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Rhein hopes to keep World Bowl chance alive with win over Dragons

June 3, 2003 - National Football League Europa (NFLE)
Rhein Fire News Release


Gelsenkirchen, Germany – After a tough trip at Frankfurt in which the Galaxy became the first participant in World Bowl XI, the Rhein Fire (5-4) return home to face the F.C. Barcelona Dragons (5-4) in a battle that may decide the second team in the World Bowl. With a win and either a Scottish or Frankfurt Week 10 loss, the Fire are in. With a win at Rhein and a Scottish loss the Dragons have their ticket punched.

"Even with the loss last week we still have a chance," says head coach Pete Kuharchek. "It is too bad we could not take advantage when destiny was in our control but the least we can ask is to have a shot at the World Bowl."

Barcelona is suffering from a two-game slide and fall from the top spot in the League. Earlier this season the Dragons defeated the Fire 11-3 at Mini Estadia in Barcelona.

Several Fire players have a chance at winning statistical categories. Running back Autry Denson is second in rushing going into Week 10, 60 yards behind Scottish RB Ken Simonton. National kicker Ingo Anderbrugge is a perfect 6-6 for field goals, the top percentage in the League. National defensive tackle Bastian Lano has 6.5 sacks, second in the League and looking to be the first national player to win a major statistical category. Lemual Ligon has three interceptions on the year, tied for second.

It is possible that the Fire will have to wait until Sunday's Scotland-Amsterdam game to finish to see if they are going to the World Bowl but Sunday's bout will only prove relevant with a win against the Dragons. If the Fire qualify it will be their second-straight World Bowl appearance and fifth in the last seven years.

GAME INFORMATION

ANNOUNCERS
Matt Shephard– play-by-play
Curtis Baham– color commentary

TV
USA: DirecTV Fox Sports Net (12:00 ET)

STADIUM ADDRESS
Arena AufSchalke
Gelsenkirchen, Germany

HEAD COACHES
Rhein Fire:
Pete Kuharchek
17-12 overall, 2-3 vs. Barcelona

F.C. Barcelona:
Jack Bicknell
59-50 overall, 9-8 (plus 1-0 in postseason) vs. Rhein

History of the Fire

Team History:

Established in 1995, the Fire posted a disappointing 4-6 record in their inaugural season. In 1997, the Fire played in World Bowl '97, losing at the Barcelona Dragons, 24-38. The Fire have been in the World Bowl four times in their first eight years of existence, winning a title in 1998 and 2000.

Team Name:

The Rhein Fire is named for the Northrhein-Westphalia region of Germany and the mammoth 820-mile Rhein River that forms Germany's southwest boundary. The team used to play its home games in Düsseldorf, capital of Northrhein-Westphalia, and now hosts games in Gelsenkirchen, a 40-minute drive North of Düsseldorf. City/Region:

A conglomerate of 24 cities forms the Rhein-Ruhr region of Germany. Situated on the western fringe of Germany, the densely populated region covers 200 kilometers. The largest cities surrounding Düsseldorf (population 577,250, the capital of Northrhein-Westphalia since 1946), are Duisburg (537,000) and Essen (626,000) to the North, Wuppertal (384,000) to the East, Cologne (1,000,000) and Bonn (294,000) to the South. Düsseldorf's airport serves 11.5 million passengers annually and reaches 150 destinations worldwide. The World Team Tennis Cup in Düsseldorf's Rochus Club and the ice hockey games of the "Düsseldorf EG" are highlights of the city's sports scene.

Head coach Pete Kuharchek

Coach Pete Kuharchek enters his third season as head coach after leading the Fire to a 7-3 mark in 2002 and a World Bowl appearance. Coach Kuharchek was promoted to head coach in 2000 after five seasons as Fire defensive coordinator and helped Rhein to a record four straight winning seasons in that time as well as boasting one of the League's stingiest defenses.

Under Kuharchek, the Fire's defense ranked number one overall in NFL Europe in 1999. Against the run, they have been number one on three occasions (1996, 1998, 1999) and topped the ratings against the pass in 1999.

As a player, Kuharchek started at linebacker for two years at George Washington University and a further two years at the University of Tampa. He also began his coaching career at the University of Tampa, serving as linebackers coach in 1970, and was recently named to Tampa's sports Hall of Fame. From 1972-75, Kuharchek was defensive coordinator at Tampa Catholic High School before returning to the college ranks as a defensive assistant at the University of Kentucky in 1976. He served for two years as defensive coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire before stints at Holy Cross (defensive assistant) and East Tennessee State University (defensive coordinator).

His first venture into pro football came in the USFL, where he served as linebackers coach for the Tampa Bay Bandits from 1983-85. He was defensive coordinator at Memphis State University from 1986-89 and spent a year with the Canadian Football League's British Columbia Lions and then the University of Texas-El Paso.

In 1992, his first season in the NFL Europe League, Kuharchek helped the Orlando Thunder gain a place in World Bowl, where they were beaten by the Sacramento Surge.

From 1993-95 he retuend to UTEP as defensive coordinator before teaming up with Galen Hall and the Fire in 1996. Kuharchek won World Bowl rings with the Fire in 1998 and 2000.

Arena AufSchalke a modern marvel

The Rhein Fire will be the first American football team to play at the Arena AufSchalke, the home stadium of the FC Schalke 04. Created in August 2001 at the cost of $180 million, the Arena AufSchalke is one of the loudest and certainly most advanced stadiums in Europe. The multi-functional stadium has a capacity of 61,800 seats with views close to the action. Arena AufSchalke hosts soccer, football, opera, rock concerts and biathalons, among other events. Schalke 04 has never played for less than capacity at its new home.

Arena AufSchalke is perhaps the most state-of-the-art stadium in all of Europe and more advanced than most NFL arenas in America. The true grass playing field at AufShalke is portable, rolling in and out of the stadium to be manicured. Moving the field takes six hours and costs $15,000 a time. The Arena also has a retractable roof which takes 20 minutes to open and/or close. Other features include a chapel inside the stadium and many luxury boxes for businesses.

The arena forms the new heart of the "Schalker of field" in the north Gelsenkirchens between the quarters Erle, Buer and Schalke. The arena is located close to the metropolitan railway line 302 with connection to the Gelsenkirchener main station as well as for the motor traffic over the exits Gelsenkirchen Buer at A 2 and Gelsenkirchen Schalke at A 42.

Depth at skill positions lead Fire offense

The Rhein Fire offense is led by a duo of talented quarterbacks in Nick Rolovich (Denver Broncos) and Chris Greisen. Rolovich got the starting nod during the first seven Fire games after a successful training camp. Greisen also will split time, playing in the second and fourth quarters. Both quarterbacks combined for 95 yards passing in Week One, 195 versus Berlin, 159 against Scotland, 140 at Barcelona, 165 against Frankfurt, 229 against Amsterdam, 229 at Scotland,157 against Thunder and 182 at Frankfurt.

Lining up in the Fire backfield this season are four multi-faceted running backs. Starting the majority of the season has been NFL veteran Autry Denson (Detroit Lions) who offers a scat-back mentality and sure hands. Denson is averaging over five yards a carry and is second in the League in rushing yardage. Louisville product Frank Moreau has started three weeks in a row and qualifies as a power runner through the offensive line and he has proved to be a valuable contributor to Rhein's offense, rushing for over 300 yards on the year. Matt Stanley (San Francisco 49ers) is a natural fullback but in the single-back offense of the Fire, he has multiple jobs as a running back, goal line back and occasional tight end.

With a facet of tall and quick wide receivers, this group of wideouts is Rhein's most talented corps in years. Leading the way are Emmett Johnson (Seattle Seahawks), Kendall Newson (Miami Dolphins) and Charlie Adams (Denver Broncos) for the three-wide Rhein set. Newson and Adams are among the League leaders in touchdowns scored and Adams is also high on the League list in receptions. LaVell Boyd (Houston Texans), capable of playing multiple receiver spots, has contributed with multiple catches this year. German national Christopher Liess plays behind Johnson and Todd Elstrom also sees time at WR. Tight end is also is a strong suit for Rhein, boasting NFL talent in Chad Mustard (Cleveland Browns) and starter Dwayne Blakley (Kansas City Chiefs).

Rhein's offensive line is led with tackles Dwayne Ledford and German national Patrick Venzke. Guards Pat Crummey (New York Giants) and Jim Jones (Baltimore Ravens) will start against Barcelona and the line will be centered by Dustin Keith (Dallas Cowboys) after Illinois product Luke Butkus (San Diego Chargers) was moved to injured reserve. Scot Osborne and German national Peter Heyer provide depth.

Top-ranked defense tough to score on

Defensive coordinator Ed O'Neil leads the historically strong Rhein Fire defense. The defensive line has two bookends in Andre Arnold and Corey Callens, a Fire veteran. Callens and Arnold both have contributed as Callens has two sacks in 2003 and Arnold has 1.5. The run-stopping tandem of Brad Harris (New York Giants) and Josh McKibben (Tampa Bay Bucs) will help anchor the line and McKibben starred against Berlin earlier this season with three sacks and two forced fumbles. Providing depth are two former Fire members in DE Derrick Ham (four sacks on the year) and German national Bastian Lano (6.5 sacks on season) along with Swedish national Dan Petersson. Defensive end Jesse Warren also has seen significant time (one sack at Scotland and a sack and touchdown against Berlin) since being signed as a free agent as has DT David Viger.

Rhein's linebacking corps may be the strongest portion of the defense. Top NFL allocation draft pick Courtney Ledyard (New England Patriots) led the group as the middle linebacker but will be missing in action after suffering a shoulder injury versus the Thunder and was placed on injured reserve. Charles Burton (Arizona Cardinals) and Rhein veteran Jamel Smith play outside, both leading the LB corps in tackles. Jay Johnson is starting in Ledyard's place and has responded with over 50 tackles as well. Recent pickup Dane Krager (Seattle Seahawks) will also see significant time as well as newcomer Terrence Dukes.

The secondary is led by cornerbacks Teddy Gaines (Chicago Bears) and Tony Lukins (Oakland Raiders), who has two interceptions on the year. Safety Greg Brown, who had a pick last week against Berlin, and Abdual Howard (Jacksonville Jaguars), who returned a 93-yard interception for a touchdown against the Claymores and also added one against Frankfurt, play safety and providing depth in the secondary are corners Adesola Badon (Carolina Panthers) and Tierre Sams (Cincinnati Bengals) as well as German national Richard Yancy and Lemual Ligon, who has three interceptions (second in League) and a sack, (San Diego Chargers) at safety.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Kendall Newson is the biggest threat returning kickoffs (94-yard touchdown at Amsterdam) and punts. Autry Denson is the second option at kickoff and punt return. Adesola Badon and Charlie Adams have seen time as a returner in 2003.

Punting for Rhein is Jay Taylor (Cleveland Browns) and kicks are handled by Todd France (Minnesota Vikings), 2-5 on the year in FGs, and former German soccer star Ingo Anderbrugge, 6-6 on FGs and 15-16 on PATs in 2003.



National Football League Europa Stories from June 3, 2003


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