that may have hampered his efforts at holding onto the ball in the 2nd half).

We were shocked to hear that the Doctor is only doing 5 games this year. We thought of boycotting these games in protest, but changed our minds.

CLAYMORES 10-7 (HT)

The 3rd quarter started with a bang as James Rooths took the kickoff back 54 yards. 3 plays later Scott Air connected again - as Dreisbach found McCready for a 26 yard TD.

CLAYMORES 17-7

Poised to put the game away on their next drive, Whisper lets the ball slip away as he is hit by Than Merrill. The Dragons recovered and marched down the field ...

But a key 3rd and Goal pressure from London Dunlap forces Germaine (back under center in the 3rd Q) to throw the ball away and the Dragons have to settle for a 25 yard Jesus Angoy FG.

CLAYMORES 17-10

But the ball is on the ground! Big Mac (#72) rushes in ... The last 2 years, our top pick in the fan draft has scored on opening day (Stecker and Hall - in fact the 1st TD of the season). At the draft, Andy Colvin says to us that if Big Mac scores for the Claymores this year we're either in for a long year or he's our secret weapon! Could it actually happen?

No! But it's a touchdown Claymores anyway! Jarvis "The Green Mile" Borum has suffocated the pigskin and the Scots are awarded 6 points!

CLAYMORES 24-10

Then the rout was on. JJ Moses goes 68 yards on a punt return to set up another Claymores score. He's actually seen here on his first punt return of the day - further attempts to capture him on film were unsuccessful to his blurry speed! The punt return was the longest in team history.

This time Whisper hangs on and dives in from 5 yards out!

CLAYMORES 31-10

The Dragons came back with another TD to Christianson, this time from Joe Germaine, but their passing game was held in check all day. The dangerous Richmond Flowers (#9) only got 2 catches, as Earl Riley and the 2 new safeties Gary and Shields hit everything that moved back there!

CLAYMORES 31-17

The Claymores got a TE of their own in the end zone as Elliot Carson snagged a short Dreisbach pass and out ran Renard Cox to the corner of the end zone for 6 more points!

CLAYMORES 38-17

The final score of the day came from CB James Rooths who stole a pass from Dragons 3rd stringer Mike Watkins and raced 69 yards for a TD. Rooths had already had a super day with 2 kick returns of 50+ yards.

The 45 points was the most ever for the Claymores on home soil.

CLAYMORES 45-17

Last but not least - Coach D! Gene's Lean Mean Football Machine was firing on all cylinders Sunday and big kudos to all the coaching staff for a super job.

Now Gene looks for his first road win this week in Dusseldorf where traditionally we always play badly. Another win this week though will really get us on a roll!