# 1997 Rhein Fire season

The 1997 Rhein Fire season was the third season for the franchise in the World League of American Football (WLAF). The team was led by head coach Galen Hall in his third year, and played its home games at Rheinstadion in Düsseldorf, Germany. They finished the regular season in first place with a record of seven wins and three losses, marking the first winning season in franchise history. In World Bowl '97, Rhein lost to the Barcelona Dragons 38–24. Quarterback T. J. Rubley earned all-World League honors and was named the league's offensive most valuable player.

## Offseason
### World League draft

1997 Rhein Fire World League draft selections :
| Draft order | Draft order | Player name | Position | College |
| Round | Choice | Player name | Position | College |
| 1 | 1 | Israel Stanley | DE | Arizona State |
| 2 | 7 | Artis Houston | CB | California |
| 3 | 18 | Thomas Bailey | WR | Auburn |
| 4 | 19 | Scotty Lewis | DE | Baylor |
| 5 | 30 | David Merritt | LB | North Carolina State |
| 6 | 31 | John Anderson | S | Oklahoma |
| 7 | 42 | David Rhodes | WR | Central Florida |
| 8 | 43 | Pete Shufelt | LB | UTEP |
| 9 | 54 | Anthony Daigle | RB | Fresno State |
| 10 | 55 | Sean Foster | WR | Long Beach State |
| 11 | 66 | Chris Shelling | CB | Auburn |
| 12 | 67 | Ricky Powers | RB | Michigan |
| 13 | 78 | Kelly Wiltshire | CB | James Madison |
| 14 | 79 | Earl Mackey | LB | Southern |
| 15 | 90 | Mark Brook | LB | Wyoming |
| 16 | 91 | Don Robinson | CB | Kentucky |
| 17 | 102 | Will Brown | LB | Alabama |
| 18 | 103 | Kyle Richardson | P | Arkansas State |
| 19 | 114 | Chris Thomas | WR | Cal Poly |
| 20 | 115 | Jay Barry | RB | Washington |

## Schedule

| Week | Date | Kickoff | Opponent | Results | Results | Game site | Attendance |
| Week | Date | Kickoff | Opponent | Final score | Team record | Game site | Attendance |
| 1 | Saturday, April 12 | 7:00 p.m. | Barcelona Dragons | L 12–27 | 0–1 | Rheinstadion | 17,150 |
| 2 | Sunday, April 20 | 3:00 p.m. | London Monarchs | W 28–6 | 1–1 | Rheinstadion | 14,876 |
| 3 | Sunday, April 27 | 3:00 p.m. | at Scottish Claymores | W 23–10 | 2–1 | Murrayfield Stadium | 11,166 |
| 4 | Saturday, May 3 | 7:00 p.m. | at Amsterdam Admirals | L 20–23 | 2–2 | Amsterdam ArenA | 10,698 |
| 5 | Saturday, May 10 | 7:00 p.m. | Frankfurt Galaxy | W 10–7 | 3–2 | Rheinstadion | 32,140 |
| 6 | Saturday, May 17 | 7:00 p.m. | at Frankfurt Galaxy | W 21–20 | 4–2 | Waldstadion | 39,182 |
| 7 | Sunday, May 25 | 3:00 p.m. | Scottish Claymores | L 20–23 | 4–3 | Rheinstadion | 20,498 |
| 8 | Saturday, May 31 | 7:30 p.m. | at Barcelona Dragons | W 38–23 | 5–3 | Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc | 13,670 |
| 9 | Saturday, June 7 | 7:00 p.m. | Amsterdam Admirals | W 24–0 | 6–3 | Rheinstadion | 23,697 |
| 10 | Sunday, June 15 | 3:00 p.m. | at London Monarchs | W 10–7 | 7–3 | Stamford Bridge | 10,462 |
| World Bowl '97 ||||||||
| 11 | Sunday, June 22 | 7:00 p.m. | Barcelona Dragons | L 24–38 | 7–4 | Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc | 31,100 |

## Standings

World League of American Football :
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | Home | Road | STK |
| Rhein Fire | 7 | 3 | 0 | .700 | 206 | 146 | 3–2 | 4–1 | W3 |
| Barcelona Dragons | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 236 | 209 | 2–3 | 3–2 | W1 |
| Scottish Claymores | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 134 | 154 | 2–3 | 3–2 | L2 |
| Amsterdam Admirals | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 156 | 160 | 4–1 | 1–4 | W1 |
| Frankfurt Galaxy | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | 147 | 142 | 3–2 | 1–4 | L1 |
| London Monarchs | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | 116 | 184 | 2–3 | 2–3 | L1 |

## Game summaries
### Week 1: vs Barcelona Dragons

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Barcelona | 7 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 27 |
| Rhein | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12 |
at Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf, Germany
* Date: Saturday, April 12
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. CEST
* Game attendance: 17,150

### Week 2: vs London Monarchs

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| London | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Rhein | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 28 |
at Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf, Germany
* Date: Sunday, April 20
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. CEST
* Game attendance: 14,876

### Week 3: at Scottish Claymores

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rhein | 13 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 23 |
| Scotland | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland
* Date: Sunday, April 27
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. BST
* Game attendance: 11,166

### Week 4: at Amsterdam Admirals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rhein | 0 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 20 |
| Amsterdam | 10 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 23 |
at Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam, Netherlands
* Date: Saturday, May 3
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. CEST
* Game attendance: 10,698

### Week 5: vs Frankfurt Galaxy

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Frankfurt | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Rhein | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
at Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf, Germany
* Date: Saturday, May 10
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. CEST
* Game attendance: 32,140
* Referee: Phil Luckett

### Week 6: at Frankfurt Galaxy

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rhein | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| Frankfurt | 3 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 20 |
at Waldstadion, Frankfurt, Germany
* Date: Saturday, May 17
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. CEST
* Game attendance: 39,182

### Week 7: vs Scottish Claymores

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Scotland | 7 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 23 |
| Rhein | 3 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
at Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf, Germany
* Date: Sunday, May 25
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. CEST
* Game attendance: 20,498

### Week 8: at Barcelona Dragons

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rhein | 7 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 38 |
| Barcelona | 0 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 23 |
at Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc, Barcelona, Spain
* Date: Saturday, May 31
* Game time: 7:30 p.m. CEST
* Game attendance: 13,670

### Week 9: vs Amsterdam Admirals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Amsterdam | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rhein | 7 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
at Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf, Germany
* Date: Saturday, June 7
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. CEST
* Game attendance: 23,697

### Week 10: at London Monarchs

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rhein | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| London | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Stamford Bridge, London, England
* Date: Sunday, June 15
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. BST
* Game attendance: 10,462
* Referee: Phil Luckett

### World Bowl '97

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rhein | 3 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
| Barcelona | 14 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 38 |
at Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc, Barcelona, Spain
* Date: Sunday, June 22
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. CEST
* Game attendance: 31,100
* Referee: Phil Luckett

## Awards

After the completion of the regular season, the All-World League team was selected by members of the media. Overall, Rhein had six players selected. The selections were:
* T. J. Rubley, quarterback
* Bill Schroeder, wide receiver
* Ethan Brooks, offensive tackle
* Mike Sheldon, guard
* Bob Kronenberg, center
* Spencer Folau, offensive tackle
Additionally, Rubley was selected offensive MVP by the six World League head coaches. Galen Hall earned Coach of the Year honors.