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Amsterdam Admirals

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Amsterdam Admirals
Team logo
Founded1995
Closed2007
Based inAmsterdam, Netherlands
Home fieldAmsterdam Arena
Head coachBart Andrus
LeagueNFL Europe
ColorsAdmirals Blue, Orange, Green, White, Light Blue
         
Mascot(s)Albert the Albatross
World Bowls (1)World Bowl XIII (2005)

The Amsterdam Admirals were a professional American football team based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, playing in the NFL Europe.

History

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Following its completion in 1996, the Admirals moved into the Amsterdam ArenA (2000 image) in time for the 1997 WLAF season.

The Admirals were formed in 1995 as part of the NFL's plan to restart the World League of American Football, to be based entirely in Europe. The Admirals were one of three new teams, the others being the Scottish Claymores based in Edinburgh and the Rhein Fire based in Düsseldorf, Germany, to join the old World League's European Division teams: the Barcelona Dragons, the Frankfurt Galaxy, and the London Monarchs.

The Admirals began playing their home games at the old Olympisch Stadion, built in 1928 for the Summer Games. They played there for two years until the Amsterdam ArenA was completed in 1996. When the Admirals were forced to schedule their last home game of the 2000 season against the Claymores away from the ArenA as Euro 2000 preparations were finalized, they made a return to the Olympisch Stadion in what turned out to be one of the most unusual games in American football history. The end zone at the north end of the stadium was ruled unsafe by the officials as the surface was in poor condition, so it was decided that the teams would change ends at every change of possession and play towards the other end zone.

They qualified for the 1995 World Bowl with a 9–1 regular season record, but lost to the Frankfurt Galaxy by a score of 26–22. Ten years later, in their eleventh year of existence, the Admirals won their first World Bowl by defeating the defending champion Berlin Thunder 27–21 in the championship game's 13th edition. The next season, they failed to defend their title against the Frankfurt Galaxy 22–7 in World Bowl XIV.

Under the "Player Continuity Program", the Admirals contracted linebacker Derrick Ballard and running back Jonathan Smith for the 2007 season.

Season-by-season

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The Admirals' first home ground was the Olympic Stadium (1995 image), built for the Summer Olympic Games of 1928. World Bowl '95–between Amsterdam Admirals and Frankfurt Galaxy–was also held there.
Season League Regular season Postseason
Won Lost Ties Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
1995 WLAF 9 1 0 .900 1st (League) 0 1 .000 Lost to Frankfurt Galaxy in World Bowl III
1996 WLAF 5 5 0 .500 3rd (League) Out of playoffs.
1997 WLAF 5 5 0 .500 4th (League) No playoffs.
1998 NFLE 7 3 0 .700 3rd (League) Out of playoffs.
1999 NFLE 4 6 0 .400 4th (League) No playoffs.
2000 NFLE 4 6 0 .400 4th (League) No playoffs.
2001 NFLE 4 6 0 .400 5th (League) No playoffs.
2002 NFLE 4 6 0 .400 5th (League) No playoffs.
2003 NFLE 4 6 0 .400 5th (League) No playoffs.
2004 NFLE 5 5 0 .500 3rd (League) No playoffs.
2005 NFLE 6 4 0 .600 2nd (League) 1 0 1.000 World Bowl XIII champions
2006 NFLE 7 3 0 .700 1st (League) 0 1 .000 Lost to Frankfurt Galaxy in World Bowl XIV
2007 NFLE 4 6 0 .400 5th (League) No playoffs.
Total 68 62 0 .523 1 2 .333

Head coaches

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# Name Term Regular season Postseason Achievements
GC Won Lost Ties Win % GC Won Lost Win %
1 Al Luginbill 19952000 60 34 26 0 .567 1 0 1 .000
2 Bart Andrus 20012007 70 34 36 0 .486 2 1 1 .500 World Bowl XIII championship
NFL Europe Coach of the Year (2005)

Attendance

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De Meer Stadion, 1937
Amsterdam's second home match of 1995 was played at De Meer (1937 photo) shortly before closure in 1996 and demolition in 1998.
Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam, 2000
The club twice returned to the Olympic Stadium–restored in the Admirals' absence–after the 1997 move: once for their last home match of the 2000 NFL Europe season, versus Scottish Claymores; and for a 2007 NFL Europa game against Berlin Thunder that proved to be the final match in their history.

Source: Kenn.com

Year Games Total Average
Amsterdam Admirals (World League)
1995 5 72,767 14,553
1996 5 50,094 10,019
1997 5 73,425 14,685
Amsterdam Admirals (NFL Europe)
1998 5 79,263 15,853
1999 5 61,444 12,289
2000 5 54,985 10,997
2001 5 66,292 13,258
2002 5 58,322 11,664
2003 5 57,208 11,442
2004 5 62,496 12,499
2005 5 64,386 12,877
2006 5 67,106 13,421
Amsterdam Admirals (NFL Europa)
2007 5 58,390 11,678
13 65 826,178 12,710

Ring of Honor

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Notable players

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League records (1995–2007)

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Individual records

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  • Note: NFLE had a 10-game season.
Highest pass rating, season (qualifiers) Most passes attempted, season
Player Year Rating Player Year Attempted
Gibran Hamdan 2006 113.4 Will Furrer 1996 368
Most passes completed, season Highest average gain, season (qualifiers)
Player Year Completed Player Year Average
Shaun Hill 2003 220 Gibran Hamdan 2006 10.06
Most consecutive passes attempted, none intercepted Most games, 100 or more yards pass receiving, season
Player Year Attempted Player Year Games
Ron Powlus 2000 156 Skyler Fulton 2006 6
Most consecutive games, 100 or more yards pass receiving Most yards gained, career
Player Year Games Player Year Yards
Matthew Hatchette 2003 4 Joe Douglass 19981999 624
Longest punt return Most Opponents' Fumbles Recovered, season
Player Year Yards Player Year Fumbles
Matthew Hatchette Amsterdam vs. Berlin, 5/31/03 101 Karmeeleyah McGill 1995 4
Longest Fumble Return
Player Year Yards
Derrick Ballard Amsterdam vs. Berlin, 3/18/06 95

Team records

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Most passes completed, season Fewest Passes Completed, season
Year Completed Year Completed
2003 271 1997 116
Fewest Yards Gained, season Fewest rushing touchdowns, season
Year Yards Year Touchdowns
1997 1208 2000 1
Most Points, Both Teams, game Most punt returns, season
Year Points Year Yards
5/31/03 (vs. Berlin) 94 (51–43) 1998 39
Most yards gained on Punt Return, game Most yards gained on Punt Return, Both Teams, game
Year Yards Year Yards
5/11/96 (vs. London) 175 5/11/96 (vs. London) 201
Fewest Yards Gained on Kickoff Return, game Most yards gained on Kickoff Return, Both Teams, game
Year Yards Year Yards
5/28/00 (vs. Frankfurt) 2 5/31/03 (vs. Berlin) 451 (188–263)
Fewest Fumbles, season Fewest Fumbles Lost, season
Year Fumbles Year Fumbles
2003 7 2003 2
Most Fumbles Lost, Both Teams, game Most Opponents' Fumbles Recovered, season
Year Fumbles Year Fumbles
5/13/95 (vs. Barcelona) 8 (4–4) 1995 20
Most Opponents' Fumbles Recovered, Both Teams, game Fewest Yards Penalized, Both Teams, game
Year Fumbles Year Yards
5/13/95 (vs. Barcelona) 8 (4–4) 5/18/97 (vs. Scotland) 25 (15–10)
Most Yards Penalized, Both Teams, game Fewest yards allowed by Defense, rushing, season
Year Yards Year Yards
6/1/02 (vs. Frankfurt) 294 (116–178) 2000 654

Source: NFLEurope.com

See also

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