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1998 SEASON - WEEK 6 |
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Thanks to the return of Monday night football in Week 6 in Barcelona, the first NFL Europe tripleheader was made possible and duly completed by the Scottish Cheddarheads and Jochen the Legend. The following are diary extracts from the long long weekend. Friday Cheddarheads arrive at Heathrow airport. Bump into Andy Colvin who buys each one a drink. This must be a special weekend! At Düsseldorf airport we have a welcoming party of 30 Fire and Claymores fans who cheer us through customs. Overcome with emotion and a need for German beer it's straight to Bar 77 for the last ever fan party there before it closes. Great party between the Claymores fans, FIRE.PL@NET, Burning Hearts and Fire Flames. Fire special teams, Danny Kight and Nate Cochran also show up who get their usual Scottish welcome. Then it's off to Oldtown for a civilised binge till 5am. |
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Saturday Gameday 1. Arrive at Rheinstadion early. Cheddarheads meet their favourite Pyromaniac. Then when the power party begins, we are invited up on stage where we have to flash our kilts at the thousands of bemused Germans. Then we put in a DSF performance with Michael Lang. Finally Jochen turns up, and it's into the stadium for some gametime action. |
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Saturday Gameday 1. Arrive at Rheinstadion early. Cheddarheads meet their favourite Pyromaniac. Then when the power party begins, we are invited up on stage where we have to flash our kilts at the thousands of bemused Germans. Then we put in a DSF performance with Michael Lang. Finally Jochen turns up, and it's into the stadium for some gametime action. |
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Ooops!
Claymores lose a close one. No matter, as it's back outside the stadium
for another party. This time around the big screen watching the Eurovision,
as the points come in, with thousands of crazed Germans screaming every
mark. Surreal moment of the weekend. Then back to the Oldtown for more
partying, crashing out at about 4am.
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Sunday Gameday 2. Back to Dusseldorf airport. We unexpectedly meet Jochen who was supposed to be on an earlier flight but slept through the boarding call (and an Andy Colvin wake up call). Get him on our flight back to Heathrow and eventually haul our tired asses out to Crystal Palace and plant ourselves amongst the Admiral fans and 'heavy' security. |
| Ooops! Monarchs lose the sackfest. We celebrate with our Dutch friends and whoever else we can find and then it's an early night - back in a bed for 1am. | |
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Monday Gameday 3. Fly to Barcelona. Get to the stadium - only Galaxy fans about, as all the Dragons are on siesta. Naturally they are a bit surprised to see us. |
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Ooops!
Galaxy stink it out in the 2nd half and get clobbered. Galaxy fans turn
their shirts inside out in disgust. Our flags and banner get a DSF appearance
over Michael Lang's shoulder at halftime. We just keep partyin' throughout,
especially with our friends at Penya Sitges Sack, and the Fire Fanclubs
(Fire.Pl@net and Burning Hearts) that are out there a week early for
their game.
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| Back to Sitges afterwards where the Sports Bar owner Miguel rewards us with champagne for completion of out tripleheader. Re-acquaint ourselves with the Dragons coaching staff once more. Then its to the beach where Jochen 'goes commando' and appears to attempt to swim to Italy. He fails of course, and on his return the police ask him to 'cover himself'. And thus we found another use for the cheddarhead! Crash out a 5.30am unable to make it to dawn. | |
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Tuesday Chill out! Claymores win International NFL Europe Crazy Golf tournament despite German beer inflicted wounds. Back in the Sitges Sports Bar again drinking and missing the last train to the Airport. Thus again requiring the much used services of Fire.Pl@net to get us to the Airport at 1am in the morning. |
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Wednesday All nighter at the airport to get the 7am flight. Fog in London puts us in Birmingham at 9.30 when we should be at work in London at 9........ BIG OOPS! Oh well, it was all worth it for a wee bit of history. |
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