McCoo rewarded following big Thunder win
May 25, 2004 - National Football League Europa (NFLE) News Release
FOLLOWING a weekend when he powered his World Bowl-bound team to the top of the NFLEL standings and took over as the league's leading rusher, ERIC McCOO, of the Berlin Thunder, has been named Offensive Player of the Week.
Other stars of Week 8 to collect awards were Cologne Centurions defensive end FELIPE CLAYBROOKS, Scottish Claymores kicker ROB HART and Claymores wide receiver SCOTT McCREADY, who was honoured for the third time this season.
McCoo - allocated to NFL Europe by the Philadelphia Eagles - gained 187 yards from scrimmage during Berlin's 31-27 defeat of the Frankfurt Galaxy on Saturday night in what served as a dress rehearsal for World Bowl XII.
The former Penn State star rushed for 106 yards on 23 carries and added 5 catches for 81 yards, scoring on a 28-yard screen pass from ROHAN DAVEY in the second quarter. Through eight games this season, McCoo has rushed for a league-leading 534 yards on 113 carries, scoring on 3 runs. He has added 22 catches for 198 yards and a touchdown.
Claybrooks led a Cologne Centurions defense that held the Rhein Fire to just six points in a game broadcast on the main FOX TV network in the United States.
The Cleveland Browns-allocated defender recorded 5 tackles, including 3.5 sacks, forced 2 fumbles and knocked down a pass as Cologne ran out 7-6 winners. On the season, Claybrooks ranks third in NFL Europe with 7.5 sacks and has recorded 27 tackles and 3 forced fumbles.
Barefoot kicker Hart, who has spent the past two NFL seasons in training camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002) and Miami Dolphins (2003), was named Special Teams Player of Week 8 after he kicked a game-winning 43-yard field goal during Scotland's 19-17 victory over the Admirals in Amsterdam.
Hart, who also earned Player of the Week honours in Week 6, added a 24-yard field goal and 1 PAT for a total of 7 points. He is currently NFL Europe's all-time leading scorer with 346 points and he has converted more field goals (60) than any other player in league history.
Hart has kicked 7 of 10 field goals and 8 of 9 PATs this season for a total of 29 points, ranking him third among NFL Europe kickers.
McCready - who became the first Brit to win a Super Bowl ring as a member of the 2001 New England Patriots - was named National Player of the Week for the third time this season.
The sure-handed, London-born wide receiver caught 7 passes for 91 yards and added 1 run for 7 yards during the Claymores two-point victory in the Netherlands. McCready leads NFL Europe with 47 receptions for 414 yards and 1 touchdown this season and is bidding to become the first national player in league history to lead a major statistical category outside of kicking.
McCready's other Player of the Week awards came in Weeks 1 and 7.
National Football League Europa Stories from May 25, 2004
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