Speaking of Frankfurt - this year we were entertained by a streaker. What we hadn't realized (due to insufficient zoom) was that our streaker wasn't completely au naturel. Here Webby outlines the piercing technicalities of a Prince Albert to Lynn and Dom ...

Flower of Scotland 'performed' by Speedway ... BRING BACK KARL!

As well as welcoming back half our coaching staff from last season, Week 9's main interest was whether LB Ryan Myers could break George Coghill's all-time season record for tackles. He entered the game on 57 tackles and needed 4 to tie it.

Kickoff and Ian Smart runs back a short kickoff 25 yards the 45 yard line giving new starting QB Tom Arth excellent field position.

Things start sideways with a 1 yard pass to Herb Haygood - but an end around to Haygood nets 13 yards, plus 15 more from a personal foul on Thunder S Keith Davis.

Two plays we're in the end zone courtesy of Maurice Hicks. Hicks owns the longest TD run in league history (93 yards) which he reeled off versus the Thunder last year at Hampden. This year it's only 26 yards - but it's the longest rush by a RB this season. He takes the handoff and bolts straight into the secondary, where 4 Thunder defenders gave chase but to no avail. In fact the race is over at the 10 yard line as Maurice decides to celebrate then. Thankfully he keeps chugging into the end zone.

CLAYMORES 7-0

TOUCHDOWN CLAYMORES!

That brought soon to be league MVP Rohan Davey onto the field.

We didn't really see the best of #7 in Berlin in Week 1. Since then however he's set the league on fire throwing 17 TD's in the 7 games in between.

Things started slowly here for him too. His missed his 1st pass, and then on 3rd and 7 his pass out Richard Alston was broken up by Brad Franklin and the Thunder had to punt.

The Claymores 2nd drive was led by Ian Smart. First off he ripped off runs of 12 and 13 yards to move the chains. Then a 8 yard catch from Arth got another 1st down. However on 3rd and 7 from the Thunder 17, Arth could only scramble for 6 and Rob Hart came on to slot home a 29 yard FG.

CLAYMORES 10-0

Berlin were 3 and out on their next drive as our defense wouldn't let Davey settle into a rhythm.

The Claymores offense again started well. After a Berlin penalty, Scott McCready took a short Arth pass and broke away for 7 yards and a 1st down.

However the 2nd attempted end around to Herb Haygood was snuffed out by the Thunder this time and he was hauled down for a 3 yard loss. He actually lost the ball but managed to grab it on the way down. Arth couldn't convert 3rd and long and Nick Murphy came on to punt for the 1st time.

It was Davey 3 and out for the 3rd time however. Thomas Wright broke up this 1st down pass, and after a run for no gain, Davey's 3rd down pass was dropped by LeShaun Ward.

2nd Q
After Arth converted a 3rd and 5 by scrambling for 9 yards, Ian Smart again showed a good burst going over left guard for 8 yards. Sadly a Ron Bellamy holding call negated most of the yards, and Arth was unable to get a 1st down after that.

But from 1st and goal to the 1, the offense first stalled (Hicks for no gain) and then went into reverse (Hicks loss of 4). Hybl's 3rd down pass to Bellamy was incomplete and Rob Hart came on to nail a 23 yard FG. But you you sensed that the Thunder's goal line stand had changed the momentum.

CLAYMORES 13-0

The introduction of David Rivers at QB furthered the momentum swing. After 2 Eric McCoo runs for losses, the Claymores D had him pegged back at his own 33 on 3rd and 14 at the 2 minute warning. But he was able to find McCoo over the middle for 16 yards, then hit Gessner for gains of 6 and 26 yards. Another pass to McCoo over the middle gained 15 to the 4 yard line, and before the D could catch their breath Rivers charged up the middle on a 4 yard QB draw to open their scoring. Khalil Carter blocked Quast's extra point though to keep the lead at 7.

CLAYMORES 13-6

With only 45 seconds left, Hybl was unable to execute the 2 minute offense getting sacked on 3rd down. Instead of punting they sensibly threw incomplete on 4th down to run out the clock.

CLAYMORES 13-7 (HT)

3rd Q
The Thunder got the ball first, and looked to have been stopped on 3rd and 5 but Gerald Dixon was called for pass interference. After that they immediately continued their effectiveness thanks to the efforts of Eric McCoo out the backfield. Rivers found him for gains of 25, 16 and 13 yards that had Berlin in the Scotland red zone again.

On 2nd and goal, Rivers found LeShaun Ward, who had beaten Gerald Dixon inside, for a 9 yard TD pass to level the scores.

13-13 ALL TIED

The depression at the loss of the lead was boosted in the South Stand by the dual presence of some pints and Andy Colvin - merely a coincidence!

Andy was there to make sure no rowdy "We Want Curt" chants broke out in the 3rd quarter.

The Claymores O responded, thanks to Maurice Hicks (legs pictured) who got loose for gains of 17 and 14 yards to move the chains. Arth (back at QB) also found Aaron Golliday for a key 3rd down conversion.

However on 3rd and 3 from the Thunder 17 yard line, Arth's pass was dropped by Ron Bellamy at the 2 yard line. Perhaps Ron heard the footsteps of Thunder CB Oliver Celestein who laid him out a split second later.

Rob Hart was good on his 35 yard FG and we had the lead again.

CLAYMORES 16-13

The D finally started to get some pressure on Rivers. First Alan Harper sacked him, as he tried to throw the ball away. Further pressure forced him into back to back incompletions and the Thunder were punting again.

But the Claymores went 3 and out with Arth and had to punt too. Nick Murphy's 29 yard effort gave Berlin excellent field position, and Rivers's 15 yard run at the end of the quarter got the ball to the Claymores 30 yard line.

4th Q
3rd and 7 - once again when Rivers was about to be swamped, he was able to find his safety valve in McCoo who made the catch for 9 and 1st down. Initially it was ruled incomplete - but the call was changed after some deliberation. The completion gave Ryan Myers his 61st tackle.

And on the next play when Rivers found LeShaun Ward over the middle - Ryan Myers had his 62nd tackle breaking George's Coghill's season record. Good job Ryan - it seems a long time since we saw you slugging it out for the Akron Zips 2 years ago!

THE FOOTBALL GODS GIVETH!

Arth was immediately sacked by Corey Smith, and fumbled ... but the ball bounced toward blue again! Lineman Doug Kaufusi picked it up and started to run, but was hit and he too fumbled ... back into the end zone. And there was Corey Smith again to fall on the loose pig for a Thunder TD.

THUNDER 20-16

4 plays later, Rivers rolled right and fired a 12 yard TD to TE Mike Pinkard to put a nail in the Claymores coffin. 14 cheap points in 5 minutes.

THUNDER 27-16

Arth kept plugging away however, and hit 5 straight passes for 47 yards including gains of 11 and 16 yards to forgotten man Scott Couper. However the drive stalled at the 25 yard line, but reliable Rob Hart was good again for 43 yards to make it a 1 score game with just under 4 mins left.

THUNDER 27-19

The D forced the Thunder to go 3 and out and an Ian Smart catch and run got the ball to the 48 yard line. But 2 surprise runs surprised no-one, and an incomplete on 3rd down made it 4th and 9. Arth rolled right and heaved it downfield but the pass to McCready was broken up. Game over.

FINAL
THUNDER 27 CLAYMORES 19

Game "cheddars" to...

Rob Hart. Is kicking now as well as he ever has. His 4 for 4 day on FG's all but clinches him his spot on the all-NFLE team again.

Maurice Hicks & Ian Smart. With Galloway 'rested' we had a terrific running game all game. Combined for 112 yards on 21 carries including Hicks's 28 yard TD sprint. Also added 5 catches for 38 yards.

Alphonso Roundtree & Brad Franklin. Helped shut down Berlin's dangerous receivers most of the day.

Scott McCready. 11 catches. Only 52 yards however as on several occasions 6 tackles to lead the team and crucial forced fumble in 4th quarter.

Ryan Myers. 5 tackles (4 solo) to break Coghill's record.

What we learnt after Week 9 ...

We got the RB combo right. Galloway has not come back from injury - so alternating Hicks and Smart gave us our best RB rushing day of the season.

What happened to common Curt-tesy? It's getting boring arguing this every week but just what was so wrong with a 13 point lead in Amsterdam? Since Curt was asked to sit down we've been outscored 41-22. Worryingly our red zone problems, which had disappeared with Curt mainly at QB in Frankfurt and Amsterdam have resurfaced too. If they'd just brought him in for a sneak on the 1 yard line ...

Play of the season. The double fumble that gave Berlin their winning TD pretty much summed up the 2004 Claymores season.

Rohan who? In 87 career NFLE attempts David Rivers had a completion percentage of 75% and a rating of 117.4.

Odds & Ends

Full marks (or should that be euros) to FTP Sanna for her "NO NFLG" banner, here modeled by the FTP, Ian Smart & Preston. Does this mean we would play the Admirals 10 times a year?

To find out what the FTPers made of the weekend please go to their site as always.

Thanks to everybody that helped with the "Save the Claymores" petition on Saturday. Lots more signatures!

Here Jim Tomsula thinks he's signing the petition too. In fact Preston has cunningly inserted a coaching contract that will bind him into returning to Scotland in 2005! 2 more weeks until you get your WB ring Jim ...

After the depression of another loss began to sank in, there was only 1 way to cure it. Go and out and shoot some pool and beat some girls ... barely.

Gregor & Preston 'celebrate' an epic triple OT victory on the 8-ball.

And so 1 more week to go before we close the doors on another Claymores season.

With the 3-6 Centurions marching into Glasgow - we have an excellent chance to end the season with a much needed morale boosting victory.

And who knows, if we win by more than 14, we might get to give the Toilet Bowl away ...